Over the next year, Buffalo State College’s Information Technology (IT) will begin moving department shared drives to SharePoint Online. The IT team is looking for departments interested in becoming “early adopters” for this project. Some of the benefits of moving to SharePoint are

• increased security: Microsoft uses disk and file encryption for all data stored in SharePoint,
• increased reliability: Versioning allows you to easily restore previous versions of files,
• increased accessibility: Easily access and collaborate on files from on or off campus.

If you decide to volunteer, a member of the IT team will contact your office to review the process, answer questions, and schedule the move. At that point, a new SharePoint Online site will be created for your office, and member access to this new site will mirror access to the department shared drive.

To minimize disruption, the file transfer from the department drive to SharePoint will be scheduled on a Friday outside of normal business hours. Expect the file transfer process to take 12 to 36 hours, depending on the volume of data being transferred.

Once the file transfer begins, the original shared drive will no longer be accessible. Members with access will receive a Welcome to the GRP-Department Name group message when the transfer is complete. Follow these steps to access the new SharePoint site. 

If your office is interested in becoming an early adopter for this project, please complete this Qualtrics form. Once the form is received, our team will contact your department with next steps.

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Over the next year, Buffalo State College Information Technology will begin moving department shared drives to SharePoint Online. Our team is looking for departments interested in becoming “early adopters” for this project. Some of the benefits of moving to SharePoint:

• Increased security: Microsoft uses disk and file encryption for all data stored in SharePoint.
• Increased reliability: Versioning allows you to easily restore previous versions of files.
• Increased accessibility: Easily access and collaborate on files from on or off campus.

Offices that volunteer can expect the following:

• Our team will reach out to your office to review the process, answer questions, and schedule the move.
• A new SharePoint Online site will be created for your office, and member access to this new site will mirror access to the department shared drive.
• To minimize disruption to the people in your office, the file transfer from the department drive to SharePoint will be scheduled on a Friday outside of normal business hours.
• The file transfer process can take 12–36 hours, depending on the volume of data being transferred.
• Once the file transfer begins, the original shared drive will no longer be accessible. Members with access will receive a Welcome to the GRP-DepartmentName Group message when the transfer is complete. Follow these steps to access the new SharePoint site.
• Folder structure in SharePoint site will mirror shared drive folder structure.

If your office is interested in becoming an early adopter for this project, please complete this Qualtrics form to let us know. Once the form is received, our team will reach out to your department with next steps.

The SUNY Online Summit will be held virtually February 28–March 4. This annual SUNY-wide conference is intended for all SUNY Online advanced practitioners with expertise in online program administration, online faculty development or instructional design, online instruction, and online student support. 

Session Highlights:

Think Outside the Workshop: Revitalizing Your Online Faculty Development Program - Rolando J. Méndez Fernández; director for online academic and student services, Inter American University of Puerto Rico

Workshop – (Re)Designing Equitable Online Assignments, from Back to Front - Kevin Kelly, faculty lecturer, Department of Equity, Leadership Studies, and Instructional Technologies, San Francisco State University

Update on the First Cohort Migration to the New SUNY DLE - Harry Cargile, director of academic technology strategy and integration, SUNY Online

Online Student Panel - SUNY students and moderators; Kathryn Elliott, online learning coordinator, SUNY Online; and Michele Forte, student supports and success project manager, SUNY Online, and associate professor and mentor, Community and Human Services, SUNY Empire State College.

Strategies for Culturally Responsive Online Teaching in STEM - Rafael Perez, faculty member, Department of Physical Sciences, and faculty consultant, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Madison College; and Cassandra Thompson, faculty member, Department of Sociology, and faculty consultant, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Madison College

The Spark of Online Learning: How Technology and Emotion Science Ignite Engagement in Every Class - Flower Darby, educational consultant, author, speaker, and consultant on equitable and inclusive teaching practices in all class modalities

Register on the SUNY Center for Professional Development website. 

Please join the Psychology Department in celebration of Buffalo State College’s 150th anniversary for a presentation by Gary Siddall, ’12, Buffalo State alumnus and president and CEO of the Aquarium of Niagara, on his career path from animal trainer to aquarium president on Friday, February 25, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

All students, staff, and faculty are welcome.

The Veteran and Military Services Office, in collaboration with the Inclusion and Equity Office, will host a Women Veteran–Service Member Panel to highlight Women’s History Month on Tuesday, March 15, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. (campus location TBD). The event will host Buffalo State College military women as they discuss their experiences in the military and answer questions from audience members.

We are looking for female service members or veterans (students, staff, or faculty members) to participate in this campus event. Panelists can be anyone who served in the military at any time. If you are interested in being a panelist, please send your RSVP to the Veteran and Military Services Office no later than Tuesday, March 1.

All are welcome to attend the event. The location update will be sent by March 1.

Please join us for "Starting Off the New Semester with Nutrition," presented by Katherine Manis, director of the didactic program in nutrition and dietetics, on Thursday, February 24, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 318. 

This session will discuss and offer tips on label reading and meal planning. There will be an easy snack demo and take-home treat.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System, and email the Professional Development Center with questions. 

Nominations will be accepted through Tuesday, February 22, for the 2021–2022 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. This SUNY system-level award recognizes classified service employees for excellence and superior service to students and the community at large. Members of the Buffalo State College community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

The nomination form and award guidelines are available online. Thank you.

The NYS Deferred Compensation Plan will host the following free educational webinars for all employees who wish to attend. The NYSDCP is a supplemental retirement plan, also known as a 457(b) plan, designed to help state and local public employees achieve their retirement savings goals and help bridge any potential financial gap in retirement. Employees may contribute to a 457(b) in place of or in addition to a 403(b) plan.

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Countdown to Retirement Webinar
Monday, February 21
10:00 a.m.

This free educational webinar discusses some important considerations for those planning for or contemplating retirement. The presentation will discuss longevity, income sources, asset consolidation, and withdrawals or required minimum distributions.

Join the Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer or mobile app or call in by phone (audio only) at (917) 983-6123.
Phone Conference ID: 944 069 087#

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Nationwide Retirement Institute: Social Security Benefits
Tuesday, February 22
Noon

This webinar will address Social Security eligibility, important considerations based on your age, and benefit adjustments for spouses and those who are divorced. All are welcome to attend. Even if you are already taking Social Security or are not eligible, the information may be helpful for co-workers and loved ones. Register online.

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Enrollment
Wednesday, February 23
10:00 a.m.

This webinar will explain the benefits of enrolling and participating in the NYS Deferred Compensation Plan and how it can help you better prepare for and live in retirement. It will include the basics of investing, investment options, and pre-tax contributions and an overview of the easy and secure online enrollment process.

Join the Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer or mobile app or call in by phone (audio only) at (917) 983-6123.
Phone Conference ID: 978 339 378#

Faculty, candidates, alumni, and other P–12 partners from all programs in the Teacher Education Unit are invited to participate in the virtual CAEP accreditation site visit to be held Sunday, March 13, through Tuesday, March 15.  

Shannon Budin, professor of exceptional education, is scheduling focus group/feedback interview sessions for all stakeholder groups to be conducted virtually with members of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) review team. 

Sessions will be focused on candidate knowledge and skills, clinical partnerships, employer satisfaction, completer/alumni satisfaction, and impact on P–12 learning, as well as other areas. The emphasis will be on how Buffalo State College ensures the quality of its educator preparation programs and uses data and feedback to improve.

Please join us. Contact Dr. Budin to schedule one or more 30-45 minute sessions during the virtual site visit.

Buffalo State College students are invited to participate in the 2022 New York State Business Plan Competition. Students compete against all centers of higher education within New York State. Awards of up to $10,000 are available. The Small Business Development Center provides business plan assistance and coaching before the competition. The regionals are in March and the state competition is in April. To learn more about the competition and ways to develop a business plan, hone their pitch, and create a video about their business, students are invited to a launch meeting Thursday, February 17, at 12:15 p.m. on the second floor of Butler Library. For more information, please contact Olivia Harbol, business services coordinator in the Small Business Development Center.