Following a successful meeting over the summer, we will hold another open brainstorming session and introduction to the planetarium on Friday, September 9, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. for those who couldn't make the first meeting.

The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium's state-of-the-art projection systems and 360-degree immersive environment afford opportunities for collaborations with faculty, staff, and students from across campus beyond the planetarium's traditional use for astronomy education. We are therefore continuing the "Incorporating New and Novel Opportunities in Visualizations, Arts, Technology, and Education" (INNOVATE) in the Planetarium project, where ideas from across disciplines will be discussed and worked on to take advantage of this amazing facility on campus.

If you can attend, please sign up online. If you cannot attend but are interested, please email Kevin Williams, planetarium director and associate professor of earth sciences.

The Buffalo State community is saddened by the death of Marshall J. Duguay, professor emeritus of communication disorders, who died August 28, 2022. Dr. Duguay joined the college in 1965 and retired in 1989. He is survived by his wife, Linda Kremer-Duguay; five children; and six grandchildren. Services will be held privately. More information is available online.

Butler Library is proud to announce a new Social Justice Book Club open to students. During the fall 2022 semester, we will read Choice Words: Writers on Abortion, a literary anthology of poems, stories, and essays about abortion. We appreciate your help in getting the word out to students.

The book club will meet in person every other Tuesday from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m., beginning September 20. Session dates are September 20, October 4 and 18, and November 1 and 15.

Book club participants will receive a free copy of the book. Seats are limited.

This program was made possible with the support of Butler Library, Equity and Campus Diversity, Student Leadership and Engagement, the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program, and Haymarket Books.

Students who are interested in joining the book club should complete this form by Friday, September 9. Location information will be provided to registered participants.

Please contact Julie Setele, senior assistant librarian, with questions.

All members of the Buffalo State community in good standing are invited to join the Buffalo State Intercollegiate Moot Court team. An introductory meeting will be held Tuesday, September 6, at 12:15 p.m. in Caudell Hall 127.

Moot Court is a rapidly growing competition of collegiate teams across the United States making a legal argument about a hypothetical situation. This year's case centers on the issues of using drones to search an individual's property without a warrant, as well as the imposition of a 50-year jail sentence without possibility for parole for a non-homicide conviction. Competitors prepare arguments on both sides of these issues in preparation for tournament competition against students from other universities. We will be competing in preparation tournaments and a regional tournament in Ohio. This year's national final will be held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in January 2023.

Undergraduate students from all majors are invited to join the team. No experience is necessary! Co-coaches Bill Altreuter and Peter Yacobucci will guide you through the argument creation process as well as show you how to make a persuasive oral argument. If you want to learn how to argue effectively, impress an audience with your speech, and have a great time doing it, Moot Court is for you.

If you have questions, please email email Professor Yacobucci.

The campus community is invited to attend the WellNYS Everyday monthly webinar “Carve Out Time for You!” on Wednesday, September 7, from noon to 12:30 p.m.

How often do you reach for your cell phone and scroll through social media when you have time all to yourself? During this 30-minute webinar, we will share ideas on how to discover your passions and ideas, and how to enjoy nature, try something new, or write a letter to your future self. Please join us as we think beyond using the cell phone to keep us busy to finding solutions that can lead to enriching our lives. This seminar will be presented by Linda Carignan-Everts, EAP wellness coordinator, NYS Work-Life Services, and the Employee Assistance Program.

Please register through the WebEx meeting registration page. You will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the seminar.

The Early Undergraduate Research Opportunity (EURO) program, sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Office, is now accepting applications for the fall 2022 semester. The EURO program is designed to provide lower-division students with an opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on a research or scholarly project. A stipend of $1,000 is provided to each student who participates in an approved 10-week project. Alternatively, a faculty member may identify a micro-EURO project to be performed within a time frame of approximately five weeks, in which case students are eligible to receive $500 for participation. Up to $200 is available for supplies needed to complete a EURO project. All awards are subject to IRB restrictions and availability of funding. Students must be classified as freshmen or sophomores, with at least 12 and no more than 60 earned credit hours at the time of application.

For more information and the online application portal link, please visit the EURO web page. Applications should be received by Friday, September 16, for full consideration.

The Political Science and Public Administration Department is pleased to announce the first talk in its fall 2022 Public Service Lecture Series, "Challenges of Managing a Small New York State City," presented by Sam Teresi, former longtime mayor of the City of Jamestown, on Monday, September 12, from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 173. All are invited to attend.

For more information, please contact Gregory P. Rabb, lecturer of political science and public administration.

The Higher Education Administration Department, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Professional Development Center are excited to offer a yearlong workshop series facilitated by Alex Barilec, a professionally certified life and high-performance coach.  

The purpose of this series is to help individuals develop an understanding of how their mental, emotional, and physical well-being affect their performance, productivity, and happiness and to help them develop foundational healthful habits for long-term success, personally and professionally.

Key Learning Outcomes

1. Create a three-to-five-year life vision and supporting goals to help you achieve it.
2. Develop an understanding of human behavior change and habit formation.
3. Learn how to shift from negative to positive motivation and the importance of it.
4. Understand the difference between time management and energy management.
5. Discover personal self-care and stress reduction techniques.

Certificate Completion Criteria

• Participants who successfully complete all four workshops and reflection questions will receive a certificate of personal well-being and development. 
• Participants can also attend workshops individually but are encouraged to attend all four to receive a comprehensive understanding of well-being.

Please register for the workshops using the Workshop Registration System. For more information, please visit the Professional Development Center website. 

The campus community is invited to join the Newman Center to formally open the academic year and celebrate the annual Convocation and Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, September 11, at 10:00 a.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center. This year we will honor and present the John Henry Cardinal Newman Award to Susan M. Jaworski, library clerk 3 in Butler Library, in recognition of her support of Catholic campus ministry. A light reception will follow the Mass. Please call (716) 882-1080 or e-mail the Newman Center to RSVP by Friday, September 2, if you are able to attend.

Today, September 6, is the final day for faculty and staff to submit awards, honors, and grants information for print in the annual Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony program. Awards and grants received or announced September 1, 2021, through August 31, 2022, and meeting the criteria below will be listed in the program that is distributed at the ceremony.

• Submit awards and honors from academic, professional, or service organizations at the international, national, or state levels. Do not include awards received from Buffalo State College, the City of Buffalo, or local or Western New York–area organizations.
• Submit significant grants of $50,000 and above, received or announced during the stated  period.
• Submit SUNY awards, such as the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence, received while serving at other SUNY institutions during any career point. Do not include SUNY awards received while serving at Buffalo State.

Additionally, the names of newly hired faculty and staff members—initially hired September 1, 2021, through August 31, 2022—will be included in the printed program as a welcome to Buffalo State.

The online submission forms are open through 11:59 p.m. tonight (extended from previous deadline of Friday, September 2).

The campus community is invited to attend the Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, October 13, at 12:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, where the 2022 SUNY and Buffalo State honorees will be recognized. A reception immediately follows. The list of honorees and ceremony information is provided on the Academic Affairs website.

Please contact the Academic Affairs Office with questions about submitting awards or grants information.