The Political Science and Public Administration Department and the urban planning program are pleased to announce the next talk in their Fall 2022 Public Service Lecture Series, a presentation by Joy Kuebler, owner of Joy Kuebler Landscape Architects, on Wednesday, November 2, at 5:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A122. Ms. Kuebler will discuss the importance of landscape architecture, trees, and plants in addressing climate change, including water quality.

The Political Science and Public Administration Department and the urban planning program are pleased to announce the next talk in their Fall 2022 Public Service Lecture Series, a panel discussion with Adam Bojak, tenant rights attorney; Harper S. E. Bishop, community activist and leader; and Elizabeth Meg Williams, community leader and educator, on Wednesday, November 16, at 4:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A122.

Panelists will collectively discuss the role of democracy in sustainability, from the rights of those who are housing or housing insecure to the role of residents in political life and action to the importance of working with neighbors and new residents, including immigrants.

The Political Science and Public Administration Department and the urban planning program are pleased to announce the next talk in their Fall 2022 Public Service Lecture Series, a presentation by Eric Walker, climate justice adviser for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), on Wednesday, November 9, at 4:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A122.

Mr. Walker was a founding member of PUSH and has worked as the sustainability coordinator for Erie County. He will discuss the role of energy and weatherization of housing as it connects to social determinants of health, as well as touch on the importance of community activism, engagement, and action centered on racial and social equity.

Student Leadership and Engagement is currently recruiting for the 2023 Bengal Experience and Transition  (BEAT) Team. BEAT Team members are Orientation leaders who work on campus over the summer to help first-year and transfer students, along with their family members or support networks, successfully connect with Buffalo State before the first day of classes. 

If you know any students who might be interested in this amazing leadership and employment opportunity, please have them sign up for an interest meeting. 

The following meetings will take place in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall South:

• Tuesday, November 1, 12:15–1:30 p.m.
• Friday, November 4, 3:00–4:30 p.m.

Please email Thomas Trzepkowski, assistant director of student leadership and engagement, with questions.

The data science and analytics graduate program is pleased to announce the next talk in its fall 2022 Seminar Series, “Predictive Modeling and Data Analytics in a Commercial Bank, with an Introduction and Tutorial in SAS,” presented by Matthew Nagowski, senior vice president for PPNR Modeling and Analytics with M&T Bank, on Monday, November 7, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in Technology Building 244 or via Zoom. All are invited to attend.

Talking Points

• Overview of data analytics and predictive modeling in a commercial bank, with a focus on applications of data science to support risk management for liquidity, interest rate risk, and credit risk management.
• Introduction to SAS, a powerful statistical modeling and data management language used extensively across academia and various industries.
• Brief interactive tutorial in SAS, with an introduction to data visualization and regression analysis.

The Data Science and Analytics Seminar Series invites industry experts to give presentations on cutting-edge topics in analytics. For more information, please call (716) 878-6423. To obtain the link to attend the talk virtually, please contact Joaquin Carbonara, professor of mathematics.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the closed double doors on the second floor of Rockwell Hall? Find out today when the Garman Art Conservation Department opens its doors and welcomes the campus community to its Fall Open House from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Come and take a peek into the world of art and cultural heritage conservation, see what our graduate students and faculty members have been conserving this past year, and take a tour of our state-of-the-art studios and labs. There will be artwork on display, demonstrations going on, and tours of our imaging facilities. This is an excellent opportunity for potential program applicants, art enthusiasts, or anyone who is interested in learning more about the art conservation program and the work we do. The event is free and open to the public.

Election Day 2022 is Tuesday, November 8. Classes are in session. Election Day has been designated as a floating holiday for UUP, M/C, and classified employees. UUP-represented employees observe Election Day on the day after Thanksgiving. Employees who are scheduled to work on the holiday and are eligible for leave accruals will be credited with a floating holiday and may arrange with their supervisors to use the credit before the holiday recurs. Election Day will be observed as a fixed holiday for Security Services Unit (SSU) employees who are eligible to observe Election Day. When SSU employees are required to work on these holidays, their benefits will be determined in the same manner as is currently followed for other holidays on which they are required to work.

Veterans Day 2022 is Friday, November 11. Classes are in session. Department heads and supervisors should communicate to their classified and professional employees whether they will be required to work on that day. Department heads and supervisors are encouraged to make every effort to consider requests to have the holiday off from employees who are veterans.

For employees who are required to work, the following state attendance rules will apply:

Classified employees who work on November 11 will be compensated according to their holiday waiver status. Those who have not elected to waive additional money for holiday work will receive holiday pay per their bargaining unit agreements. Employees have who waived additional money for holiday work will receive compensatory time off instead of additional holiday pay. Classified employees who wish to inquire about their current holiday waiver status may contact the Payroll Office at (716) 878-4124.

UUP-represented and M/C employees who are eligible to observe holidays and are required to work on November 11 will be granted a compensatory day off.  The compensatory day off should be scheduled at a time agreeable to the employee and his or her supervisor within one year of the holiday.

Employees who are not required to work on November 11 do not need to charge leave accruals for that day.

The Teacher Education Council (TEC) will meet Friday, November 4, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Grande Conference Room, Cleveland Hall 418. Please note that November's meeting will be held a week earlier in observance of the Veterans Day holiday. TEC representatives will receive a meeting invitation and agenda. All TEC representatives and Teacher Education Unit members are encouraged to attend. Non-members who would like to attend may contact their TEC representative for more information.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Mining Microbiome Biomarkers," presented by Daniel McSkimming, assistant professor of data science and analytics at Buffalo State, on Monday, October 31, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies leading up to the seminar. 

Dr. McSkimming holds an undergraduate and master’s degree in mathematics from the University at Buffalo as well as a Ph.D. in bioinformatics from the University of Georgia. He joined Buffalo State after serving as director of bioinformatics and computational biology core at the University of Southern Florida.

Abstract
This talk will provide a brief overview of the epidemiological evidence linking exercise and physical activity with decreased cancer risk and mortality and the potential biological mechanisms underlying these associations. Research aimed at addressing the longstanding question of whether physical activity improves cancer outcomes primarily through decreased adiposity will be discussed. We will close with a discussion of the current physical activity guidelines as they pertain to cancer patients and survivors.

Instructional Design and Distance Learning is beginning to resume the Online Course Development Series workshops and Course Design Reviews (OSCQR) to help faculty members prepare for upcoming semesters.

Course content from Blackboard will migrate to Brightspace but must be reformatted and organized within the new system layout. Faculty members must complete Brightspace training before participating in the Online Course Development Series and Course Design Review (OSCQR) process. A course should be fully developed in Brightspace before the instructor participates in the Course Design Review (OSCQR) process. If needed, faculty members can request a Brightspace development shell to work on course development.

Faculty members can begin participating in the variety of Brightspace training opportunities that are being provided by SUNY and Instructional Design and Distance Learning.

Registration is open for the J-Term 2023 and spring 2023 offerings of the Online Course Development Series. Faculty members will receive a Brightspace development shell to work on course design and development throughout this series.

Course Design Reviews (OSCQR) can be requested by opening a ticket in the IT Portal. Requests for Course Design Reviews for summer and fall 2023 courses should be submitted by Tuesday, November 1.

Please contact Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer, with questions.