The new Buffalo State Center for Social Justice (PDF, 1.8 MB) is searching for members for its inaugural steering committee.

The Center for Social Justice (CSJ) is looking for 10–12 steering committee members interested in helping build a campus and community infrastructure around and through the CSJ. This committee is open to faculty, staff, student, and community participation. The steering committee will help prioritize and focus the CSJ’s mission on campus and work closely with Ruth Goldman, interim faculty coordinator, to support social justice–related student initiatives, programming, and funding opportunities.

Any faculty, staff, or community member interested in serving on the CSJ Steering Committee should email Dr. Goldman at centerforsocialjustice@buffalostate.edu by Friday, December 15.

Nominations will be accepted through Thursday, January 25, for the 2023–2024 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service.

This system-level award recognizes classified service employees for excellence and superior service to students and the community at large. Nominees should be individuals who not only continuously demonstrate outstanding achievement and skill, but who also demonstrate excellence in activities beyond the scope of their job descriptions.

Members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

The nomination form and award guidelines are available online. Thank you.

The Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) requests proposals from individuals, departments, and student clubs and organizations for funding of programs, speakers, and events to take place during the 2023–2024 academic year. The deadline for spring 2024 proposals is Friday, February 2. Applications for funding and complete details of requirements may be found on the Student Affairs website. All proposals must be submitted electronically to Stacy Erokwu, assistant to the vice president for student affairs.

Questions about the GAC may be addressed to Ms. Erokwu.

In support of Pillar 3 of Buffalo State University’s 2022–2026 Strategic Plan, focused on a shared vision for student success, the division of Student Affairs has developed a support goal to increase the number of campus partners educated in career development frameworks by 2026 in order to help refer and assist students. Career and Professional Education (CAPE) is happy to announce the next round of training sessions to become a Bengal Career Champion! One of the goals of this initiative is to ensure further career education for students by way of increasing career knowledge for staff and faculty across campus.

As a Bengal Career Champion, you’ll become more familiar with career resources to help keep your students on track and focused on their careers, as well as learn tips to have more productive career conversations with your students.

Current Bengal Career Champions tell us that because of the training program, they feel more prepared and more confident in guiding students to future career success, as well as referring students to CAPE. They also recommend this training to colleagues.

If you’d like to become a Bengal Career Champion, our next set of training sessions are scheduled for January 16 and 18 (virtual) and January 23 and 25 (in person). Attendance at both days for each two-day training is required. To reserve your spot for either set of training sessions, RSVP by Friday, January 12, for the either January cohort. Please contact CAPE with questions. We look forward to your participation!

Communication Survey
In the coming weeks, we will be conducting an extensive evaluation of our internal and external communication strategies, specifically the role of the Daily Bulletin as an e-newsletter. The current web platform for the Daily Bulletin is Drupal 7 and therefore must be updated. We will be distributing a survey about your experience with the Daily Bulletin, which will help inform us as we move forward with this process. Questions about the communication strategy may be directed to Geoff Nason, director of communications and content strategy.

Advertising Campaigns Update
Below is a comprehensive list of campaigns for 2023–2024. Examples of some of our advertising efforts are available on the Marketing and Communications website.

• Still Time to Apply (Graduate; 4–6 weeks before fall and spring starts)
• Open House (Undergraduate and graduate; September–November)
• Drive to Apply (Undergraduate awareness/top-of-mind messaging; September–January)
• Program-Specific (Awareness building and lead generation; November–May)
• Drive to Apply (Graduate awareness/top-of-mind; December–May)
• Drive to Deposit (Targeted awareness messaging around decision timing; January–June)

See samples of our advertising creative. >>>

Below is a list of tactics we have activated, or will activate, for our campaigns this fiscal year:

• Targeted digital
   > Search engine marketing or paid search
       • General undergraduate and graduate
       • Targeted programmatic keywords
• Digital display
• Paid social media
  > Program-focused
  > General awareness
  > Event-based
  > Lead generation
• Traditional radio
• Traditional TV
• Select print
• Streaming TV
• Pre-roll video
• Billboards
• Streaming radio

This year we aligned and coordinated our advertising efforts based on the priorities outlined in our integrated marketing and communications plans. We expedited our plan to launch program-specific campaigns through additional funding from SUNY, via the Provost’s Office. The provost, in conjunction with the deans and the vice president for enrollment management, identified the program priorities for this year. Questions about our advertising strategy may be directed to Matt Heidt, assistant vice president for marketing and communications.

Phasing Out Drupal 7 Websites
As previously announced in the Daily Bulletin, due to end-of-life and discontinued support, we must depreciate all Drupal 7 template sites. Many campus sites have already adopted the new template, and others are in the queue for this migration. Marketing and Communications will continue to assist academic departments wishing to move into the new framework. Additionally, over the next few months, we will work to identify unused, underused, and low-traffic sites, which we will recommend for shutting down. Questions about the migration process or the new template may be directed to Melissa Meehan, director of web services and marketing analytics.

Social Media Updates
Since the beginning of the fall semester through mid-November, our institutional social media accounts have garnered organic traffic of over 6.5 million impressions and over 132,000 engagements. Examples of some of our top posts are available on the Marketing and Communications website.

In addition to our institutional accounts, this semester we have collaborated to help the School of the Professions launch an Instagram account. More information on social media is available on the Marketing and Communications website. Contact Colleen Callahan, director of digital marketing and social strategy, with questions.

See some of the top social posts from this semester. >>>

Brand Study and Refreshed Brand Standards
In collaboration with Red Cactus Marketing, we conducted an Image and Perception Study this past spring, which involved a quantitative online survey of various internal and external audiences. Thank you for your participation in this process.

We are now embarking on Phase 2 of our brand research; an RFP was advertised, and we will evaluate the proposals soon. Once the evaluation is complete, the selected agency will continue our brand study to include qualitative research to further inform our brand platform and advance our visual identity, messaging, and position.

We will again be asking for your participation in this important process. Questions about our brand study may be directed to Brian Kantz, director of creative services and brand standards, or Matt Heidt, assistant vice president for marketing and communications.

In an effort to best serve the campus’s contract and agreement needs, Steven W. Olsen, director of contract management, is moving from Procurement Services to the Management and Operations division. Reporting to me as interim vice president for management and operations, Mr. Olsen will be the primary campus contact for non-procurement contracts, leases, MOUs, and other agreements across all funds. These agreements had previously been handled by staff members in the VP for Finance and Management Office. Mr. Olsen will also manage procurement contracts when legal input or official New York State approvals are required. His office will be located in Cleveland Hall 508.

We thank Mr. Olsen for his many years of service in the Procurement Office and look forward to this new efficiency and its promise to improve contract processing for the university.

The Equity and Campus Diversity Office, the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), and the Dr. Katherine S. Conway-Turner Civic and Community Engagement Office (CCE) are opening the application process for two faculty Social Justice Faculty Externship opportunities for summer 2024. This summer partnership initiative focuses on collaborative faculty-community partner connections that deepen understanding and build opportunities to expand and grow equity and justice in our community. The faculty member and community organization each receive financial benefit and funds for materials through a summer partnership focused on learning and action. Faculty participants will engage in learning opportunities with community organizations that provide leadership in addressing issues of social justice and will work to extend their learning to students through curricular change. At the same time, the organizations will benefit through faculty time and attention to a project using the faculty member’s skills and experiences. Please review the details and application materials, and contact me, Lisa Morrison-Fronckowiak; Ruth Goldman, CJS interim faculty coordinator; or Laura Hill Rao, CCE director, with questions. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 7.

I am pleased to announce that Jude Jayatilleke, senior academic advisor in Buffalo State’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), has accepted the position of ACE program director following an internal search. Buffalo State is proud to be one of the comprehensive universities selected to participate in SUNY’s Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE) Program. The ACE Program is a comprehensive academic support program designed to help students complete their academic journey to a bachelor’s degree on time. Modeled on the principles of CUNY’s highly successful and nationally recognized Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), ACE provides intensive academic advisement, career development, tuition scholarships, textbooks, and transportation assistance.

Mr. Jayatilleke holds a bachelor of science in hospitality administration and a master of science in student personnel administration, both from Buffalo State. We are proud that this Buffalo State alumnus will bring nearly 20 years of experience as an advisor and counselor within EOP and the Admissions Office to lead this influential SUNY-sponsored and directed program. I firmly believe that his compassionate character and professionalism are also important tools he will bring to this newly created position. Mr. Jayatilleke will have numerous opportunities to collaborate with a wide cross-section of campus constituents, and these skills will undoubtedly help him get this important retention program up and running quickly. Please join us in congratulating Mr. Jayatilleke in his new role.

Buffalo State University is pleased to have been able to provide complimentary COVID testing kits to the campus community since they first became available; however, because our New York State source of these tests is discontinuing this provision, starting in January 2024, Buffalo State will no longer be able to provide them.

Employees may want to consider purchasing these kits from authorized vendors or contacting their insurance providers for COVID testing needs going forward. By being proactive and responsible, we can maintain a safe and healthy campus environment.

The Weigel Health Center will continue to provide testing for students and can be reached at (716) 878-6711.

Information about local testing sites is available on the Erie County Department of Health website. Employees may direct related questions by email to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

As many of you know, we are currently facing a structural deficit, and our commitment is to address this situation decisively and thoughtfully, with an eye toward meeting the requirements set by SUNY for the 2027–2028 academic year. In light of this, I have made the strategic decision to transfer the Institutional Research Office from Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, in the Division of Academic Affairs, to the Division of Finance. This decision is not taken lightly, but with a deep understanding of the synergies that such alignment can foster.

Best practices in higher education literature highlight the critical role of institutional research in driving academic excellence. With its ability to generate valuable insights into enrollment trends, student success metrics, and curriculum effectiveness, institutional research plays an indispensable role in guiding our academic enterprise. By aligning this office with the Division of Finance, we aim to integrate these insights directly into our financial planning and resource allocation processes.

Data analytics, a methodology of analyzing raw data to make conclusions and guide strategic decision-making, will also play a crucial role in this synergy. With its ability to provide a comprehensive view of the institution’s operations and performance, it will enhance our efforts to identify patterns and trends in student enrollment and performance, which can inform strategies to improve student retention and success. It will also support financial decision-making by analyzing data on the institution’s revenues, expenditures, and financial trends, helping to identify opportunities for cost savings, revenue generation, and financial sustainability.

We are pleased to announce that Yves Gachette will continue to lead this office as the director, reporting directly to James Thor, comptroller and interim vice president. Mr. Gachette will work closely with Provost Mayrose and Interim VP Thor to develop a plan for a seamless transition of the office and its current functions. Together, they will also fortify the office for its evolving role, ensuring that it becomes a critical component of Buffalo State’s strategic academic, enrollment, and financial planning.

This strategic realignment is part of a broader effort to stage the operational plan based on the reframed strategic priorities announced at the Update to the State of the University address on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Our goal is to harness the strengths of both the Institutional Research Office and the Division of Finance, creating a powerful synergy that will position our institution for both academic excellence and financial sustainability.

Consequently, the Institutional Research Office will henceforth be known as the Institutional Research and Data Analytics Office. This renaming reflects the evolving role of the office, incorporating “data analytics”—a concept that emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making in both academic and financial contexts.

New Vision Statement
“To be a transformative engine that integrates data-driven insights with financial strategies, fostering an environment of academic excellence and sustainable growth at Buffalo State University.”

New Mission Statement
“To leverage institutional research and data analytics in the creation and implementation of strategic plans, supporting Buffalo State University’s commitment to academic excellence, student success, and long-term financial sustainability.”

We are confident that this strategic realignment will not only help us address our immediate fiscal challenges but also position Buffalo State University to realize our shared vision as SUNY’s flagship comprehensive university. We appreciate your support and shared commitment to the bright future of Buffalo State University.