We are thrilled to announce that money has been allocated to provide financial assistance to students pursuing internships during the spring 2024 or Summer 2024 semester. Each student is eligible to receive up to $950 in the spring semester. This funding can be used for general living expenses, professional attire, and transportation costs. Students participating in summer internships can receive up to $1,700. This funding can also be used for general living expenses, professional clothing, and transportation as well as costs associated with housing or rent. This initiative is a testament to SUNY’s commitment to enhancing the educational experience of our students by providing them with real-world, hands-on opportunities that align with their academic and career goals.

Internships play a crucial role in students' overall development, providing them with practical insights into their chosen field and helping them bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional application. By participating in internships, students gain valuable skills, industry exposure, and networking opportunities that significantly contribute to their personal and professional growth.

I am also asking for your assistance to support this initiative.

Inform Students
If you know of any students who are interested in or are pursuing an internship for the spring or summer semester, please inform them of this opportunity. They can apply for this funding by completing an online application in Bengal Connect.

Spring 2024

Summer 2024

Looking to Host an Intern?
If your office would like to host an intern for the spring and/or summer, please complete this online form. This is a great opportunity to have an undergraduate student work on a special project or initiative. Many of our students do not have access to transportation, so on-campus experiences will ensure that more students have access to this opportunity. Please email Maureen Huber, associate director of CAPE, with questions about hosting an intern.

The Career and Professional Education Center (CAPE) is available to help students create their résumés, cover letters, and any other professional documents needed to apply for an internship.

Please contact Denise Harris, director of CAPE, with general questions.

Spring New Student Orientation is quickly approaching, and we are excited to welcome our new Bengals to the Buffalo State community. Below are just a few reminders and some helpful tips that you can share as you are working with incoming students and their families.

Program Details
Our in-person program will take place Friday, January 26. Check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. with the first session starting at 9:00 a.m.

Student Registration for Orientation
Upon submitting their deposit, students automatically receive information prompting them to self-register for their orientation session within their applicant portal. If students have trouble accessing the applicant portal, please have them email orientation@buffalostate.edu for assistance.

How You Can Help

• Provide a departmental flyer or item for the student swag bag.
• Table during our Resource Fair.

We are excited to also offer a Winterim session about summer 2024 orientation this January. If you would like to join us, please sign up through the Workshop Registration System.

Please email Sarah Young, dean of students, or Thomas Trzepkowski, assistant director of orientation, transition, and family programs, with questions. We look forward to welcoming our new students, parents, and families to Buffalo State University!

I am sharing with you the SUNY Report on Long-Term Enrollment and Financial Sustainability (PDF, 2.55 MB), released this month. This document provides an in-depth look at the current state and future trajectory of the SUNY system.

The plan highlights four priority pillars that have been identified for the future development of SUNY:

1. Student Success: This involves strategies aimed at expanding enrollment and recruitment, improving retention and completion rates, increasing support for student mental health, and expanding basic-needs initiatives.

2. Research and Scholarship: The plan outlines efforts to enhance our research capabilities, with a focus on key areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, semiconductor packaging, and renewable energy.

3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: This involves initiatives aimed at fostering an inclusive campus environment, enhancing faculty diversity, and providing support for students with disabilities.

4. Economic Development and Upward Mobility: This pillar encompasses initiatives to boost workforce development in high-demand sectors and expand internship opportunities for students.

The plan also discusses financial sustainability, emphasizing the importance of operational efficiency and ongoing revenue increases. It provides an overview of the investments made by Governor Hochul and the state legislature, and the impact of these investments on SUNY's state-operated campuses.

I encourage all of you to read the full report and familiarize yourselves with the content. It is important that we, as a community, be aware of the larger context in which our work takes place and the potential future directions of the SUNY system.

Your commitment to Buffalo State and our students is greatly appreciated. As we navigate the future, your understanding of this plan will be crucial to our continued efforts to provide the best possible education for our students.

Stay well, and thank you for your ongoing dedication to Buffalo State University.

Bengala 2024, the largest fundraiser of the year for Buffalo State student scholarships and financial aid, will host a silent auction gift-gathering event on Thursday, January 18, in E. H. Butler Library from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., with a brief welcome at 5:00 p.m. Spotlight your school, department, or program by donating a distinctive Buffalo State experience or item for our community partners or alumni to bid on and enjoy. Tickets or VIP experiences, group classes, or behind-the-scenes tours with your students are all exciting options. Get creative! Please deliver or pledge your gift by Thursday, January 18, to Elizabeth Grady, Bengala coordinator. The gift gathering is hosted by Interim President Bonita R. Durand, Ph.D.; Bengala alumni co-chairs Judy Elliott, ’82, and Tracy Sawicki, ’84; Anthony Chase, assistant dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; and Charles Lyons, director of Butler Library. Please register online for the gift gathering, and save the date for Bengala 2024: Saturday, April 13!

I want to sincerely thank all of our essential employees who have done an amazing job taking care of the campus during the weather issues of last week. From keeping the physical plant safe and secure to continuing to conduct essential business of the university, you have all done an exceptional job. Your entire Buffalo State family appreciates your above-and-beyond efforts. Thank you again.

As we enter the spring 2024 semester, there are some vacancies (from resignation and staff leaves) that have occurred in key units across the division of Student Affairs. To continue to provide continuity of leadership and support of staff and students, I have asked the team to make the following adjustments:

Rock Doyle, assistant vice president for health and wellness, will assume leadership for managing the CARE and Student Support teams.

Janelle Brooks, associate dean of students, will provide coverage as officer in charge of the Dean of Students Office and several offices that report to it.

Curtis Brickhouse, director of student affairs operations, will provide coverage as office in charge of Residence Life until a search for this role is completed and a candidate is brought on board.

I expect that this realignment will remain in place through the spring 2024 semester and to communicate future updates in June or July. If you have questions or concerns, please email Student Affairs or call (716) 878-4704. I appreciate your patience and support for the Student Affairs team as we continue to do the critical work to support students.

The city of Buffalo will be along the center of the path of totality for the Great North American Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. An event like this is rare and is expected to attract as many as 1 million people from outside the area, resulting in excessive traffic and a strain on infrastructure. As such, there will be no classes at Buffalo State on Monday, April 8.

Buffalo State will host an Eclipse Fest at Coyer Field on that day from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Food trucks will be available starting at noon. Information about this ticketed event and other eclipse-related events on campus can be found on the Buffalo State Total Solar Eclipse website.

For more information about eclipse-related events, please contact Kevin Williams, associate professor of geosciences and director of the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium.

The next meeting of the Buffalo State Council will be held at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 6, in Cleveland Hall 518.

Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Action Items
   Approval of the Minutes: November 6, 2023; November 28, 2023
3. Chair’s Report
4. President’s Report
5. Committee Reports
6. Announcements
7. Executive Session (If Necessary)
8. Adjournment

I am excited to share with you an important decision that we believe will strengthen our university's trajectory and reinforce our dedication to our mission and vision. Effective immediately, the Marketing and Communications Department will move from the division of Enrollment Management to the division of Institutional Advancement.

In our continuous effort to enhance our effectiveness and collaboration, this strategic realignment is designed to better coordinate our resources and functions to align with our institutional goals, streamline our processes, and ultimately better serve the entire Buffalo State community. This change is part of our ongoing commitment to foster an environment of trust, transparency, and mutual understanding within our community.

• Randyll Bowen, vice president for enrollment management, will continue to focus his time and expertise on managing the entire student enrollment life cycle—recruitment, admissions, conversion, on-boarding, progression, and graduation. This focus aims to enhance the experience and outcomes for our students, maximizing their ability to persist and graduate in a timely fashion. Vice President Bowen will work closely with Interim Provost Amitra Wall and Vice President for Student Affairs Timothy Gordon to ensure that new students are seamlessly integrated into the academic and social fabric of our institution. This is a crucial aspect of improving our persistence, retention, and graduation rates. Furthermore, Vice President Bowen will collaborate with Vice President for Institutional Advancement James Finnerty to recruit prospective students and ensure that our continuing students have the necessary financial resources to stay on track. Therefore, Enrollment Management priorities, including targeted and strategic integrated marketing communications plans, will remain a top focus for the Marketing and Communications Department.
• Vice President Finnerty will integrate the primary roles of the Marketing and Communications Department into what will be known as the division of Institutional Advancement and External Relations. This restructuring, in conjunction with an upcoming brand study and refresh, will enable Marketing and Communications to develop a singular value proposition that resonates across all our target audiences—potential students and their families, the community we serve, governmental entities, donors, corporate partners, and alumni. This broader perspective will cast a greater focus on the institutional brand from both internal and external audiences and allow us to communicate more effectively and efficiently.
• Matthew Heidt, assistant vice president for marketing and communications, will continue to lead our award-winning Marketing and Communications team, reporting directly to Vice President Finnerty. Additionally, Mr. Heidt is now a standing member of the President’s Cabinet to ensure that Marketing and Communications is at the table as critical decisions are being considered. We are confident that under his leadership, our Marketing and Communications team will continue to shine and establish a unified voice that reflects our shared vision and values.

As we navigate these transformative times, our commitment to our mission and community remains strong. We understand that change can be challenging, but we firmly believe this is a step in the right direction for our university. We appreciate your understanding, commitment, and continued support. Your contribution to these exciting changes is invaluable, and we look forward to growing stronger together as we position Buffalo State as the leading comprehensive institution in the SUNY system.

I encourage the Buffalo State community to nominate deserving colleagues for Buffalo State President’s Awards, SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, and Distinguished Faculty Ranks. Guidelines can be found on the Academic Affairs website. Please visit the Nomination Resources – Celebrations of Excellence section for helpful resources and tips for assembling nomination dossiers.

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President’s Awards for Excellence
President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement; Advancement of Equity and Campus Diversity; Career Achievement for Faculty; Career Achievement for Professional Staff; Faculty and Staff Mentoring; Graduate Research Mentor; Librarianship; Research, Scholarship, and Creativity; Service to the College; Teaching; or as an Undergraduate Research Mentor nominations

Due Date: Monday, March 4, 2024

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

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Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, Distinguished Faculty Ranks

1. Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching nominations

   Due Date: Friday, September 13, 2024

2. Distinguished Professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Distinguished Service Professor, Distinguished Librarian; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service, Librarianship, Scholarship and Creative Activities, or Faculty Service nominations

   Due Date: Monday, October 21, 2024

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

Please note: For SUNY Chancellor’s Awards, nominators should prepare their nomination letters in the format of a Summary Presentation as specified in the SUNY Award guidelines.

Questions may be directed to Carolyn Martino, executive assistant to the provost.