MyUB Focus Groups: Give your opinions and help improve digital resources for UB students

UB wants to hear your opinions and ideas about how to enhance students’ experience with the university’s digital resources, focusing on the MyUB platform, in particular.  Next week we will be conducting focus groups for graduate and professional students to gather your insights, which will directly contribute to future updates to the MyUB platform and help us improve how the university supports students in navigating life inside and outside of the classroom.

Details about the focus groups are below…

  • Monday, September 23, 2-3 p.m. (Conducted by Zoom for In-Person Graduate Students)
  • Tuesday, September 24, 10-11 a.m. (Conducted by Zoom for Online Graduate Students)
  • Tuesday, September 24, 2-3 p.m. (Conducted by Zoom for Professional Students: MD, JD, DDS, PharmD)

To sign up for a focus group, please click here: https://ubgse.formstack.com/forms/myub_focus_group

2024-2025 COAL Programming Grant

Each year COAL releases an application for a programming grant that is a joint collaboration between COAL and Faculty Student Association (FSA) that allows any recognized student government club to apply for a programming grant to create a new program, expand a current program or produce a publication. This is an opportunity for clubs to create a large-scale program that impacts a huge portion of the student body, and it can be a great way to express your club’s creativity. Funding is up to $5,000 for a program or publication.

An important note, if you submit a grant and receive funding, you cannot change what items you proposed that you needed and you also cannot ask for a higher amount if the amount you requested and got approved for does not satisfy the amount for which the program would have cost, so be very mindful in what items you mention.

Reminder: Applications are due on September 27th by 11:59pm so please begin speaking to your E-boards on possible event ideas and ensure that you give yourselves enough time to find product costs and make meetings with your student government president and treasurer to discuss your ideas because they will give the final go-ahead and signature prior to submissions and the overall COAL vote in October.

Please see the COAL Programming Grant guidelines that further establish the rules and information that needs to be provided by submitting clubs/organizations and the Programming Grant Presentation.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the GSA President (gsa-president@buffalo.edu)

**COAL Grant submissions must be submitted to this form link: https://forms.office.com/r/bVLDPdhjaL**

NCFDD Institutional Membership

Dear Colleagues,

We are writing to inform you about UB’s continued institutional membership with the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD). The NCFDD is a nationally recognized, independent organization that provides online career development and mentoring resources for faculty, post-docs, and graduate students. For more information, see UB’s NCFDD webpage.

The NCFDD provides a variety of virtual programs and resources including:

  • Weekly Monday Motivator        
  • Monthly Core Curriculum Webinars
  • Monthly Guest Expert Webinars
  • Access to Multi-Week Courses
  • Access to Dissertation Success Curriculum for graduate students
  • Private Discussion Forum for peer-mentoring, problem-solving, & moderated writing challenges
  • Monthly accountability buddy matches
  • Access to 14-Day Writing Challenges
  • Access to the Member Library that includes past webinar materials, referrals, and readings.

To claim your free Institutional Membership, complete the following steps:

  1. Go to http://www.facultydiversity.org/join
  2. Choose University at Buffalo from the drop-down menu.
  3. Select “Activate my Membership”.
  4. Complete the registration form using your institutional email address (@buffalo.edu).
  5. Go to your UB email to find a confirmation/welcome email. Click “Activate Account” in the email.

If you have questions about the membership, please contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence (vpix@buffalo.edu). If you have any technical questions, please email NCFDD at Membership@FacultyDiversity.org.

Oral Communication Lab hosted by the Center for Excellence in Writing (CEW)

This message is to draw your attention to an important new program hosted by the Center for Excellence in Writing (CEW). In addition to everyday conversation, the Oral Communication Lab provides an opportunity for both undergraduate and graduate students to practice communication skills such as interviewing, networking, and presenting. Although appropriate for the communication needs of international/multilingual students, the program also welcomes domestic students to create cross-cultural communication opportunities for all!

The program runs every Friday from 1 – 5 pm at Capen 128.

The attached flyer includes more information about the OCL program and a registration link. Please feel free to share it with students or help us get the word out to your email listserv!

More details and updates on the Oral Communication Lab program can be found on our website: https://www.buffalo.edu/writing/Students/international/oral-communication-lab.html

Contact writing@buffalo.edu or yueqiuzh@buffalo.edu if you have any questions.

Call for GSA Committee Volunteers

Volunteer Opportunity—gain valuable volunteer experience while helping GSA serve students! GSA now has open positions on our Election Committee, Services Committee, and Finance Committee. For more information on what these committees do, click here. Email us for more information at gsa-treasurer@buffalo.edu (Finance Committee), gsa-vicepresident@buffalo.edu (Election Committee), or gsa-president@buffalo.edu (Services Committee).  All volunteers must be confirmed by the GSA Board of Directors at the September 4th Board meeting.

UB’s new Assembling, Camping and Posting Policy

UB has released drafts of the new AssemblingCamping and Posting policies. These policies explain when people can protest, assemble, and speak on campus. These will remain rough drafts until September 28. After that, the policies will be revised by a committee before they are adopted by the University. GSA’s President, Isaac, will be on that committee. So, if you have any questions or concerns about these new policies, please let me know by emailing gsa-president@buffalo.edu. You can also submit feedback on the University’s website.

GSA Hourly Editor Job Posting: Application Deadline September 3rd

The GSA is currently hiring an Hourly Associate Editor to serve through the end of the current fiscal year (July 31, 2025).  The full description of the position is attached.  If you are interested in this posting, please email the required materials listed to the GSA Vice President, Sarah MacDougall, at gsa-vicepresident@buffalo.edu by Tuesday, September 3rd in order to be considered.  Applicants must be currently enrolled graduate students who have paid their mandatory student activity fee and must be able to serve for the full term of the position.