The Teaching and Learning Center is sponsoring writing circles. These groups will meet approximately six times during the fall semester for roughly 90 minutes at a time with about five members in each circle.

The first meeting will be organizational. Subsequent meetings will be split between brief project updates from members and a focused discussion of one member's work. Each member will agree to share a draft of their work once during the semester and circulate their draft approximately one week before the meeting. The other members will agree to read the draft and offer feedback. It is fully expected that these drafts will be works in progress. The hope is that the circle meetings can help members continue moving forward.

If you're interested, please sign up online. Once we collect the names of those interested, we'll reach out to form the groups.

Learn how to strengthen your online and hybrid skills to enhance your course design and increase student engagement with the Online Course Development Series.

The Online Course Development Series (online asynchronous format offered through Brightspace) will guide participants through a systematic approach to the design and development of online synchronous, online asynchronous, and hybrid courses. Participants will be equipped to make design decisions that support interaction, student engagement, authentic learning and assessment, and meaningful integration of technology. This facilitated online asynchronous series will benefit instructors seeking to design or refresh an online or hybrid course.

Instructional Design and Distance Learning recommends taking the Online Course Development Series at least one year before teaching online or hybrid. A full description of the Online Course Development Series can be found on the Instructional Design and Distance Learning website.

Series Information and Registration
This online asynchronous course will begin Monday, September 16, and end Wednesday, October 30. Learn more and register for the Online Course Development Series.

For more information, please visit the Instructional Design and Distance Learning website. Please contact Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer, with questions.

The Buffalo State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is looking for a volunteer to serve as an EAP coordinator. EAP is a free, voluntary, confidential information and referral service available to all New York State employees, their family members, and retirees. EAP assists with many kinds of challenges, including family, marital, medical, financial, legal, grief and loss, elder care, and substance abuse issues. EAP does not provide direct therapy but serves as a link between Buffalo State employees and skilled professionals in the community. EAP is a neutral office, not associated with any disciplinary procedures, whose services are designed to improve the quality of working families' lives.

An EAP coordinator is specially trained to assist Buffalo State employees and their family members in finding professionals in the community best suited to help solve problems or address concerns.

A coordinator must have a strong commitment to the goals of NYS EAP, excellent interpersonal skills, a history of productive relationships with co-workers, the ability to communicate with individuals and groups, interest in the community and its services and resources, flexibility and willingness to learn, the initiative and ability to work independently, and a strong sense of confidentiality. A coordinator reports to and works with the EAP committee to increase awareness of EAP on site, expand referral services, and help coordinate EAP-sponsored programs on campus. A coordinator must attend training sessions, including monthly regional trainings, as well as a three-day New Coordinator Institute and campus EAP committee meetings. Candidates must have supervisory support and approval to assume this role. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to apply.

The EAP committee is the executive body that administers the EAP. The committee meets monthly to implement and monitor all aspects of the program, including outreach, education, and evaluation.

Please contact Gina Game, EAP chair, to apply or to obtain more information. A letter of interest is due by Friday, August 30.

From the Dean of the School of the Professions
We are pleased to announce that Vida Vanchan has been appointed interim associate dean of the School of the Professions. Dr. Vanchan holds a Ph.D. in international economic and business geographies and an M.A. in international trade from the University at Buffalo, along with a B.S. in business management from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

As a professor of geosciences, political science, public administration, and planning at Buffalo State University, Dr. Vanchan has demonstrated dedication to academia and made significant contributions to her fields of expertise.

Dr. Vanchan is part of Cornell University's Southeast Asia Faculty Associates in Research Program, collaborating with Southeast Asian specialists across New York and northern Pennsylvania. She is also a member of the New York Southeast Asia Network (NYSEAN).

Dr. Vanchan is one of the lead faculty members of the SUNY/CUNY Southeast Asia Consortium (SEAC). This consortium promotes Southeast Asian studies across New York's public universities through interdisciplinary courses, workshops, speaker series, and research grants.

Additionally, Dr. Vanchan has worked in both the public and private sectors, including with a local nonprofit in Buffalo to develop and assess community programs for underserved populations.

Please join us in welcoming and supporting Dr. Vanchan to her new role.

We are excited to welcome all new faculty and staff members to the Buffalo State University community. New Faculty and Staff Orientation will begin with breakfast on Wednesday, August 21, at 8:30 a.m. in Butler Library 318. All new faculty and staff members have been invited and are welcome to attend.

Orientation will focus on informing new employees of the university's history, our core values, our mission, teaching and scholarship, community involvement opportunities, and campus policies. All new employees are strongly encouraged to attend orientation, and supervisors are strongly encouraged to provide employees with the opportunity to participate.

Please contact Rebecca Eggleston, professional development assistant, if you plan to attend.

If you are thinking about launching a food business or wish to make an established business grow, please plan to attend "Growing Your Food Business," a program for food entrepreneurs, on Monday, August 26, in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center (Grant Street and Rockwell Road). Growing Your Food Business will feature Shetice Jackson, the former chef of Campus House and now the hugely successful owner of Cake Crazy. Other speakers include the Small Business Development Center's (SBDC) business financial advisor Marilyn Roach and business advisor Olivia Harbol.

Come for the networking at 4:30 p.m. and enjoy amazing cookies by Catering by Majorie. The program starts at 5:30 p.m. Lots of excellent information will be shared to help a food business thrive. Please call the SBDC to register at (716) 878-4030. The program is free and open to the public.

The Anne Frank Project will hold two days of professional development opportunities in story-based learning (SBL) on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 20 and 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These trainings focus on integrating kinesthetic learning with classroom curriculum to support and build the socioemotional well-being of students and teachers. Trainings are free and open to all members of the Buffalo State University community.

Register today!

Learn more about SBL at annefrankproject.com.

If you are thinking about launching a food business or wish to make an established business grow, please plan to attend "Growing Your Food Business," a program for food entrepreneurs, on Monday, August 26, in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center (Grant Street and Rockwell Road). Growing Your Food Business will feature Shetice Jackson, the former chef of Campus House and now the hugely successful owner of Cake Crazy. Other speakers include the Small Business Development Center's (SBDC) business financial advisor Marilyn Roach and business advisor Olivia Harbol.

Come for the networking at 4:30 p.m. and enjoy amazing cookies by Catering by Majorie. The program starts at 5:30 p.m. Lots of excellent information will be shared to help a food business thrive. Please call the SBDC to register at (716) 878-4030. The program is free and open to the public.

You are invited to mark the beginning of the academic year with the Newman Center as we will celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, September 8, at 11:00 a.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. There will be food available after the service. You must RSVP to Austin Reinhart, campus minister, (716) 882-1080, by Friday, August 30, to ensure that we have an accurate estimate for food. Join the Buffalo State community as we begin another academic year!

Get ready for a free night of art, music, fun, and friends hosted by the Burchfield Visionaries on M&T Second Friday, August 9, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.!

All are welcome to experience the public unveiling of the Charles E. Burchfield masterpiece Retreat of Winter at 5:30 p.m. The evening's festivities will feature live music by soul-funk-pop fusion band DiyenĂ©. Burchfield Visionaries members will lead an array of creative activities from mini gallery tours to all-ages art-making.

Visionary members from Buffalo Fashion House will be creating custom tote bags exclusively for the first guests who sign up for the Burchfield Visionaries membership in person at August M&T Second Friday. Be sure to visit our membership table to learn more.