Empire Plan Deductibles for 2005
Effective January 1, 2005, Empire Plan annual deductibles for M/C, UUP, PEF, NYSCOPBA, and Council 82 employees will increase to $309 per enrollee, $309 per enrolled spouse/domestic partner, and $309 for all dependent children combined. This change reflects the 4.7 percent increase in the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the period July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004.
The annual deductible will increase to $225 for CSEA employees.
Empire Plan Coinsurance
Effective January 1, 2005, the maximum coinsurance (out-of-pocket expenses) for employees in the following bargaining units will increase to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index:
| M/C, UUP and PEF |
$1,486 |
| NYSCOPBA and Council 82 |
$1,145 |
| CSEA |
$900 |
Coinsurance will be reduced to $500 for calendar year 2005 for CSEA employees in (or equated to) salary grade 6 or below as of January 1. Please contact Human Resource Management to apply to the Department of Civil Service for this reduction.
Note: There is no deductible or coinsurance when employees use the Empire Plan Participating Provider Network.
Please contact Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 with questions.
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Tuition Billing and Payment Process Changed
Effective for the spring 2005 semester, the college will not cancel students from their classes due to nonpayment. Students who do not attend classes and do not drop their courses will be obligated to pay tuition and fees. Students who are not planning to attend the spring 2005 semester must drop their courses (including waitlisted courses) in SABRE prior to January 28, 2005. Failure to pay all charges in full by the payment due date will result in late-payment fees.
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Winter Pause 2004–2005: Saving Energy for Tomorrow
Buffalo State College will limit campus operations from the close of business Thursday, December 23, 2004, through the beginning of business Monday, January 3, 2005. 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 the college 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 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 15 and/or December 29 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 10.
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 will be distributed on Wednesday, December 22. Checks not picked up by the end of that day 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 that address by Wednesday, December 15. 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.
- The University Police Department will remain open, and officers will be on duty, patrolling campus grounds and buildings.
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Registrar
The deadline to submit grades (as listed in the academic calendar) is 8:00 p.m. Monday, December 20.
Employee Options
Participation in Winter Pause is voluntary, and employees who wish to work may do so. Employees should review work plans with their supervisors or department heads in advance of Winter Pause. 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.
For safety and security reasons, employees who work during Winter Pause may be asked to sign in and out with University Police. In order to ensure that only authorized people are provided access to campus buildings, employees may be asked to show campus identification cards. Any employee who wishes to work and does not have a current identification card should obtain one from the SUNYCard Office in 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. If you plan to work on a particular day that would involve being alone or in an isolated building (such as a building that consists primarily of classrooms), please contact Human Resource Management, who will assist you in identifying an alternate work site for that time.
Employees not working during Winter Pause must charge appropriate leave accruals or request leave without pay (except for the December 25 and January 1 holidays). Approved compensatory time also may be used to cover absences during this period. Employees who are requesting leave without pay during Winter Pause should notify the Payroll Office by January 11, 2005, that they have taken such leave, so that their paycheck for that period can be appropriately adjusted.
Please call the Human Resource Management Office at ext. 4822 with questions regarding Winter Pause.
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Computer Training, SkillSoft E-Learning,
Webmaster Training, and Web Templates
Computing and Technology Services and the Technology and Application Support Collaboration (TASC, formerly the FAST Development Center) offer monthly computer training classes. Unless otherwise stated, classes are held in CyberQuad, E. H. Butler Library 318. Please bring an IBM-formatted 3.5" disk, a pen, and paper. For a complete list of courses and registration information, visit http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration. Contact Paul Reynolds at ext. 3361 or reynolap@buffalostate.edu with questions.
Class Registration
Internet Explorer 5.0 (or higher) is necessary for online registration. Enter the following information in the required fields:
PC Users
User Name: bsclogon\your user name (e.g., bsclogon\publicjq)
Password: your password
Mac Users
User ID: your user ID (e.g., publicjq)
Password: your password
Domain: bsclogon
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December Workshops
Advance registration is required. Student assistants, work-study students, and graduate assistants may also attend these workshops. Please tell students working in your area about this opportunity.
| Introduction to Access |
Friday, December 3 |
9:00–11:00 a.m. |
| Introduction to Outlook 2003 |
Friday, December 3 |
1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Using the Web Template System: Administrative Offices* |
Monday, December 6 |
9:30–11:00 a.m. |
| Adobe GoLive |
Tuesday, December 7 |
1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Introduction to MS Publisher |
Thursday, December 9 |
1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Hardware 101 (or How to Buy a Computer) |
Friday, December 10 |
9:00–11:00 a.m. |
| Introduction to Outlook 2003 |
Friday, December 10 |
1:00–3:00 p.m. |
| Introduction to Excel |
Monday, December 13 |
9:00–11:00 a.m. |
| Introduction to PowerPoint |
Tuesday, December 14 |
9:00–11:00 a.m. |
| Introduction to Mail Merge Using Word |
Wednesday, December 15 |
1:00–3:00 p.m. |
*Webmaster Certification course
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SkillSoft E-Learning
Faculty, staff, and students also may participate in SkillSoft, an online learning program that offers more than 800 courses and a variety of certificate programs that allow participants to demonstrate mastery of a set of skills.
More information about the SkillSoft E-Learning Program is available from the Human Resource Management Web site, www.buffalostate.edu/offices/hr. Employees also may register for courses on the site.
This month's SkillSoft courses may be taken in CyberQuad's Faculty/Staff Workroom, E. H. Butler Library 310, by appointment only; call Paul Reynolds at ext. 3361 for an appointment. Please check in at E. H. Butler Library 315 (CyberQuad) before starting. SkillSoft courses also are accessible from home.
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Webmaster Training and Web Templates
Web templates are now available for office and department use. TASC and the College Relations Office offer a five-course sequential training program especially for Web template users. The course lineup consists of Writing for the Web, Using the Web Template System, Introduction to HTML, Customizing Your Web Site for Search Engines, and Understanding Site Traffic Logs. Faculty and staff are welcome to take any or all of the five courses offered. Employees may review course descriptions and register at http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration. Those who complete all five workshops will receive Webmaster Certification.
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Season's Greetings from the Buffalo State
Alumni Association
The Buffalo State Alumni Association invites you to linger in the magic of the holiday season and enjoy the gift of music. Join Paul Homer, professor emeritus of performing arts, and the Silas L. Boyd Memorial A Cappella Alumni Choir for a holiday concert on Thursday, December 9, in the lower lobby of the Campbell Student Union. The choir will be singing a variety of sacred and popular holiday music during two performances, at 12:15 and 1:00 p.m.
In keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, we also wish to provide you with a great gift-giving idea. For just $9 ($2 off the retail price, and no sales tax), you can purchase a Delta Sonic Super Kiss Car or Truck Wash ticket, including the 5-Day Guarantee Wash Again Free. These tickets have no expiration date and make great gifts for family and friends; $2 from each sale directly supports the Buffalo State Alumni Association and/or alumni chapter of your choice.
For more information, contact the Alumni Affairs Office: Cleveland Hall 305, ext. 6001, or alumni@buffalostate.edu.
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College Senate Meeting: Time Change
The final meeting of the College Senate for the fall 2004 semester will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 10, in E. H. Butler Library 210. Please note the time change, exclusive to this meeting.
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Curricular Items
The following courses have been received in the College Senate Office and will be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for approval:
New Course:
BSC 100 Learning in College. Strategies and skills for success at Buffalo State College; overview of the benefits of a college education, a liberal arts education, and a Buffalo State College education. Includes specific information about offices and procedures at Buffalo State College to facilitate students' registration and matriculation.
Course Revision:
PSY 450 Research Methods in Psychology I: Introduction to Research Methods. Introduction to laboratory and observational investigation in behavioral science. Topics include various approaches to research, the application of statistical techniques, ethics in research, and the interpretation and communication of research findings. Several laboratory experiences and reports are required. Required for psychology majors.
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The following courses have been approved by the College Senate Curriculum Committee and will be forwarded to the president for final review and approval.
New Courses:
FST 485 Seminar in Food Technology
FST 488 Internship
Course Revision:
MAT 581 Mathematics for Teachers: Probability and Statistics
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