Please join the Chemistry Department for the seminar "Coordination Chemistry of Earth-Abundant Transition Metal Catalysts," presented by David C. Lacy, associate professor of chemistry, University at Buffalo, on Thursday, February 24, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151.

Seminar abstract:
"One out of every five reactions performed by medicinal chemists use Pd, Rh, or Ru in cross couplings and/or hydrogenation reactions. These metals are toxic, and they are not sustainable. We aim to find alternatives with abundant metals. The Lacy group studies manganese because of its potential applications in hydrogenation reactions that are typically performed with Ru. As inorganic chemists, our focus is on the metal, but we aim to find applications in organic synthesis and have discovered some nice catalysts toward this end."

Keep your financial goals on track with TIAA’s free live webinars. Reserve your spot today at TIAA.org/webinars.

Tuesday, March 8

• Opening Doors to the Future—Save in a 529 College Savings Plan
  Noon

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Wednesday, March 9

• Halfway There: A Retirement Checkup
  Noon

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Thursday, March 10

• Beneficiary Designation Considerations
  2:00 p.m.

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Thursday, March 17

• Money at Work 1: Foundations of Investing
  4:00 p.m.  

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Tuesday, March 22

• Help Protect You, Your Family, and Your Money
  1:00 p.m.

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Thursday, March 24

• Tax Planning Considerations
  Noon
   
• Charting Your Course: A Financial Guide for Women
  3:00 p.m.

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Tuesday, March 29

• Financial Housekeeping For Now and Later
  3:00 p.m.

Please join the Teaching and Learning Center for a scholarly discussion of What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices of Excellence in College Teaching (2021). Sessions will be held on six Fridays starting March 4 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Butler Library 318. Coffee, tea, and light breakfast will be served.

Please register online for each session you plan to attend:

• March 4: Chapter 1
• March 11: Chapter 2
• March 18: Chapter 3
• March 25: Chapter 4
• April 8: Chapter 5
• April 15: Chapter 6

Weigel Health Promotion is partnering with Stephen Forman, ’92, executive chef for the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres, on Thursday, March 3, to serve free lasagna to the Buffalo State College community. The event is intended to raise awareness about food insecurity, kindness, and Lasagna Love, an international organization that encourages community connections through home-cooked meals.

Students, faculty, and staff members may request up to two free servings of lasagna online. Orders can be picked up between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. in Caudell Hall 218. Extras and unclaimed orders will be given to Chartwells to serve after the event. Participants are encouraged to drop off nonperishable food donations for Milligan’s Food Pantry when they pick up their orders.

If you would like to volunteer to help during the event, please contact Paula Madrigal, assistant director of prevention and health promotions for the Weigel Health Center.

The U.S. Department of Education issued final rules on Distance Education and Innovation in September 2020 that went into effect July 1, 2021. The new regulations update the definitions of distance and correspondence education with the intent to provide more clarity on the differences between these two modes of course delivery. The Department of Education requires that all online courses in which students use Title IV financial aid funds include regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors.

To learn more, please attend the webinar “New Federal Guidelines for Distance Learning” via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, March 22, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. or Wednesday, April 6, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The sessions will provide an overview of the new regulations and provide resources for faculty members on how to ensure that their online and hybrid courses meet the new regulations. 

Please register through the Buffalo State College Workshop Registration System.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Action and Awareness Week, coordinated by the University Global Coalition (UGC), the State University of New York (SUNY), and multiple higher education institutions from around the world, will be celebrated Monday, February 28, through Friday, March 4. Free virtual sessions will be available to interested participants each day during the week.

First adopted by the United Nations in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a roadmap to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges by 2030. The interconnected goals are a way for institutions to address sustainability holistically and with a people-first approach. Buffalo State College’s International Education Office supports course development that embraces the UN’s SDGs and encourages members of the Buffalo State College community to participate in action and awareness week by attending an online session. The schedule of workshops and more information can be found on the University Global Coalition website.

If you have questions, please contact the International Education Office at (716) 878-6834.

From the President's Council on Equity and Campus Diversity

Nominations are encouraged for the Dr. Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for the Promotion of Equity and Campus Diversity and the Special Program Recognition Award. These awards recognize in different ways faculty and staff members who promote respect for diversity and individual differences through classroom discussions, curricular experiences, out-of-classroom activities, projects, conversations, or special mentorships and programs that go beyond what is usually expected as a part of their regular job expectations or teaching assignments.

We welcome nominations from students, faculty, and staff so that we might acknowledge members of our community who live the values of respect for diversity and advocacy for social justice at an awards reception on Tuesday, April 26.

Award criteria and nomination forms can be found on the Equity and Campus Diversity website. The application deadline for both awards is Sunday, March 20.

Please contact the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Cleveland Hall 415, (716) 878-6210, with questions.

Please join us for a scholarly recap discussion of last semester's read, From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (2020). We’ll gather on Friday, February 25, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Butler Library 318. Coffee, tea, and a light breakfast will be served.

Conversations on the spring semester book, What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices of Excellence in College Teaching (2021), will begin on March 4.

Please register in the Workshop Registration System.

Please join us for a "Guided Meditation" session, facilitated by Raquel Schmidt, chair and associate professor of exceptional education, on Tuesday, March 1, from 12:30  to 1:00 p.m. via Teams. 

Meditation is something most of us do whether we call it meditation or not. A few deep breaths in a hectic day or shutting the door to close out the outside world while we recalibrate, problem solve, and figure out the best way forward in a challenging situation is meditation. This session is designed to demonstrate how we can all integrate meditative practices into our day-to-day lives without needing a soft cushion, a quiet room, or a dark corner. Meditation is, in part, about giving your brain a break so it can focus on other priorities, including being still. 

Please register through the Workshop Registration System. 

Starting Wednesday, March 2, students will be able to view the 2022 master schedule in Banner, Schedule Planner, and on the Registrar's Office Courses web page.

On Wednesday, April 6, students can begin to register for summer and fall classes. Registration time tickets begin at 6:00 a.m. on the assigned date. Students can also view any holds on their account in Banner. They are strongly encouraged to resolve holds as soon as possible.

Additional helpful links to reference include

• Academic Calendar
• Banner Student Registration Guide
• Department Contact Information
• Holds
• Registration Add Errors in Banner
• Schedule Planner