As we prepare for spring 2021, please join us for the webinar "Managing Time and Responsibilities While Teaching Online," presented by Katrina Fulcher, associate professor of speech-language pathology, on Monday, January 11, from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m.

Teaching online poses significant challenges in terms of the time required to design engaging content and ensuring that you are connecting with all of your students. Given these increasing demands, it is important to develop strategies that streamline course development, feedback to students, and grading to name a few. In this talk, we will discuss different ways to schedule and complete online course development and work together to troubleshoot participant issues and concerns.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

J-Term 2021 classes begin today, January 4, and end Friday, January 22. See at a glance all classes being offered on the online master schedule, available on the Registrar's Office J-Term 2021 Courses web page. As always, for the most up-to-date information, please view class offerings directly from Banner using the Search for Classes link.

As you work with students, the J-Term flier (PDF, 179 KB) is a handy reference. Please be sure to review.

All important college and semester deadline information can be found on the Academic Calendar.

As we prepare for spring 2021, please join us for the webinar "Teaching Remote Synchronous: Tips and Strategies," presented by Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer, and John Draeger, director of the Teaching and Learning Center, on Monday, January 11, from 3:00 to 3:50 p.m.

This session is meant to provide an overview of issues and strategies related to delivering remote synchronous instruction. For example, we will discuss how pre-class work can set up virtual class sessions as well as strategies for running effective class discussions on web conferencing platforms. We’ll also consider a grab bag of issues, such as the camera vs. no camera debate, attendance policies, and building community. 

You can access the webinar using the Teaching and Learning Center meeting room. Please review the BbCollaborate website to become familiar with using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra as a participant, if you'd like.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

As we prepare for spring 2021, please join us for the webinar "How Can You Use the Lessons Learned from 1.5 Semesters of Remote Teaching?" presented by John Draeger, director of the Teaching and Learning Center, on Monday, January 11, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

The session will take stock of student learning during the transition to remote instruction. We’ll revisit what worked, what didn’t, and how we might make changes looking forward to whatever adventure might await us in the spring. We’ll discuss how to make decisions about delivery, engagement, and assessment based on the most essential learning elements. While technological solutions will be mentioned, the focus will be on creating a plan moving forward based on the recent past.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Episode 6 of the Data Science and Analytics program podcast Buffalo State Data Talk is now available. This episode features Christopher Bole, a data scientist for BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, who talks about his career path starting as an analyst and moving to a data scientist. Listen to this episode to hear his advice for starting your career, the skills he thinks you need to be successful, and how his work has made improvements for his company and their clients. 

Buffalo State's Data Talk podcast series introduces listeners to data and explores careers that involve data. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Water service to the Campbell Student Union and Cassety and Chase halls will be interrupted Tuesday, December 29, from approximately 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. to accommodate critical plumbing work. All restrooms in these buildings will be closed; staff members may use restrooms in Bulger Communication Center, which will be unlocked for the duration of the interruption.

Your patience during this necessary service interruption is appreciated. Questions may be e-mailed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

Voya Financial has established an in-depth learning curriculum for participants. Its weekly Zoom workshops address the concerns of every individual—whether newly hired, mid-career, or nearing retirement. Workshops provide the financial education that everyone has been looking for but could never find. You do not have to be a Voya customer to participate.

The following workshops take place on Fridays at noon:

Visualize Retirement
January 8
When it comes to retirement, do you know where you are going? Do you have a plan? As the old saying goes, "If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else." Sure, you’ve probably been planning for retirement for many years. And all that time, you’ve probably been focusing on saving. But even though you’ve saved, how much have you really planned? If you haven’t started visualizing your retirement, what are you waiting for?

What Is Your Return on Life?
January 15
Are you getting the best Return on Life possible with the money you have? Are you using your money in ways that improve your life? Find out the three questions you must answer before deciding to retire. Discover how the Return on Life website will keep your life at the center of the planning process.

The Digital Financial Wellness Experience
January 22
Financial wellness is about the healthy balance between living for today while preparing financially for tomorrow. It’s not necessarily about being wealthy; it’s about achieving a state of mental well-being where you feel you have control over your current finances, are prepared for the unexpected, and have confidence in your financial decisions and your future. Please visit this Voya Financial web page and click on “Take Assessment.” Make sure to access the “Budget Calculator” and “My Retirement Overview” before this webinar and come prepared with questions.

Please e-mail Molly Pecoraro to register. Make sure to specify the workshop(s) you are registering for. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration.

The New York State Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) is distributing fall member newsletters electronically because of the COVID-19 emergency.

As always, the newsletters are packed with useful information about NYSLRS benefits. Find out about retirement planning, the strength of the pension fund, how easy it is to apply for retirement online, and what new members need to know about their benefits.

The Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) newsletter (PDF, 668 KB) and the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) newsletter (PDF, 603 KB) can be found online.

The J-Term 2021 grading window closes today, January 28, at 9:00 p.m. Detailed documentation for entering grades (PDF, 191 KB) is available on Banner. Additional assistance is available by contacting the IT Help Desk at 878-4357 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have questions about grading, please call the Registrar's Office at 878-4811. We have provided a grading tip sheet (PDF, 712 KB) to assist you in successful grading.

The grading window for J-Term 2021 is now open and will close Thursday, January 28, at 9:00 p.m. Faculty members will enter their J-Term grades using Banner. Detailed documentation for entering grades (PDF, 191 KB) is available on Banner. Additional assistance is available by contacting the IT Help Desk at 878-4357 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have questions about grading, please call the Registrar's Office at 878-4811. We have provided a grading tip sheet (PDF, 712 KB) to assist you in successful grading.