Faculty, staff, students, and community partners are welcome to join a spring 2024 Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning Community of Practice (CoP), facilitated by Alice Villaseńor, associate director of civic and community engagement at Buffalo State, and Jess Mann, assistant vice president for community engagement in the Office of Civic Engagement and External Relations at Duquesne University.

This CoP, “Collaboratively Advancing Our Understanding and Practice: Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning,” will take place Wednesdays at noon every other week for five weeks, beginning January 31. Our conversations will strengthen your understanding and practice of community-engaged teaching and learning, provide you with the opportunity to share resources, and expand your network of community-engaged colleagues. Participants will collectively create a repository of promising practices focusing on community-engaged teaching and learning. Please sign up by Monday, January 8.

More information about this Community of Practice—including a list of meeting dates—can be found on the ?Partners for Campus-Community Engagement website.

Please contact Dr. Villaseńor for more information.

Drop-in advisement services have ended for the fall 2023 semester. The Academic Advising Office is open normal business hours throughout the winter break, but by appointment only. Any academic advisement–related questions or appointment requests should made directly with the student’s assigned advisor or sent to the general email account, which is advise@buffalostate.edu.  

Roux Soup Bar & Café is now open on campus, located in the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Owned by Jason and Amy Davidson (of the Liberty Hound and the Terrace at Delaware Park fame), Roux is serving up a mouth-watering array of soups, panini, salads, and more. Dine in, take out, or have your order delivered. Visit the Roux website for days and hours, and to place an order online.

We extend our deepest gratitude to each of you who took the time to share with your colleagues the personal reasons behind your generous contributions to the 2023 SEFA Campaign. Your spirit of giving exemplifies the collective strength of our Buffalo State University community. We know that your inspiring testimony has had a positive impact on the campaign. As the title “United Way” describes exactly how this works, it is only by working together that we promote and prioritize a culture of care and support not only on this campus but in the entire extended community.

To all donors, we are profoundly thankful for your responding to the call. The term philanthropy is from the Greek, meaning “love for humankind.” Your support demonstrates your love and care for people you may or may not know. Such regard for humankind is much in demand.

To the SEFA ambassadors, many thanks for contributing your time and talents to yet another successful campaign. Without your willingness to add this responsibility to your already busy days, we could not have accomplished what we have as a campus.

The campaign will close at the end of business today, Thursday, December 14. Anyone who has not yet submitted a donation, please go to the e-pledge system and click "Forgot user ID or password" to begin the process, even if you are rolling over your pledge from last year, because it is not automatic.

This instructional video and documentation can further guide you. If you prefer to donate by cash or check, please complete the paper form (PDF, 4 MB) and submit it to the School of Education, Bacon Hall 306, or to your departmental ambassador. Here is the list of designated charities (PDF, 10 MB) for your convenience.

We are pleased to offer these links to the stories of your colleagues who offered their personal testimony for the “Why We Give” segment of the Daily Bulletin:

Wendy Paterson
Maria C. Garrity  
Laura Hill Rao
Tim Gordon
Greg Wadsworth and Jack Byrnes
Sue Rubino
Lisa Krieger
Andrew T. Garrity
Celestine Simmons
Yanick Jenkins
Katie Morales
Chuck Arbutina
Kelly Marczynski
Andrea Hoehman
Kathy Ralabate Doody
Tracey and Michael Anderson
Ken Fujiuchi
Rita Sumers

If you have not yet found the time to donate, please hurry so you do not miss out on the generous prizes donated by Interim President Bonita Durand and the university administration. You can find more details in the previous Daily entry submitted by Dr. Durand.  

Thank you once more. This will be a very happy holiday for many families because of your generosity.

The Buffalo State University community is saddened by the death of Gary O. Danner, University Police officer 2 (retired), who died December 4, 2023. Lieutenant Danner joined the campus in 1978 and retired in 2010. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; daughter, Maura (Tim) Seibold; and grandchildren. Services were private.

Campus departments and student organizations are encouraged to submit programs to be included in the Weeks of Welcome schedule of events for spring 2024.

Weeks of Welcome at Buffalo State University is a series of programs hosted by student organizations and the campus community to welcome our students during the first month of the semester. We are currently accepting submissions for programs and events taking place between Monday, January 29, and Friday, March 8. We also strongly encourage you to post events taking place after March 8 on Bengal Connect.

More information on programs and events can be found by visiting the Weeks of Welcome Schedule through the Student Leadership and Engagement website.

Sponsor a Weeks of Welcome Event
Requirements to submit an event:

• The event takes place between January 29 and March 8.
• The event is sponsored by a Buffalo State campus department or registered student organization.
• The sponsoring campus department or student organization has a confirmed space reservation with Events Management or the Campbell Student Union.
• The event must be posted on Bengal Connect.

To submit an event, please complete the Weeks of Welcome Program Submission Form.

Please contact Student Leadership and Engagement with questions or to learn more.

Governor Kathy Hochul has directed that flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday, December 14, in honor of New York State Trooper Robert M. Burney, of New Hartford, New York, who died from an illness stemming from his work at the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Trooper Burney retired from the New York State Police on January 2, 2017, after 27 years of dedicated service. He is survived by his long-term companion, his mother, and extended family members.

More information is available on the governor's website.

Upton Hall is open for normal operations this morning. The air quality has been determined to be safe.

Some areas of the building continue to have a faint odor following Sunday afternoon's small fire in the basement. Buffalo State University staff has opened windows and used fans the last two days, and the custodial team has been wet-mopping to reduce odors. A contractor continues to operate air scrubbers and assist with remediation.

Please email facilities@buffalostate.edu with questions. Your patience and understanding have been appreciated.

“The reason I give is simple yet profound—I believe the world needs more kindness. People willing to share what they can to ensure that those in need receive support. In tough times, if my contribution can help in health care or advance research for curing disorders, I am more than willing to give, with love in my heart and a smile on my face. Blessings to all.”
—Rita L. Sumers

This Thursday, December 14, is the last day to make a SEFA pledge to a charity of your choice. To donate, please go to the e-pledge system and click "Forgot user ID or password" to begin the process, even if you are rolling over your pledge from last year, because it is not automatic. This instructional video and documentation (PDF, 500 KB) can further guide you. If you prefer to donate by cash or check, please complete the paper form (PDF, 4 MB) and submit it to the School of Education, Bacon Hall 306, or to your departmental ambassador. The list of charitable agencies (PDF, 10 MB) is available online. Thank you.

To thank our valued customers and colleagues, please enjoy 20 percent off trade books and all emblematic apparel and gifts at the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore. Shop December 12–14 to receive the discount.

Happy holidays from your friends at the bookstore!