Fifth Annual Understanding Community and Peace Conference
We are particularly pleased to announce the fifth annual Buffalo State College Committee for the Study of Understanding Community and Peace Conference on Tuesday, October 24, in Rockwell Hall Auditorium; open registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. This year we have again planned a full day of presentations, panel discussions, and cultural activities in conjunction with United Nations Day, October 24. The theme selected for this year's conference is "Creating a World Culture of Community and Peace: Resources and Awareness in Buffalo and Beyond."

The conference program features morning presentations that focus on a worldview of strategies for peace. This year's highly regarded guest speakers include Stadler M. Trengove, Esq., legal officer, Office of the Legal Council, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations headquarters; Sayyid Syeed, secretary general of the Islamic Society of North America; and Claude E. Welch, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Political Science, University at Buffalo. The Buffalo State Chorale, led by Dean Ekberg, lecturer in the Music Department, will provide a musical interlude composed of peace selections to conclude the morning program.

The afternoon segment will shift its focus to issues and activities directly related to community understanding and peace. The afternoon session will open with a performance by the Folkloric Dance Company and close with the Peace Weavers. Additionally, a video presentation of interviews with Buffalo community youth and adults will be discussed by a panel of representatives from several leading community organizations.

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Buffalo State and Campus West students will read from their award-winning peace essays during morning and afternoon sessions. Opportunities for questions and discussion will be provided at the conclusion of the morning and afternoon sessions.

We wish to invite Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students, other members of the campus community, and citizens of Western New York to join us for what promises to be a truly provocative and inspiring experience. Please encourage your students to attend and participate in Community and Peace Week and the Peace Conference. We also invite faculty to schedule class meetings and accompany students during the program of events.

For further information regarding the Peace Conference, please contact Jean Gounard, director of International Student Affairs, at gounarjf@buffalostate.edu or ext. 5331. For information regarding Community and Peace Week, contact Gary Welborn, associate professor of sociology, at welborgs@buffalostate.edu or ext. 6428.

Also, please check our Web site at www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/csucp.

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Campus Closing on Friday, October 13
We have been notified that the governor did NOT authorize the closing of New York State offices and facilities in the Buffalo area on Friday, October 13. Under New York State policy, only the governor has the authority to close state offices and facilities, even in situations where the chief executive of a county, city, or village has declared a state of emergency.

Unfortunately, this means that employees are required, under state policy, to charge their absence for Friday to accumulated vacation, personal, or overtime compensatory leave accruals.

The State Policy on Closing of State Offices/Directing Early Departures may be found at www.goer.state.ny.us/CNA/policies/tdcemerg.html.

We are working aggressively to achieve a more favorable outcome for our employees. A petition to suspend the time and attendance rules for October 13 is being submitted to the NYS Department of Civil Service. If our campus request is approved, we will reinstate the time charged to employees' leave accruals for that date. We understand that the approval process may take some time, and we will notify employees as soon as we receive a determination on our petition.

Please call Human Resource Management at ext. 3042 if you have questions regarding the leave policies.

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Emergency College Closings
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 the college 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

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University Police also will inform the following:

1. All vice presidents' offices.
2. The college switchboard operator, ext. 4000.
3. The Campbell Student Union Information Desk, ext. 6511.
4. The Residence Life director, ext. 3000.
5. United Students Government Office, ext. 6701.

An early decision to close the college and cancel classes will be relayed to the stations listed above by about 6:00 a.m. For information concerning cancellation of classes, please check the main page of the Buffalo State Web site, www.buffalostate.edu, or 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 workday 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.

1. Vacation, personal, compensatory, or holiday leave.
2. Sick leave, but only in the event of personal or family illness.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. Employees report to regular work locations and perform regular duties, even if their supervisor is absent.
3. If the employee's regular work location is not accessible, the employee 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 Discontinued
As previously announced in March, Winter Pause will be discontinued in 2006.

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.

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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From Institutional Advancement and Development Bulletin announcements from Institutional Advancement and Development will appear under the Finance and Management heading while the unit reports to the vice president for finance and management.

Young Alumnus Achievement Awards Reception
The Buffalo State Alumni Association cordially invites you to attend the Young Alumnus Achievement Awards Reception, on Friday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge of the Campbell Student Union. This prestigious award, recognizing the achievements of graduates of the last 20 years, will be presented to the following individuals for their professional advancement, dedication to the community, and commitment to the college and its mission:

Richard Baumert, '86
Managing Director, Millennium Partners
San Francisco, California

Edward Czechowski, '95, '97
Supervisor, New Product Development Engineering, Cameron Compression Systems
Orchard Park, New York

Beverly Dunn, '92
CEO, Multilink Group Inc.
Brooklyn, New York

Lisa Flynn, '86
News Anchor, WIVB-TV / WNLO-TV
Buffalo, New York

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Russell Griffin, '93
Assistant Vice President of Diversity, MetLife
Warwick, Rhode Island

James Hill, '88
Producer, ABC News
Chicago, Illinois

Amy Pearl, '87
Managing Partner, Performance Management Partners Inc.
Williamsville, New York

Please join us in celebrating the outstanding achievements of our recipients. The cost is $15 per person and includes a champagne toast, hors d'oeuvre and dessert reception, and special memento. For reservations, call the Alumni Affairs Office at ext. 6001 by Friday, October 20.

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College Senate Meeting
The next meeting of the College Senate will be held at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, October 20, in E. H. Butler Library 210. The agenda will be posted on the Senate Web site. Interested faculty and staff are invited to attend.

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