Students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in a campus-sponsored discussion of the 1619 Project, the ongoing New York Times initiative, on Thursday, February 18, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. The 1619 Project, which kicked off in August 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery, examines the consequences of slavery and reframes the country’s history by highlighting the contributions of Black Americans. Join us for a conversation on race and the history of slavery in America.

Please register to receive a meeting link. 

This program is sponsored by Student Leadership and Engagement and Equity and Campus Diversity. Please visit the SLE website for more virtual programs and information on upcoming events.

Because of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, the Graduate School will not hold an in-person synchronous Open House this spring. Instead, we will again hold individual virtual department or program presentations with our faculty and staff throughout the month of March. Please view this sample presentation to get an idea of what the virtual presentations should look like.

Faculty members will have the option to use the Slate platform or Zoom. Slate has added the option of using external services to host online events. This feature will allow faculty members to use the platform for which they are most comfortable while still allowing the Graduate School to collect student information and handle the respective communications.

Department presentations will be held on different days and times selected by faculty and staff members. All individual presentations will collectively account for the Spring Graduate Open House.

Program coordinators should fill out the RSVP form as soon as possible so that we can start marketing your sessions. The registration form asks you to indicate your department, date and time selection for your event, and whether you will be using Slate or Zoom (if Zoom, it will ask for the Zoom link). Once submitted, you will be contacted individually by the Graduate School for more detailed planning.

Faculty and Staff RSVP Form for Graduate Open House

Questions about the program can be directed to Makenzie Docteur, coordinator of graduate recruitment, by e-mail.

As always, the Graduate School thanks you for your continued support.

Please note that students will continue to have the ability to late add courses for spring 2021 until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, February 18. All active courses now require instructor permission, in addition to any other applicable overrides. Students will be assessed a $20 late add fee for each successful add. Students late add directly in Banner. All requests for a course drop must be referred to the Academic Standards Office, as only Online Course Withdrawals are allowed after the drop/add deadline.

The Teacher Education Council (TEC) will meet Friday, February 12, from 1:00 to 2:30 via Zoom. TEC representatives will receive a meeting invitation and link via e-mail. All TEC representatives and Teacher Education Unit members are encouraged to attend. Non-members who would like to attend may contact their TEC representative for log-in information.

The Professional Development Center is pleased to offer a five-part course series that?will provide participants with strategies and frameworks to help them strike a balance between being productive in a remote or uncertain work?environment and?still?spending quality time with their families, friends, and activities they are passionate about. We are excited to offer this program again this semester for a new cohort of faculty and staff, especially as the course cohort who participated last semester created a supportive environment for each other and has decided to continue to meet this semester to leverage that support.  

The hour-long class discussions listed below will serve?as an opportunity to connect with colleagues on each topic, share strategies for overcoming?similar challenges, and identify on- and off-campus support systems to?enhance personal well-being.?Everyone participating in the course will be asked to review?a short video located in?the Professional Development Center?Blackboard?Organization. (Enrollment instructions for?Blackboard?are below.) We highly encourage anyone who is interested in these topics to register for all five course discussions, as we believe discussing these?challenges with colleagues will help enhance your learning and?provide a support system for changes you want to implement. 

You do not need to attend all five discussions?to view the course videos.?You can view them as a self-paced module by following the?Blackboard organization self-enrollment instructions. At Step 4, search for the organization “Professional Development Center.” Click on the “Professional Development Center” under “My Organizations” and select the respective module. 

Please register for each discussion you are interested in attending. Discussions will be held on the following Tuesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.? 

Course Introduction 
March 9

Part 1:?Setting Goals and Boundaries to Create a Purposeful Work-Life Balance in Times of Uncertainty 
March 23

Part 2:?Minimize Distractions and Stay Present in Professional and Personal Engagements 
April 6

Part 3:?Align Your Time with Your Goals and Boundaries 
April 20

Part 4:?Create Balance between the Tensions/Paradoxes You Feel during Times of Uncertainty That Supports Your Well-Being Using Polarity Management 
May 4

Please contact?Rebecca Eggleston, professional development assistant, with questions.

The Buffalo State College community is saddened by the death of Mildred J. Fischle, professor emerita of elementary education and reading, who died February 5, 2021. Dr. Fischle joined the college in 1965 and retired in 1992. A memorial service will be held at a future date. More information is available online.

As we begin the semester, you may observe or interact with students in your courses, in group activities, or through other modes of communication who are struggling or may need extra support. We urge you to connect with students and remind them of the resources of the Students of Concern Care Team. Members of the Care Team are available to assist faculty, staff, and students by providing information, strategies, and techniques for working with students of concern on campus. When reports come in, our team reaches out to each student to offer support and connect them with someone from the Care Team they can communicate to if they need help.

The Care Team seeks to identify and provide support for students in distress who may threaten harm to themselves or others. Your help in providing notice of any students of concern is essential to keeping our campus community safe. Notify the Care Team whenever a student’s behavior gives reason for uncertainty about harm so that we can investigate the situation, develop a plan for action, and follow up with appropriate intervention.

To contact the Care Team, please complete an online report form.

If you wish to invite members of the team to meet with your department or office to discuss “red flag” warning signs, ways to report a concern, legal or FERPA issues, or how to respond when confronted by a student in distress, please e-mail Sarah M. Young, dean of students. 

Please remember, if your concern is an emergency, please call the University Police Department for immediate response at (716) 878-6333.

Order your chocolate-dipped strawberries for that special someone or yourself. Orders can be placed on our CaterTrax website by Thursday, February 11, at noon.

We will deliver orders Friday, February 12.

TIAA financial representative Michael Spogli will be available for personal financial consultations with Buffalo State College faculty and staff members via telephone or Zoom videoconference on Tuesday, February 16.

Mr. Spogli can assist you with any questions you may have regarding your financial and retirement goals, review your investments, or help you enroll in a tax-deferred annuity account.

To sign up online for dedicated Buffalo State days, please visit the TIAA website.

Mr. Spogli is also available by request other days throughout the month to fit your schedule. If you would like to arrange a consultation on a date other than the one listed above, please call or e-mail Michael Spogli, (585) 246-4631.

Many Buffalo State College faculty members are focused on their teaching and how to best support student learning, especially in a remote environment. The Teaching and Learning Center is here to help with those efforts. We also recognize that some are scratching out time to continue their research, scholarship, and creative activities. The Teaching and Learning Center is here to help with those efforts, too. If you’re interested in participating in a writing circle or a writing support group, please fill out this short form.