Harvard University Biologist to Speak
In celebration of the 100th birthday of twentieth-century "big thinker" and evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr, the Biology and Chemistry departments are sponsoring a lecture by Meredith Esther Protas, Harvard University biologist, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, November 18, in Science Building 213.
Mayr was among the scientists who led the conceptual synthesis of Mendelian genetics and Darwinian evolution. Mayr's central argument was that species developed "isolating mechanisms" when they separated, which discouraged interbreeding and allowed the separate groups to become genetically distinct new species. For this work and many other contributions to modern biology, Mayr was awarded the National Medal of Science.
Protas is part of the next generation of scientists who are extending our understanding of Darwinian evolution by studying how genes affect adaptive traits. In her seminar, Protas will introduce evolution and evolutionary studies, and describe her studies on the fascinating story of how blind cave fish lose their eyes and gain in the long run.
This lecture is sponsored by a Merck/American Association for the Advancement of Science grant.
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Information Session on U.S. Student Fulbright Program
Lee Ann Grace, assistant dean for international and exchange programs and Buffalo State's Fulbright program adviser, will conduct an information session from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, November 18, in Bacon Hall 117 on the opportunities for U.S. students to secure fellowships for overseas graduate study or research, or for assistantships to teach English in a number of other countries.
Given the competitiveness of the Fulbright program, students are advised to begin working on proposals a year in advance. Thus, this session is particularly aimed at students who will be eligible to apply in October 2005 for the 2006–2007 academic year (i.e., those receiving bachelor's degrees in December 2004 or May 2005 or currently enrolled in graduate programs).
Faculty are welcome and are asked to encourage promising students to attend.
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Individual Development Awards
The State of New York/United University Professions Joint Labor-Management Committees have announced the allocation of funds for Individual Development Awards for September 1, 2003–June 30, 2005. This program is intended to assist employees in the UUP bargaining unit in developing their full professional potential and in preparing for advancement by funding professional development activities. The maximum award is $1,000 ($5,000 when salary for a replacement is required). Applications from those who have not been funded previously are encouraged.
The total amount to be distributed at Buffalo State is $43,335 for the two years.
The Individual Development Award Committee will review applications, taking into consideration whether proposed activities will enable applicants to meet one or more of the criteria (a–e) specified in Article XII, Title A, B, or C, of the Policies of the Board of Trustees concerning employees' evaluation and promotion.
An employee may submit only one application for each year.
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Award Period
The award period covers professional development activities commenced on or after September 1, 2003, and completed on or before June 30, 2005.
Eligibility Requirements
Full-time employees must be in the UUP bargaining unit at the time of the award and during the dates of the proposed project. Full-time employees who accrue annual leave will not be required to charge credits for any activities funded by Individual Development Awards.
Part-time employees who meet the eligibility requirements for 26-week coverage for health benefits will have the same eligibility for Individual Development Awards. Part-time employees who are eligible for health benefits during the summer also are eligible for funding for activities that occur during the summer, whether or not they are on the payroll.
The Individual Development Award Committee will give preference for a minimum of 15 percent of the available funds to employees holding part-time appointments at the time of their activity if sufficient applications are received. Part-time employees who accrue annual leave will not be required to charge credits for any activities funded by Individual Development Awards.
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Types of Projects or Activities
Projects or activities must fall within the following categories:
- Basic, applied, or historical research.
- Curricular or instructional material development.
- Workshop, seminar, internship, or coursework not covered by Contract Article 46 or SUNY tuition waiver.
- Conference participation or attendance.
- Preparation of material for publication.
- Grant-proposal development.
- Professional reading or independent study.
- Other work-related professional development projects or activities.
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Types of Support
- Registration fee(s) for conferences or workshops.
- Consumable supplies (paper, pens, postage, etc.).
- Nonconsumable supplies, e.g., books, software, etc. (Any nonconsumable supplies purchased with Individual Development Award funds become the property of the State of New York/State University of New York.)
- Travel and related expenses (includes lodging and meals).
- Research support (e.g., computer time, network access or support, clerical support).
- Equipment lease or purchase. (Any equipment purchased with Individual Development Award funds becomes the property of the State of New York/State University of New York.)
- Tuition and course-related supplies. The maximum allowance for tuition is the SUNY rate at the time of application (currently $181 per undergraduate credit or $288 per graduate credit).
- Salary for a replacement (up to $4,000, not to exceed the recipient's salary).
All funding requests must conform to the State Comptroller's Rules and Regulations and limitations contained therein. Specific questions about travel and other reimbursement information should be addressed to the Accounting Office, Cleveland Hall 414. Additional justification for specific items may be requested.
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Funding Priorities
- Faculty or staff presenting research papers, posters, or juried exhibitions.
- Faculty in fields with rapidly changing technology attending workshops/conferences to keep skills current.
- Job-related skill enhancement workshops or training institutes.
- Continuing education related to job responsibilities.
- Proportional distribution between faculty, professionals, and librarians.
Application Procedure
Applications must be received by the Individual Development Award Committee, in care of the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Cleveland Hall 415, by 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 7, 2005. Applications and guidelines are available at www.buffalostate.edu/offices/hr/ida.asp or in the Equity and Campus Diversity Office. The committee strongly encourages the electronic submission of applications to dalydf@buffalostate.edu. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Deborah Daly at ext. 6210.
Along with the completed application, applicants must submit the following:
- A current curriculum vitae.
- An official job description (professional staff).
- A list of any other grant support for the project or activity, including the amount of such support.
- A brochure, announcement, or other relevant material describing the program and costs. (If material is not yet available, send as soon as possible.)
- If presenting, a notification of acceptance or invitation. (If notification is not yet available, send as soon as possible. Funding is contingent upon notification of acceptance.)
- Any other supporting documentation.
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Notification of Awards
Applicants will be notified of award decisions by Friday, February 25, 2005.
Reimbursement Procedure
Reimbursement of actual expenditures will be handled through the Accounting Office, Cleveland Hall 414, and must comply with the State Comptroller's Rules and Regulations and limitations contained therein. Questions regarding rates of reimbursement should be directed to the Accounting Office.
Award recipients must submit New York State vouchers and original receipts within 30 days of the completion of the project or activity, or within 30 days of award notification if the funded project or activity has already been completed. Award recipients who are unable to complete a project as planned must notify the Individual Development Award Committee as soon as possible. Failure to notify the committee may result in the applicant's ineligibility for future awards. Vouchers and receipts not submitted in a timely manner will result in forfeiture of entitlement to reimbursement.
All funds must be spent by Thursday, June 30, 2005.
Individual Development Award Committee
Individual Development Award Committee members are Alex Ratkowski, Barbara Vaughan, and Gwendolyn Veira representing UUP, and Susan Earshen, Lawrence Flood, and Kris Kaufman representing management.
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Software Installation Policy
Computing and Technology Services will install software in labs and on other machines provided the software is appropriately licensed. It is the policy of the college to install software only on those computers for which the software is properly licensed. It is the responsibility of the department chair or the department lab coordinator to provide Computing and Technology Services with a copy of a valid software license with the media to be installed in a department lab. Any previously installed software for which an appropriate license cannot be verified is subject to removal.
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Guidelines for Maintaining the Security, Confidentiality, and Integrity of Customer Information
In compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the rules promulgated therein by the Federal Trade Commission, Buffalo State College requires that all employees receive the following guidelines to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer records and information:
Control access to rooms and file cabinets where paper records are kept:
- All doors to office areas must be locked during nonbusiness hours.
- Work areas where customer information is processed must be behind locked doors or otherwise secured during business hours.
- Guests should be escorted in areas where customer information is being processed.
- Guests should be restricted to areas that do not have customer information in plain view. Conversely, customer information should be kept out of areas accessible to students and the public.
- File cabinets used to store customer information must be secured in locked areas.
- The fireproof cabinets used to store promissory notes must be locked during nonbusiness hours.
- Records containing customer information are to be retained only as long as they are valid, useful, and required to be retained. When no longer needed, paper, microfilm, and microfiche records must be destroyed by shredding. Electronic records must be destroyed according to current guidelines available from Computing and Technology Services. Retention guidelines are available at the Campus Services and Facilities Office.
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Control access to information stored electronically:
- Work stations should be behind locked doors or otherwise secured.
- "Minimize" any windows not in use to prevent inadvertent breaches.
- Employees are encouraged to password protect their workstations when not in use.
- Employees should use strong passwords for all systems (at least eight characters, alphanumeric).
- Employees should change their passwords every 60 days or less.
- Employees must not post passwords on or near their computers.
- Access to student and employee records systems will be granted only to those employees whose job duties require them to access customer information.
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Protect our customers' information:
- Employees should respond to requests for customer information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA questions or potential violations should be referred to the Registrar's Office.
- Employees should refer to the appropriate security policies as needed to ensure compliance.
- Employees must report any fraudulent attempt to obtain customer information to management, who should then report the attempt to the Vice President for Finance and Management's Office.
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2004 SEFA Campaign
The 2004 Buffalo State SEFA/United Way Campaign raised more than $154,000 to date, exceeding its goal of $144,200. Thank you to all the faculty, staff, and emeriti faculty and staff whose generosity made this year's campaign a success. Thank you also to the many faculty and staff who volunteered their time and made success possible.
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Health Insurance Rates and Option Transfer Period
Health insurance rates for 2005 have been established and are listed below:
| HEALTH PLAN |
CSEA, UUP, M/C,
PEF, Council 82 |
NYSCOPBA |
| |
Individual |
Family |
Individual |
Family |
| Empire Plan |
$19.11 |
$78.24 |
$20.08 |
$81.68 |
| Community Blue |
$14.33 |
$84.61 |
$14.33 |
$81.53 |
| Independent Health |
$12.80 |
$68.33 |
$12.80 |
$68.33 |
| Univera |
$12.27 |
$66.59 |
$12.27 |
$66.59 |
Employees who wish to change health insurance plans for the coming year have until Friday, December 17. 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, Thursday, December 30.
"Choices," a summary and comparison of health insurance plans, is expected to arrive on campus Wednesday, November 17. Employees may wish to review this booklet before making decisions about health insurance for 2005. For a copy of the booklet, please contact Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 or kravitll@buffalostate.edu.
Please call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 with questions or for option transfer forms.
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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, December 2, in E. H. Butler Library 210 to answer questions about health insurance plans and changes in coverage for 2005.
Staff members from the employee benefits division of Buffalo State's Human Resource Management Office also will be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage.
Learn how to maximize dental and vision care benefits from representatives of the CSEA and UUP Benefit Trust Funds. Obtain information about the Employee Assistance Program and meet EAP volunteers. And learn more about LifeWorks, the NYS resource and referral program.
Call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 with questions.
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Beyond the Numbers: Enhancing Campus Diversity through Curriculum Reform—Follow-Up
The President's Council on Equity and Campus Diversity thanks the more than 90 faculty, staff, and students from Buffalo State who joined more than 100 colleagues from across the state for this conference, held October 15. A special thank you to the conference committee; Stephen Chris, senior counselor, Counseling Center; Linda Gleckel, assistant to the dean, Faculty of Applied Science and Education; Deborah Daly, administrative assistant, Equity and Campus Diversity; and the McNair Scholars Program for volunteer support.
As suggested by the more than 200 people who attended the conference, the council is planning a series of follow-up activities, retreats, and workshops to be held during the spring semester. Please plan to continue the dialog started during the conference.
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Veterans Day
There will be no classes on Thursday, November 11, as we pay special tribute to those who have served in the armed forces. At Buffalo State, we are proud to recognize the faculty, staff, and students who have served or are serving at home and abroad to protect our freedoms.
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Students' Award for the Promotion of Respect for Diversity and Individual Differences
The President's Council on Equity and Campus Diversity seeks nominations from students of faculty, librarians, and professional staff who have embraced the college's core value of respect for diversity and individual differences. The individuals nominated will be recognized for steps they have taken to increase students' awareness of diversity and pluralism in the United States and/or have explored prejudice, bigotry, and stereotyping in an academic classroom or out-of-classroom forum or experience.
Nomination forms may be obtained at www.buffalostate.edu/equity/documents/Nominationform.doc.
Nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 11, 2005. Those selected to receive the award and their nominators will be recognized at a special program on Tuesday, April 12, 2005, during Bengal Pause.
Please contact Michelle Douglas, assistant director of equity and campus diversity, at ext. 6235 or douglamb@buffalostate.edu with questions.
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College Senate Meeting
The next College Senate meeting will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, November 12, in E. H. Butler Library 210.
Curricular Item
The following has been received in the College Senate Office and will be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for approval:
New Course:
CSP 670 The College Student Movement 1955–1975. Overview of the history and linkages between the American student, civil, and human rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s. This pedagogical perspective can be applied to American history, educational history, rhetorical studies, American higher education, women's studies, African American and Latino studies, and other areas concerned with the social sciences and the humanities.
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