From the Chair of the College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee 

At-Large Senator Gliset Morales has resigned from the College Senate. 

According to the Bylaws of the College Faculty, the replacement of an at-large senator is "of the kind used to elect the senator." Since the vacancy is an "academic only" at-large senator, the Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee will hold a special election to fill the remainder of the term, through May 2027. 

Eligible members of the full-time faculty who are not currently serving on the Senate and who did not serve on the Senate in 2023-2024 may nominate themselves to serve the remainder of this term by sending an email expressing interest to the College Senate between 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 27, and 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 3. 

Elections for this position will run from 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, to 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 10.

Campaigning 
The College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee strongly discourages using college email services for campaigning. Please limit campaigning to the candidate statement posted on the election ballot.

For further information about this position, please email Kristen Mruk, special assistant to the provost and senate. We look forward to your participation in this vital process of campus-shared governance. 

The School of Education and the Teaching and Learning Center are collaborating to sponsor Coaching with Confidence for Campus Leaders, a program that provides individuals with the foundational knowledge for effective coaching (J-term) and the opportunity for application and practice through group and individual coaching sessions (spring semester). This two-part program will be open to only ten faculty and staff, selected based on their application of interest below.

The objective of this initiative is to support SUNY Buffalo State's Core Pillar of Professional Success for Faculty and Staff. With a specific focus on individuals in leadership roles, participants will learn to develop the skills to communicate more effectively, help support the growth and development of faculty and staff, and improve collaboration by learning to create deeper, mutually beneficial, trusting relationships. The skills and competencies participants will learn, and practice are grounded in the research of the professional coaching industry. All sessions will be online via Zoom.

Part I: In-Class Skill Development (Jan. 9 - Feb. 6)

Over a 5-week period during the J-term participants will meet weekly (via Zoom) in a small cohort to work through the program content and practice developing the skills of:

Cultivating Psychological Safety
Becoming a Better Communicator through Active Listening
Asking Deep Questioning to Promote Insight and Change
Learning to Support Individuals through Growth & Development
Developing an Authentic Leadership Presence

Part II: Application & Group Coaching Support (Feb. 6 - end of semester)

The second phase of the program will last through the spring semester and will focus on application, learning and reflection. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the skills learned in Part I through a combination of field assignments, group coaching calls and 1:1 support.

The instructor and facilitator is Alex Barilec, ICF certified Leadership Coach and the co-founder of Momentum to Change, a consulting firm focused on improving trust, communication and well-being within organizations to drive performance and effect change. Alex has facilitated two previous coaching micro-credential cohorts and a highly successful certificate workshop series for Buffalo State on well-being in the workplace.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please complete the brief application of interest by Friday, Dec. 6th. Candidates will be considered for equitable representation across constituencies on campus.

Faculty, Staff, and Students are invited to attend the annual Winter Horace Mann Graduate Research Symposium highlighting the research conducted by candidates from the Exceptional Education Department in the special education and applied behavior analysis programs.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Paul Riccomini, a highly respected expert in mathematics education, specializing in high intensity instructional techniques for mathematics.

During break out sessions, students will disseminate the findings from their single case design intervention projects conducted in applied settings with students with disabilities.

Please RSVP here by 12/3/24 and join us for a morning of lively research discussions. 

Date: December 7, 2024

Time:  9:00am-11:30am

Location: Ciminelli Recital Hall, 3rd floor Rockwell Hall

"The Buffalo State Child Care Center holds a special place in my heart because of the incredible care and support my grandson has received there. I've seen firsthand how their dedication and nurturing environment can transform a child's day and provide peace of mind to families. Yet, there's so much more this amazing center could do with a little extra help."

 -Holly Quicksey, Director of Transfer Advising

The Buffalo State Child Care Center urgently needs updates like a new playground, classroom materials, and furniture to create an even better space for learning and play. With more staffing, the center could open additional classrooms and extend its hours to serve transfer students better and others juggling the demands of school, work, and parenthood. What began as a heartfelt connection became a mission to rally support for these essential improvements. Your donations through the SEFA appeal can help turn these needs into reality, directly impacting the lives of children and families in our campus community. The Buffalo State Child Care Center agency number is 57-00160 in the SEFA Booklet.

We warmly invite you to share your very personal reasons for giving, and we'll feature them in the Daily. Please send your thoughts to campaign co-chairs Wendy Paterson, dean of the School of Education, or Maria C. Garrity, senior systems programmer in Information Technology. We are nearing the end of the campaign. To donate, please go to the e-pledge system and click "Forgot user ID or password" to begin the process, increase your pledge or change your designated agency, or simply roll over your pledge from last year. Cash and checks are gratefully accepted as well. Thank you.

Open enrollment for the 2025 NYS Flex Spending Account (FSA) begins Friday, November 1st, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 9th. The program helps eligible state employees save money on necessary health- or dependent-care expenses because the money they set aside in their accounts is not subject to federal, state, or Social Security taxes. 

The Flex Spending Account offers three benefits:

The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) lets you set aside any amount from $100 up to $3,300 (up from $3,200 in 2024) for the 2025 plan year to pay for health care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance or other benefit plan.  However, only medically necessary medical, hospital, dental, vision, hearing, and prescription drug expenses for you, your spouse, and your eligible dependents can be reimbursed by your HCSA.

The Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) allows your family to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax dollars for eligible custodial childcare, elder care, or disabled dependent care expenses that are necessary for you and your spouse, if you are married, to work.

The Adoption Advantage Account allows employees to set aside up to $16,810 to pay for expenses related to the adoption of an eligible child with pre-tax dollars. This benefit is available to M/C employees and those represented by CSEA, PEF, UUP, NYSCOPBA, and PBANYS.

Complete information on the Flex Spending Account can be found on the Governor's Office of Employee Relations website.  If you wish to take advantage of this benefit, submit your application for enrollment online at https://www.mybentek.com/nysfsa/ or by telephone at 800-358-7202. You will need your NYS EMPLID number, which is located on your paystub, to complete your application. Please be sure to enroll by December 9th. If you are enrolled for the 2024 plan year, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2025. 

The deadline for 2025 enrollment is December 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET and is strictly enforced.  

The enrollment period for the 2025 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is now open and runs through Monday, December 9, 2024. PEP allows eligible CSEA, UUP, PEF, PBANYS, NYSCOPBA, and M/C employees to exchange previously accrued vacation or personal leave for a credit toward their biweekly New York State health insurance premium costs. Sick leave credits cannot be exchanged under this program.

Employees who participated in PEP for 2024 must file a new election form to enroll in the 2025 program. Details and enrollment forms can be found on the Human Resource Management website (see Announcements).

To participate, eligible employees must file an election form with the Human Resource Management Office either in person at Cleveland Hall 403 or by email to benefits@buffalostate.edu, by close of business (5 p.m.) on Monday, December 9. 

For more information, please select your union and see the links below:

• General Program Overview
• CSEA/PEF/PBANYS/NYSCOPBA: Enrollment Form and Program Details
• UUP/MC: Enrollment Form with Program Details

"My donation this year is in honor of my mom, Nancy Binder, who passed away at the age of 72 last November from a rare and aggressive cancer. I chose to donate to two organizations. The American Association of Cancer Research works to find new treatments for all types of cancers. I hope one day the cancer my mom had has more treatment options and those faced with the diagnosis can live a longer life. And the Hospice Foundation of America provides care and dignity to those in their final months and weeks of a terminal illness and also provides assistance and grief support to immediate family before and after their loved one's passing. My mom was grateful to Hospice for its help in her final weeks and my family and I have been grateful to the support Hospice has provided us as well. It means a lot to be able to donate to both of these organizations in memory of my mom, Nancy.

-Andrew Binder, director of operations, Buffalo State Performing Arts Center

We warmly invite you to share your very personal reasons for giving, and we'll feature them in the Daily. Please send your thoughts to campaign co-chairs Wendy Paterson, dean of the School of Education, or Maria C. Garrity, senior systems programmer in Information Technology. We are nearing the end of the campaign. To donate, please go to the e-pledge system and click "Forgot user ID or password" to begin the process, increase your pledge or change your designated agency, or simply roll over your pledge from last year. Cash or checks are also gratefully accepted.

For the past 26 years I have given to SEFA as a SUNY employee.  My first donation was $10 a paycheck.  It is easy to give to a variety of charities, locally and statewide that make a difference in other's lives. I encourage my fellow SUNY colleagues to start giving just a few dollars a check and make an impact in our local community.  -  Tricia Herritt, Director International Student and Scholar Services

We warmly invite you to share your very personal reasons for giving, and we'll feature them in the Daily. Please send your thoughts to campaign co-chairs Wendy Paterson, dean of the School of Education, or Maria C. Garrity, senior systems programmer in Information Technology. We are nearing the end of the campaign. To donate, please go to the e-pledge system and click "Forgot user ID or password" to begin the process, increase your pledge or change your designated agency or simply roll over your pledge from last year. We accept checks or cash as well.

Thank you.
Wendy Paterson

Congratulations to Natalie Wills, office assistant 1 in the Teaching and Learning Center, winner of this month's SEFA/United Way Campaign raffle for two tickets to a performance at the Buffalo State Performing Arts Center. A special thank you to Amitra Wall and Neal Mazur, who each generously donated the tickets back, which made Natalie's win possible.

A heartfelt thanks also goes to Andrew Binder, director of operations, for his generosity that helped raise more than $5,000 in increased donations. We are also deeply grateful to the 68 donors who have increased their pledges so far your support truly makes a difference.

For those who have not pledged yet, there is still time to contribute. The campaign closes on Friday, December 6.

Check out this article about your local donations in action: United Way provides 500 turkeys, gift cards to former Sumitomo employees.

Don't miss out on the chance to win from our exciting lineup of prizes, which will be raffled at the end of the campaign:

• First prize: Sunday brunch for 10 people, donated by Interim President Durand
• Second prize: Reserved parking space, donated by Interim Vice President Krieger
• Third prize: Office pizza party for up to 12 people, donated by Interim Provost Wall
• Fourth prize: Bengal deck party with seasonal refreshments for 10 people at a fall 2025 football game, donated by Interim Vice President Brumfield
• Fifth prize: Two tickets to the annual Bengala Scholarship Gala, donated by Vice President Finnerty
• Sixth prize: Taco Tuesday lunch for up to 10 people, featuring a taco/nacho bar catered by Chartwells, donated by Vice President Bowen
• Seventh prize: $100 gift certificate to the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore, donated by bookstore manager Lynn Puma
• Eighth prize: Lunch for four at Campus House, donated by SEFA Campaign co-chairs Wendy Paterson and Maria Garrity

Please don't wait get your pledges in soon. Contributions can be submitted electronically through the electronic pledge system by clicking "Forgot User ID or Password" to get started. Alternatively, you can contribute by contacting your department's SEFA ambassador. We also accept checks and cash donations.

Thank you to everyone who is helping make the 2024 SEFA/United Way Campaign a success. Happy Thanksgiving from your SEFA co-chairs, Wendy Paterson and Maria Garrity.

The Buffalo State men's soccer program is hosting its 6th Annual Holiday Toy Drive in collaboration with Toys for Tots. Donations can be dropped off in the front office of Houston Gym during business hours until Thursday, December 5. We are hoping to break our record for toy donations which we set last year! Thank you for your support!