Maggie Herb, associate professor of English and director of the Writing Center, will facilitate the next Coffee Talk on Thursday, April 18, at 9:30 a.m. in Butler Library 318. This session aims to equip faculty members with tools and strategies to address issues of academic integrity and plagiarism in the classroom. We will also discuss the proactive steps to avoid these problems that faculty members can take early in the semester before students write and submit their work, focusing in particular on intentional assignment design and scaffolding.

The Coffee Talk format includes a brief 15-minute presentation, 30-minute discussion, and 15 minutes to conclude, with topic resources and next steps to further the discussion.

Please join us! Register through the Workshop Registration System. Walk-ins are always welcome.

The Buffalo State Alumni Association and Liberty Mutual are teaming up to offer a defensive driving course on Saturday, May 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center. All members of the campus community alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited to register for the course and earn up to 10 percent off their auto insurance (regardless of provider).

The class is $30 per person.

To register for the course and reserve your spot, please contact Buffalo State's representative, Damien Lawrence, at (716) 984-9111 by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 1.

Please join us for our spring Buffalo State Talks lecture, "The Professional Commitment to the Earth through Sustainability," hosted by the Buffalo State Alumni Association and the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program, on Tuesday, April 30, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center.

The talk will feature alumni Crystal Surdyk, '12, and Bernice Radle, '11, presenting about sustainability, professional commitment to the earth, and suggested positive actions everyone can do to lessen their carbon footprint.

This event is free to attend. Please register online.

As your department begins to plan end-of-year activities and celebrations, please remember to report any alumni awards to the Alumni Engagement Office. Your cooperation will enable us to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of your alumni and your department within our alumni network and throughout the institution. 

We appreciate your support in helping us recognize the accomplishments of our alumni community and look forward to celebrating their successes together. Award and alumni information can be sent directly to Katelyn Brickhouse, director of alumni engagement.

The 2023-2024 fiscal year for SUNY institutions closes June 30, 2024. For this reason, purchase requests for supplies, materials, services, office supplies, and equipment from fiscal year 2023-2024 funds must be submitted through Bengal Buy by the close of business on the following dates:

Furniture orders
Monday, April 22

Software orders
Friday, May 3

Office supply orders
Friday, June 7

All other orders requiring a purchase order
Friday, May 24

To make ordering at the end of fiscal year effective for everyone, please plan departmental needs as far in advance as possible to ensure that orders for goods and services are placed before the cutoff dates. Submitting requests well before the cutoff dates will provide Procurement Services with the necessary time to process orders before the deadlines.

It is the responsibility of departments to ensure that all purchase requests for fiscal year 2023-2024 are submitted to Bengal Buy by 5:00 p.m. on the above deadline dates. Requests received after the deadlines will be held until the start of the next fiscal year.

Active P-Cards may continue to be used throughout the transition period for authorized transactions without interruption.

Are you thirsty for some inspiration, new knowledge, and making connections with colleagues? Networking is the best thing you can do for your professional development! Share, learn, and grow from other professionals. Instructional Design and Distance Learning and the Teaching and Learning Center will host events during April with themed discussions led by topic experts. All are welcome.  

The format will include a brief 15-minute presentation, 30-minute discussion, and 15 minutes to conclude with topic resources and next steps to further the discussion.

Thursday, April 11 - Microsoft SharePoint 
SharePoint online has become the preferred option for secure storage of collaborative documents, providing basically unlimited file space alongside greater flexibility for access both on and off campus. This session helps introduce the platform through comparisons to individual cloud storage like OneDrive, as well as providing solutions for potential confusion or complications that users might encounter. This session will be facilitated by Tim Jones, IT Help Desk assistant and trainer.

Thursday, April 18 - Academic Integrity 
This session aims to equip faculty members with tools and strategies to address issues of academic integrity and plagiarism in the classroom. We will also discuss proactive steps to avoid these problems that faculty can take early in the semester before students write and submit their work, focusing in particular on intentional assignment design and scaffolding. This session will be facilitated by Maggie Herb, associate professor of English and director of the Writing Center. 

Tuesday, April 23 - Getting Better with Gender Pronouns
This session is designed to give an overview of using gender-affirming pronouns with a focus on they/them/theirs. Learn tips to remember gender-affirming pronouns and respectfully bounce back from mistakes. We will offer best practices for inclusion in the workplace and classroom and the space to exercise your skills together. This session will be facilitated by Berg Miller, assistant professor of social work; Julie Setele, senior assistant librarian; and Chris Hulsman, electronic and educational resources librarian. LGBTQIA+ Pride Month is celebrated at Buffalo State University during the month of April.

Please join us for these amazing sessions! Register through the Workshop Registration System. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Please let your students know that over 100 scholarships are currently accepting applications for fall 2024. Students may apply for fall 2024 scholarships through the Campus Application Portal for Scholarships (CAPS) until Tuesday, April 30.

Please email scholarship@buffalostate.edu with questions.

As students prepare for upcoming summer and fall 2024 registration, which begins at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, we encourage them to use Schedule Planner to secure their desired schedules. We now have three resources available to students on the Schedule Planner website:

How to Use Schedule Planner (PDF, 2.1 MB)

How to Use Video (mp4)

Functional Training Guide (PDF, 776 KB)

Schedule Planner simplifies and decreases the amount of time involved in planning a schedule. It is also the only resource that enables students to search for classes that have seats available by selecting Open Classes in the Course Status field.

Have you been meaning to dig out your board games from the basement to donate to the Board Game Drive? It's time! Today is the last day of this student-led initiative of the Social Work Department to collect board games for the families at Gerard Place. The games will be enjoyed by the families who live at Gerard Place in the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. Gerard Place's mission is to empower individuals and families by providing housing, supportive services, education, and outreach. The families have experienced trauma, and the goal at Gerard Place is to support them on their journey to self-sufficiency. Donate your new or gently used board games by the end of the day today, April 1. Donations can be dropped off outside Caudell Hall 354. For more information, please contact Oscar Fuentes or Taylor Valenti, social work student interns for Gerard Place; or Assistant Professor Berg Miller, social work faculty support. Thanks so much to all who have donated!

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner for $7 in the Bengal Kitchen every Friday throughout the semester. Accepting Dining Dollars, Bengal Bucks, and credit cards.