The Great Lakes Center Field Station is accepting requests for course support and site visits for the spring semester. Part of our mission is to coordinate with the campus to make our regional waterfront accessible. If you have an interest in incorporating the GLC Field Station, Buffalo River, Niagara River, or Lake Erie into your course or research, please reach out to Brian Haas to discuss possibilities, capacity, scheduling, etc. A view of the water can inform a new perspective and offer a unique student experience.

Effective on March 17, 2023:

SUNY State funded purchases with the following monetary thresholds must be sent to the Offices of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC).

All purchases for goods, services, construction, and construction related services of:

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

What does this mean for Buffalo State?

The NYS mandated reduction in state thresholds for all NYS agencies means that the lead-time to implement any procurements of $75,000 or more ($200,00 for OGS contracts) will most likely increase by about three months.  

Departments must plan three or more months in advance for any anticipated purchases at or above $75k.  Not allocating enough time to develop and execute in this manner may lead to OSC rejecting our requests.

This will allow for the increase in OAG/OSC review and approval time to be implemented. OSC has up to 75 days to review/approve purchases above the threshold once submitted.  

When requesting any large purchase, a point person must be identified and will be expected to be able to answer any questions asked by OSC.

Please note: The three-month lead time for OAG/OSC review, does not include departmental, campus, or legal review, or approval.

Additional Information:

We are required to follow the SUNY hierarchy for state purchasing and use OGS centralized contracts, and SUNY-wide contracts first when the need meets the form, function & utility. OGS Centralized Contracts | Office of General Services

Information on state thresholds and all other procurement guidance, is available on the Procurement webpage. If in doubt, please contact purchasing well in advance of your procurement to ensure compliance.

Edmund Haspett from TIAA will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on Thursday, January 30; Tuesday, March 4; Wednesday, April 23; and Tuesday, May 6, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416.

Appointments are required. Please visit the TIAA website to schedule an appointment or call (800) 732-8353 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. There is no cost for these consultations.

No matter where you are in life—just getting started or planning for retirement—a consultation session can help you create a plan for your goals. You’ll get answers to these questions and more:

Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals?
Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

Space is limited. Sign up today.

Buffalo State undergraduate students have been invited to participate in the Cornell ILR Buffalo High Road Fellowship Program in summer 2025. This competitive program places student participants with a host organization, working 7.5 hours per day Monday through Thursday. Each Friday, the students are immersed in the city life of Buffalo with neighborhood walking tours, field trips, cultural experiences, and discussions with guest experts and civic leaders.

Successful applicants are required to attend orientation sessions in spring. The program starts June 9, 2025, and runs for 8 weeks. Student fellows receive $4,800 and reduced-rate housing. There are two to four spots reserved for Buffalo State students to participate alongside Cornell students. The application is now open and closes on February 10, 2025. For more information on this and other programs for students, visit the experiential learning website or contact M. Scott Goodman.

The Anne Frank Project (AFP) will be holding two days of professional development opportunities in Story-Based Learning for educators. These training experiences focus on integrating kinesthetic learning with classroom curriculum to support and build the socio-emotional wellbeing of students and teachers.

It is free and open to all members of the Buffalo State University community.

Dates: Wednesday, January 29, 1:00–4:30 p.m. and Friday, January 31, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Location: Buffalo State University (Building TBD)
Participants must be able to attend both days of the training.

Register Today!

In this virtual workshop, faculty members will learn how to create accessible content in Microsoft Word to ensure its usability for all students, including those with disabilities. Topics will include using built-in accessibility tools, formatting documents with proper headings and styles, adding alternative text to images, creating accessible tables, and ensuring document compatibility with screen readers. By the end of the session, the content creators will be equipped with practical skills to create more inclusive and accessible course materials.

Virtual Workshop Dates: 

• Tuesday, January 21, 10:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, January 29, 9:00 a.m.
• Thursday, January 30, 12:00 p.m.

Please register for this virtual workshop through the E. H. Butler Library Workshop Registration System.

Active Buffalo State faculty and staff members can view and print their W-2 Wage and Tax Statement from any computer or smartphone through NYS Payroll Online.

Go to the State Payroll Self-Service website:

1. Log in to www.suny.edu/hrportal.
2. Complete the verification process the first time you log in. You will need your nine-digit NYS Employee ID obtained from SUNY HR Self Service or your pay stub.
3. Click on the NYS Payroll Online icon.
4. If you do not have the Payroll Online application on the NY.gov portal, go to https://psonline.osc.ny.gov/ in the same browser session and tab after completing the verification process.
5. Select View W-2.
6. Select Year End Form for required year. (Please be sure that pop-ups are enabled in your browser.)
7. Print the W-2.

Paper copies of the 2024 W-2s will be picked up by the U.S. Postal Service later this month.

Within the NYS Payroll Online self-service system, you can elect to opt out of receiving paper direct deposit stubs and paper W-2 statements.  If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, you can enroll anytime by completing the direct deposit enrollment request form (PDF, 2 MB).

Please contact the Buffalo State Payroll Office with questions.

The New York State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) hosts "WellNYS Everyday," a wellness initiative dedicated to educating, engaging, and empowering New York State employees to engage in healthy behaviors.

The initiative includes 12 Monthly Themes; 52 WellNYS Weekly Challenges; and 365 WellNYS Daily To-Dos.

• Every Monday, the WellNYS Weekly Challenge begins and ends on Sunday.
• A theme wellness webinar will occur on the month's first Monday.
• If you complete at least five days of the WellNYS Weekly Challenge, share your experience on the I Did It! portal.
• Sign up to receive the WellNYS Daily To-Do.
• By putting a check in the box, predict how many of the 52 WellNYS Weekly Challenges you will attempt.

For more information, visit: oer.ny.gov/wellnys-everyday.

Nominations for the 2024–2025 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service will be accepted through Thursday, January 23, 2025. This SUNY-system-level award recognizes classified service employees for excellence and superior service to students and the community at large. Members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues. Award guidelines and nomination form are available online.

Please email nomination forms to Laurie Graziano.

The Civic and Community Engagement Office has compiled a concise list of non-profit organizations providing vital emergency assistance for evacuees and first responders battling the L.A. wildfires. 

We invite the Buffalo State community to review the emergency community response section of the CCE website for more information about how you can help support their work.