The Dr. Katherine S. Conway-Turner Civic and Community Engagement Office is co-hosting a civic engagement reading group for interested faculty, staff, students, and community partners in collaboration with the Office of Community Engagement at California State University, Northridge.

This partnership provides an opportunity to discuss relevant community engagement topics in an intimate setting while networking with colleagues from another university with many similarities to our own. Together, we discuss short civic engagement readings that are relevant to both communities.

Our final meeting of the 2023-2024 school year will take place Friday, April 19, noon to 1:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. PST). We will discuss the Inside Higher Education article "Survey: Inequities in Student Involvement."

Please sign up for the reading group Listserv to access the Zoom link and get a copy of the reading.

More information about this partnership can be found on the Professional Development section of the CCE website.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the Lavender Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, May 7, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall.

Celebrate the achievements of our LGBTQ+ students and their allies at the Lavender Graduation ceremony. This event recognizes the contributions and success of our graduating students in a vibrant and supportive setting.

Please mark your calendar! This event is a fantastic opportunity to support our students and enrich our community's experience.

RSVP to attend the ceremony by Friday, May 3. Students may also register through Bengal Connect.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Questions may be addressed to Michael Heflin, assistant dean of inclusion and equity.

We are excited to announce the Men of Merit Student Leadership Conference, an upcoming event that highlights our commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowering campus environment, on Saturday, April 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214 and 216. We invite all faculty, staff, and students to participate and celebrate with us.

Join us for a day of engaging discussions and workshops designed to enhance leadership skills and build a stronger foundation for personal and professional growth. This event is open to all students who are interested in developing their leadership potential.

RSVP by Wednesday, April 24, at noon to attend the ceremony.

Questions may be addressed to Michael Heflin, assistant dean of inclusion and equity.

Over the last week, I hope you have shared eclipse experiences with others. Whether you had great views of the entire eclipse, saw portions through breaks in the clouds, or didn't see the Sun at all because of the cloud cover, as long as you were in the path of totality, you experienced the darkness of the Moon's shadow as it passed over you at over 2,300 miles per hour. Don't let the enormousness of that be lost! Remember that in Western New York, the path of totality was only about 110 miles wide. The last total solar eclipse in this area was in 1925, and the next isn't until 2144.

We all experienced the result of this incredible dance between Earth, Moon, and Sun together. It's estimated that this solar eclipse was the most viewed astronomical event in history. Whether people experienced a partial eclipse or the total eclipse, whether they were alone or in large gatherings, or whether they had clear skies or were entirely overcast, for a few hours on April 8, hundreds of millions of people across North America were able to experience the total solar eclipse of 2024. With so many things that divide us, it is worth remembering that events like this bring us together. In that context, I believe this eclipse is even more incredible than the amazing views of the partial phases and the beautiful corona during totality. It is a cosmic event with a heavy dose of humanity.

The eclipse has also brought many of us on campus together as we planned several events leading up to Eclipse Fest! Brainstorming and logistical planning among departments across campus led to amazing activities and great exposure of Buffalo State to the community. There are too many people to thank individually, but my co-chair for the campus Eclipse Task Force, Bernadette Matre, was instrumental and invaluable in all aspects of making everything a success. Additionally, Jen Connelly, the planetarium's associate director, went far above and beyond organizing the observing area for Eclipse Fest and other volunteers and as we welcomed roughly 4,000 fourth- through 12th-grade students and over 1,100 members of the public to campus to learn about eclipses in the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium.

I also need to thank Interim President Bonnie Durand, Brent Ford, Steve Cahoon, Kristen Mruk, Kaylene Waite, Brian Kantz, Geoff Nason, Liz Grady, Kristin Fields, Katie Welsted, and Carolyn Morris-Hunt for helping to plan various parts of our Eclipse & Sips and Eclipse Fest events. Of course, thanks are also owed to many others from offices across campus including the Geosciences Department, the Master Teachers Program, Rockwell Hall Box Office, Facilities, Central Receiving, Events Management, Custodial, UPD, the Deans' Offices, the Vice Presidents' Offices, the President's Office, and others. I'd also like to thank Colleen Callahan, Chris Parana, Nancy Paschke and others for making Totality Tuesdays possible. Thank you all for helping to make the Year of the Eclipse a great success!

For information about Buffalo State's eclipse events, please visit the Buffalo State Eclipse website. Questions? Email eclipse@buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an an official collection site for Astronomers Without Borders, an organization that distributes eclipse glasses to countries around the world that will be experiencing a solar eclipse but might not have the financial resources for glasses. If you have eclipse glasses from April 8 that you don't want as a keepsake, please bring them to the following locations across campus for donation. We will vet the quality of the glasses, package them, and store them until they are ready to send out across the world.

You can donate glasses as part of the Earth and Arbor Day Fair on Thursday, April 18, from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Student Union lobby.

You may also drop off eclipse glasses at the following locations through Wednesday, May 15:

• Campbell Student Union Information Desk
• E. H. Butler Library, Ask Us Desk
• Civic and Community Engagement Office, South Wing 120
• School of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office, Rockwell Hall 222
• School of Education Dean's Office, Bacon Hall 306
• School of the Professions Dean's Office, Cleveland Hall 214-215
• Geosciences Department, Science and Mathematics Complex 160

Thank you to these offices for agreeing to accept eclipse glasses donations over the next month.

A retirement celebration honoring Richard Stempniak, associate professor in the Engineering Technology Department, will be held Friday, May 3, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Technology Building 240. Please save the date.

The Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore will host a book signing with Tom Reigstad, professor emeritus of English, on Thursday, April 18, during Bengal Pause (12:15-1:30 p.m.) in the bookstore. Dr. Reigstad will sign copies of his new book, The Illustrated Mark Twain and the Buffalo Express: 10 Stories and Over a Century of Sketches (Globe Pequot/North Country Books, 2024).

The book features 10 stories by Mark Twain from the Buffalo Express of 1869 and 1870, accompanied by nearly 40 illustrations by six artists.

Light refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there.

The Admissions Office will host its 2024 Spring Open House on Saturday, April 20, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The office is seeking campus volunteers to assist with the event between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. and between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Volunteers will help direct guests throughout the campus during the event.

Spring Open House is intended for new students, to highlight Buffalo State's academic departments, student services, and campus life. This event is a key opportunity to showcase our programs and campus for our new students. 

This is a great opportunity to interact with prospective students and support your campus! Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and meal.

Interested volunteers (individuals or groups) can complete the April 20 Volunteer Registration Form. Upon submission of the form, you will receive confirmation and additional correspondence from Shannon Miller, open house coordinator and admissions advisor.

Faculty and staff members, many of you are already supporting our Open House representing your department or office, and we appreciate your support! Please share the April 20 Volunteer Registration Form with any interested individuals or groups.

Any questions about Open House can be directed to Shannon Miller.

SUNY retirement plan investment providers have prepared a series of virtual seminars and on-demand resources to celebrate Financial Literacy Month. Join us in April on an enlightening journey of discovery and personal growth, one that honors the lessons of the past while guiding us toward a future of financial well-being, freedom, and empowerment.

Learn, Grow, and Save with Experts
In collaboration with our retirement plan providers Corebridge, Fidelity, TIAA, and Voya we bring a wide array of webinars and resources designed to support financial well-being across all stages of life. More than just educational opportunities, these sessions are gateways to sustained financial health.

Let's Celebrate and Grow Together
Let's unite with Financial Literacy Month to forge a financially secure future for ourselves and our community. Together, we'll explore the foundations of financial knowledge, understand the power of informed investing, and learn strategies for managing and growing wealth. Your journey toward financial literacy and empowerment begins today.

Corebridge
Factor in Your Future: Cost of Living Now and Later
Build a Better Financial Future

TIAA
Fine-Tuning Your Retirement Strategy: Investing toward a Secure Future
Wednesday, April 17
Noon-1:00 p.m.

Fidelity
How YOU Money: Money Tips You Didn't Learn in School

Voya
Save for What Matters Most

The Buffalo State Restorative Justice Center is looking to have more campus personnel trained in RJ practices. The Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition is hosting two full-day training sessions on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27. Buffalo State will sponsor this training for up to five faculty or staff members. Participants must be available to attend both full days. Please email Janelle Brooks, associate dean of students, no later than 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 15, to confirm interest and ability to attend.