The campus community is invited to join us for the third and final film event of the semester in the Beyond Boundaries Film and Discussion Series, Pier Kids (2019), directed by Elegance Bratton, on Thursday, November 11, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Tower Auditorium.

Caught up in the precariousness of survival and self-preservation, homeless queer and trans youth of color hang out at Christopher Street Pier, forging their own chosen family. Genuine and charming, these thoughtful youth must contend with overwhelming amounts of homophobia and abuse. As real as it gets, and with intimate, immersive access to the hazardous life of its vulnerable but fearless protagonists, director Elegance Bratton’s still-hopeful portrait exposes a raw side of New York City many often choose to ignore. 

Watch the trailer.

Beyond Boundaries is free and open to the public, and each screening is followed by a discussion. In accordance with Buffalo State policy, masks are required regardless of vaccine status when indoors on campus. 

Beyond Boundaries is sponsored by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, the Communication Department, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center. The series is curated by Ruth Goldman and Meg Knowles, associate professors of communication; and Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney, chief diversity officer.

We look forward to seeing you on November 11!

Please join the Civic and Community Engagement Office for an important social justice conversation as Vida Vanchan and James Golden discuss their 2021 Social Justice Faculty Externship experience with partners Jericho Road Community Health Center and Open Buffalo on Tuesday, November 23, at 9:00 a.m. in Bulger Communication Center 216 or online via Microsoft Teams.

Dr. Vanchan and Dr. Golden will share learning and explore outcomes of the collaborations, as well as foster discussion about the integration of social justice into curriculum for Buffalo State College students. The externship is an opportunity for faculty members to engage in learning opportunities with community organizations that provide leadership in addressing issues of social justice and to extend that learning to students through curricular change. Partner organizations also benefit through faculty time and attention to a project using the faculty member’s skills and experiences. Opportunities for summer 2022 externships will also be shared. Please register online to join this presentation.

Every three years, Butler Library kindly asks the Buffalo State College community to participate in the LibQUAL+ service quality survey. The 2021 survey runs from Monday, October 18, through Friday, November 19. Please spend just 10 minutes completing the survey, and encourage students to participate in the survey, too. That's all it takes for your voices to be heard.

Your contribution will make a difference to the library, so please tell us what you like and what you think needs changing—but please tell us. Your feedback will guide our strategic planning initiatives and help us determine what changes and improvements to make in how we serve you. If you include your e-mail address, you will be eligible to win one of 30 prizes valued at roughly $15 each.

The faculty and staff at Butler Library thank you for your time and feedback.

Please contact Eugene J. Harvey, assessment and reference librarian, 878-3138, with questions.

With the end of the fall semester quickly approaching, we need to place textbook adoptions for the J-Term and spring 2022 semesters. Currently only 35 percent of the needed textbook adoptions for the spring semester have been completed. We are already getting book orders and phone calls with questions about J-Term and spring 2022 books from students who are anxious to get their course materials in a timely fashion. 

Getting your textbook adoptions in early helps us provide students with the best cost options for books and helps us ensure that we have books ready on or before the first day of classes.

Also please be mindful of the delay in shipping and book production over the past year that can cause a delay in our receiving the required textbooks, especially any custom books that are print on demand.

Also please note: The textbook manager will be out on maternity leave before the beginning of the spring 2022 semester, which will leave our textbook department short-staffed. Any progress in getting adoptions in well before the beginning of the semester will help in ensuring that books are correct and ordering is not delayed.

Please feel free to reach out to the bookstore with any questions on submitting your adoptions.

Thank you.

From the SEFA United Way Campaign Chair
Wendy A. Paterson, Dean of the School of Education

Many thanks to the 15 percent of our employees who have donated more than 50 percent of our goal for the United Way this year! That means that 85 percent of faculty and staff members still have opportunities to give even a small amount to support the thousands of human service agencies supported by SEFA United Way. Every year we make this plea, and every year those who give, give again. For those of you who have not yet sent in your pledged contribution, may I appeal to you this year especially?

We have just come from the most devastating year for our global family in recent history. Our attempts to constrain our human interaction were necessary, but the results of that year of fear and social isolation continue to be devastating. Many families have lost loved ones or been affected by the pandemic in more ways than any of us may know about our neighbors and co-workers. In this year, we need to be deliberate in our care for the human race. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We are the only way that many social service agencies can survive to offer support, strength, and comfort to those who need them. Please register your e-pledge today because time is running short.

As a reminder, there are some great prizes for those who pledge. (We will use the same virtual raffle tickets for each drawing.):

First prize - 150th anniversary Sunday brunch with champagne at the President’s House for 10 people (President)

Second prize - Reserved parking space (VP Barnum)

Third prize - Office pizza party for up to 12 (Provost Mayrose)

Fourth prize - One-year membership to the Fitness Center (VP Gordon / Athletics)

Fifth prize - Two tickets to the Scholarship Gala (VP Finnerty)

Sixth prize - $100 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore (Lynn Puma)

Seventh prize - Lunch for two and other surprise items to celebrate Campus House 20th anniversary (Jeffrey Hirschfelt)

Thank you for your support.

Learn skills and techniques that build confidence in speaking situations and provide a significant advantage in careers and life during the PSST workshop, led by alumnus Jay Beckley (B.S. and M.S. in communication), on Thursday, November 18, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. in Bacon Hall 117.

Mr. Beckley spent his career coaching individuals, leading teams to succeed, and presenting to senior executives at the world’s most well-known brands. He believes all speaking is public speaking and that any problem can be solved through communication. He knows that effective speaking skills and confidence can be learned and provide an advantage in all situations. In PSST, he hones the best practices from 25 years of presentation training to provide immediate, actionable, and lifelong skills. Please join us for this fun, interactive, and especially valuable training session.

Please register in advance. Open to all faculty, staff, and students.

Funding for this workshop was generously provided by a grant from the Faculty-Student Association.

Please join the Civic and Community Engagement Office for the webinar "Intentional Procurement: Linking Procurement to Racial Equity and Economic Development," presented by Shea O’Neill from U3 Advisors; Antonina Simeti from the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative; Linda Deni from the University at Buffalo; and Sue McCartney and Mauricio Canton Diaz from Buffalo State College, on Thursday, November 11, at 2:00 p.m. 

This presentation will discuss the formation and ongoing implementation of the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative, a collaborative effort between 14 major organizations in the Buffalo area to drive more spending opportunities to local businesses owned by people of color. In operation a little over two years, BPI has more than doubled the dollars spent with local businesses of color by the founding members. We will discuss the history of BPI, the tactical steps taken to launch and operate, as well as the day-to-day challenges and opportunities that underpin the work. The presentation will also leverage our relationship with the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College, two of the core partners, to drill down the relevancy of this work at a university level and to share the value universities can achieve in linking their supplier diversity operations with other major employers, regardless of industry.

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Immediately following is "Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education: More Relevant Now than Ever," presented by Tanisha Stevens from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Over the last few years, appointments of chief diversity officers (CDO) at institutions of higher education have increased significantly, and it is not uncommon that a quick search will yield a number of job opportunities, not only in higher education, but in K-12 education, health care, and corporate and business entities as well. Unfortunately, it is often the case that an individual hired into this position will be the first in the newly created role and oftentimes viewed as a “crisis manager” in response to an event or occurrence, such as a series of racial incidents on a college campus.

Despite this, there needs to be an institutional commitment and acknowledgment for the importance of the work that CDOs undertake for a university—work that should not be diminished or devalued. As institutions of higher education and the nation as a whole continue to address issues regarding equity, race, diversity, inclusion, and social justice, quite simply, CDOs are essential in maintaining a welcoming and inclusive campus environment.

The purpose of the session is to (1) examine the ever-changing roles of chief dversity officers in higher education, through the experiences of a newly appointed CDO, (2) provide examples of opportunities and initiatives that have proved successful at the institution, (3) provide opportunities for others to engage in conversations on their respective campuses to move the needle forward on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This hour-long event is presented by the CUMU Learning and Sharing Virtual Series and is free to members of the Buffalo State community. Please register online for this webinar and any others in the series you may be interested in.

Bob Williams, ’79, senior vice president of communications for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, will present “Communication Careers: A Conversation with the NCAA’s Bob Williams” on Friday, November 12, at 1:00 p.m. in Upton Hall 230. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to this free event.

Mr. Williams oversees the NCAA’s communications efforts through two units: external affairs and strategic communications. He is also the NCAA’s primary media spokesperson and advises management on policies that support the association’s core values, including scholarship, student-athlete well-being, diversity, and the promotion of athletic participation. He joined the NCAA in February 2005 after more than 25 years of service with the United States Air Force, where he managed public relations activities in a number of capacities since 1980.

He will be inducted into the Communication Department’s Hall of Fame for outstanding achievements in communication at the national level during a 5:00 p.m. ceremony on November 12.

For details about the 1:00 p.m. event, please email Deborah Silverman, associate professor and chair of the Communication Department.

Please join us for the introductory meeting of the new Buffalo State College Bike Group on Thursday, November 11, at 12:15 p.m. in Weigel Wellness Center 203. This meeting is open to all levels of experience. All faculty, students, and staff are welcome.

Meetings will be led by Luke Krieg, professor of sociology. Bike Group is offered in collaboration with Weigel Wellness, the Professional Development Center, and the Employee Assistance Program. 

Please contact?Paula Madrigal, assistant director of prevention and health promotions, or Luke Krieg with questions.

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The Exceptional Education Department; Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department; Buffalo State Best Buddies; Student Council for Exceptional Children; and Rotaract Club invite you to join us or support our team, the Buffalo State Orange Crushers, to help us raise money for New York Special Olympics. This year's Special Olympics Polar Plunge is being held Saturday, December 4, at Woodlawn Beach in Hamburg, New York. Registration begins at 11:00 a.m.; plunge time is 2:00 p.m.

This wild and fun event is a great way to show your Buffalo State colors! Anyone can register for our team, so bring your friends and relatives to help us reach our goal of 50 plungers and $3,000 in donations! We have won the College Team Award for fundraising in the past, but right now we are behind other school teams. You can help us continue our winning tradition! Faculty members, please consider giving extra credit for student participation.

Free busing is available for those who plan to attend the event. We will gather on December 4 in the parking area in front of Cleveland Hall at 11:30 a.m. and leave for the plunge at 12:30 p.m. We will return after the plunge at about 3:00 p.m. Reservations and travel forms are required if you plan to ride the bus. For reservations or information, please email bestbuddiesbsc@gmail.com or buffalostatescec@gmail.com.

To register or to donate to the Orange Crushers, please visit the team's Orange Crushers page on the Special Olympics Polar Plunge 2021 Buffalo website. Please disregard the popup requiring a minimum donation. You may register for any amount.

We look forward to showing our Buffalo State commitment to our community by "Freezin' for a Reason." Thank you for your support!