Blue & Gold Today

Check out the latest news from Alfred State!

Students attend General Contractors of American Convention

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Contact Paul Welker - welkerpm@alfredstate.edu if you have a story idea!

If you are posting pictures on your social media make sure to tag @AlfredState or ask us to collaborate with your posts!

The Marketing Communications Office is excited to let the college community know about new videos that have been developed and are available to faculty and staff to help in recruitment of future Pioneers.

Check them out on our YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/@AlfredStateCollege

Five of the latest video releases:
Relay for Life 2025
Living on Campus: Shults Hall
Pioneer PROfile - Lillian Haley
Car Share Program Opens at Alfred State
Living On Campus: Peet Hall

This is a friendly reminder that annual compliance trainings are due by April 25. If you have not yet finished your training, please ensure it is completed before the due date.

To begin your training, please follow the steps below:

Access Your Trainings:

• Visit Alfred State BizLibrary
• Username: Your Alfred State email address (e.g., smithee@alfredstate.edu)
• Password: 
  • If you completed your trainings last year, use the password you set at that time.
  • If you've forgotten your password, simply click on "forgot password" on the login page.
  • For first-time BizLibrary users, your password is: Trainings1!
  • You'll be prompted to change your password upon login, so please remember it for future use.

Once you're logged in, you'll see "Big Blue" the Ox on the left side of your screen. Simply click on Big Blue to begin. To ensure compliance with state mandates, all Alfred State employees must complete all trainings by April 25, 2025.

Please note that if you log into BizLibrary and do not see Big Blue, you have likely already completed your annual compliance trainings. 

If you have any questions regarding annual trainings, please contact Human Resources at hr@alfredstate.edu or 607-587-4025. 

Please be aware the email portion of the Marketing Print Project Request system is currently down. If you submit a marketing request, the information will still go through, but you will not get an email confirmation. Tech Services is aware of this issue and working on a resolution. 

In the meantime, PAMS staff will reach out to you directly to confirm your orders. 

If you have questions about the status of a project, please contact Lynn White at x4229 or WhiteLB@alfredstate.edu 

Our TIAA Retirement Program Consultant Ed Haspett will be conducting one-on-one counseling sessions on the Alfred Campus on Monday, May 12th, from 10:00 to 4:00. No matter where you are in life—just getting started or planning for retirement—a session with Ed can help you create a plan for your goals.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT with Ed please call TIAA at 800-732-8353, or go to the TIAA Website.  The TIAA scheduling site requires a few clicks.  Be sure you select the location of State University of NY, Residency is NY, click a reason to meet, and then meet at my employer’s site.  Meetings will be held in the HR Conference Room in Huntington.

It's that time again! Come join us for our DRIVE-THRU DINNER on Wednesday, April 30th, from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM (or until sold out).

The menu features a BBQ Trio!

Enjoy baby back ribs, our house-made smoked sausage, and pulled pork, served with mac and cheese, corn on the cob, and an M&M blondie for dessert. 

$15.00 - CASH ONLY

There will also be a bake sale table set up with cookies, brownies, and pies. CASH ONLY

For campus employees feeling anxiety about the stock market and your retirement savings, now would be an excellent time to pick up the phone to speak with one of our approved SUNY-focused Financial Counselors and Advisers.

Many Americans are anxious right now due to the rollout of new U.S. tariffs this past week. With heightened market volatility, investors are worried about their retirement accounts (i.e., SUNY ORP and/or 403b/457b) and some are trying to time the market or pulling their investments.  While SUNY HR Benefit’s office are not able to offer investment guidance, we want to encourage thoughtful movement of funds, not rash decision making in volatile times.

Remember, everyone who is a SUNY employee can call one of our advisers from TIAA, Voya, Fidelity, or Corebridge. They can offer a variety of services that include general counseling conversations to deep dive reviews of specific accounts. 

The SUNY ORP and Voluntary 403(b) Savings Plan currently offers employees a choice of four different Investment Providers-Corebridge, TIAA, Voya & Fidelity.   These various providers have different representatives throughout the SUNY campuses and are listed per the following SUNY System Administration HR Benefits link:

https://www.suny.edu/benefits/vsp/403bproviders/

 The NYSDCP-457b is an additional voluntary saving plan that NYS/SUNY offers to NYS employees: 

https://www.nysdcp.com/rsc-preauth/contact/meet-your-account-executives/

https://www.nysdcp.com/rsc-preauth/contact/

There will be temporary traffic disruptions on Monday, 4/14, and Tuesday, 4/15, on Lower College Drive near AgSci to allow for a crane to be mobilized to the site. A flagger will be present these two days to route traffic through one open lane. Drivers on this section of the loop road may encounter short delays. Thank you for your understanding. 

Program Exit (PSLO) Surveys have been sent to students who are expected to graduate from those departments/programs that participate in this college-wide assessment activity*. These surveys ask students how well they think their programs prepared them to succeed in each of the expected student learning outcomes.  These surveys are the main indirect assessment activity that most programs use and they are very important to our academic assessment plan.

Surveys opened on April 15 and will run through mid-May to give graduating students ample time to complete the survey.  Students received an email to their Alfred State email address from Bridget Jacobs, Alfred State College-Surveys at Surveys@alfredstate.edu, and many of them will also see a pop-up box in myLearning encouraging them to "Please Complete Your Course Evaluations and Surveys".  Students graduating from multiple programs, or those in programs administering more than one version of the exit survey received multiple surveys based on their program(s).

To maintain high response rates, please encourage students to access and complete the survey. Students should look for an email from Bridget Jacobs, Alfred State College - Surveys. Most of the surveys can be accessed from MyLearning as well. It only takes a minute to complete and will help us assess and improve student learning! Responses are anonymous and student names will not appear anywhere on the survey. 

If you have any questions or your students have any difficulty accessing the survey, contact Bridget Jacobs, Director of Assessment, Accreditation and Program Planning at jacobsbm@alfredstate.edu. Thank you very much for your participation and for helping ensure that Alfred State graduates "hit the ground running!"

*IACBE-accredited programs in the Business Department do not participate in this survey.

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We’re currently in the process of building a strong and dynamic team of student ambassadors for the Alfred State Admissions Office—and we’d love your input.

If you know any students who stand out as charismatic, hardworking, loyal, and passionate about Alfred State, please consider sending their names my way. We’re looking for individuals who not only represent the spirit of A-State but who can also confidently and authentically share that enthusiasm with prospective students and their families. As part of the Student Ambassador Program, students can serve as either Student Tour Guides or Student Callers.

Ideal candidates should be dependable, personable, and proud to be part of the Alfred State community. Your insight and recommendations will be incredibly valuable in helping us identify students who embody these qualities.

Please feel free to email me directly with your suggestions (padlom@alfredstate.edu). Thank you in advance for your support in helping us build an exceptional team!

Best regards,
Mike Padlo

Help our students kick off finals week by serving them Midnight Breakfast and sending them well wishes on Sunday, May 4 from 10PM-12AM in the Terrace, CDH. 

Our continued revival of Midnight Breakfast has been a huge success, with over 300 students in attendance each semester! In order to keep that energy and make it special for the students, ACES & Student Engagement need YOUR help. This is also a perfect opportunity to connect with our students outside of the classroom and office. Volunteer to serve breakfast and mingle by submitting this form by Friday, May 2. This breakfast is meant to help our students relax from the stress of their finals!

Made It to May – Employee Happy Hour 
Let’s raise a glass to YOU!

Faculty and staff are invited to celebrate the end of another incredible academic year. You’ve worked hard, supported students, and made a real impact — now it’s time to take a moment to reflect, relax, and enjoy each other’s company.

Date: Friday, May 2nd
Time: 3:00pm
Location: Courtyard in front of EJ Brown 

Come enjoy:
Two complimentary drinks (beer & wine)
Light snacks
Live music to set the vibe
Great conversation with amazing colleagues

You made it to May — and that’s worth celebrating!

The Office of Student Engagement will be selling Hot Dog Day T-Shirts this week in the Student Leadership Center in front of SLC 204 during the times listed below. The cost of the shirts is $20 (cash only) and it all goes to the local charities that Hot Dog Day supports! We will also be selling them the day of Spring Carnival, 4/26, from 1-5 p.m. in SLC lot #3. 

Monday 4/14 | 12-2 p.m. 

Tuesday 4/15 | 4-6 p.m. 

Wednesday 4/16 | 12-2 p.m. 

Thursday 4/17| 4-6 p.m. 

Friday 4/18| 12-2 p.m. 

Planning to take summer courses? If you’re interested in using financial aid to pay for summer classes, complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA and the Summer Aid Application. Once your application is reviewed, your eligibility details will be sent to your ASC email.

How to Apply for Summer Aid:

Step 1: Complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA at StudentAid.gov.

Step 2: Go to my.AlfredState.edu/finances and select “Submit Financial Aid Forms (Verification)” to access Alfred State Student Forms.

• First-time user? You may need to set up your account before proceeding.
• Once your account is set up, click “Manage Request” at the top of the page and select “Summer Aid Application.”
• Important: The Summer Aid Application will not be an available option unless you have completed the 2025-2026 FAFSA. 

Need more details? View the Summer Aid Application Instructions 

Check your summer bill at my.AlfredState.edu/finances and ensure your balance is paid by the due date to avoid any issues. 

For questions, contact the Student Records and Financial Services Office.

The senior vet tech students have been hard at work researching animal diseases that don't have a treatment and theorizing a new drug for them. They will be presenting their work at a poster fair on Friday April 18 from 9:30-10:50am in the SLC Small Events Space. Visitors to the poster fair will have the opportunity to act as investors and "fund" the projects they like best. Come check out all their hard work!

The Office of Student Engagement has planned a week full of events to kick off and celebrate the week of Hot Dog Day with friends, peers, and staff! Come enjoy the beautiful spring weather and sunshine with the following events:

1. Event Name: ASC Kickball Tournament
Date: April 21
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Location: Pioneer Stadium
Sign Up here!

2. Event Name: Cornhole Tournament
Date: April 22
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location: Pioneer Center Parking lot
Students sign up on Pioneer Link!

3. Event Name: Student v. Staff Softball
Date: April 23
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Softball Field
● Students sign up on Pioneer Link!
● Faculty/Staff sign up here!

4. Event Name: Glow n’ Dark Volleyball & Bonfire
Date: April 24
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Location: MacKenzie Quad

5. Event Name: UJIMA Fashion Show
Date: April 25
Time: 8-10 p.m.
Location: SLC 310

6. Event Name: Spring Carnival
Date: April 26
Time: 1-5 p.m.
Location: SLC Lot #3

7. Event Name: Movie Night
Date: April 26
Time: 8-10 p.m.
Location: SLC 310

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Calsey Bump, at bumpce@alfredstate.edu 

Monday, April 14, 12 to 1 pm: CITE Workshop on SoTL - What, why and how.

If you have been experimenting with teaching strategies in your courses, then you HAVE been engaging in action research. This workshop session will show you how you can easily transform your classroom experiments into Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and get published.
Where: EJ 104 or via Teams. 

Presenter: Deepa Deshpande

Wednesday, April 16, 12 to 1 pm: CITE Roundtable on AI-infused assignments 

Twelve ASC faculty members and their students are currently participating in an IITG grant-funded research study, to systematically develop and test AI-infused assignments. We invite you to participate in this roundtable conversation and interact with four faculty participants of this grant, to learn how they are implementing these assignments.   

Where: Library and Teams

Presenters: Jessica Hutchison, Angela Graves, Maryam Tabatabaei, Reza Yadollahi

If you are a resident of Allegany County, they need YOUR help for their community health survey (also any student that attends ASC can complete the survey as well)! The survey is quite important as it is only conducted every 6 years now and is used to assess the needs of our community members across the county. The responses that are collected from the survey guide programming and suggests what are necessary interventions, several community organizations, schools, parks, and even churches depend on the data from this survey to support grant writing. The last day to complete the survey is May 1st, 2025. The link to access the survey is: https://form.jotform.com/250014735668155 

If you have any questions, please contact Diane Davis at Diane.Davis@alleganyco.gov or by calling 585-268-5033

The residence halls close Saturday, May 10th at 7:30 pm, so all students will need to be out of the residence halls at that time.  If you need to stay past the closing time, please email your Resident Director or Area Coordinator with the reason you need to stay to request approval to stay late. 

Need to stay for Summer? 

Only students who have been approved to stay for the break will be allowed in the residence halls after that time. All others may be charged with trespassing.

There is a $50 change per week for summer housing. Payments must be paid within 30 days of your bill, any remaining amount at the end of the summer will be placed onto your student account in the form of a hold. Additional information on acceptable payment methods and payment locations will be provided to those approved for summer break housing. 

Students will only be approved who:

• Live over 500 miles away (according to your home Banner Address)
• Have a Special Circumstance (ex. You do not have a place to go, homeless, etc.)
• Working for the college during the break (with Supervisors Approval)
• Have an athletic commitment (with Athletics approval)
• International Student
• Taking summer classes (will be confirmed with your academic advisor and/or class professor)

If you wish to apply for break housing, please complete the "Summer Break Housing Request" form on eRezLife. To access eRezLife, log into your my.alfredstatet.edu and select the "Choose Housing and Meal Plan" option.

Please note that the application closes at 3:00 pm on Monday, May 5th. 

Summer Closing Transportation: 

Students going home for the Summer? 

Megabus is offering non-stop bus services to New York City and Alfred for Summer break. Dates and times of bus travel are listed below! 

To New York City: 

Friday, May 9th departing from Orvis Activities Center or West University St at 7:45 a.m.

Sunday, May 11th departing from Orvis Activities Center or West University at 7:45 a.m.

Alternate bus options are available through https://trailways.com. Please note that Trailways bus leaves from Hornell, NY and you will need to find transportation to the bus station. 

Rochester Airport Shuttle 

Depart Alfred Saturday, May 10th at 6am and Sunday, May 11th at 6am

Requests for Airport Shuttle to the Rochester Airport must be submitted via the Online travel request form for rides up to the Rochester Airport.

If you have any questions, please contact Residential Services at 607-587-4371 or email: reslife@alfredstate.edu.

Sign your furry friend up for the Hot Dog Day Dog Race on Saturday, April 26th, 10:30 AM on the Brick Lawn! 

• Dogs MUST be friendly with other dogs and people 
• Dogs MUST be fully up to date on vaccinations and shots 
• Dogs must be on a leash when not racing 
• Dogs must have a collar with forms of identification 
• Dogs are allowed to wear costumes

If your dog does not win, please don't leave! All dogs who run get a small prize at the end! 

*** Please note that applying does not automatically mean your dog is racing; you will receive a confirmation email confirming your registration. If not enough dogs apply for each size category, we will eliminate that category for the safety of the other participants*** 

For any questions, comments, or concerns, please email Kai Simkins at KAS20@alfred.edu or text at (716) 800-9038
Sign Up here, HDD 2025 Dog Race Sign Ups

Faculty are invited to review the following course outlines which will be presented at the Faculty Senate meeting, April 15. The documents can be found on the CDR shared drive, in the 2 - Approved CDR - 2024-2025 folder. Map network drive to this folder \\facstaff\cdr.

CDR Approved Courses:

• CJUS 8203 - Private Security Administration in America
• SONO 2013 - Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation I
• SONO 2101 - Sonography Observation
• SONO 3013 - Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation II
• SONO 3023 - Sonography Clinical I
• SONO 3024 - Sonography Clinical II
• SONO 3031 - Sonographic Procedures II Lab
• SONO 3033 - Sonographic Procedures II
• SONO 4024 - Sonography Clinical III
• SONO 4043 - Sonographic Procedures III

The future Learning Inspired Functionality Trainings also known as LIFT, will be featuring trainings on the below topics in Spring 2025!

For those who don't know, LIFT is designed to provide short interactive training sessions on new and existing campus software for all faculty and staff on campus. 

LIFT sessions this semester will all be held in EJ Brown 104 and will be hands-on so please bring your laptop with you! 

Light refreshments will be served at each session. 

Microsoft Power BI - How to showcase your data!

Details: Power BI is a powerhouse for your data! Be it an Excel/CSV spreadsheet, or a collection of various data sources. Power BI lets you easily connect to your data sources, visualize and discover what's important, and share that with anyone or everyone you want. PowerBI is great for building presentations around data you already have, and for keeping that data up to date for the following years and beyond!

When: April 2nd 2025 @ 2:30pm EST - 3:30pm EST

Location: EJ Brown 104

Microsoft Stream - Record your moments with Stream!

Details: Microsoft Stream lets people create, store, share, and view videos. Stream is deeply integrated within the Microsoft 365 app ecosystem allowing you to add and consume videos within other apps such as Teams, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and SharePoint. Stream can be great to record a welcome message for your class, or to add transcripts to an already existing video with minimal effort. 

When: April 16th 2025 @ 2:30pm EST - 3:30pm EST

Location: EJ Brown 104

Microsoft Copilot- Take your AI experience to the next level!

Details: Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered productivity tool that integrates with Microsoft 365 apps and services, using large language models (LLMs) to help with tasks like drafting content, analyzing data, fine tune your communications and collaborating more effectively! Get a handle now on what your students are using and explore ways on how you can use it as an effective teaching tool for your classes.

When: April 23rd 2025 @ 2:30pm EST - 3:30pm EST

Location: EJ Brown 104

Are you looking to change your exemptions for your taxes or view or paychecks or make changes to your direct deposit.  Well, you can do all that.  To view your paycheck, the icon next to Time and Attendance is view paycheck.  Or the icon directly below Time and Attendance is NYS Payroll Online.  You can only access through the Alfred State portal.  You will need the N# from your paycheck/stub and your birthdate to log into for the first time.  Once in, your options will be on the left side of the screen.  You will be able to view your paycheck here, view w2's, access your direct deposits and change if need to (Albany has said they have corrected), Update tax withholdings.  If you have any problems, please let me know.  If you get an error when trying, please send me a screen shot.  thank you

Diane

x4029

Make a dish to share a taste of “home” and help enhance our culture of care in Alfred. The Center for Civic Leadership is partnering with Union University to revive a commUNITY potluck initiative.  This secular event welcomes all as we build commUNITY by engaging in conversation and sharing foods that evoke a feeling of home. Come help us celebrate our final potluck for the semester!

• Location: Union University Center (located on the corner of Main street and Church Street - side entrance on Church St.)
• Time: 6pm-8pm
• Dates: Wednesday, April 16th  
• Sign up to Make and RSVP Here –  RSVP is appreciated but it is not required. So, even if you want to pop down to join us last minute to help foster community, you are welcome! 

“Tasters Choice” awards will be given at each event for the favorite dishes at each potluck.

Help us further celebrate sustainability and bring your own plate and cutlery 

There is a small amount of funds remaining for SUNY B-140 Tuition Assistance Program to assist with tuition for career-related, credit-bearing SUNY courses taken during the Summer session.

• Eligibility: Must be employed at least six months and on payroll for the entire course.
• Bargaining Unit Benefits: If you have a unit-specific tuition benefit, you must use it first before applying for the B-140.
• Course Limit: Only covers a second course per semester/summer session.
• Waiver Amount: Depends on available funds and application volume.

Application Priority:

1. Courses related to your job at Alfred State
2. Courses that support a degree related to the College mission
3. Courses for personal development

Coverage:

• Alfred State Courses: Up to 100% tuition funded.
• Other SUNY Campuses: Up to 50% tuition funded.
• Fees: Employees pay all non-tuition fees.

Part-Time Employees:

• Half-Time or More: Same benefits as full-time employees.
• Less Than Half-Time: 50% of full-time benefit.

To apply, complete  B-140 Tuition Assistance Application  and send it to Marci Johnson in Human Resources by April 30, 2025.

Honor a graduate by leaving their permanent mark on Alfred State.

Faculty and staff, celebrate the achievements of a graduating student by purchasing a commemorative brick in their honor! Engraved bricks are a meaningful way to recognize their hard work and create a lasting tribute on campus.

🔹 Personalized with their name
🔹 Placed in a special location on campus
🔹 A gift they’ll treasure for years to come

Show your support and appreciation for their journey—order a brick today!

See our website for more info or call us at 607-587-3931. Please note the deadline to order your brick and have it in place by Commencement 2025 is Friday, April 18th at 4PM.

- THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS –