The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) is pleased to announce the return of its in-person Pension and Retirement Education Program (PREP) seminars.

The PREP seminar educates members of all ages and career stages on the value of careful financial and retirement planning.

The Buffalo seminar will be held Tuesday, August 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Buffalo Airport Hotel, 4600 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY 14225. There is no fee to attend, and your spouse or companion is welcome to attend, but you must make a reservation in advance. Spots fill up quickly!

There are two ways to make a reservation:

1. Online using your MyNYSTRS account. After logging in to your account, visit the Tools > Schedule a Consultation or PREP page.
2. By calling NYSTRS at (800) 348-7298, ext. 6180.

When calling for a reservation, you must provide your Employee ID or Social Security number, email address, and home phone number (and the same information for your spouse or companion if they are a member and will attend, too).

Topics covered during this half-day seminar include the following:

• NYSTRS Benefits: Your pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting, and death benefits.
• Financial Planning: Saving early, catching up, withdrawals, and financial advisers.
• Social Security: Benefits, eligibility rules, when to collect, and earning limits.
• Estate Planning: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health-care proxies, and living wills.
• The Retirement Process: Retirement options, "resigning" vs. "retiring," choosing a retirement date, retirement checklist, monthly payments, taxes, and earnings limitations on NYS public employment.

PREP seminars are not intended for individual benefits counseling. Members interested in a benefit consultation should visit the Retirement Planning > Benefits Consultations page of the NYSTRS website to learn how to schedule a personal consultation.

A Special Option Transfer Period for employees to change their elected health plan option is available for active New York State CSEA, USC, and M/C employees; legislature employees; and New York State retirees from Thursday, June 1, through Friday, June 30. This special transfer period is the result of new ratified contract(s) with these bargaining units and the changes to the Empire Plan effective July 1, 2023.

Information was mailed to employees' addresses on file as of April 22, 2023, regarding this Special Option Transfer Period and the rate changes.

The publication "NYSHIP July 1, 2023, Rate Changes" (PDF, 700 KB) provides information regarding the special option period and rates. This booklet and other option transfer publications are available on the NYSHIP Online website. Select your group and plan when prompted, then select Health Benefits and Option Transfer.

A 12-minute online presentation explaining the changes to the Empire Plan, effective July 1, 2023, is also available.

Copies of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for individual health plans can be obtained by phone at (877) 769-7447 or on the Department of Civil Service website.

To change your health insurance option during this Special Option Transfer Period, please return the completed and signed Health Insurance Transaction Form (PDF, 85 KB) to the Employee Benefits Office, Cleveland Hall 403, by 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 30. Changes will be effective Thursday, July 6.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

If you have questions, please contact the Buffalo State Benefits Office, (716) 878-4821.

Buffalo State is thrilled to again partner with National Grid on a one-of-a-kind STEM experience, the Future Innovators in Tech and Engineering (FITE) camp, which will take place Monday, July 10, through Friday, July 21, on the Buffalo State campus. FITE is geared toward rising 10th- and 11th-graders who may be from typically underrepresented populations in STEM fields.

Instructors include experts from our Engineering Technology Department and the International Center for Studies in Creativity, as well as staff from National Grid. Participants will get an introduction to a variety of STEM careers including those in electrical and engineering technology. They will experience our state-of-the-art Smart Grid Laboratory and tour a National Grid power station. Participants will also unlock the bounds of imagination through exercises that will enhance creative thinking. 

New this year, participants will receive training in coding, examine nature's influence on engineering through biomimicry, and receive a special engineering-themed tour of the new AKG Art Museum! All of this new knowledge will come together to solve real-world challenges presented by our partners at National Grid. The program concludes with teams sharing their solutions with National Grid.

Through the generosity of National Grid, this camp is free to all participants and includes lunch on most days. Transportation can also be coordinated on an as-needed basis.

To register or for more information, please visit the Continuing Professional Studies website. Registration closes Friday, June 30; space is limited!

Information for students on the Withdrawal from Course web page has been updated.

All remaining 2023 and upcoming 2024 semester deadlines are now reflected for easy reference.

Please note that withdrawal from a course is final once entered. Students cannot make a change after the action has been saved.

This is a new procedure, starting with summer 2023 sessions. If a student makes a mistake and enters an online withdrawal from a course and wishes to immediately rescind that entry, the student must send an email to the Registrar's Office within 24 hours of the mistaken entry. The detailed email request should include the semester, the student's Banner ID, the student's complete first and last name, the CRN, and the course. Requests after the 24-hour period cannot be addressed by the Registrar's Office and will be referred to the Academic Standards Office. The student must submit a petition.

Buffalo State has received SUNY funding that will allow for the creation of an internal infrastructure to support the design and promotion of microcredentials. The funding opportunity was open to any SUNY campus with an approved microcredential policy. Campuses could apply for up to $45,000 to support design, administration, and marketing.

Over the next year, the funding will be dedicated to several initiatives, including use of a digital badging platform. Facilitators will assist campus stakeholders in refining the application process, defining a process for non-credit learning opportunities, and creating a uniform and easy-to-navigate digital presence. A training will be designed and delivered to assist faculty members in the development of microcredentials. Funding will also be used for branding and marketing.

Any questions or comments regarding this initiative can be directed to Kristin Fields, director of continuing professional studies.

The Buffalo State Writing Center will offer online tutoring this summer, throughout all summer sessions.

Tutoring will be available Tuesday, May 30, through Friday, August 11, and students may request synchronous or asynchronous help. 

Synchronous tutoring will be available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Synchronous appointments can be booked through the Bengal Success Portal.

For asynchronous assistance, students should email their document, assignment directions, and specific questions for the tutor to buffalostatewritingcenter@gmail.com. Feedback will be given within two business days.

Please contact Maggie Herb, Writing Center director, with questions about the Writing Center or its services.

Each spring, campus personnel must decide when to begin cooling campus buildings. Unlike heating systems, air-conditioning cannot be turned on and off on a daily or weekly basis. The initiation of campus cooling systems is a temperature-dependent activity performed once nighttime low temperatures are consistently predicted to be 60 degrees or higher.

Additionally, the New York State Department of Health requires that all cooling systems be inspected by an accredited external inspector before activation in order to comply with Legionella testing requirements. In compliance with New York energy guidelines, we strive to keep indoor temperatures no higher than 78 degrees in air-conditioned spaces. Your patience is appreciated as we await warmer overnight forecasts and carry out the important inspection phase. Questions about air-conditioning can be directed to Facilities Operations at (716) 878-6111.

Academic advisers are available during the summer for in-person drop-in advising in the Academic Advising Center, located on the first floor of Butler Library near Starbucks. We are here to assist any student at the times listed below. Although students are expected to meet with their assigned advisers regarding course selection, drop-in advisers are well equipped to offer general guidance, triage academic and personal issues, and assist students with administrative and technical processes (e.g., guiding students through using Banner or Degree Works, or facilitating connections to campus resources for immediate concerns). 

Summer Drop-in Advising Hours
Monday–Thursday, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Friday, by appointment only

Summer Office Hours
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Contact Information
Butler Library 149, Academic Advising General Reception
Phone: (716) 878-5223
Email: advise@buffalostate.edu

Internal applications are being accepted for the following position on campus. This is an internal job posting open to employees of Buffalo State University who are currently paid from any state-appropriated-funds payroll.

Title: Senior Staff Assistant / Assistant Athletics Director and Completion Coach
Department: Intercollegiate Athletics
Rank: SL-3
Negotiating Unit: UUP

Brief Job Description
The assistant director reports to the director of athletics. This position leads Intercollegiate Athletics efforts related to student support services including serving as the primary liaison for housing, conduct, counseling, admissions/recruiting, and the registrar. The assistant director sits on the Buffalo State CARES team, oversees the Bengal Success Portal within Athletics, and serves as a point person for academic advising for student-athletes. This individual coordinates Intercollegiate Athletics staff and coaches serving as mentors to students outside of athletics, strengthening the conduit between athletics and student support networks across campus. Other duties include overseeing athletics-related student clubs as a liaison to Student Leadership and Engagement, and leading one assigned fundraising activity per year.

To view the required qualifications and to apply, please view the posting on the Buffalo State Job Opportunities website.

This internal priority review date closes Wednesday, June 7.

Internal applications are being accepted for the following position on campus. This is an internal job posting open to employees of Buffalo State University who are currently paid from any state-appropriated-funds payroll.

Title: Senior Staff Assistant / Assistant Athletics Director and Completion Coach
Department: Intercollegiate Athletics
Rank: SL-3
Negotiating Unit: UUP

Brief Job Description
The assistant director reports to the director of athletics. This position leads Intercollegiate Athletics efforts related to student support services including serving as the primary liaison for housing, conduct, counseling, admissions/recruiting, and the registrar. The assistant director sits on the Buffalo State CARES team, oversees the Bengal Success Portal within Athletics, and serves as a point person for academic advising for student-athletes. This individual coordinates Intercollegiate Athletics staff and coaches serving as mentors to students outside of athletics, strengthening the conduit between athletics and student support networks across campus. Other duties include overseeing athletics-related student clubs as a liaison to Student Leadership and Engagement, and leading one assigned fundraising activity per year.

To view the required qualifications and to apply, please view the posting on the Buffalo State Job Opportunities website.

This internal priority review date closes Wednesday, June 7.