The annual Teacher Tailgate, an open house sponsored by the Professional Development Schools (PDS) Consortium, will be held Monday, September 19, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall.

Teacher Tailgate is an opportunity for teacher candidates and anyone interested in teacher education to collaborate with peers and colleagues to build relationships, enjoy tailgate snacks, and collect information. Tables will be set up for departments, programs, clubs, and organizations to display visuals and hand out materials about the many campus, local, national, and international opportunities available at Buffalo State.  

The flier can be accessed on the PDS website. If you would like to offer this experience as extra credit, please contact Tamara Horstman-Riphahn, executive assistant to the dean, with the instructor and course name, and the organizers will have a sign-in sheet at the registration table.

The Buffalo State community is saddened by the death of Theresa A. Harris-Tigg, assistant professor emerita of English, who died September 6, 2022. Dr. Harris-Tigg joined the college in 2006 and retired in 2017. She is survived by her husband, Robert A. “Butch” Tigg III; three children; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends today, September 9, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and tomorrow, September 10, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at New Covenant United Church of Christ, 459 Clinton Street, in Buffalo, where a Celebration of Victory will be held at 1:00 p.m. More information is available online.

Please join us for the Teaching and Learning Center session “Student Advising 101: The Faculty Point of View,” facilitated by Carlos Jones, associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, on Thursday, October 6, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 318.

This conversation about student advising will take us from the nuts and bolts of getting started to some ways to keep students coming back. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

SUNY is partnering with Lumen Circles to provide a unique professional development opportunity for all actively teaching SUNY faculty this fall at no cost to individuals or their campuses. Lumen Circles are professional development experiences that use evidence-based teaching practices in a virtual community to help faculty expand their teaching capabilities with a focus on student success.

The first faculty cohort is underway now, but there is still time to apply. Lumen is offering the following fellowship themes this fall, and cohorts will begin each week through mid-October:

• New! Course Design for Student Success
• Active Learning
• Belonging and Inclusive Teaching
• Evidence-Based Teaching
• Online Teaching Foundation
• Teaching with OER and OER-Enabled Pedagogy

To learn more or to apply, please visit the information page. 

The south-facing door of Upton Hall will be closed Monday, September 12, through Friday, September 16, except for emergency use. Please use either the north or west Upton Hall entrance during this period.

This temporary closure will facilitate replacement of the emergency generator serving Upton Hall and Bulger Communication Center, allowing the contractor to install a duct bank.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as the campus replaces electrical switchgear in Upton Hall. Questions about this work may be addressed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The first meeting of the College Senate for fall 2022 will be held Friday, September 9, at 3:00 p.m. in Newman Lecture Hall, Bulger Communication Center 215. Kimberly Kline, professor of higher education administration, will serve as chair of the College Senate for the 2022–2023 academic year. Please contact Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with questions.

We encourage everyone to visit the College Senate website to catch up on Senate news, find podcasts and minutes of past meetings, review reports and resolutions, and more.

The Registrar’s Office has posted the graduation application deadlines (PDF, 115 KB) for the 2022–2023 academic year. All students, graduate and undergraduate, can apply online in Self-Service Banner.

Please encourage students to review their Degree Works audit to make sure all requirements are being met before they apply. Instructions for completing the online application for graduation are available on the Graduation Preparation web page.

Please contact the Registrar’s Office, Moot Hall 210, (716) 878-4811, with questions.

All Buffalo State students are invited to enjoy a free home-cooked dinner every Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. at the Newman Center, across the street from campus (1219 Elmwood Ave.) Bring your friends for a relaxing night of food, games, and fellowship. Reservations are required: please call (716) 882-1080 or email newmancenter@buffalostate.edu. We look forward to seeing you.

Please join the Civic and Community Engagement Office for "National Constitution Day Conversation," a webinar hosted by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ American Democracy Project, on Friday, September 16, at 2:00 p.m. The conversation is designed to reach across differences and create a space for open discussion of the U.S. Constitution. This national facilitated dialogue is based on the fundamental value of the pursuit of knowledge for the public good. Participants will gain new information about the U.S. Constitution and play a constitutional Kahoot game. But you do not need to be an expert to enjoy this event and share in the lively conversation. Bring your classes and student organizations and join us for this national dialogue. 

Register online.

The Buffalo State Counseling Center invites students, faculty, staff, friends, and family to walk with the Buffalo State team, Bengal Paws for Prevention, at the Out of the Darkness Community Walk, sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, on Saturday, September 17, at Canalside. This annual walk—a journey of remembrance, hope, and support—unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., the opening ceremony at 10:00 a.m. The walk starts at 10:30 a.m.

Please join or support the Buffalo State team.