From the Interim Associate Vice President for Human Resource Management
As we prepare our individual and departmental annual reports for 2020–2021, I am taking this opportunity to remind supervisors that annual performance evaluations for all professional and civil service employees are required by college, SUNY, and state civil service policy, as well as all collective bargaining unit agreements. As we have been navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been learning and adapting to new ways of managing operations in this remote environment. The procedural aspects in the collective bargaining agreements for performance programs and evaluations have not changed, but our approaches can. The forms may be routed electronically via email. You may discuss the evaluation remotely with the employee via mail, email, phone call, Skype, Blackboard Collaborate, etc. and scan the file to him or her. Please be sure the employee receives a copy of the evaluation before it is forwarded to the next approver. You may call to confirm receipt of emails.

President Conway-Turner has communicated to the campus community that she considers performance programs and evaluations to be a primary responsibility of all supervisors, and it is her expectation that these be done each year for all employees. We rely on supervisors to provide honest and constructive feedback to staff members to assist them in addressing any performance issues and providing positive commentary where appropriate to motivate and encourage excellent performance. Supervisors should be aware that fulfilling this important responsibility will be considered in decisions to award discretionary increases, promotions, and other personnel actions.

The evaluation cycle for professional employees with permanent appointment and for Management/Confidential employees is July 1–June 30 of each year, which aligns with the cycle for annual reports. The evaluation cycle for classified employees with permanent appointment is April 1– March 31 of each year. Human Resource Management tracks and records completed performance evaluations for all employees.

Employees with probationary or term appointments should be evaluated on cycles beginning with the date of appointment. Human Resource Management will remind supervisors when evaluations or recommendations related to probationary and term appointments are required.

Evaluations should be based on a performance program that clarifies job expectations and goals for the following year. Job descriptions should be reviewed each year and updated as appropriate. Please ensure that this information is current for your professional and civil service employees.

Managing employee performance with job descriptions, performance programs, and evaluations is an ongoing process of communication between a supervisor and an employee and provides an opportunity to address issues in a timely fashion and to more effectively foster employee development. By clarifying job expectations and responsibilities and providing specific feedback, you enhance your staff's ability to be successful in their work and meet expected outcomes and goals.

Information and forms on the performance evaluation process are available on the Human Resource Management website. 

If you have any questions or need assistance with employee evaluations, please email Human Resource Management.  

Thank you for all the contributions you have been making in these very challenging times. We appreciate your dedication and cooperation in this important process.

The Faculty-Student Association (FSA) is still accepting applications for the upcoming grant cycle. FSA grants are awarded to fund campus-based and remote online programs that will promote and cultivate educational and extracurricular activities on the Buffalo State College campus. All student groups and faculty members are welcome to apply for funding. Average grant awards range between $1,000 and $3,000 and must be used before June 30, 2022. Please visit the FSA website for the application and guidelines.

The application deadline for the spring-summer grant cycle is Wednesday, June 30. Applications will be accepted this cycle for virtual and remote programming. For further information, please contact Hope Dunbar, executive director of the FSA.

The campus community is invited to attend the New York State EAP webinar “Explore Hobbies to Find Engagement, Passion, and Stress Relief in Your Life!” on Tuesday, June 1, from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m.

Come and join us to explore over 100 ideas to help you find a new hobby or discover an old one! Hobbies fill your life with passion and engagement. Some hobbies can provide additional income, ways to be creative, and help you to get in shape. This seminar will be presented by Linda Carignan-Everts, EAP wellness coordinator, NYS Work-Life Services. 

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

During our remote work environment and as we continue with remote instruction over the summer, please be mindful of the importance of communicating our availability over the following upcoming holidays.

• Memorial Day, Monday, May 31: This is an official state holiday, and all offices are closed.
• Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19: This is an official state holiday. The state (and college) has not designated an alternative day of observance for Juneteenth in 2021. Under the attendance rules, all eligible classified and unclassified employees will receive equivalent compensatory time off for the holiday, which is noted on the Time and Attendance records.

Please post notices in advance in your offices (if applicable) and on your website, use out-of-office automatic email replies, and change voice mail recordings so that students and other employees are aware that the office is not available. These messages should provide information on whom to contact in case an issue requires immediate attention.

For more information on holidays, please visit the Human Resource Management website.

If you have questions, please contact Carey Seneca, interim manager of recruitment and classification, 878-4822.

Registration is open for the SUNY Center for Professional Development Online Teaching: Technology and Educational Resources Institute (OTTER), an opportunity for online practitioners to learn more about the innovations, trends, and challenges associated with online education. Participants will strengthen their understanding of accessibility and equity issues and will learn how to build online course materials that are truly inclusive for their students. Sessions will focus on best practices for the development and delivery of effective and engaging online content.

Webinar series dates:

• Course Development and Design: June 7–11

  AND

• Course Delivery: August 9–13

Session tracks for the Course Development and Design webinar series, June 7–11:

• Pedagogically Speaking
• Intentional Course Design
• Accessibility
• Technology

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

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

The President’s Institutional Innovation Advisory Council invites the campus community to an open forum to learn more about the findings from the Campus Culture and Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Study that President Conway-Turner announced earlier this month. Please register for one of the open forums listed below.

• Wednesday, May 26, 9:00–10:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, May 26, Noon–1:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 27, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 27, 3:00–4:00 p.m.

The open forums will allow faculty, staff, and administrators to ask questions about the findings and provide an overview of next steps in the process. Members of the campus community can also ask questions to identify how the findings can be leveraged for strategic planning efforts in their units. The Campus Culture and Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Study report is available online (employee log-on required).

Beginning Monday, May 24, the following changes will occur to the schedule for COVID-19 testing on campus:

Testing will place on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. and on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

This schedule will remain in place until further guidance is received from SUNY.

On Tuesday, May 25, and Wednesday, May 26, testing will take place in the Sports Arena. Beginning Tuesday, June 1, testing will move to the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall.

The Governor’s Office of Employees Relations (GOER) has advised that New York State agencies should continue to follow existing state guidance on mask wearing and social distancing at this time. GOER and the New York State Department of Health are reviewing Governor Cuomo’s announcement of May 17, which advises that fully vaccinated individuals may remove their masks and not distance from one another in most situations.

Until further information is provided, Buffalo State College will continue to follow its current masking guidelines (PDF, 143 KB), which require that masks be worn indoors at all times. In outdoor settings on campus, fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks while alone or in small groups. Masks are still required in crowded outdoor settings and venues. 

We will provide further information, including protocols for verification of vaccination status, as it becomes available. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

The Buffalo State College community is saddened by the death of Judith M. Jones, professor emerita of elementary education and reading, who died January 8, 2021. Dr. Jones joined the college in 1963 and retired in 1998. She is survived by siblings, nieces, and nephews. A walk-through visitation will be held today, May 21, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Lombardo Funeral Home (Snyder Chapel), 4614 Main Street, followed by a private funeral service. More information is available online.

The Buffalo State College community is saddened by the death of Sheila J. Nickson, affirmative action and human development officer (retired), who died May 15, 2021. Ms. Nickson joined the college in 1966 and retired in 1991. She is survived by two children and two grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. More information is available online.