Buffalo State University is excited to announce the upcoming Bengal Day of Service on Friday, April 4. We invite all faculty, staff, and students to join us in a campus clean-up initiative, paving the way for a sparkling venue ahead of our major events on Saturday, April 5: Open House and Bengala!

Volunteers are needed for two shifts: 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. to noon. We will provide gloves, ponchos, rakes, bags, and trash pickers. You are welcome to bring your own gloves and rake if you prefer.

Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Campbell Student Union lobby. In appreciation of your efforts, all volunteers will receive a meal voucher for lunch at the Bengal Kitchen on Friday.

This event is proudly sponsored by the Buffalo State Student Affairs VP Office, Friends of the Buffalo State Arboretum, Chartwells, and Finance and Management VP Office. Join us in making a difference on campus!

Register here.

Please join us for Buffalo State University's annual Take Back the Night event on Wednesday, April 23, at 7:00 p.m. in the Science and Mathematics Complex atrium and planetarium lobby.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This event will honor those affected by sexual violence and will include tabling, a brief program, and a candlelight vigil. 

Please email titleix@buffalostate.edu with questions.

The next meeting of the Buffalo State Council will be on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in CLEV 518 Agenda (Subject to Change)

1.Call to Order
2.Action Items - -Approval of the Minutes: February 4
3.Chair’s Report
4.President’s Report
5.Committee Reports
6.Announcements
7.Executive Session (If necessary)
8.Adjournment

The Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences has forwarded a recommendation to change the name of the Women and Gender Studies Interdisciplinary Unit to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Interdisciplinary Unit to align with the revision of the minor approved in January 2025. 

The interdisciplinary field of Women and Gender Studies has seen a growing emphasis on the study of sexuality, and many programs across the United States have responded by integrating sexuality studies into both their curricula and program titles. In response to this national trend, Buffalo State University has recently added several courses to the minor with a primary focus on sexuality studies.

In light of these developments and in alignment with similar changes in programs nationwide, the faculty and staff of the Women and Gender Studies Interdisciplinary Unit have voted to rename the IU to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Interdisciplinary Unit. This change reflects our commitment to the evolving landscape of the field and ensures that our program remains responsive to the academic and social issues of today. This change is recommended to become effective September 1, 2025.

This year, the signature event during the May Pedagogical Institute Week focuses on the need to reflect on and understand who we are as faculty and staff, who our students are, and the growing importance of fostering civic learning and engagement.

I am excited to invite you to an enriching and impactful workshop focused on developing civic identity, facilitated by Dr. John Reiff, a recognized expert in civic learning and engagement. Dr. Reiff currently serves as the director of Civic Learning and Civic Engagement at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and is a co-editor of Anti-Racist Community Engagement: Principles and Practices (2023), for which he and his colleagues were honored with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award by the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement.

Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Bacon Hall 115

Participants will:

• articulate the importance of civic identity, active listening skills, and civility in academic course content, regardless of discipline.
• incorporate equity, active listening skills, and applied learning into existing syllabi. Non-faculty participants will engage in active listening as they collaborate with faculty to tailor syllabi for greater equity related to social identity and civic engagement.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be equipped to practice incorporating equity into their syllabi, ensuring that students not only understand but can also advocate for equity in their personal and professional lives. The objectives align with:

• Buffalo State University’s mission and values
• SUNY Chancellor John King’s: Student Success and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The workshop is divided into four sessions characterized by discussions, activities, and group work:

1. Creating a Civic Identity – “Who Am I as a Citizen?”
   Explore your own civic identity as a step toward helping students develop theirs.
2. Skills for a Multiracial Democracy – “Who Are My Students?”
   Identify how your syllabi can incorporate skills essential for a multiracial democracy.
3. Democratic Knowledge and Levers of Change
   Analyze syllabi for civic learning content and teaching methodologies.
4. Shaping Syllabi
   Faculty members will workshop their syllabi, incorporating racial equity and civic learning through an applied learning approach.

Notes:

• To register, please visit https://libcal.buffalostate.edu/event/14353383.
• Email Dan Blum at blumdm@buffalostate.edu the syllabus that you would like to work with, as a Word document.
• Participants are expected to engage in the full workshop.
• At the completion of the workshop, participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their work.

This event is proudly sponsored by SUNY System Administration’s Civic Fellows, made possible through the generous support of the SUNY Impact Foundation, the Ibis Group, and Civic and Community Engagement.

The workshop is designed with success in mind, focusing on equipping all of us with the tools and insights necessary to thrive in both our teaching and interactions with our students.  I encourage you to take part in this important workshop to strengthen our shared commitment to civic learning, equity, and student success. 

Dear Colleagues,

This is just a reminder that you still have time to complete the SUNY Sexual Violence Prevention Campus Climate Survey to help us foster a healthier campus community. As part of New York State's "Enough Is Enough" legislation, all Buffalo State University employees and students should have received the SUNY Campus Climate Survey via e-mail on April 2, 2025. 

This survey is intended to gather information about the incidence of sexual and interpersonal violence and knowledge of related policies and resources available on campus. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Your participation is voluntary. You may choose to skip questions or stop responding at any point.

Your answers are confidential and will be reported only in terms of groups of employees, rather than as individuals. This survey does ask some questions about sexual and interpersonal violence—both your own experiences and your experiences with students who have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence.

Some of the language used in this survey is explicit, and some people may find it uncomfortable. Information on how to get help, if you need it, appears at the bottom of each page and is available anonymously at any time on the Sexual Assault and Violence Response resource website.

Thank you for your honest feedback and responses. Your participation will help make our campus community a better place to live, work, and learn.

If you have any questions, please email the Title IX Office at titleix@buffalostate.edu.

Nominations are open for the Celebration of Community Engagement Awards, which will take place on May 6. Members of the campus community and Buffalo State community partners will be recognized for their efforts in the areas of service-learning, civic engagement, and volunteerism. Please consider nominating a deserving student, faculty member, course, student organization, or community partner. This is a wonderful opportunity to show sincere appreciation and gratitude to those who are committed to Buffalo State’s urban engagement mission. Award categories are as follows:

• Outstanding Service-Learning Course
• Outstanding Service-Learning Student(s)
• Outstanding Student Volunteer
• Outstanding Community Service by a Student Organization (for example, academic club, fraternity, or sorority)
• Outstanding Community Partner
• Campus/Community Sustained Partnership Award
• Early Career Faculty Award for Community Engagement
• Mid-Career Faculty Award for Community Engagement
• Leadership in Community Engagement
• Deborah K. Renzi Social Advocacy Award

Please submit award nominations by Monday, April 28.

Links:

• CCE Awards website
• Nomination form

Julie Henry, chair and professor of elementary education, literacy, and educational leadership, and Jim Sobol, chair and associate professor of criminal justice, who are co-chairs of the School of Education and School of the Professions Implementation Team, have submitted recommendations concerning the administrative structure; bylaws; guidelines for renewal, promotion, and continuing appointment; as well as the position description for the dean.

These materials are now available for review on the Academic Affairs website. Members of the campus community are invited to review the recommendations and provide feedback. Comments are welcome and encouraged. Please submit feedback by April 30.

Thank you for your time and thoughtful engagement. Comments will be considered as next steps are determined.

The dean of the School of Arts and Sciences has forwarded a recommendation to move the Conflict Analysis and Resolution M.S. program to the Criminal Justice Department and to dissolve the Conflict Analysis and Resolution interdisciplinary unit (CAR IU). Dr. Carol DeNysschen, dean of the School of the Professions, and Drs. Clairissa Breen and Peter Yacobucci, the CAR IU program co-coordinators, are agreeable to the move.

This move will allow the program to be run within a typical department administrative structure while still allowing interested faculty members an opportunity to contribute to the interdisciplinary master’s program. This change is recommended to be effective July 1, 2025.

Buffalo State University’s Anne Frank Project is thrilled to announce its 17th annual social justice festival—AFP 2025: Belonging Begins Here—October 7-9.  This year’s festival invites proposals that explore innovative, inclusive, and meaningful ways to build more just, welcoming, and interconnected community: belonging. All voices from students, educators, advocates, neighbors, and artists are welcomed in this conversation.

AFP 2025 Theme: Belonging Begins Here

In a time of social transformation, our greatest strength lies in community. Belonging is not a buzzword.  Belonging is a foundation for wellbeing, resilience, and academic and socioemotional success. It is about creating and nurturing an environment where diverse voices are not only included, but vital.  Belonging does not happen passively. It is intentional as it thrives through connection, care, and collaboration—skills we urgently need in the 21st century.

At AFP 2025, we ask: how do we cultivate spaces where everyone feels they truly belong? How can we shape communities that don’t just talk about justice—but live it?

This theme is deeply rooted in Buffalo State University’s mission to foster access, identity, and social justice through education and community engagement—locally and globally.

We invite you to help us begin again—with purpose, with action, and with you.

Submit Your Proposal by Friday, June 6

AFP staff are available to help you develop the kinesthetic or interactive aspects of your session.

Submit your proposal by Friday, June 6.

Questions about the festival? Please contact AFP’s assistant director, Jonise Hall.

Let’s build belonging—together.
#AFP2025 #BelongingBeginsHere