On February 27, 2023, the New York State Legislature passed Bill No. A00624 / S02219, which was signed into law as Chapter 17 of the Laws of 2023 by Governor Hochul on March 3, 2023.

On March 13, 2023, SUNY provided campuses with information about this new procurement legislation that SUNY must follow beginning Friday, March 17, 2023. On this date, as a SUNY campus, we will be subject to the thresholds and approach outlined below.

Threshold Changes for Contracts
Effective March 17, 2023, and until further notice, SUNY state-funded contracts with the following monetary thresholds must be sent to the offices of the Attorney General (OAG) and the State Comptroller (OSC) by the Procurement Office for review and approval before implementation:

All contracts (informally or formally procured) for goods and services of

• $75,000 or more (was $250,000 previously);
• all purchases using an Office of General Services (OGS) centralized contract for $200,000 or more (no OAG/OSC review required previously).

What does this mean for Buffalo State?

The New York State–mandated reduction in OAG/OSC review contract thresholds for all New York State agencies means that the lead time to implement any contracts of $75,000 or more ($200,00 for OGS contracts) will most likely increase by about three months. This lead time does not include departmental, campus, or legal review or approval.

What is the impact on daily operations?

Departments must be sure to plan three or more months in advance for any anticipated contract purchases. This will allow for the increase in OAG/OSC review and approval time for contracts to be implemented. Please contact Steve Olsen, director of contract management, or Kristy Mediak, senior director of procurement, with any questions about the new contract process.

I would like to thank the many faculty, staff, and students who contributed to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) campus evaluation visit this week.

I recognize the enormous amount of work that goes into planning and implementing an accreditation visit, from creating the self-study report (PDF, 3 MB) to securing meeting rooms and so much more. Thanks to your efforts, the meetings went smoothly, and we saw a nice turnout at the open-forum sessions. Just as important, you made our guests feel welcome, which I greatly appreciate.

I was proud to see our community come together to highlight the many ways in which Buffalo State serves its students and its mission, and I know that the quality and quantity of the work each of you performs on a daily basis was evident during the visit.

We expect to receive the findings of the commission later this spring and will share the results with the campus community at that time.

Again, thank you all for your work in supporting our accreditation process and our campus community.

I am pleased to announce that the Presidential Search Committee held its first meeting on Thursday, March 16, when SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. charged the committee members with finding the next president of Buffalo State University. The full list of committee members is available on the Presidential Search website.

As outlined by SUNY guidelines, the Presidential Search Committee includes four members of the Buffalo State Council (including myself), six members of the full-time teaching faculty, one student, one professional or support staff member, one Foundation Board representative, one alumni representative, one academic dean, one SUNY designee, one chancellor’s liaison (non-voting), and one campus staff liaison (non-voting). Additional members have been appointed to the committee, which consist of an additional council member (total of five), one community representative, and one business leader.

The legal authority to appoint the president or chief administrative officer of a state-operated SUNY campus rests with the State University of New York Board of Trustees. University councils have the responsibility of recommending a candidate or candidates to the Board of Trustees. To assist university councils in their work, SUNY has adopted a policy with procedures for the search process and nomination of candidates.

I would like to sincerely thank all the members of the Presidential Search Committee and its staff for their dedication as we enter the next phase of this vital search process.

Sincerely,

Linda A. Dobmeier, ’71
Chair, Buffalo State Council

In the March 10, 2023, meeting of the Buffalo State Senate, the Standard for Students Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy I:16:03 Policy on Grading. The Senate voted in favor of adopting the following resolution as a formal recommendation to the president:

BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:16:03        
Date:  March 10, 2023
Subject: Policy on Grading

• This revision will provide more time and flexibility for course Pass/Fail (PF) options. The revision extends the deadline to the 13th week of the semester for applying for PF, and extends the deadline to rescind a PF request to the last day of class.
• This revision allows students to request up to two courses as PF per semester, for a total of 24 credit hour during their undergraduate program.

Original DOPS Policy on Grading (PDF, 100 KB)

BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:16:03
Date: February 2023
Subject: Policy on Grading

The university used letter grades to indicate the status of a student at the completion of a course. All grades are awarded at the sole discretion of the faculty member responsible for the course. A grade must be submitted for every student on the course roster at the end of the semester. Students will be apprised of evaluation policies in each class at the beginning of every semester. This information will also include notification, where appropriate, that the plus/minus grading system will be used as determined by the instructor. Instructors will inform students of their standing in each course by the end of the ninth week of the semester or two-thirds of a summer session or intersemester. Questions regarding grading policies or an individual grade received in a particular course should be addressed to the instructor or to the department chair.

Grades Awarded by the University
A = Superior
A-
B+
B = Above average for undergraduate coursework; average for graduate coursework. B or 3.0 GPA is required minimum cumulative for graduate coursework.
B-*
C+*
C = Average*
C-**
D+**
D** = Below average
E** = Failure or Unofficial Withdrawal from a Course
EV** = Failure, never attended
S = Satisfactory
SD = Satisfactory with Distinction
U = Unsatisfactory
P = Pass; may not be given for graduate coursework
F = Fail; may not be given for graduate coursework

* Note: courses with a grade of B-, C+, or C are below required average for graduate coursework, but may be used to meet graduate program degree requirements.

** Note: courses with a grade of C- or below cannot be used to meet graduate program degree requirement.

Letters Used to Indicate Status
I = Incomplete
IP = In Progress
N = Grade Delayed
NR = Grade Not Required
X = Grade Not Submitted
W = Withdrawal

Explanation of Grades
S (Satisfactory) and U (Unsatisfactory) grades are reserved for graduate theses, student teaching, or other field experiences that are not readily evaluated by the normal letter grades and basic skills courses.

SD (Satisfactory with Distinction) is reserved for graduate theses. S, SD, and U grades may be given only for courses so designated. P (Pass) and F (Fail) grades are given for undergraduate courses taken on a pass/fail basis. They may be submitted only under proper authorization. Pass and Fail grades may not be used for graduate coursework.

W (Withdrawal) grades may be submitted only when a student has formally withdrawn from a course. I (Incomplete) grades may be submitted only when the department chair or program coordinator has been properly notified. An instructor may submit a grade of I (Incomplete) only when circumstances leading to a student’s failure to complete course requirements are known to be beyond the student’s control (e.g., serious illness or unavailability of material). The student must complete course requirements and the instructor must submit a grade change by the 10th week of the following spring or fall semester or the grade automatically converts to an E (failure). In the event that the instructor who granted the I grade is unable to evaluate whether the student has fulfilled the course requirements during the stipulated time period, the chair or program coordinator takes responsibility for evaluating the student’s work and changing the grade.

IP (In Progress) grade is reserved for graduate students who have not completed their thesis or project requirements. When work is completed, the instructor submits a grade change, replacing the IP grade with a final grade. If an instructor does not submit a final grade by the end of the second additional semester, the P grade will automatically be recorded as an E or U unless an incomplete extension (722) is filed. A grade of N (Grade Delayed) may not be submitted for a thesis or project.

N (Grade Delayed) grades may be given when research work or an internship carries over from one semester to another and when it is necessary to delay grading to a subsequent semester. N grades may be submitted only with the permission of the department chair or program coordinator. A grade of N (Grade Delayed) may not be used for a graduate thesis or project course.

NR (Grade Not Required) grade of NR is reserved for, and must be submitted for, any graduate level 721 Thesis/Project Continuation or 722 Thesis/Project Extending Course.

Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete grade is a temporary grade issued for medical emergencies or life crisis or for planned extensions of undergraduate projects and studies. Students must request an Incomplete grade directly from the instructor. An Incomplete grade is converted to a letter grade by the 10th week of the following spring or fall semester. If the work is not completed by that time, the instructor will submit a grade based upon the amount of work completed. If the instructor who granted the Incomplete is not able to evaluate the student’s fulfillment of course requirements during the stipulated time period, the chair or program coordinator is responsible for changing the grade. Anyone not completing the course requirements within this time will automatically have a grade of E recorded.

Pass/Fail Option
The pass/fail option permits any matriculated student to take an undergraduate course for credit without receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, E, or EV. The pass/fail option cannot be used for graduate courses. A pass (P) grade provides credit but no quality points and is not counted in total hours used to determine cumulative average. A fail (F) grade is treated as a failure although the hours are not used in computing the cumulative average.

A pass/fail credit may be applied toward an undergraduate degree. Courses taken as part of early childhood and childhood education program concentrations and distributions may not be taken pass/fail.

Any undergraduate course, except English composition 100-level courses and those required for completion of a major or a minor, may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students must declare their intention to do so by the end of the 13th week of classes in any semester or after two-thirds of a Summer Session or January Term. Students should refer to the Registrar's Office for the proper procedure for completing a pass/fail. A student may choose to rescind their pass/fail request and accept their earned letter grade by following the requirements for rescinding a pass/fail request (found on the Registrar’s Office website) prior to the last day of class. After this point, a student may petition Academic Standards to have the earned letter grade apply. Students will be allowed to take up to two courses per semester as a pass/fail option for a total of 24 credit hours during their undergraduate program at the university.

Students may not use pass/fail to repeat an undergraduate course for which a grade of C- or below was earned.

Note: Students are cautioned that the amount of pass/fail work permitted may jeopardize their chances for admission to graduate or professional school or for career placement.

Change of Grade
Grades submitted at the end of the semester are considered final. In case of a clerical error or other extenuating circumstance resulting in an incorrect grade, a request for a grade change must be submitted by the instructor, with full written justification, to the appropriate associate dean. See DOPS I:16:07 Change of Grade Policy (PDF, 62 KB).

I hereby accept the recommendation of the Buffalo State Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

In the March 10, 2023, meeting of the Buffalo State Senate, the Standard for Students Committee brought forth for a vote a motion to add DOPS Policy I:16:10 Academic Clemency for Graduate Students. The Senate voted in favor of the resolution presented by the Standards for Students Committee on March 10, 2023.

BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:16:10     
Date:  March 10, 2023
Subject: Academic Clemency for Graduate Students

• The current DOPS I:16:09 Academic Clemency Policy is exclusively undergraduate student-focused, and no DOPS academic clemency policy for graduate students exists.
• There are current policies for academic clemency for graduate students that exist in the Graduate Catalog.
• The policies on academic clemency for undergraduate students and graduate students differ.

A one-year waiting period is sufficient for graduate students and allows students the opportunity to re-engage and advance professional goals promptly.

BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:16:10
Date: 2022
Subject: Academic Clemency for Graduate Students

Academic clemency is designed for former students at Buffalo State University whose GPAs during previous enrollments make it impossible or highly unlikely for them ever to graduate. Academic clemency offers former students the opportunity to resume their university studies with a realistic possibility of completing their degree. Academic clemency removes courses from GPA calculations but retains them on the transcript.

Graduate students with a Buffalo State GPA of less than 3.0 are eligible to apply for academic clemency when they apply for readmission to the university. The student’s last semester of enrollment must have been at least one year prior to the application for admission. Students can request clemency for up to two semesters of work (consecutive or non-consecutive). These semesters are to be determined by the student in consultation with the adviser, program coordinator or department chair, and director of graduate studies. A decision of clemency includes all coursework taken within the semester(s) at Buffalo State; it is not selectively applied. Clemency is applied only after a student has registered for an upcoming semester. 

Conditions for Academic Clemency for Graduate Students

1. Clemency may not be applied to any coursework for which a degree has been awarded.
2. Courses for which a student has requested academic clemency will remain on the student’s transcript but will not be calculated into the overall cumulative average and will not count toward graduation. The student’s transcript will contain a notation of academic clemency.
3. In order to apply for academic clemency, the student will be required to file a formal petition with the Graduate Studies Office. Such petition must include a signature indicating their understanding of the conditions stated in the academic clemency policy. The statement will indicate that computation of the grade point average may contribute to the admissibility to other graduate programs including all graduate work completed as of the date of application.
4. Students whose academic clemency is approved will be required to meet with their academic advisers to determine the appropriate selection of courses.
5. The decision to file for academic clemency may affect a student’s qualification for financial aid eligibility.
6. The student’s decision to exercise the academic clemency provision is final and irreversible.

The director of graduate studies will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this policy.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the Buffalo State Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At the March 10, 2023, meeting of the Buffalo State Senate, the Student Welfare Committee brought forth for a vote a motion in response to the December 2022 blizzard. The Senate voted in favor of adopting the following resolution as a formal recommendation to the president:

WHEREAS, the deadly blizzard that hit the Buffalo area December 23–24, 2022, directly impacted Buffalo State students living both on and off campus; and

WHEREAS, many students living in nearby off-campus apartments went days without electricity, without heat, and/or without access to food while their streets remained unplowed; and

WHEREAS, the Buffalo State community did not receive any communication regarding available resources for those impacted by the blizzard until December 29, 2022; and

WHEREAS, there is no publicly available emergency response plan for blizzards or other weather-related emergencies; and

WHEREAS, this blizzard was unprecedented in many ways, but that should not take away from the institution’s ability to ensure that students, faculty, and staff are prepared before and during extreme weather emergencies,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that to enhance communication with students about resources available and to appropriately direct them to those resources, the Emergency Response Planning Group (ERPG) be tasked with working on ways to more effectively disseminate emergency action plans to students and communicate them to the campus community; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marketing and Communications Office conduct an annual student communication survey to question students on their preferred methods of communication in times of prolonged weather emergencies.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the president charge the agencies so named with reporting regularly to the campus community.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the Buffalo State Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of these changes and for communicating the changes to the campus community.

On behalf of the division of Finance and Management, I extend my gratitude and best wishes to Khaleel Gathers, associate vice president for instructional technology and CIO, who has accepted a position with Colorado College as vice president and chief information officer.

Mr. Gathers has been a valued member of our campus community for nearly 29 years, serving as a leader in the field of information technology. Throughout his tenure at Buffalo State, he has played a pivotal role in advancing the university's technology infrastructure and ensuring that our students and faculty have access to the latest technological tools and resources. His tireless efforts have helped streamline our operations and improve the overall efficiency of our institution.

We are deeply grateful for Mr. Gathers's many years of dedicated service and the countless ways he has positively influenced our university. Please join me in expressing my appreciation for his unwavering commitment to Buffalo State University. We wish him the very best as he moves forward.

Effective April 27, 2023, Tom Killian, director of enterprise infrastructure services, will serve as interim associate vice president for information technology and CIO while we conduct a search. We will announce plans for an open house in honor of Mr. Gathers in the coming weeks.

Buffalo State Dining Services will offer the following options for students observing Ramadan:

Suhoor bags will be available at the desk in the Bengal Kitchen. Suhoor is the meal before starting fast in the early morning. For one swipe, you will receive a bag of food to take with you for the next morning. The bag will consist of soy milk, juice, an oatmeal cup, a box of Cheerios or Rice Chex, a bagel with butter, an apple, and two hard-boiled eggs.

Iftar meals consisting of halal chicken and rice with vegetables will be available for dinner through the Boost mobile app. Iftar is the meal for breaking fast at sunset. Please choose the halal option on Boost, and we will have your order ready for pickup. You must swipe upon receiving your meal. More information about the Boost mobile app is available on the Dining Services website. Please text questions about the Boost app to (716) 800-4164.

After spring break, True Burger will offer halal burgers. Halal chicken will always be featured in Tu Taco, and we will always have a Boost option of a halal meal that can be noted as dine in or out.

On Friday, April 21, we will celebrate Eid-al-Fitr in the Bengal Kitchen with featured recipes from Zubair Mohajir, an award-winning executive chef and owner of Wazwan Chicago. The menu will include halal tikka masala and Chettinad chicken.

A very special thanks to the staff of Residence Life and to Chartwells resident district manager Glenn Bucello and his team for helping raise awareness about Ramadan and providing to-go bags for our Muslim students.

The month of Ramadan for 2023 begins Thursday, March 23. During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, there are special obligations for fasting, prayer, and other religious observances for people practicing Islam. Please be mindful that during the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast each day from before sunrise until sunset.

Buffalo State has seen an increase in Muslim students over the past few years. Please be aware that fasting can lead to fatigue, which in turn can affect performance in class. Some Muslim students may ask for flexibility with their class schedules or exams to accommodate this religious obligation; therefore, please be cognizant of the reasons behind the requests and offer flexibility and support as needed. Please also let your students know in general of your support; you might not be able to identify the Muslim students in your classes. Thank you.

As a reminder, the Buffalo State community is composed of individuals from a wide array of faith-based communities and practices. We honor and respect everyone’s right to practice their faith. For the full Policy on Discrimination Based on Religion, please visit the Equity and Campus Diversity website.

The Buffalo State community is cordially invited to attend Bengala 2023, our 26th annual gala to generate academic scholarships and financial assistance support for our students. This year we celebrate our students, the career and impact of President Conway-Turner, and our status as a university. Bengala 2023 is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, at 6:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. More information and tickets are available through the Bengala website or by contacting Liz Grady in the Institutional Advancement Office.