Appointment: Vice President and Chief Information Officer
I am pleased to announce that Voldemar Innus has accepted the position of vice president and chief information officer at Buffalo State College effective March 23, 2006. Mr. Innus comes to Buffalo State from his position as vice president and CIO at the University at Buffalo, where he was responsible for overseeing the integrated planning and implementation of information technology. He joined the UB staff in 1971 after graduating from the university with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He earned an M.B.A. from UB in 1975. He has held numerous fiscal and other administrative positions at the university, and has served as CIO since 1996.

Curricular Approvals
I have approved the following curricular items, which have been recommended by the appropriate dean, the College Senate, and the provost and vice president for academic affairs:

Intellectual Foundations Designations:

DIVERSITY
HIS/SST/SSE 363 American Identity in Transition: Diversity and Pluralism in the U.S.

WORLD CIVILIZATIONS (OTHER)
HIS 338 Modern History of China
HIS 373 Vietnam and the Vietnam War

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Winter Pause Discontinued
A review of our 2005–2006 "Winter Pause" experience revealed the following:

• Although it is a relatively quiet time, there is a need to maintain services for students, prospective students, and the college community.
• An increasing number of employees are choosing to work during Winter Pause, and most buildings must, therefore, remain open.
• We are not achieving any real savings in energy costs, which was the reason Winter Pause was instituted.

Therefore, it has been determined that the formal Winter Pause will be discontinued in 2006. Individual employees may, of course, request vacation and personal leave, and supervisors and department heads may approve requests as long as there is adequate staffing to allow the department to remain open and provide services. Deans and other unit heads will establish plans for provision of service during the period. Supervisors are encouraged to be as flexible as possible in granting leave requests during the holiday week.

The college will be closed on the Christmas holiday, Monday, December 25, 2006, and the New Year's holiday, Monday, January 1, 2007. Departments may remain closed on Tuesday, December 26, 2006, if employees wish to use vacation time on that day.

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Senate Vacancies: Call for Nominations March 10–April 4
Three at-large Senate positions will become vacant on September 1. A call for nominations and information about candidates' statements can be found at www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/senate. The call for nominations will begin on March 10 and continue through April 4. Elections will begin on April 5 and continue through April 19.

Full- and part-time faculty, professional staff, and faculty librarians whose total service in the College Senate would not exceed six consecutive years by the end of this term (September 2006–August 2009) are eligible to run for office. Nominees are asked to provide a short statement about their interest in serving as an at-large senator and post their statements on the Senate electronic voting site. Details are provided on the Senate Web site.

If you are interested in being a candidate, please contact Judy Janus at ext. 5139 or janusjl@buffalostate.edu. The College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee looks forward to your participation in the vital process of campus governance.

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Curricular Items
The following have been received in the College Senate Office and forwarded to the Senate Curriculum Committee for review and approval:

New Program:
M.S. Environmental and Watershed Sciences

Program Revisions:
B.A. Public Relations and Advertising (0703) (formerly Public Communication)
B.A. Communication Studies (0706) (formerly Communication)
B.A. Media Production (0707) (formerly Broadcasting)
B.A. Journalism (0708)
B.A. Chemistry (0726)

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New Courses:
COM 348 Electronic News III: Advanced Reporting. Advanced techniques of news reporting for electronic media in non-studio locations; practice in reporting, writing, and news presentation under deadline pressure.

COM 391 Special Topics in Public Relations. Study, research, and analysis about a particular venue (such as entertainment public relations) or a particular application (such as crisis communication or fund-raising); may be repeated with a different topic.

COM 392 Public Relations in Sport. Sports public relations and its role in intercollegiate and professional athletics; process and practice of sports information and media relations; topics include writing formats, publications, crisis management, game management, current events, law, and ethics.

COM 431 Advanced Video Production. Capstone experience in producing a continuing video program for on-campus/off-campus viewing; students specialize in a specific area of video production.

FRE 304 Introduction to Reading Literature. Introduction to the reading of French literature. Systematic reading and analysis of various genres. Selections from prose, poetry, and drama of various authors from the Middle Ages to the present.

SCI 125 Introduction to College Science and Mathematics. Six-week residential program in which high school students are initiated into a college-level learning community. Introduces scientific inquiry in the context of three college-level disciplines: aquatic ecology, physics, and mathematics. Data collection and presentation, scientific writing, and research techniques.

SPC 311 Intercultural Communication. Examination of theory and practice of intercultural communication; exploration of ways to bridge differences based on culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, and other potential social barriers.

THA 329 Acting IV: Solo Show. Advanced acting course. Introduction to and participation in the process of creating and performing a solo show. Students apply and integrate previous theater training by exploring creative writing processes including basic principles and research involved in the development, rehearsal, and performance of a 10-minute solo script.

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Course Revisions:
COM 210 Introduction to Media Writing. Practice in organizing and writing for print and digital media; introduction to news, feature, and advocacy writing; application to journalism, public relations, and advertising.

COM 215 Introduction to Visual Communication. Analysis of production and consumption of visual information; exploration of the role of images in the communication process; application to journalism, broadcasting, public relations, advertising, and digital media.

COM 301 Principles of Public Relations and Advertising. Principles of strategic integrated communication (public relations and advertising); based on model of formative research, strategy, tactics, evaluation; exploration of public relations and advertising via theoretical base, ethical principles, social responsibilities, functions, and professional aspects.

COM 308 Public Relations Writing. Intensive practice in writing for all types of public relations situations; focus on writing for both news media and organizational media for purposes of both information and advocacy.

COM 322 Communication Graphics (formerly COM 322 Communication Graphics and Desktop Publishing). Theory and practice of information design for organizational and mass media; application for print, digital, and other communication media.

COM 401 Applied Communication Research (formerly COM 401 Communication Theory and Research). Applied research techniques in communication fields; students do original research using content analysis, focus groups, and/or surveys.

COM 407 Organizational Communication (formerly JBS 407). Theory and practice of communication within task-oriented organizations; focus on the interaction of structure, behavior, and message; role of communication in organizational change.

COM 408 Case Studies in Public Relations. Exploration of various genres of public relations; application of strategic principles, techniques, and programs to real-life organizational problems and opportunities.

COM 418 Campaigns in Public Relations and Advertising. Capstone experience in strategic integrated communication based on public relations and advertising; experience in developing campaigns for actual clients, with focus on formative research, strategy, tactics, and evaluation, as well as client presentation.

COM 450W Communication and Society. Role of communication in society; exploration of contemporary issues in mass media and related disciplines; focus on ethical responsibilities of communication professionals.

COM 488 Internship. Supervised field experience in a professional setting for students who have completed extensive academic preparation in the discipline. Fifty hours of field work per credit.

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FRE 306 Literature and Culture of France from Prehistory to the Renaissance. Survey of the literature of France from prehistory to the Renaissance and its relationship to French history and culture.

FRE 307 Literature and Culture of France from Renaissance to Revolution. Survey of literature of France in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries and its relationship to French history and culture.

FRE 308 Literature and Culture of France in the Nineteenth Century. Survey of literature of France in the nineteenth century and its relationship to French history and culture.

HON 100 Honors Foundation of Inquiry. Introduction to the Intellectual Foundations program for honors students, focused on critical and creative thinking and research skills applied to interdisciplinary topics. Identification, analysis, and evaluation of arguments' elements, form, strength, and validity. Emphasis on critical reading, argument construction, intellectual curiosity, fair-mindedness, and exploration of beliefs and values.

MUS 161 Class Piano I. Meant primarily for music majors who need to improve their ability at the piano. Student receives classroom instruction in piano in a lab format. Each student sits at his or her own MIDI-linked keyboard equipped with headset. Skills include technique, white-key scales, major and minor triad inversions, sight reading, melody harmonization, and performing varied repertoire.

MUS 162 Class Piano II. Continuation of level 1, meant primarily for music majors who need to improve their ability at the piano. Student receives classroom instruction in piano in a lab format. Each student sits at his or her own MIDI-linked keyboard equipped with headset. Skills include technique, white- and black-key scales, triad and dominant-seventh chord inversions with both hands, sight reading, melody harmonization, and performing varied repertoire.

MUS 261 Class Piano III. Meant primarily for music education majors preparing for the Piano Proficiency Exam. Student receives classroom instruction in piano in a lab format. Each student sits at his or her own MIDI-linked keyboard equipped with headset. Skills include two-part open score reading, technique, all scales in two octaves, melody harmonization with one and two hands, accompanying, and performing various repertoire.

MUS 362 Class Piano IV. Continuation of level 3, meant primarily for music education majors preparing for the Piano Proficiency Exam. Student receives classroom instruction in piano in a lab format. Each student sits at his or her own MIDI-linked keyboard equipped with headset. Skills include three- and four-part open score reading, all major and minor scales, technique, melody harmonization with one and two hands, accompanying, and performing various repertoire.

SPC 205 Introduction to Oral Communication (formerly COM 205). Basics of oral communication; examining the principles and contexts of communication; focus on the communication process, interviewing, public discussion, group problem solving, public speaking, and criticism of public messages.

SPC 306 Public Speaking (formerly COM 306). Organization, delivery, and evaluation of public speech from a performance and analytical framework for professional, social, public, and small-group situations.

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SPC 307 Group Communication (formerly COM 307 Communication and Group Processes). Interdisciplinary approach to examination of theoretical and practical dimensions of communication in small-group decision-making and problem-solving situations.

SPC 309 Persuasion and Propaganda (formerly COM 309 Persuasion). Theory and practice of persuasion in various media contexts; analysis of social implications, ethical base, and impact of persuasive messages; analysis of contemporary propaganda in media contexts.

SPC 321 Rhetorical Criticism (formerly COM 321). Critical analysis of persuasive messages and strategies used by public persuaders; focus on social/political speeches, commercial advertising, music lyrics, and other forms of purposeful communication.

SPC 333 Minorities and the Media (formerly COM 333 Minority Voices in the Media). Critical analysis of media representation of traditionally underrepresented groups (such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Arabs and Muslims, and/or gays and lesbians).

SPC 422 Media Criticism (formerly JBS 422 Mass Media Criticism). Critical analysis of mass media, including print, broadcast, and digital; application to news, documentaries, entertainment programming, and advertising; focus on social, cultural, and political impact of media messages from a rhetorical perspective.

SPC 424 Special Topics in Media Criticism (formerly JBS 424, Media Criticism and the Vietnam War). Critical analysis of mass media, including print, broadcast, and digital; focus on the role of media in a particular context (such as electoral politics or war).

THA 200 Voice I. Introduction to basic voice and speech practice. Students begin to develop skills and knowledge associated with freeing their natural voice and extending their vocal range and physical capacity for sound, and develop awareness of the potential for articulate, precise, and expansive vocal and physical presence.

THA 222 Movement I. Introduction to basic movement for actors. Students begin to develop skills and knowledge associated with organic physical practice and the range and physical capacity of the moving body, and develop awareness of the potential for precise and expansive actor presence.

THA 300 Voice and Movement II. Intermediate voice and movement course for actors. Begins to integrate previously learned voice and movement vocabularies. Students strengthen skills and knowledge associated with articulate, precise, and expansive vocal and physical presence.

UNC 100 Mastering the Academic Environment (formerly EDU 207). Strategies and skills for academic success at Buffalo State. Overview of the structure and benefits of a liberal arts education. Introduction to critical thinking. Application of critical thinking skills to various dimensions of college life to develop skills and increase likelihood of success.

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New Courses and Intellectual Foundations Designations:

HUMANITIES
FRE 131 French Literature in Translation. Selected masterpieces of French literature in translation, including novels, poetry, plays, and essays. Works presented in chronological order so as to expose students to many literary movements and periods.

MCL 189 Studies in International Cinema. Taught in English. Variable topics course on cinema of several foreign cultures. Emphasis on using films to develop critical thinking skills and creative thought.

MCL 189 Studies in International Literature. Taught in English. Variable topics course on literature originally written in a language other than English, focusing on an author, genre, or theme. Emphasis on using the literature to develop critical thinking skills and creative thought.

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Course Revisions and Intellectual Foundations Designations:

ARTS
DAN 200 Beginning Modern Technique. Basic tenets and fundamental principles of modern dance. Students develop an understanding of the dancer as the interpretive artist through technical dance instruction, historical introduction and significance, and aesthetic discovery. Students attend live dance performance.

DAN 220 Beginning Ballet. Intensive introduction to the basic principles of classical ballet. Students develop an understanding of classical dance through the instruction of basic ballet technique, a codified terminology, and the influential aesthetic and historical foundations. Students attend live dance performance.

DAN 224 Dance Appreciation. Survey course examining the cultural and aesthetic values of ethnic, social, and concert dance; the significance of dance for ceremony, ritual, commercial entertainment, and artistic expression. Students attend live dance performance.

DES 114 Workshop in Crafts. Hands-on creative studio experience in ceramics, fibers, metals/jewelry, or wood/furniture design. Non-art majors only.

FAR 101 Drawing I. Fundamentals of drawing based primarily on the study and representation of objects and nature forms, with problems of analysis, composition, and structure in various media. Includes both lecture and studio experiences.

THA 106 Introduction to Theatre. Introduction to the art of theater from the process of creating to the elements of production, history, genres, and styles of the art form. Attendance at live theater performance is required.

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HUMANITIES
COM 100 Media Literacy. Role of mass media in the lives of individuals and society; exploration of development, structure, and technology of media, as well as social, economic, ethical, and related issues; focus on roles of both consumers and producers of media.

ENG 211 Survey of British Literature 2: Special Topics. A study of selected topics, themes, and authors in British literature from 1700 to 1900.

SPC 103 Introduction to Human Communication (formerly COM 103). Exploration of communication as the basis for personal and social interaction; focus on roles of both consumers and producers of messages; investigation of various modes of communication.

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SOCIAL SCIENCE
HON 202 Social Science Seminar. Interdisciplinary introduction to the social sciences for honors students. Focus on central ideas, epistemology, major issues, and significant works in and among the disciplines of the social sciences. Emphasis on critical thinking and the uses and abuses of evidence in the social sciences.

WESTERN CIVILIZATION
PHI 310 History of Ethics. Historical study of the writings of great Western philosophers as they examine ethical questions about self-interest, freedom, duty, and happiness in regard to the moral life. Includes Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, and Hume.

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Intellectual Foundations Designations:

ARTS
AED 100 Essentials of Visual Arts

DIVERSITY
ATS 325 Art and Special Needs
HIS 302 Women in American History
HIS 322 African American History
SOC 310 Sociology of Gender and Sex Roles
SOC 312 Women in Society
SOC/AAS 321 The African American Family
SOC 333 Sociology of Social Movements
SOC 350 Power, Class, and Inequality
SOC 351 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

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HUMANITIES
FRE 101 Beginning French I
FRE 102 Beginning French II

SOCIAL SCIENCE AND DIVERSITY
SOC 240 Analyzing Social Problems

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
GEG/GES 241 Meteorology
HIS 332 Technology and U.S. History

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