The spring 2023 “Conversations in and out of the Disciplines” series concludes this afternoon, April 21, as Aaron Daniel Annas, associate professor and director of television and film arts, presents “Capturing Truth: Exploring the Paranormal” at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. The talk will be followed by a brief Q&A and a short wine and cheese reception. Everyone is welcome.

The “Conversations” series was started 15 years ago by Ann Colley, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emerita of English, to “celebrate and draw attention to the research being done in various departments at Buffalo State College.” Over the last decade, colleagues from Anthropology, Art Conservation, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, and Secondary Education, among others, have shared their work with the Buffalo State and Buffalo communities.

The spring 2023 “Conversations in and out of the Disciplines” series concludes this Friday, April 21, as Aaron Daniel Annas, associate professor and director of television and film arts, presents “Capturing Truth: Exploring the Paranormal” at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. The talk will be followed by a brief Q&A and a short wine and cheese reception. Everyone is welcome.

The “Conversations” series was started 15 years ago by Ann Colley, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emerita of English, to “celebrate and draw attention to the research being done in various departments at Buffalo State College.” Over the last decade, colleagues from Anthropology, Art Conservation, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, and Secondary Education, among others, have shared their work with the Buffalo State and Buffalo communities.

Please join us for a free family music concert featuring students and faculty from Buffalo String Works on Saturday, April 22, at 2:00 p.m. in Ciminelli Recital Hall (third floor of Rockwell Hall). The event will also include free pop-up music lessons for children by Buffalo String Works faculty.

For more information, please visit the Music Department website or Facebook page.

Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10 per family.

Buffalo String Works provides rigorous music instruction and a creative home for refugee, immigrant, and historically marginalized youth. We recognize the significance of music as a universal language, and by lifting up the voices of our students and parents, we cultivate youth to be agents of social change. For more information about this organization, please visit the Buffalo String Works website.

Please join us for a panel discussion on LGBTQ+ parenting rights on Thursday, April 27, from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. in Caudell Hall 209. A reception will follow.

The rate of LGBTQ+ adults who decide to become parents is growing, while this community relies less on conception from intercourse for family building. As part of the Women and Gender Studies Interdisciplinary Unit's Reproductive Justice Spring Programming Series, this panel will discuss the rights of LGBTQ+ people to become parents and raise their children in safe, equitable, and healthy environments.

Panelists will include speakers from CNY Fertility clinic, GLYS (Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support) WNY Inc., and LGBTQ+ parents themselves.

SUNY OER Services is making up to $30,000 available per grant through the SUNY OER Impact Grants Program. Proposals are due Friday, May 5, and are awarded toward projects such as

• large-scale adoption of OER for high-enrollment courses and gateway courses with the highest drop/fail/withdrawal rates;
• creation of OER, such as open textbooks, adaptive courses, and ancillary materials;
• professional development supporting OER and open pedagogy.

Butler Library will host an information session online to answer questions regarding the grant requirements on Thursday, April 20, at 3:15 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. If you currently use OER or if you would like to learn more, please attend to explore options!

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Please see the Butler Library website for more information.

Please join us for the Cultural Café, a monthly event that brings together members of the Buffalo State community over conversation, culture, coffee, and light refreshments, today, April 19, at noon on the first floor of Butler Library. Come and meet new students, faculty, and staff members as we celebrate the Caribbean. Take a midday break and enjoy music, food, an an interactive game. This event is sponsored by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Butler Library, and the Maurene Callahan Bouras Center for Global Engagement.

Please join us for the Cultural Café, a monthly event that brings together members of the Buffalo State community over conversation, culture, coffee, and light refreshments, on Wednesday, April 19, at noon on the first floor of Butler Library. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and find common ground with other internationally minded members of the community in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Our focus this month is celebrating the Caribbean through music, food, and an interactive game. Join us for coffee, fresh fruits, and beans and rice prepared by Chartwells. This event is sponsored by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Butler Library, and the Maurene Callahan Bouras Center for Global Engagement.

Aspiring nurses, welders, HVAC technicians, information technology professionals, and commercial drivers can save money on tuition for eligible programming through the Partnership’s Statewide Targeted Tuition Program.

CSEA-represented NYS employees training in these career fields can receive up to two targeted tuition benefits. This is in addition to the two standard tuition benefits available to all CSEA-represented NYS employees. This means eligible employees can receive a total of four tuition benefits. Each benefit can cover up to $1,220. The four benefits can add up to $4,880 per year.

The catalog and application are available on the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training website.

The additional benefits help employees attain their coursework faster while reducing their tuition expenses.

Statewide Targeted Tuition Programs

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
• Information Technology
• Nursing
• Welding

Courses must be in session at some point between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.

Applications must be received by March 31, 2024.

Applications will be accepted in the following ways:

By mail:
NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training
Corporate Plaza East – Suite 502
240 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203

By fax:
(518) 486-1989

By email:
tuitionapplications@nyscseapartnership.org

For more information, contact a partnership adviser, (800) 253-4332 (Option 1).

Please join us for this year’s Celebration of Life Memorial Service on Tuesday, April 18, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Ciminelli Recital Hall (third floor of Rockwell Hall).

For the past 22 years, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff have come together to celebrate the lives and memories of those who have passed away during the last year. This event is a meaningful tradition at Buffalo State that provides a forum to remember those members of our Buffalo State community who are no longer with us. This nondenominational, spiritual celebration honors their lives through music, readings, and the lighting of candles. The name of each fallen Bengal will be read aloud, followed by the ringing of our memorial bell.

The Celebration of Life Memorial Service is coordinated by the Dean of Students Office in conjunction with the Weigel Wellness Center and the Music Department. If you are aware of a campus member who has passed away since 2022, and if you would like to add their name to the list of remembrances, please email Kristen Helling, associate director of student care and support, with the relevant information.

The New York State and CSEA Partnership’s 2023-2024 Tuition Benefits Program for eligible CSEA-represented NYS employees applications are available.

The catalog and application are available on the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training website.

Eligible CSEA-represented NYS employees are entitled to

• apply for up to two standard tuition benefits (vouchers or reimbursement);
• apply for up to two targeted tuition benefits for eligible commercial driver’s license (CDL), heating, ventilation, air/conditioning (HVAC), information technology, nursing, and welding programs;
• apply for repayment of an unlimited number of eligible credit-by-exam fees up to a maximum of $350 per exam;
• apply for repayment of an unlimited number of eligible certification or licensure exam fees up to a maximum of $350 per exam.

Applications must be received by March 31, 2024.

Any course taken must be in session during the time frame of April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. All eligible courses must be vocational, trade, technical, or business-related; instructor-led; and relevant to a NYS occupation or NYS workforce need.

Applications will be accepted in the following ways:

By mail:
NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training
Corporate Plaza East – Suite 502
240 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203

By fax:
(518) 486-1989

By email:
tuitionapplications@nyscseapartnership.org

Educational advisement services are available to members by phone at (800) 253-4332 (Option 1) or by email.

For more information, please call (800) 253-4332 or email learning@nyscseapartnership.org.