The Daily Bulletin Archive

From the President and the Chair of the College Senate
A recent communication published in the Record on behalf of an anonymous group of Buffalo State constituents underscored the need for all members of our campus community to work collaboratively as we transform the lives of our students—all while urgently addressing together the financial and enrollment challenges Buffalo State College faces today. We couldn’t agree more. Like many other regional colleges and universities, there is no doubt Buffalo State is facing obstacles on many fronts as demographics shift, state financial resources fade, and society rebounds unevenly from the layered effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Despite these challenges, we believe in the Buffalo State spirit and value the consultative and inclusive process that brings us together to gather perspectives and collaboratively develop solutions. Buffalo State has long-standing and effective strategies and systems in place to foster collaborative actions. Our shared communication forum, the College Senate, provides important consultative and advisory functions, and serves as a critical representative forum for deliberations on issues of concern to the college community. While we might not always agree with each other, our decisions are better informed and properly grounded because of this participatory and collaborative process. When ideas and thoughts are shared through established channels, there is demonstrated room for growth, constructive dialog, and betterment of our community. Some upcoming ways in which we encourage Bengals to be a part of these conversations are:

• Participation in the College Senate, both as guests and senators
• Participation in the upcoming Institutional Planning Advisory Committee (IPAC) listening sessions as the new strategic plan takes shape
• Participation in the forthcoming sessions on general education reform
• Communication with the Shared Governance Committee               

We would be remiss if we did not mention that the issues referenced in the letter have already been the center of discussions between the President and the Senate leadership. We firmly believe that shared governance is the productive way forward to address issues of a) engagement of stakeholders, b) increased transparency, and c) vision for the college.

We write today not to diminish the concerns expressed by members of our community but to invite all faculty, staff, and students to participate in the future success of Buffalo State through many and varied participatory forums, committees, and discussions across campus. Undoubtedly, challenges lie ahead as we meet known and unknown obstacles, but we are committed to the consultative process and shared governance. We invite the campus community to help us in developing innovative solutions and driving change in these challenging times in higher education. You can share your ideas with us by email or through an online form.

Katherine Conway-Turner
President

Bhakti Sharma
Chair of the College Senate