Please join us for "Data Science Applications in Marketing Analytics," a presentation by Buffalo State alumna Sarah Burke, marketing analyst at the Mayo Clinic, on Monday, November 6, from 4:50 to 6:05 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151. The presentation is part of the Data Science and Analytics Seminar Series.

Presentation highlights:

• What marketing analytics is and how it relates to the data science lifecycle 
• What a marketing analyst does 
• Differences between working for an agency versus in-house 
• Skills and qualifications needed to succeed  

Ms. Burke has 10 years of experience in digital marketing and analytics. She holds an M.S. in data science and analytics from Buffalo State.

Congratulations to Abdollah “Abdi” Hajikandi, assistant director of academic services in the Educational Opportunity Program, for his increased SEFA donation, securing an opportunity to win the Buffalo Bills package graciously contributed by the SEFA Leadership Team: Wendy Paterson, Maria Garrity, Sue Rubino, and Allison Winkowski. This package is valued at over $125. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all contributors, with special recognition for those who raised their pledges, advancing us one-third closer to our campus goal.

Looking ahead, we are delighted to introduce our November raffle, featuring a captivating D’Avolio gift basket. This exquisite collection includes four bottles of gourmet olive oil, two packages of healthful gourmet pasta, an assortment of artisanal spices, and a $25 Wegmans gift certificate, totaling over $125 in value, also donated by our SEFA Leadership Team.

Participating in the gift basket raffle is effortless: simply increase your charitable donation from the previous year by Friday, November 17, and you will be automatically entered. Your generosity holds genuine significance for our community.

To contribute and enter the raffle, please access our e-pledge system. Should you require guidance, a comprehensive instructional video and a detailed instructional document are available for your convenience.

Those opting for cash donations can complete the pledge form (PDF, 3.8 MB) and hand it directly to your departmental ambassador with your donation or drop it off at the School of Education, Bacon Hall 306.

Retired supporters should have received a letter (PDF, 170 KB) from our interim president, Bonita Durand, Ph.D., along with a pledge form. If you are eager to contribute now, kindly complete the paper 2023 SEFA pledge form (PDF, 3.8 MB) and send it, along with your donation, to Maria Garrity at Buffalo State University, Twin Rise 204H, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222. You can also refer to the 2023 SEFA agency booklet (PDF, 10 MB) to select a charity. Please make checks payable to SEFA.

If you have any questions or need guidance, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to Maria C. Garrity, senior systems programmer in Information Technology, or connect with your departmental SEFA ambassador.

Our community relies on your generosity, and we express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering support. Together, we can make a meaningful impact. Thank you for your dedication and kindness.

This year's celebration of National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) is November 6–10. All sectors of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), SUNY Online Teaching, and Buffalo State University will host sessions to generate awareness, highlight best practices, and discuss emerging trends during NDLW.

The USDLA will host sessions based on its theme "How Artificial Intelligence Is Redefining Distance Learning in the Year 2023." All sessions are free. Registration is open.

SUNY Online will host sessions related to Brightspace, open educational resources (OER), artificial intelligence (AI), and connecting with students. View all upcoming webinars and register on the SUNY Online Teaching website.

Buffalo State's Online Oversight and Readiness Committee will host sessions on online course design, campus technology-enhanced locations, and Brightspace. Registration is though the Workshop Registration System.

Beyond Boundaries, the Buffalo State Equity and Campus Diversity Office and Center for Social Justice, the Burchfield Penney Art Center, and the UB Gender Institute and Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy will honor the life and legacy of our dear colleague and friend Teresa "Teri" Miller,  SUNY vice provost, at a reception on Thursday, November 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney café.

Teri Miller was a cherished member of our Western New York community. She devoted her career to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice throughout SUNY and far beyond. She worked tirelessly for criminal justice reform and led the “Lifers” group at Attica for many years. Vice Provost Miller made several films about the experience of taking her first-year law students into Attica to meet the inmates. In 2011 she organized the unforgettable conference “40 Years after the Attica Uprising: Looking Back, Moving Forward.” Vice Provost Miller was a member of an American Bar Association task force on protecting prisoners’ rights and served on the boards of the prison reform groups Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York and the Correctional Association of New York. You can read more about her amazing life on the Harvard Law School website.

We invite friends and colleagues to say a few words about Teri at the reception.

The reception will be followed at 7:00 p.m. by a free screening and discussion of Attica (2021).

Beyond Boundaries is sponsored by the Buffalo State Center for Social Justice, Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Communication Department, and Burchfield Penney Art Center and is curated by Ruth Goldman and Meg Knowles, associate professors of communication.

As part of the strategic goal of strengthening and securing the Information Technology infrastructure and to increase access to files from any location, Buffalo State will be decommissioning faculty and staff personal network drives (i.e., “Z drives”) on Monday, January 8. This follows the retirement of student network drives that occurred May 26, 2023. To avoid losing important information, please move your important files to OneDrive before the semester ends.

Step-by-step instructions for moving files to OneDrive are provided below:

• Move files and folders to OneDrive (PC)
• Move files and folders to OneDrive (Mac)

If you have questions or encounter any problems with OneDrive, please report these to the Help Desk by opening a Technology Help ticket or by emailing the IT Help Desk. Please include a detailed description of your problem or question along with relevant screenshots.

Milligan’s Food Pantry is committed to supporting the health and well-being of our guests and our community by offering healthier food choices at our pantry. We ask that you promote the Milligan's November Thanksgiving Needs Drive in your departments to assist us in increasing the healthy options available to our guests. Please donate what you are able. No donation is too small. Please donate only labeled cans, items that have not expired, pre-packaged or commercially made items, unopened items, and non-alcoholic products.

If you prefer, monetary donations are also welcome. Donors should forward monetary gifts directly to Claire Collier, donor relations officer in Institutional Advancement, Cleveland Hall 304. Monetary donations will be deposited into the Milligan’s Food Pantry Buffalo State College Foundation account for future food and supply purchases. Please make checks payable to Buffalo State College Foundation Food Pantry Fund.

Please email Kristen Helling, assistant director of student care and support, Dean of Students Office, with questions or concerns.

Consultants from Voya Financial will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on Wednesday, November 15, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416.

Appointments are required. Space is limited. Please email Molly Pecoraro or call (716) 626-3928 to schedule an appointment.

Discuss your financial situation with an experienced Voya consultant to help you plan for your future and pursue your financial goals. Take this opportunity to review your retirement savings or to increase or start a tax-deferred annuity.

Get answers to these questions and more:

• Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals?
• Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
• How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

Space is limited; sign up today.

The enrollment period for the 2024 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is now open and runs through Monday, December 11. PEP allows eligible CSEA, UUP, PEF, and M/C employees to exchange previously accrued vacation or personal leave for a credit toward their biweekly New York State health insurance costs. Sick leave credits cannot be exchanged under this program.

Employees who participated in PEP for 2023 must file a new election form to enroll in the 2024 program. Details and enrollment forms can be found on the Human Resource Management website.

To participate, eligible employees must file an election form with the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 403, by close of business (5:00 p.m.) Monday, December 11. 

For program details, please select your bargaining unit:

• CSEA Program Description (PDF, 190 KB) and Enrollment Form (PDF, 545 KB)
• UUP and M/C Program Description (PDF, 130 KB) and Enrollment Form (PDF, 620 KB)

Buffalo State alumni, students, faculty, and staff members are invited to attend the talk “The World of Nanoscience: A Call for Maturity,” presented by Saquib Ahmed, assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology and founding director of the Buffalo State Center for Integrated Studies in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, on Wednesday, December 6, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center. The talk is free; refreshments will be served. This event is part of the Buffalo State Talks Lecture Series.

Please register for the talk through the Alumni Association website. Students can RSVP through Bengal Connect.

Topic Overview
Nanotechnology is defined as the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. With the tremendous impact on the world of “nano” already in flux and with much more to occur in the present decade, it is imperative that a holistic approach be taken to tackle this disruptive space—not only in understanding the science and engineering of a given technology but also in assessing the economic success of such a technology and judging the ethical, legal, and social implications of it as well. This is the vision of the Center for Integrated Studies in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Buffalo State.

The presentation will focus on recently published original research titled “An Integrated Assessment of Next Generation PV Technologies” (American Journal of Energy Engineering 11 (4) 100–109). This success milestone had brought together students and faculty members from across disparate disciplines, including mathematics, data science, engineering technology, and chemistry.

Please join us for the Cultural Café, a monthly event that brings together members of the Buffalo State University community over conversation, culture, and coffee, on Wednesday, November 1, at noon on the first floor of Butler Library. This month we will celebrate Indonesian culture. This event is sponsored by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Butler Library, and Global Engagement.