A reminder that students have until Friday, May 2, to submit their pass/fail requests into the Banner system for review for the spring semester. Advisers are encouraged to check their email regularly for any last-minute requests.

More information on pass/fail can be found on the Registrar's website at https://registrar.buffalostate.edu/passfail-option.

Please join us for the annual Buffalo State Center for English Teaching Spring Banquet on Friday, May 16, from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. at Pearl Street Brewery. Tickets are $35 ($25 for students) and include a dinner buffet (see below for details), dessert, and coffee. A cash bar will also be available. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. 

The Buffalo State English Education Student Association (EESA) will recognize Dr. William O’Neil-White (B.S. 2015, M.S.Ed. 2017), winner of the 2025 English Education Alumni Award. This award recognizes a graduate of the English education program at Buffalo State University whose work serves as an inspiration and model for teacher candidates in the program. Dr. O’Neil-White has been an English teacher at City Honors and Tapestry Charter School.  He will begin work as an associate professor of education at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education this fall. 

Noah Falk, literary director of the Just Buffalo Literary Center (JBLC), will receive the EESA Community Award. This award recognizes an individual outside the field of secondary English education who has supported our students and program. Noah has been a board member of the Western New York Network of English Teachers for five years. Noah has collaborated with the Center for English Teaching on a variety of initiatives, including our literary magazine grants to encourage and support student-run literary magazines in local middle and high schools. He has supported our students in attending JBLC’s ongoing BABEL speaker series, as well as supporting various WNYNET initiatives through JBLC’s Civil Writes Project. Noah has also provided opening poems for our annual fundraiser for the past two years.

EESA will also recognize Mr. Steven Gregor, winner of the 2025 Inspirational Teacher Award. This award recognizes an English teacher who has demonstrated a commitment to Buffalo State English Education students and whose work serves as an inspiration to our teacher candidates. Steven is an ELA teacher at West Seneca West High School. He has worked with Buffalo State English teacher candidates for many years, opening his classroom for observations and related fieldwork.

The Western New York Network of English Teachers will present the annual WNYNET Distinguished Educator Awards to the following:

• Colin Dabkowski, Alden Central High School, Early Career Teacher Award
• Heather Mundy, West Seneca West High School, Experienced Teacher Award
• Cheryl Weaver, Buffalo Public Schools, Lifetime Achievement Award
• John Starkey, Lafayette International High School, Administrator of the Year Award

We will also recognize our program completers from the past year and the mentor teachers they have worked with.

Tickets are on sale until May 2 and include a full buffet dinner featuring smashed red potatoes, vegetables, six-cheese bow tie pasta, pot roast, and bone-in chicken as well as dessert and coffee. Tickets are $25 for students and $30 for non-students. 

Payments can easily be made to WNYNET through Venmo (@WNYNET). Alternatively, checks can be made out to "Western New York Network of English Teachers" and mailed to WNYNET, 309 Ketchum Hall, Buffalo State University, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222.

Tickets may also be purchased online at the Buffalo Alumni Association website.

Please join us to celebrate our program, students, and the work of these amazing educators.

Please email wnynet@gmail.com with any questions.

The Buffalo State Senate's Budget and Staff Allocation Committee (BSAC) invites you to complete a brief Qualtrics survey. This survey was created by a BSAC subcommittee chaired by Kari D'Amico. It focuses on whether personnel changes due to downsizing have affected your workplace responsibilities and what, if any, suggestions you may have. The last day to complete the survey is April 25. Once again, we encourage you to take part in the survey (it only takes a few minutes). 

Thank you for your interest and support. BSAC looks forward to learning about your perspective on this important issue. The survey is set for anonymous, single submission.

Link to the BSAC survey.

Hosted by the Dr. Katherine S. Conway-Turner Office of Civic and Community Engagement, in collaboration with Powerful United Ladies Striving to Elevate (P.U.L.S.E.) and Black Active Minds (B.A.M), join us on Saturday, April 26, for Spring Clean-Up Service Day 2025, a rewarding day of service as we support local organizations committed to advancing food security, sustainability, and educational access.

Spring Clean-Up Service Day will partner with three impactful community sites:

• Site 1 – Friends of the Lake Erie Seaway Trail Center: Beach front garbage pickup and property clean up
• Site 2 – FeedMore WNY: Garden bed preparation and outdoor maintenance
• Site 3 – Say Yes Buffalo Summer Campsite: Preparing the community center for summer programming

This hands-on service project offers participants an opportunity to contribute directly to the local community while learning about the mission and work of each partner organization.

Participants will choose one site and are expected to commit to the full four-hour service experience. Transportation will be provided. If you plan to drive yourself, please indicate that on the registration form and ensure you arrive on time and remain for the full duration. Please clearly indicate your site preference and transportation needs on the registration form so we can coordinate accordingly.

The day will include:

• An introductory presentation by your community partner site
• Four hours of meaningful service work
• A complimentary boxed lunch
• A group reflection activity
• Civic engagement credit (four hours)

Tentative Schedule:

8:45 a.m.: Meet at South Wing Lobby
9:00 a.m.: Departure
9:00–9:30 a.m.: Site Drop-offs
9:15 a.m.: Arrival for Those Using Personal Transportation
9:30 a.m.: Community Partner Presentation
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Service Project Activities
12:00 p.m.: Lunch and Reflection
12:30 p.m.: Return to Campus

This event is open to all members of the Buffalo State University community—undergraduate and graduate students, part-time and full-time students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Space is limited, and registration will be accepted through Thursday, April 24, 2025.

For questions, contact Lisa Kragbé at (716) 878-3919 or cce@buffalostate.edu.

Complete the registration form to apply here or on Bengal Connect.

As part of the SUNY Managed Print Cost Savings Initiative, we have launched the Pharos Secure Release client on campus, and it can be seen in the taskbar of your computer. Now that the client has been installed, you may receive a pop-up welcoming you to Pharos Secure Release and prompting you to “Login to continue.” If you click “Login to continue,” you will be automatically authenticated using your Buffalo State credentials. You may close the window at this time, and you should not receive the prompt again. Completing this login step will not affect your ability to continue to print as normal. You may also simply close the prompt without logging in, but you will continue to receive the prompt every time you try to print until you do complete it. We would like to apologize for the late notice and for any confusion this may have caused. We failed to realize the prompt would occur as users attempted to print. If you have any questions or have printing problems related to the Pharos Secure Release client, please do not hesitate to contact the Help Desk or Roland Rachinger, TSS Director, for assistance.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar “Hotspots of species richness and diversification rate for bees are the North American deserts,” presented by Dr. Robert Minckley on Monday, April 21, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies leading up to the seminar.

Research Seminar Abstract: Bees are vegetarian wasps that collect pollen from flowers to feed their offspring, and incidentally pollinate plants at the same time. The well-known biogeographic global pattern shown by many groups, including plants, is that species richness increases towards and peaks in the tropics. Despite the intertwined evolutionary history of bees and plants, patterns of bee diversity do not follow that of their plant hosts: instead in both the eastern and western hemisphere bee richness is low in the tropics and peaks in the warm deserts. High bee species richness in deserts is partly related to the year-to-year unpredictability of bloom and the confluence of these xeric regions with other ecoregions. Pollen specialization is also more common among bees in deserts than elsewhere and may further contribute to high concentration of bee species. 

On behalf of Student Care and Support, under the Dean of Students, we are extending the invitation to join us for our annual Celebration of Life on Monday, April 21, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. 

This gathering is an opportunity for our Buffalo State community to come together in remembrance, reflection, and unity as we honor the lives of those we’ve lost. We welcome faculty, staff, and students to attend and share in this moment of collective support and healing.

We hope to see you there!

The Campus Planning Office, the Friends of the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum, and the Buffalo State Sustainability Committee invite the Buffalo State community to the 2025 Arbor Day Ceremonial Tree Planting, Friday, April 25, at 11:00 a.m., on the east side of Bishop Hall, near Cleveland Circle. 

Campus Arboretum Manager Steven Sypniewski will give his annual State of the Arboretum report. Other campus dignitaries will remark on the role the arboretum plays in the local ecology, stormwater management, providing needed shade on Buffalo State's beautiful urban campus, student recruitment, and retention. A new native Sweet Gum tree is to be planted to add to the nearly 1,500 trees in the campus inventory. Please contact Steven Sypniewski for more information.

Please attend the other events scheduled for Arbor Day. All Arbor Day events are made possible with the generosity of the Grant Allocation Committee (GAC). The public is welcome to all Arbor Day events.

Tuesday, April 22 - noon-2:00 p.m.- Arbor Day Sustainability Fair - Campbell Student Union Lobby

Thursday, April 24 - noon-1:00 p.m. - 2025 Arbor Day Arboretum Walk and Talk Tour

Friday, April 25 - Arbor Day Speaker Nell Gardner - The History of the Trees and Gardens of the Richardson Complex - Technology Building 160.

The Campus Planning Office, the Friends of the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum, and the Buffalo State Sustainability Committee invite the Buffalo State community to the 2025 Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum Walk and Talk Tour, Thursday, April 24, noon-1:00 p.m. on the west side (Perry Quad side) of the Campbell Student Union.

Campus Arborist Steven Sypniewski will lead this one-hour tour as he explores some of the oldest trees on campus and some of the most recently installed plantings on Buffalo State's beautiful campus. Discussions will include, but not be limited to, the health of the trees, how trees are selected when a capital project is completed on campus, and how the campus is meeting its goals for increasing the number of different species and varieties of trees and shrubs. This informal walk and talk will be informative as well as fun, as questions and trivia are always welcome. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Please contact Steven Sypniewski to RSVP (walk-ups are welcome) or for information about all the Arbor Day Events. 

Please attend the other events scheduled for Arbor Day, which are made possible with the generosity of the Grant Allocation Committee (GAC). The public is welcome to all events

Tuesday, April 22 - noon-2:00 pm - The Arbor Day Sustainability Fair - Campbell Student Union 

Friday, April 25 - 11:00 a.m.-11:30 p.m.- Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony - east side of Bishop Hall near Clevelan Circle

Friday, April 25 - 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Arbor Day Speaker Nell Gardner - The History of the Trees and Gardens of the Richardson Complex - Technology Building 160

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, we are seeking proposals that share ways in shaping a more just, welcoming, and connected community; Belonging.

About Our Theme:

As we face evolving social issues, our power lies in partnership—sharing our ideas and knowledge and creating spaces where everyone can thrive. A sense of belonging is crucial to one’s wellbeing, fostering positive relationships, increasing motivation and resilience, and a precursor to academic success. It isn’t passive. It doesn’t happen in silence. It isn’t some forgettable byproduct of ‘woke’ propaganda. It begins when we recognize that diverse voices are not only welcomed but essential. Where justice is not only discussed, but embodied. Where community means more than proximity—it means connection, care, and collaboration; all important 21st century skills.

Belonging is not just a value—it’s a foundation. It’s rooted in Buffalo State’s mission and commitment to access, identity, and social justice through education, and community engagement both locally and internationally. Reflecting this commitment, we invite our university students, educators, advocators, and artists to be part of that beginning by proposing to AFP 2025: Belonging Begins Here.

AFP staff members are available to assist proposers in crafting the kinesthetic element of their sessions.

Submit your proposal by Friday, June 6.

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