Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the College Student Personnel Association of New York State (CSPA-NYS), I’m excited to share an opportunity for higher education professionals to grow as leaders and connect with peers across the field.
CSPA-NYS offers dynamic professional development and networking opportunities for graduate students, new professionals, and mid-level managers throughout New York State. In this spirit, we invite you to join us for the New York Leadership Engagement Conference (NYLEC) on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Keuka College in Penn Yan, NY.

This one-day conference, themed "Leadership by the Lake: Building Connections; Breaking Barriers," is designed to inspire collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation in campus leadership. Attendees will engage in sessions that promote personal growth and institutional transformation.

We encourage you to submit a proposal to present at NYLEC! Share your expertise and contribute to our collective learning. Submit your proposal here by April 25, 2025, at 11:59 PM. All applicants will be notified of their status by May 1, 2025.

Conference Registration Rates:
● $50 – CSPA-NYS Members
● $95 – Professional Non-Members (includes one-year membership)
● $75 – Student Non-Members (includes one-year membership)

For questions about presenting or the submission process, contact the Professional Development Team at prodev@cspanys.org or the Presidential Duo at presidents@cspanys.org.
We look forward to your proposals and hope to see you at NYLEC 2025!

Best,
CSPA-NYS President NYLEC Co-Chair
CSPA-NYS Vice President for Professional Development NYLEC Co-Chair

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 today 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. 

Registration will close on May 12th.  Runner, walkers, trotters needed for the Buffalo State Team for the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, which will be held on Thursday, June 12, in Delaware Park. The 3.5-mile race will start at 6:25 p.m. The registration fee is $43 per person, and registration is open until May 23.

We encourage you to invite and motivate your colleagues to register. The Corporate Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues and community partners. Your registration fee includes access to the hospitality tent, a team T-shirt, a Corporate Challenge T-shirt, and much more.

A special thank you to Interim President Dr. Bonita Durand for her support, and to United University Professions and the Professional Staff Caucus for their annual assistance.

To register for the Buffalo State University team, please use this link: Register Here: https://registration.jpmorgancc.com/profile/login for the Buffalo State University team.

For more details, visit the official J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge website.

Supporting a Great Cause:

The 2025 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge Buffalo will benefit FeedMore WNY, a hunger-relief nonprofit formed by the merger of the Food Bank of WNY and Meals on Wheels for Western New York. FeedMore WNY's mission is to provide nutritious food, friendship, and skills training to neighbors in need across Western New York.

For more information, feel free to contact Jude Jayatilleke at 716-878-6028.

Today is the last day to order regalia rentals through the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore. Marchers’ regalia rental pricing and loan request information are provided in the Regalia section of the Marchers web page. Contact Marybeth Keller general merchandise manager, or call (716) 878-5509 for more information.

A limited inventory of doctoral and master’s gowns, caps, and hoods may be available for loan through the Academic Affairs Office until Friday, May 2 (based upon inventory). Please contact Cathy Cook, administrative assistant 2, for more information and to place your order.

The Chemistry Department is hosting a graduate student seminar on Thursday, April 24, during Bengal Pause (12:15 pm to 1:30 pm) in SAMC 151. Our speaker will be Kaitlyn Ignaszak, a graduate student in the forensic science master's program. Coffee and snacks will be served.

Title: Quantification of Terpenes in Commercial Cannabis Products by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Terpenes are volatile organic compounds found in a wide variety of plants including cannabis, contributing to their aroma, flavor, and even coloration. They also play crucial roles in plant defense, environmental stress response, pollinator attraction, and growth regulation. In cannabis, terpenes have garnered increasing interest due to their influence on taste, aroma, and potential therapeutic effects. By controlling terpene expression, cannabis strains can be selectively engineered to deliver specific sensory and medicinal experiences.

The goal of this research project was to identify and quantify the terpene content in five commercial cannabis products—including flower bud, kief, two tinctures, and a pain cream—using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). By analyzing differences in terpene concentrations, the optimal solvent and extraction time were determined. Results showed that terpene concentrations varied between products and were significantly affected by solvent choice. Additionally, terpene levels decreased with longer extraction times, likely due to chemical degradation.

References

Robertson, K. (2024, November 4). What are terpenes and what do they do? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cannabis-terpenes#function
Terpene testing and profiling of cannabis using gas chromatography. SCION Instruments. (2025, March 5). https://scioninstruments.com/blog/terpene-profiling-of-cannabis-using-ga...

Governor Kathy Hochul is directing flags to be flown at half-staff to honor the life and legacy of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88. Flags will be lowered from Monday, April 21, through the day of his funeral service.

The 27th Annual Student Research and Creativity Conference is scheduled for Friday, May 2, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Science and Mathematics Complex. Please note the earlier start time due to the large volume of student poster presentations this year.

Please have students double-check their presentation times and locations here. The deadline for submission of posters for free printing is Wednesday, April 23. Please use the form available on the Design and Print Center website to submit poster files for printing. SRCC poster printing requests will be accepted at the regular price through Friday, April 25. More information can be found on the SRCC website.

SUNY/CUNY Southeast Asia Consortium (SEAC) is an initiative to support the study of Southeast Asia, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. As part of this initiative, we invite applications from faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students for the SUNY/CUNY SEAC Workshop and Field School in Vietnam and Cambodia, in January 2026.

Call for Applications: https://www.sunycunysoutheastasiaconsortium.org/2025-2026-workshop-field-school

Submission Open from May 15 to August 15, 2025 (5:00 PM ET)
GET YOUR APPLICATION IN EARLY
Applications WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after 5 pm ET on August 15, 2025

Core research agenda
This academic year (2025-26), our theme is “Climate Change, Sustainability and Geography.”
Papers for the workshop may address any areas within the theme, from any disciplinary perspective (Paper presentations are optional for undergraduate student attendees). Topics may include climate change, geography, and environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability in Southeast Asia. They may also include contributing factors, challenges, adaptation and mitigation strategies, policies and practices in Southeast Asian countries. 

For the field school, participants will explore local sites, populations, efforts, ideas and practices utilizing innovative methods to examine geography, climate change, and sustainability from a multi-disciplinary perspective. 

Eligibility
Faculty (including temporary, non-tenure track, tenure track, and tenured), graduate students (PhD, MA, and other), and undergraduate students at SUNY and CUNY enrolled in any discipline of study who are engaged in research or studies related to this year’s theme are eligible to apply.
Approximately ten (10) participants will be selected.

Responsibilities
Selected faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students will participate in:

a 1-credit online-synchronous course in Fall 2025 taught by the lead faculty (can also audit for 0 credit)
a 3-day workshop and a 7-day field school in January 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Siem Reap, Cambodia (Workshop and Field School will be joined by faculty and students from local institutions)

*For selected faculty who wish to leave earlier than the ten-day duration of the program, they must indicate so in their applications and provide reasons with supporting documentation. 

All major expenses, including economy airfare and accommodation, will be covered by SEAC.

How to Apply
GET YOUR APPLICATION IN EARLY
Submission Open from May 15 to August 15, 2025 (5:00 PM ET)
Applications WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after 5 pm ET on August 15, 2025

Faculty and graduate students:

Statement of interest in the SUNY/CUNY SEAC Workshop and Field School and this year’s core research agenda (300-500 words)
A paper abstract for consideration for the workshop (300-500 words)
A resume or curriculum vitae (2-5 pages)
For graduate students, a digital copy of recent academic transcripts from SUNY/CUNY
A completed application form (see download link)

Undergraduate students:

Statement of interest in the SUNY/CUNY SEAC Fellowship and this year’s core research agenda (300-500 words)
Optional: A paper abstract for consideration for the workshop (300-500 words)
A resume or curriculum vitae (2-5 pages)
A digital copy of recent academic transcripts from SUNY/CUNY
A completed application form (see download link)

All materials should be packaged as a single PDF and submitted via email to SEAC@sunycunysoutheastasiaconsortium.org with the subject line “SUNY/CUNY SEAC 2025-26” by August 15, 2025, 5 pm ET. Selected applicants will be notified no later than August 29, 2025.

Inquiries about the application and admission process may be submitted
to SEAC@sunycunysoutheastasiaconsortium.org.
 
About SUNY/CUNY SEAC
The consortium aims to develop institutional infrastructure and robust connections across New York’s public university systems—the 64-campus, 370,000-student State University of New York (SUNY) and 25-campus, 270,000-student City University of New York (CUNY)— with the wider New York public and policy community, and with counterparts in Southeast Asia.

For four years, SUNY/CUNY SEAC will delve into one interdisciplinary theme, through curricular, research, and public-outreach components. Centerpiece initiatives each year align with a signature theme related to Southeast Asian and diasporic polities, cultures, landscapes, and communities. Each highlights an area in which SUNY and CUNY have expertise, while maximizing interdisciplinary reach, encouraging innovative research, and fostering connections between Southeast Asian and diasporic studies.

Lead Faculty and Facilitators
Dr. Michitake Aso (University at Albany, SUNY)
Dr. Peter Marcotullio (Hunter College, CUNY)
Dr. Vida Vanchan (Buffalo State University, SUNY)
For more information and regular updates, please visit https://www.sunycunysoutheastasiaconsortium.org.

The Dr. Katherine S. Conway-Turner Civic and Community Engagement (CCE) Office is now accepting nominations through the CCE website for the Deborah K. Renzi Social Advocacy Award. 

This award is for an individual who is committed to fostering societal and structural changes that create equity, justice, and inclusion. Awardees pursue knowledge, explore and understand varied perspectives of a societal issue, engage directly in creating actionable change, and create awareness in others to champion positive reform. This award recognizes students, faculty, staff members, and community partners who make a difference through civic and community engagement initiatives throughout the academic year. 

Nominations will be accepted through Monday, April 28.

The Late Semester Progress Report via Navigate will close on Friday, April 25. With this report, the Student Success and Retention unit is particularly looking at giving students your guidance as it relates to taking the class pass-fail or withdrawing from the class. 

Earlier this semester, we saw that faculty, trying to do their best to provide as much information as possible, were sometimes submitting multiple Alerts for individual students. We have come to better understand, after hearing from advisers and other support staff, that this approach creates multiple Alerts for students and that these multiples can be challenging to manage and to close. So, to minimize the volume of emails received by both students and staff regarding Alerts, we are asking instructors to do the following:

• For students, in instances when you as the instructor have multiple concerns, please raise the most pertinent Alert, such as Recommend Pass/Fail or Withdrawal.
• Then, rather than submit additional cases for the same student, we are asking you to include these concerns in the comment field that is available:
  • Options might include 3+ Attendance Absences, In Danger of Failing, and Missing/Late 2+ Assignments, or any other pertinent information.
• This clarity will streamline the process within Navigate and the adviser can still discuss all of your concerns at the same time.

Need Help Completing Your Progress Report(s)?

• You may wish to read the How to Complete a Progress Report training guide.
• You may wish to watch a video on How to Complete a Progress Report. To watch the video, you will be required to enter your BSU Username and Network password.
  • If your students are doing well in your course(s) and you do not need to raise any Alerts, please login to your Navigate account and access your Progress Report(s) and select the following blue button: Submit unmark students as not needing feedback (I’m all done). 

Thank you for your work in supporting our students!