The following message will be sent to all Buffalo State students today, November 1, from Interim Dean of Students Elizabeth Ching-Bush:

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Dear Buffalo State University Students,

As Election Day approaches, we want to take a moment to highlight the importance of making your voice heard through the power of voting. Voting is not just a right, but a significant opportunity to shape the future of our community, our state, and our country. Each vote represents a stand on issues that impact our daily lives, education, and the world we share.

By voting, you play an essential role in representing yourself and the Buffalo State community in the democratic process. Whether it's your first election or one of many, your participation is a testament to the rights and freedoms we all value.

As a designated Voter-Friendly Campus participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Buffalo State has established the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center as an on-campus polling site for students. For students who have registered to vote with their campus address, the Alumni and Visitor Center will be open for voting on Election Day, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday.

We recognize that elections can be a time of strong opinions and passionate conversations. No matter the outcome, it's important that we, as a campus community, approach the results with respect and civility. A peaceful and supportive environment ensures that every member of our community feels safe and respected, regardless of political perspective. We encourage open and thoughtful discussions, with a reminder that each of us contributes to a positive and undisturbed campus environment.
 
If you feel like you need to talk to someone regarding how the election results are affecting you, please call the Counseling Center at (716) 878-6711.

Always prioritize your safety and that of others. Be aware of your surroundings and report any unusual or suspicious activities to University Police immediately at (716) 878-6333.
 
Let's come together, respect each other's views, and honor the privilege we have to participate in our democracy. Remember, every vote counts, and every voice matters.
 
Warm regards,
 
Elizabeth Ching-Bush
Interim Dean of Students, Buffalo State University

Please join us for November M&T Second Friday at the Burchfield Penney Art Center on November 8 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center presents the opening of three exciting new exhibitions! Through a vibrant mix of historical and contemporary artworks, Tracing Threads through Time: The Artwork of William C. Maggio; Wilhelmina Godfrey: I am what I am; and A Grammar of Animacy: Charles E. Burchfield & Mike Glier highlight the contributions of influential artists from the region and underscore connections to national conversations.

Alongside the exhibition openings, a special screening and performance, Tales from the Porch Part IV: Art Is a Language, will take place in the auditorium. Visitors are also invited to participate in all-ages artmaking in the Useum Studio. Stay tuned for more free artistic experiences at the Art Center on the second Friday of each month, thanks to the support of M&T Bank.

P.S. Gallery admission is always free for Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students. See you there!

This year's National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) celebration is November 4-8. NDLW is a week of free digital and distance learning programming. It is presented by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) on a global level and has attracted multiple participating institutions over its 18-year history. The USDLA will host sessions based on its theme around course development, accessible design, improving communication, and artificial intelligence. All sessions are free. Registration is open. 

Buffalo State will also be hosting sessions, and you can register through the Workshop Registration System. The Online Oversight and Readiness Committee will have a poster on the Online Institutional Readiness Process and Plan at the Faculty and Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Houston Gym.

The campus community is invited to attend the NYS Employee Assistance Program's monthly webinar "Take a Pause When You Need It" on Wednesday, November 6, from noon to 12:30 p.m.

The November WellNYS Everyday Monthly Challenge is to take a pause when you need it. A pause could be a break, a mindful moment, extra time when you feel rushed, silence, or a deep breath. If you are feeling stressed and don't have much time for meditation or a walk, join the wellness webinar to learn how to pause. This 30-minute seminar will be presented by Catherine Duffy, WellNYS ambassador from Stony Brook University, and Linda Carignan-Everts, statewide wellness coordinator.

Please register for this free 30-minute webinar through the WebEx meeting registration page. You will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the session.

The Teacher Education Council will meet at noon on Friday, December 13, in Cleveland Hall 418. Please join us to hear updates on campuswide programs, projects, initiatives, and certification issues. All education faculty and staff members are welcome to attend. The agenda will be distributed via email.

Future Teacher Education Council meetings will be held monthly in Cleveland Hall 418 on the following dates:

January 2025 (NO MEETING)

February 14, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)

March 14, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)

April 11, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)

May 9, 2025 (Noon)

For additional information, please contact Joseph Zawicki, TEC chair and associate professor of career, technical, and science education, for additional information.

The Teacher Education Council will meet at 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 8, in Cleveland Hall 418. Please join us to hear updates on campuswide programs, projects, initiatives, and certification issues. All education faculty and staff members are welcome to attend. The agenda will be distributed via email.

Future Teacher Education Council meetings will be held monthly in Cleveland Hall 418 on the following dates:

• December 13, 2024 (Noon)
• January 2025 (NO MEETING)
• February 14, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)
• March 14, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)
• April 11, 2025  (1:00 p.m.)
• May 9, 2025 (Noon)

Please contact Joseph Zawicki, TEC chair and associate professor of career, technical, and science education, for additional information.

The Buffalo State Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department and Social Work Department will host an interactive event, "The Dysfunction of Food: A Discussion with Kim Foster, Author of The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City," on Thursday, November 14, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in Newman Lecture Hall, Bulger Communication Center 215. This event is funded by Buffalo State's Grant Allocation Committee and the School of Professions and is free and open to the public.

Kim Foster is the James Beard Award-winning author of The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City. In her book, Ms. Foster analyzes the problem of hunger, delving into the intersectionality of systemic causes through a series of case studies interwoven with research. Ms. Foster will deliver an interactive lecture to Buffalo State and the wider community, challenging us to think differently about food and how to address the root causes of hunger.

Attendees can benefit from the presentation without reading Ms. Foster's book. Given that this lecture can be a good experiential learning opportunity to supplement your courses, we will provide reflection questions based on the event that you may use for class assignments or discussion posts. 

Please register online to attend.

Please join the Teaching and Learning Center for the session "Student Success and Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) in Introductory Programming Courses," presented by Sarbani Banerjee, professor of computer information systems, on Thursday, November 14, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 318.

Peer-led team learning (PLTL), a nationally recognized teaching and learning model, is introduced in an introductory course for the beginning programmers in the Computer Information Systems (CIS) Department. In PLTL, small groups of students are led by an undergraduate peer and work together to solve problems related to computer science and programming. PLTL is a student-centric pedagogy in which students move from the role of passive listeners to active participants in the classroom.

The goal of implementing PLTL is to retain students in CIS majors through cooperative and active learning sessions. Many PLTL research studies suggest that students participating in the PLTL program are directly benefiting from the learning experiences facilitated by the peer leaders. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the literature related to PLTL. The current research will study the effects of PLTL related to students' success in understanding the mathematics, logic, and basic programming concepts in an introductory CIS course.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Please join the Teaching and Learning Center for the session "Rest IS Resistance," a brown-bag conversation presented by Dorothea Braemer, associate professor of communication, on Monday, November 4, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Butler Library 318.

"Rest IS Resistance" will provide an introduction to Tricia's Hersey's bestselling book, Rest Is Resistance. Participants will learn about Hersey's tenets of the Nap Ministry and explore how to understand and honor rest as a counternarrative to the lie that we all aren't doing enough.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Keep One Another Close: The Importance of Wildlife-Microbe Symbioses in a Changing World," presented by Kevin Kohl, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, on Monday, November 4, at 3:00 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151. Attendees are welcome to enjoy coffee and cookies during the seminar.

Abstract
Anthropogenic changes to our planet have imposed numerous challenges to wildlife and their associated microbes. With increasing recognition of how microbes affect animal health, conservationists may need to consider wide-ranging factors that may disrupt or preserve these host-microbe interactions; that is, how do we conserve "holobionts"? Here, Dr. Kohl and his team will begin to consider this question in two systems. First, with relevance to climate change, they have demonstrated that microbes aid larval amphibians in tolerance to heat stress and heat waves. They are now working to understand landscape variation in these associations, and how human land use (pollution, agriculture) may disrupt important partnerships. Second, given increasing needs for captive-rearing programs to preserve species diversity, they are working to understand the microbial ecology of captive care and the built environment. Specifically, through collaboration with the International Crane Foundation, they are working to improve artificial rearing practices of endangered whooping crane chicks. They have shown that chicks raised by humans in costume have significantly altered microbiomes from those raised by adult birds. They have conducted fecal microbiome transplants (FMTs) with the goal of rescuing the microbiome and ameliorating health defects, which are also more common in costume-reared chicks. Together, these studies consider the need to understand and conserve host-microbe interactions in a changing world.