Preface
This serves as a notice to new employees and a reminder to others of the procedures to
follow during snow emergencies and other extraordinary circumstances. Offices and
other facilities operated by the state may be closed only by order of the governor;
however, the college president or her designee is authorized to cancel classes and
recommend that all but essential service* employees not report to work.
Policy and Procedures
The president has delegated the authority to cancel classes and services to the vice
president for finance and management. University Police is responsible for monitoring all
relevant weather conditions and reporting to the vice president for finance and
management.
If the decision to close and cancel classes is made before the start of the workday, the
vice president for finance and management will inform University Police. If the decision
to close is made once classes are in session, the vice president for finance and
management will consult with the vice president for academic affairs and notify
University Police of the decision. University Police will notify the following broadcast
stations in either case:
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| AM Radio |
FM Radio |
Television |
| WBEN-AM 930 |
WBNY-FM 91.3 (campus) |
WGRZ-TV 2 |
| WECK-AM 1230 |
WBUF-FM 92.9 |
WIVB-TV 4 |
| WHLD-AM 1270 |
WBLK-FM 93.7 |
WKBW-TV 7 |
| WLVL-AM 1340 |
WJYE-FM 96.1 |
|
| WJJL-AM 1440 |
WGRF-FM 96.9 (97 Rock) |
|
| WWKB-AM 1520 |
WKSE-FM 98.5 |
|
|
STAR-FM 102.5 |
|
|
WEDG-FM 103.3 |
|
|
WHTT-FM 104.1 |
|
|
WYRK-FM 106.5 |
|
|
WNSA-FM 107.7 |
|
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University Police also will inform the following:
- All vice presidents' offices
- The college switchboard operator, ext. 4000
- The Campbell Student Union Information Desk, ext. 6511
- The Residence Life director, ext. 3000
- United Students Government Office, ext. 6701
An early decision to close and cancel classes will be relayed to the stations listed above
by about 6:00 a.m. For information concerning cancellation of classes, please call the
school closing information number, 878-5000. Please do not call any other number for
this information.
Attendance Policy under Emergency Conditions
If classes and services are canceled before the workday begins, employees designated
essential service* are required to report. All other employees are excused under
emergency conditions but must charge the absence to appropriate leave accruals.
Employees who elect to come to work may do so; however, the college cannot guarantee
that they will be able to work at their usual locations or perform their normal duties. (See
instructions below for employees who choose to report for work under emergency
conditions.)
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Should the closure occur during the workday, the vice president for finance and
management will convey the decision to the other vice presidents, who will ensure
that the announcement is communicated throughout their respective areas. Again,
essential service* employees are required to remain on the job or report to work as
scheduled in this instance. Following official closure, employees may leave their work
sites and charge the remainder of their workdays to appropriate leave accruals or continue
working until their regular departure time.
Absences that result from the cancellation of classes and services must be charged to
appropriate leave accruals as described below.
- Vacation, personal, compensatory, or holiday leave
- Sick leave, but only in the event of personal or family illness
- Leave without pay (A written request must be submitted to the Human
Resource Management Office no later than the end of the pay period in which
the attendance record is due.)
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*Essential services are those that must be maintained to ensure the well-being and
protection of those who reside on campus, as well as the maintenance and security of
college property. The following functions are considered essential services. Employees
assigned to these areas are required to report to work under emergency conditions:
- The law enforcement division of University Police
- Campus services and facilities operations (all employees)
- Student health services (designated staff only)
- Residence Life (designated staff only)
- The dean of students
- Staff responsible for the care and feeding of animals and maintenance of greenhouse
facilities
All employees who are designated essential service will be notified in writing by their
department heads.
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Directed Absences
Any employee who has reported to work and because of extraordinary circumstances
beyond the employee's control (i.e., extremely hazardous conditions or physical plant
breakdown) is directed by the college president or her designee to leave work shall not
be required to charge this absence to leave accruals. Any such release of employees shall
not create any right to equivalent time off to employees who are not directed to leave
work. Supervisors, regardless of their good intentions, may not direct such absences.
Instructions for Nonessential Service Employees Who Elect to Report for Work
under Emergency Conditions
Note: Parking may be severely restricted during periods of temporary emergency.
Employees who report to work under these conditions must park in the Grant Street lot so
that other lots may be cleared of snow.
- Employees must report to University Police, Chase Hall 110, to sign the Attendance
Record/Emergency Conditions sheet. Employees also must sign the sheet before
leaving campus.
- Employees report to regular work locations and perform regular duties, even if their
supervisor is absent.
- If the employee's regular work location is not accessible, he or she must report to the
director of Campus Services and Facilities, Clinton Center, ext. 6111, or the director
of Residence Life, Porter Hall, ext. 3000, for assignment.
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Winter Pause 2003–2004: Saving Energy for Tomorrow
Buffalo State College will limit campus operations from the close of business Tuesday, December
23, 2003, through the beginning of business Monday, January 5, 2004. The college
administration thanks all campus employees, as well as others who may be inconvenienced by
limited operations and services, for their cooperation in helping us to conserve energy and save
resources.
What Will Happen?
Campus buildings will be open accordingly for employees who will work during Winter Pause.
Temperatures will be reduced in these buildings, and employees who plan to work should dress
comfortably and wear or bring sweaters. Temperatures will be reduced to 55 degrees in
unoccupied buildings, and electricity will be turned off where feasible.
Employees and students are asked to secure their offices and residence-hall rooms; take home
plants, aquariums, and other temperature-sensitive items; and make certain that equipment and
appliances, such as refrigerators, are cleaned out and unplugged. Plan ahead and take home all
books and research materials that might be needed during this period of limited operations. Turn
off or disconnect fax machines so messages do not accumulate. Turn off personal computers and
printers. Please notify Campus Services, ext. 6111, of experiments in progress that may not be
disturbed or moved during Winter Pause.
Snow removal will be limited to providing access for emergency vehicles and access to open
buildings. Parking lots generally will not be plowed, and staff members who opt to work are asked
to park on Rockwell Road or in Lot S-1 (Science Building/Upton Hall) only.
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Services
- The Payroll Office will be closed during Winter Pause. Employees who wish to have
their December 17 and/or December 31 paychecks or direct deposit stubs mailed to their
homes must make written requests to the Payroll Office, Cleveland Hall 408 or
galoneac@buffalostate.edu, by 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 12.
Employees may, at any time, sign up for direct deposit, which automatically deposits
salary into designated checking and/or savings accounts at virtually any bank or credit
union in the United States. Deposits may be directed to up to eight different accounts,
and money is available the morning of payday.
Work-study and student-assistant paychecks scheduled for distribution on Wednesday,
December 24 will be mailed to students at the addresses shown on their pay stubs.
Students who wish to have their paychecks mailed to an alternative address must supply
the Payroll Office with a self-addressed envelope by Wednesday, December 17.
Supervisors should notify students that paychecks cannot be picked up during Winter
Pause.
- Campus Dining Services will be closed. No food service will be available on campus
during Winter Pause.
- The Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore will be closed.
- The Buffalo State Child Care Center will be closed.
- The Mail Room and Central Receiving: Vendors will be notified of the shutdown, and no
deliveries will be accepted. Mail will be received and sorted in the Mail Room, but no on-campus
deliveries will be made. Mail may be picked up only by prior arrangement with
the Mail Room.
- University Police will remain open, and officers will be on duty, patrolling campus
grounds and buildings.
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Registrar
The deadline to submit the registrar's copy of grade rosters to the Registrar's Office (as listed in
the 2003–2004 academic calendar) is 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 15.
Employee Options
Participation in Winter Pause is voluntary, and employees who wish to work may do so.
Employees should review work plans with their supervisor or department head in advance of
Winter Pause. The "Request to Work during Winter Pause" form that was used in past years will
no longer be required, and department heads will no longer be asked to submit staffing plans to
Human Resource Management.
Employees in areas that must provide continued services during Winter Pause may be asked to
work.
Campus Services employees should report to the Maintenance Service Center for assignments
on scheduled work dates. Campus Services employees who wish to take time off during Winter
Pause must submit vacation requests to their immediate supervisors.
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For safety and security reasons, employees who work during Winter Pause may be asked to
sign in and out with a University Police aide at entrances to buildings. In order to ensure that only
authorized people are provided access to campus buildings, employees may be asked to show
campus identification cards. Employees who wish to work and do not have a current identification
card should obtain a Buffalo State ID card from the circulation desk at E. H. Butler Library before
Winter Pause.
Employees who plan to work during Winter Pause are encouraged to arrange their
schedules so that they will be working with other employees whenever possible.
Employees who plan to work alone or in an isolated building (e.g., a building consisting primarily
of classrooms) on a particular day or days should contact Human Resource Management, which
will assist in identifying an alternate work site for that period.
Employees not working during Winter Pause must charge appropriate leave accruals or request
leave without pay. Approved compensatory time also may be used to cover absences during this
period.
Please call the Human Resource Management Office at ext. 4822 with questions regarding
Winter Pause.
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Health Insurance Rates and Option Transfer Period
Health insurance rates for 2004 have been established and are listed below:
| Health Plan |
Individual Coverage |
Family Coverage |
| Community Blue |
$11.79 |
$68.39 |
| Empire Plan |
$17.74 |
$72.79 |
| Independent Health |
$11.51 |
$63.07 |
| Univera |
$12.11 |
$65.71 |
Employees who wish to change health insurance plans for the coming year have until Friday, December 12. Employees are encouraged to complete the option transfer forms as soon as possible to avoid retroactive premium adjustments and to allow for receipt of new health insurance identification cards by the effective date of coverage, January 1, 2004.
This is also the only time each year when Univera members and their dependents may decide whether to receive care from a medical center or from the physician network. A form is required to make this change.
Choices, a booklet that summarizes and compares the major health insurance plans, is available in the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 410, ext. 4821. The booklet and option transfer forms also are available online at www.buffalostate.edu/offices/hr/benefits.asp#Health.
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NYS Employee Health Benefits Fair
Representatives from Community Blue, the Empire Plan, Independent Health, and
Univera will be on campus from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 20 in
the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall to answer questions about health
insurance plans and changes in coverage for 2004.
Representatives from the CSEA and UUP Benefit Trust Funds will provide information
regarding dental and vision care coverage. Staff members from the employee benefits
division of Human Resource Management also will be
present to answer questions and to assist employees in making changes to their health
insurance coverage.
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Sick Leave Exchange Program
The state has declined to renew the Sick Leave Exchange Program for UUP and M/C
employees in 2004. The program allowed employees to reduce their sick leave accrual
rate in exchange for a credit toward their biweekly NYS health insurance premium. A
similar program for CSEA and PEF employees was discontinued last year. Please contact
Human Resource Management, Cleveland Hall 410 or ext. 4821, with questions.
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Corporate Connections
The Alumni Affairs Office and the Career Development Center, in collaboration with the
Technology and Business departments, are sponsoring Corporate Connections from 5:00
to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 18 in the Campbell Student Union Fireside Lounge.
Moog Inc. is the featured company.
Corporate Connections showcases one prominent local company that employs a
significant number of Buffalo State graduates. Alumni who work for Moog will share
information about their career experiences with current students, faculty, and staff in this
informal setting. Refreshments will be served.
Please inform students of this opportunity. Faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
Reservations are appreciated; contact the Alumni Affairs Office at ext. 6001 or alumni@buffalostate.edu.
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College Senate Meetings
College Senate meetings for the remainder of the fall
2003 semester will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, November 14 and December 12,
in E. H. Butler Library 210.
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Senate Meeting Minutes
The minutes of the September 19 College Senate meeting are available on the Senate
Web site: www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/senate.
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Curricular Item
The College Senate Curriculum Committee has approved the following new course and will forward
it to the president for final review and approval:
New Course:
ADE/CTE 655 Diversity Issues in Adult Education and Training
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