The NYS Employee Assistance Program continues to host the very popular WellNYS Daily To-Do email. This program sends a daily email with a tip that encourages a healthful behavior. Sign up to receive the WellNYS Daily To-Do email every morning.

The WellNYS Everyday Monthly Challenge Program is another option that promotes practicing a healthful behavior for 20 days out of the month, which hopefully develops into a habit. Sign up for the WellNYS Everyday Monthly Challenge Program.

August Monthly Challenge: Try it, taste it, tally it up: Fruits and vegetables.

President Katherine Conway-Turner and members of her cabinet will host a pair of virtual town hall meetings to share information about the upcoming semester and answer questions about the college’s return to in-person operations and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The forums are open only to Buffalo State College faculty and staff members and will be held via Zoom videoconferencing. Please sign up for one session only:

• Register for the town hall on Tuesday, August 3, at 12:15 p.m.
• Register for the town hall on Thursday, August 26, at 12:15 p.m.

Students are being invited to student-specific sessions to address their questions and concerns. 

Once you register for a specific date, you will be sent a link to the corresponding session. For more information, please email vpfm@buffalostate.edu. We look forward to seeing you at one of these virtual sessions.

The popular $6 Friday Barbecue in the Student Union Plaza is back starting August 6, featuring all of your classic summer food favorites! Join us from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. August 6, 13, and 20.

Spot Coffee and Buffet in the Campbell Student Union will be open Monday–Friday starting August 2. 
Spot Coffee: 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Spot Buffet: 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Waitlists for fall 2021 will be turned off at the end of the second day of classes—that is, 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, August 31; however, students who are already on a waitlist will continue to have the opportunity to register for the class if a seat becomes available before the drop/add deadline (11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 7).

Additional information on waitlisting can be found on the Registrar's Office website.

Also, please see the Academic Calendar, which contains important semester dates and deadlines.

The SUNY Online Support Services Help Desk will have slightly reduced hours on Saturdays during the summer. Beginning this Saturday, June 19, Help Desk hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (instead of 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.). These hours will remain in effect up to Saturday, August 14. Sunday hours remain the same.

SUNY Online Help Desk office hours will be as follows:

Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–midnight
Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. –9:00 p.m.

SUNY Online Support Services Help Desk can be reached by phone at (844) 673-6786 or through its ticketing service. Additional resources can be found within SUNY Online Knowledge Base Articles.

As the state reopens and New Yorkers navigate through new changes caused by COVID-19, people continue to seek emotional support to help them cope with the adjustments, stress, and anxiety. In response to this need, NY Project Hope, a statewide program of the NYS Office of Mental Health, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is proud to introduce Online Wellness Groups.

These free virtual discussion groups, facilitated by trained crisis counselors, provide a supportive space for individuals similarly affected by COVID-19. You may attend as many groups as you would like; they are all free, confidential, and anonymous. Sessions began Monday, July 26.

Participation is open; no registration is required. Mechanisms are also in place to respect the privacy of participants. For more information, please visit the NY Project Hope website.

Mental Wellness Monday
Mondays at 2:00 p.m.
This group provides education and support related to anxiety, depression, and stress that was brought on by the coronavirus.

COVID Long-Hauler
Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.
Support for COVID long-haulers with information about the chronic effects of the coronavirus, how that affects mental wellness, and what we can do for ourselves.

Wellness Wednesday
Wednesdays at noon
All things wellness are discussed on Wednesday to support you in addressing the stress related to COVID.

Teen-2-Teen
Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m.
This group gives a time and space for teenagers to talk freely about how the past year has affected their lives and how to best move forward.

The Impact of COVID on Relationships
Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
Relationships are difficult under normal circumstances, and the pandemic has added more strain and stress. This group discusses communication and connection in the face of COVID.

Moving Forward Friday
Fridays at 6:00 p.m.
We are moving into a new phase of living with the coronavirus. This group focuses on how to handle re-entry anxiety and move forward with hope.

The Professional Development Center is offering workshops and resources for managers and employees to support reconnecting to campus and personal wellness as Buffalo State College returns to near normal operations. This resource page will continue to be updated throughout the semester with additional workshops and information. Please visit the Faculty and Staff Coronavirus Information website to view the latest guidelines. Please email the Professional Development Center with any questions regarding the workshops or resources.

Registration is open for the SUNY Center for Professional Development Online Teaching: Technology and Educational Resources Institute (OTTER).

OTTER is an opportunity for online practitioners to

• learn more about the innovations, trends, and challenges with online education;
• see examples of best practices and learn about tools to create and deliver effective and engaging online course content;
• strengthen their understanding of accessibility and equity issues; and
• see how to build courses with both in mind as they develop and deliver a truly inclusive course.

Course Delivery Webinar Series: August 9–13

Sessions run each day between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

OTTER sessions are geared toward teaching faculty and faculty-student support personnel, including instructional designers and librarians. OTTER is free to all SUNY campus members.

Review recordings from the OTTER Institute Playlist anytime.

The grace period for the 2020 Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) plan year has been extended to Wednesday, September 15. Employees can now submit claims for expenses incurred between January 1, 2020, and September 15, 2021, for reimbursement from their 2020 DCAA. Additionally, employees can seek reimbursement from their 2020 DCAA for children who turned 13 during the 2020 plan year. The last day to submit DCAA claims is Thursday, September 30, 2021, for expenses incurred through September 15, 2021. The grace period temporarily expands the ability for certain employees to use any unused amounts in their 2020 DCAA that would normally be forfeited at the end of a plan year. The grace period is applicable for the DCAA only, as long as the employee had a DCAA as of December 31, 2020.

Please email or call WageWorks–Health Equity at (800) 358-7202 with questions about the grace period.