Bulletin

Colley Appointed Distinguished Professor

The State University of New York Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of Ann C. Colley, professor of English, to the rank of SUNY Distinguished Professor. Distinguished professorships and librarian professorships constitute the highest rank bestowed on SUNY instructional faculty.

Curricular Actions

From the Interim President
I have approved the following curricular items, which have been recommended by the appropriate dean, the College Senate, and the interim provost:

Call for Nominations: Outstanding Master’s Theses and Projects

From the Interim Provost
The Graduate Advisory Council announces a call for nominations for awards for Outstanding Master’s Thesis and Outstanding Master’s Project. The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding student research and applied scholarship. Up to three thesis awards and three project awards will be made.

New York State Employee Health Benefits Fair

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Representatives from Community Blue, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan will be on campus from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday, December 3, in E. H. Butler Library 210 to answer questions about health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2010.

Reminder: Please Close Windows

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
If you open a window, please remember to close it. Open windows are the direct cause of freezing and rupturing pipes. The resulting water damage can be extensive and expensive. Again, please close all windows before you leave for the night and especially before you leave for the weekend.

Open Forum: New Textbook Policy

From the Chair of the College Senate
The College Senate and Academic Affairs will cosponsor an open forum from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, in E. H. Butler Library 210. The forum will focus on how Buffalo State will approach the part of the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008 that requires campuses to share information about course costs (including textbooks) at the same time that students begin registering for courses.

Reminder: Chairs and Agenda Meetings

From the Chair of the College Senate
The Senate’s Chairs and Agenda meetings will be held on Tuesday, November 24, at 2:00 p.m. instead of Wednesday, November 25, because of the Thanksgiving recess.

Curricular Items

From the Chair of the Senate Curriculum Committee
The following have been approved by the Senate Curriculum Committee and forwarded to the interim president for review and approval:

Course Redesign: When a Bigger Class Is a Better Class

Is it possible to redesign large introductory courses in a way that improves student learning while making the class size even larger? According to William Ganley, professor of economics and finance, the answer is yes, but it requires an effort from a team that includes experienced faculty members. Ganley will take part in a panel discussion about course redesign, “Lessons Learned from ECO 101,” on Tuesday, December 1, in Classroom Building B118 from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.

Online-Teaching Discussion Engages Faculty

Professors worldwide continue to discuss the merits of online learning. Some feel learning is most effective face-to-face, while others believe it is possible for students to be more engaged online. One fact is indisputable, at least at Buffalo State: students have expressed a need for more online courses. A discussion hosted by the Provost’s Office on Tuesday provided information on creating or converting courses to an online format.

Upcoming Great Lakes Center Seminars

The Great Lakes Center presents several seminars over the course of the academic year. The next seminar, “Acoustics of Pelagic Fish Schools,” will be presented on Thursday, November 19, at noon in Classroom Building B118.

Hospitality and Tourism to Assist with AAC Event

Students, faculty, and staff from the Hospitality and Tourism Department’s catering management course, HTR 400, will provide event planning, food preparation, and hospitality management services for Advancing Arts and Culture Buffalo Niagara’s (AAC) Arts & Culturals’ Resources Showcase from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. tonight at Kleinhans Music Hall.

Communication Hall of Fame to Induct Newspaper Publisher

Don DePerro, a 1981 journalism graduate of Buffalo State College’s Communication Department, will be inducted into the Communication Hall of Fame on Friday, November 20. The ceremony will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the television studio of the Donald Savage Theater Arts Building and will include the induction of new students to the Rho Psi Chapter of the Lambda Pi Eta national communication honor society.

News from SUNY

The State University of New York Board of Trustees met on Tuesday to adopt several proposals including a 2010–2011 State Budget Request and a systemwide transfer agreement for students.

Enrollment, Academic Profile Up at Buffalo State

New enrollment data for Buffalo State points to a strong year of growth for the college. Total enrollment is at its highest level since fall 2002. The academic profile for the incoming class rose significantly, and transfer enrollment increased nearly 20 percent from last fall.

Music Department Distinguishes College, Community with New Orchestra

November 23 marks the debut of Buffalo’s first college-community orchestra, the Buffalo State College Philharmonia, an initiative made possible by the vision and participation of the Buffalo State College Music Department.

Former Hair Stylist Finds Success Running Tastings Cafe at the Burchfield Penney

The 28 seats at the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Tastings Cafe are full for lunch on some days, occupied mainly by college staff and museum visitors. About 70 percent of the food offerings incorporate sauces created by Maria Kahn, who runs the cafe.

SUNY Enrollments Keep Rising

SUNY again reported record enrollment at its 64 campuses, with an increase of 25,458 students statewide, or nearly 6 percent. Buffalo State grew to 11,714 students from 11,234, up 4.3 percent in the year-over-year comparison. It remains the largest of SUNY’s 13 comprehensive colleges.