The Daily Bulletin Archive

Welcome, everyone, to the new academic year of 2007–2008. I especially want to welcome 26 new full-time faculty and 12 full-time professional staff members to our campus community. I trust that each of you has had a relaxing and yet productive summer. Buffalo has experienced a “real” summer this year, and I understand that a beautiful fall is expected.

An exciting and ambitious year lies ahead of us. We will welcome approximately 1,500 new freshmen and nearly 1,100 transfer students to campus this year. Over 1,800 students will reside on campus, and nearly 250 students will begin the semester residing in the Holiday Inn and the Adam’s Mark hotels. The Cassety Hall renovation is being completed, and we expect the students housed in the hotels to return to campus prior to the end of the semester. Graduate students are continuing to enroll and are in the midst of completing the registration process. I expect that all our students, new and returning, are looking forward to the beginning of the semester and eagerly await the advice and guidance of faculty and staff.

Our academic theme for 2006–2008 is “Great Minds That Shaped Our Intellectual World.” We will reaffirm this theme and inaugurate the academic year at our annual Academic Convocation on Thursday, September 20, at 12:15 p.m. in Rockwell Hall. We ask every faculty and staff member to join us at this special ceremony.

As with each year, our focus will primarily be on the academic progress of our students. However, we will undertake the development of the college’s next five-year strategic plan and prepare for two major accreditation visits that will occur during the spring term. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) visit will take place on April 12, and we are on target thus far with 12 of the 18 standards having been conditionally approved. The Middle States Periodic Review will soon be scheduled and will focus on our institutional progress over the past five years. Both of these accreditation efforts are planned to strengthen our academic excellence.

Finally, we have been working with the New York State Commission on Higher Education, appointed by Governor Spitzer, to assess the state of higher education and alignment with the needs of the state. We have had positive initial discussions with members of the commission and will keep you informed about the progress of the commission’s work.

Again, I welcome you and wish you a rewarding and successful academic year as we all work together to fulfill the mission of Buffalo State College.