As we prepare for fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Using Ally and Other Blackboard Tools to Ensure Compliance in Providing Accommodations," presented by Sumana Silverheels, technology accommodations coordinator, and Meghan Pereira, director of instructional design and training, on Wednesday, August 12, from 3:00 to 3:50 p.m.

Ally, within Blackboard, identifies accessibility issues with uploaded content. This webinar will teach attendees to understand the errors, use Ally’s step-by-step instructions to make documents accessible, and re-upload the accessible documents to their Blackboard course.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

As we prepare for fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Students Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Can Faculty and Staff Support Students’ Mental Health and Social Emotional Needs?" presented by Taronish Irani, senior counselor and psychologist in the Counseling Center, on Wednesday, August 12, from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased loneliness, trauma, stress, anxiety, and depression among the general population, including college students. The Counseling Center will review the impact of the current pandemic on students' mental health and social-emotional needs, as well as share resources and provide recommendations that can assist faculty and staff members in preparing and continuing to support students during this time. 

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 fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Teaching Sensitive Topics Online/Remote," presented by Andrea Nikischer, associate professor of adult education, on Wednesday, August 12, from noon to 12:50 p.m.

This webinar will prepare instructors to teach "sensitive" topics remotely or online. Participants will discuss trigger and content warnings, alternative assignments, personal journal entries, and educator self-care. Examples from online courses on family violence and diversity issues will be shared.

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 fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Blackboard Learn: Fostering Communication and Collaboration," presented by Meghan Pereira, director of instructional design and training, on Wednesday, August 12, from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m.

To build a successful community, students need the tools to interact and have conversations. Blackboard Learn offers communication tools for self-reflection, collaboration, and communication. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to use the discussion board, journals, and groups to provide rich assignments and evaluate students in authentic ways where students can share and create knowledge.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

As we prepare for fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Humanizing the Online Course," presented by Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer, on Wednesday, August 12, from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m.

This discussion-centered session will complement module 8 (Humanizing the Online Course) of the self-paced Online Course Development series. We will recap important ideas from this module and expand on the discussion questions. 

Please come prepared to share your discussion responses for module 8 of the self-paced Online Course Development series. 

Before attending this session, we ask that you self-enroll in the “Online Course Development Series – Self-Paced" organization in Blackboard Learn and review the materials found within module 8. The series provides best practices for online teaching and learning, as well as guidance with educational technology.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan will host a series of educational webinars for all employees who wish to attend. The NYSDCP is a supplemental retirement plan, also known as a 457(b) plan, that aims to help state and local public employees achieve their retirement savings goals and help bridge any potential financial gap in retirement.

--------------------------------------------------------

Pre-retirement Webinar
Wednesday August 12 or 19
9:00 a.m.
This free educational webinar will explain important considerations for those approaching retirement. The presentation will discuss longevity, income sources, asset consolidation, and withdrawals or required minimum distributions. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

You can also dial in using your phone.

United States: +1 (669) 224-3412
Access Code: 762-860-141

--------------------------------------------------------

Enrollment Webinar
Thursday, August 13 or 20
9:00 a.m.
This free educational webinar will explain the benefits of enrolling and participating in the NYS Deferred Compensation 457(b) Retirement Plan and how it can help you save for and live in retirement. The presentation will review the basics of investing and the investment options, pre-tax contributions, and the easy and secure online enrollment process. Public School District employees may contribute to a 457(b) in place of or in addition to a 403(b) plan. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

You can also dial in using your phone.

United States: +1 (224) 501-3412
Access Code: 611-581-821

--------------------------------------------------------

To schedule a phone or online virtual appointment, please use the online scheduling tool or call Buffalo State's campus representative, Mark Wallace, at (716) 903-7253.

Information Technology will enable a feature for Outlook called Modern Authentication on Monday, August 10. Currently "Basic Authentication" is enabled in our Microsoft 365 environment. Enabling Modern Authentication is the final step needed to allow faculty and staff members to use advanced security features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). 

The change to Modern Authentication will be transparent to most users on campus; however, some people who use the Windows-based Outlook client could see the Modern Auth sign-in screen when launching Outlook for the first time after the change. If you receive this prompt, simply enter your Buffalo State e-mail address and password. 

If you encounter any problems with Outlook following the change, please open an Email Issue ticket or contact the IT Help Desk, 878-4357.

As the new Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium gets closer to completion, its state-of-the-art projection systems and 360-degree immersive environment afford opportunities for collaborations with faculty, staff, and students from across campus beyond the planetarium's traditional use for astronomy education. We are therefore starting the Incorporating New and Novel Opportunities in Visualizations, Arts, Technology, and Education (INNOVATE) in the Planetarium project, where ideas from across disciplines will be discussed and worked on to take advantage of this new, amazing facility on campus. 

If you have ideas or want more information about the projection systems or possibilities for collaboration, please fill out this short survey. Virtual informational meetings will take place early in the fall semester.

As we prepare for fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Giving Feedback in Blackboard," presented by Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer, on Tuesday, August 11, from 3:00 to 3:50 p.m.

There are many ways to give feedback to students using Blackboard Learn and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. This session will discuss technology for giving feedback to students, including automatic feedback in Blackboard tests, leaving feedback on Blackboard assignments and journals, and ways to record audio and video feedback using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.

Please register through the Workshop Management System.

As we prepare for fall 2020, please join us for the webinar "Structured Reflection," presented by John Draeger, director of the Teaching and Learning Center, on Tuesday, August 11, from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m.

This session will focus on ways to promote various kinds of structured reflection (e.g., deep/wide, near/far, integrative, metacognitive) within remote learning environments.  

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.