The Campus House Club Inc. annual meeting will be held Friday, September 27, at 10:30 a.m. in Bacon Hall 117.

Please join your colleagues and friends afterward for the annual Campus House Picnic from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The theme is "Fall Fest Tailgate Party." Hospitality students and staff are planning a wonderful buffet lunch outdoors for all to enjoy!

Please email your reservations.

Contact: Michael Ferraro: (716) 878-3300

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Humanizing Biology to Promote Equity in STEM Higher Education," presented by Robin Costello, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo, today, September 30, at 3:00 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151. Attendees are welcome to enjoy coffee and cookies during the seminar.

Abstract
Despite broad consensus that highlighting counter-stereotypical scientist role models in educational materials promotes equity and success, the specific elements that make these materials effective remain untested. Are pictures of counter-stereotypical scientists enough to communicate to students that scientists come from a variety of backgrounds, or is additional information required? In her seminar, Dr. Costello will discuss the results of a nationwide experiment that parsed the effects of including visual depictions and humanizing information about scientists in undergraduate biology course materials. As a spoiler, including humanizing information about scientists was key to increasing student engagement with course materials. These findings underscore the importance of providing students with examples of humanized and relatable scientists in classrooms, rather than simply adding photos to increase representation.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Humanizing Biology to Promote Equity in STEM Higher Education," presented by Robin Costello, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo, on Monday, September 30, at 3:00 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151. Attendees are welcome to enjoy coffee and cookies during the seminar.

Abstract
Despite broad consensus that highlighting counter-stereotypical scientist role models in educational materials promotes equity and success, the specific elements that make these materials effective remain untested. Are pictures of counter-stereotypical scientists enough to communicate to students that scientists come from a variety of backgrounds, or is additional information required? In her seminar, Dr. Costello will discuss the results of a nationwide experiment that parsed the effects of including visual depictions and humanizing information about scientists in undergraduate biology course materials. As a spoiler, including humanizing information about scientists was key to increasing student engagement with course materials. These findings underscore the importance of providing students with examples of humanized and relatable scientists in classrooms, rather than simply adding photos to increase representation.

Under the terms of the 2022-2026 UUP contract, a discretionary pool equal to 0.5 percent of the total basic annual salaries of UUP employees as of June 30, 2024, will be available for 2024 discretionary awards. The awards will be added to basic annual salary and will appear in paychecks dated December 18, 2024.

The following documents are available on the Human Resource Management website:

• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Schedule
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Process Outline
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Nomination Form

Eligible employees may self-nominate for a discretionary award by completing a Nomination Form and submitting it to their department chair, director, associate vice president, or other direct supervisor by September 27, 2024. Self-nominations and nominations initiated by supervisors and department heads will be forwarded through all appropriate approval levels. Please refer to the process outline for eligibility requirements.

New This Year: Preference will be given to employees who have completed the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 training by September 30, 2024, and all other compliance training requirements by October 11, 2024 (please refer to the training announcement). In addition, if you are a supervisor of professional employees, all your direct reports must have a current performance program and an up-to-date job description in place. If you do not have these documents in place for your direct reports, you have until October 11, 2024, to prepare and send these documents through the approval process. Your vice president's office can provide copies of performance documents on file.

Employees will not be notified of the recommendation at each level. There will be an opportunity to appeal after the interim president has made her decisions and sent out letters to employees informing them of their awards. Award letters will be sent on November 1, 2024, by close of business. A brief period to submit appeals will follow the distribution of award letters.

If you have any questions regarding the discretionary process, please contact Erika Grande, manager of personnel operations, in Human Resource Management.

Under the terms of the 2022-2026 UUP contract, a discretionary pool equal to 0.5 percent of the total basic annual salaries of UUP employees as of June 30, 2024, will be available for 2024 discretionary awards. The awards will be added to basic annual salary and will appear in paychecks dated December 18, 2024.

The following documents are available on the Human Resource Management website:

• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Schedule
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Process Outline
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Nomination Form

Eligible employees may self-nominate for a discretionary award by completing a Nomination Form and submitting it to their department chair, director, associate vice president, or other direct supervisor by September 27, 2024. Self-nominations and nominations initiated by supervisors and department heads will be forwarded through all appropriate approval levels. Please refer to the process outline for eligibility requirements.

New This Year: Preference will be given to employees who have completed the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 training by September 30, 2024, and all other compliance training requirements by October 11, 2024 (please refer to the training announcement). In addition, if you are a supervisor of professional employees, all your direct reports must have a current performance program and an up-to-date job description in place. If you do not have these documents in place for your direct reports, you have until October 11, 2024, to prepare and send these documents through the approval process. Your vice president's office can provide copies of performance documents on file.

Employees will not be notified of the recommendation at each level. There will be an opportunity to appeal after the interim president has made her decisions and sent out letters to employees informing them of their awards. Award letters will be sent on November 1, 2024, by close of business. A brief period to submit appeals will follow the distribution of award letters.

If you have any questions regarding the discretionary process, please contact Erika Grande, manager of personnel operations, in Human Resource Management.

Under the terms of the 2022-2026 UUP contract, a discretionary pool equal to 0.5 percent of the total basic annual salaries of UUP employees as of June 30, 2024, will be available for 2024 discretionary awards. The awards will be added to basic annual salary and will appear in paychecks dated December 18, 2024.

The following documents are available on the Human Resource Management website:

• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Schedule
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Process Outline
• 2024 UUP Discretionary Award Nomination Form

Eligible employees may self-nominate for a discretionary award by completing a Nomination Form and submitting it to their department chair, director, associate vice president, or other direct supervisor by September 27, 2024. Self-nominations and nominations initiated by supervisors and department heads will be forwarded through all appropriate approval levels. Please refer to the process outline for eligibility requirements.

New This Year: Preference will be given to employees who have completed the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 training by September 30, 2024, and all other compliance training requirements by October 11, 2024 (please refer to the training announcement). In addition, if you are a supervisor of professional employees, all your direct reports must have a current performance program and an up-to-date job description in place. If you do not have these documents in place for your direct reports, you have until October 11, 2024, to prepare and send these documents through the approval process. Your vice president's office can provide copies of performance documents on file.

Employees will not be notified of the recommendation at each level. There will be an opportunity to appeal after the interim president has made her decisions and sent out letters to employees informing them of their awards. Award letters will be sent on November 1, 2024, by close of business. A brief period to submit appeals will follow the distribution of award letters.

If you have any questions regarding the discretionary process, please contact Erika Grande, manager of personnel operations, in Human Resource Management.

Mark Warford will be the featured guest reader for the Emanuel Fried Drop Hammer Reading Series on Thursday, September 26, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 302. 

Dr. Warford serves as an associate professor in the Modern and Classical Languages Department at SUNY Buffalo State University. As a scholar, he has published and presented in the areas of applied linguistics, pedagogy, innovation studies, and sociocultural theory as well as translation and post-Jungian studies, having recently developed an approach to translation influenced by psychoanalytic studies ('la traducciĂłn profunda' or "depth translation"). A former president and current vice president of the Analytical Psychology Society of Western New York, Dr. Warford enjoys ongoing collaborations with the Centro Jung de Buenos Aires. In his spare time, he is a stringed instrument accompanist at local Irish music seisiĂşns.   

Snacks and refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to the public. 

The Drop Hammer Reading Series is a tribute to the legacy of our late colleague Emanuel "Manny" Fried.

The 2024-2025 "Conversations in and out of the Disciplines" series kicks off today, September 27, as Anna Zeemont, assistant professor of English, presents "'We Write to Find Our People': Critical Student Literacies and Coalition Building" at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. The talk will be followed by a brief Q&A and a short wine and cheese reception. Everyone is welcome.

The 2024-2025 "Conversations in and out of the Disciplines" series kicks off tomorrow, September 27, as Anna Zeemont, assistant professor of English, presents "'We Write to Find Our People': Critical Student Literacies and Coalition Building" at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. The talk will be followed by a brief Q&A and a short wine and cheese reception. Everyone is welcome.

The 2024-2025 "Conversations in and out of the Disciplines" series kicks off this Friday, September 27, as Anna Zeemont, assistant professor of English, presents "'We Write to Find our People': Critical Student Literacies and Coalition Building" at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. The talk will be followed by a brief Q&A and a short wine and cheese reception. Everyone is welcome.

Please also mark your calendars for the second talk of the fall semester, when Olga Novikova, assistant professor of biology, will present "Splice & Dice: The Fascinating World of Inteins" at 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 25, in Ketchum Hall 320.

Finally, stay tuned for more information about our upcoming talks this spring, which will include presentations by Mary Beth Sullivan, lecturer in the College Writing Program; Naila Ansari, assistant professor of theater; and a joint presentation by Mehwish Sarwari and Patrick McGovern from the Political Science, Public Administration, and Planning Department.

The "Conversations" series was started 17 years ago by Ann Colley, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emerita of English, to "celebrate and draw attention to the research being done in various departments at Buffalo State University." Over this time, colleagues from Anthropology, Art Conservation, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, and Secondary Education, among others, have shared their work with the Buffalo State and Buffalo communities.