Yes. The college will remain open during this temporary transition to remote instruction.
Effective Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, July 17, and as we await further guidance from SUNY and New York State, all non-essential Buffalo State staff members should stay home and await further instruction regarding telecommuting from supervisors and Human Resource Management.
Only essential staff members should report to campus.
The New York State Department of Health website provides up-to-date information on COVID-19.
If you are sick, please stay home and notify your supervisor of your absence per the protocols established within your department.
If you have symptoms associated with COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider for further guidance. Remaining home allows you to get well and reduces the possibility of spreading any illness to others in the campus community.
Employees will use their sick leave accruals for absences related to their own illness.
Exercise caution, practice good hygiene (specifically cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw it in the trash), and in the event you become ill, either while on campus or while traveling, consider advice from governmental and health officials about staying home (staying separate from other people and animals as much as possible) until healthy.
Individuals whose symptoms worsen (e.g., difficulty breathing) should seek prompt medical care. Before seeking care, call your healthcare provider. Of course, if you have an emergency, call 911, and notify the dispatch personnel of your symptoms.
Free, confidential, short-term counseling services.
Employee Assistance Program Hotline: 1-800-822-0244 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year).
Family Justice Center SafeLine at (716) 558-SAFE (7233)
For free emotional support, consultation, and referral to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314.
No. This can only be required for areas specified by the CDC or state or local public health officials as having widespread sustained (ongoing) transmission. Individuals with medical conditions, disabilities, or other circumstances that render them vulnerable in cases of exposure should contact their department supervisor, manager, or the Human Resource Management Office to discuss their options.
If you voluntarily disclose that you have a specific medical condition or disability that puts you at increased risk for COVID-19, or that you are living with someone with such a condition or disability, the department will keep this information confidential.
You and your supervisor will determine the type of assistance that will be needed to mitigate your risk.
The appropriate response will depend upon your job duties and responsibilities and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
As with other forms of influenza (flu) or contagious illnesses such as colds, maintaining a reasonable distance from the person is a starting point. Do not shake hands or make other physical contact. Use a sanitary wipe after the person has left to wipe areas of your work station that the person has touched and follow good hand-washing practices. There may be situations in which a meeting can be rescheduled to a time when the person is feeling better or the business can be conducted by phone or e-mail.
All nonessential state employees, including those at Buffalo State College, have been directed to work from home or otherwise remotely to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
Buffalo State has developed a COVID-19 protocol to guide temporary alternative work arrangements. Alternative work arrangements include both telecommuting and flexible scheduling.
All employees requesting alternative work arrangements must submit a completed request form.
Essential employees are defined as (1) those whose job function is essential to the effective operation of the campus, or (2) those who are involved in the emergency response to COVID-19. Essential employees may need to report to campus and be physically present to perform their jobs OR may be able to report to a remote location (home) to perform their jobs.
Nonessential employees are defined as (1) those who do not need to be physically present to perform their job functions, or (2) those who are not currently required to meet the core functions and programs of the college during this emergency response.
Supervisors should have contacted their employees regarding essential vs. nonessential status.
Buffalo State has developed a COVID-19 protocol to guide temporary alternative work arrangements. Alternative work arrangements include both telecommuting and flexible scheduling.
All employees requesting alternative work arrangements must submit a completed request form.
All requests must be reviewed and approved by employees’ supervisors or department heads, respective cabinet members, and Human Resource Management.
Employees should work with their supervisors to complete the request form, which will include specific expectations regarding the continuity of operations.
Any necessity for quarantine, whether precautionary or mandatory, is determined by the state or local department of health after certain criteria is evaluated. Employees will be provided with documentation to verify that they were placed on either status.
An employee who is placed in mandatory quarantine by state or local health officials will be placed on leave with pay, without charge to accruals, for all workdays within the 14-calendar day period for the quarantine, whether healthy or displaying symptoms. Please contact Human Resource Management for further guidance.
If you are placed on precautionary quarantine by state or local health officials, please contact your supervisor and Human Resource Management for further guidance.
Your supervisor, in consultation with the appropriate Vice President and Human Resource Management, will evaluate and determine if it would be possible to work from home for your personal work situation.
If a determination is made that work cannot be performed at home, then the employee will be placed on leave with pay, without charge to accruals for all workdays within the 14-calendar day period for the quarantine, whether healthy or displaying symptoms.
FMLA is administered by Human Resource Management based on the legal requirements and individual circumstances with appropriate medical documentation.
Please contact your supervisor or Human Resource Management at (716) 878-4822 for specific guidance regarding your personal work situation.
Temporary Procedure for Personnel Forms
The initiation and processing of personnel forms for appointments, leaves, separations, etc., have been updated to allow for electronic signatures and routing.
The Current Employee Change Form and the Faculty and Professional Appointment Form, both available on the Human Resource Management Office website, may be routed electronically, and in accordance with the Authorization Policy for Personnel Transactions.
Questions about the forms or process may be directed via e-mail to Jamie Warnes.
During the unprecedented health crisis caused by COVID-19, please know the NYS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) continues to be a resource for Buffalo State College employees.
EAP coordinators are working remotely and are available to provide online support and resources to employees and their families. They can help you to address emotional and mental health concerns during this very challenging time.
EAP coordinators can help identify resources to address anxiety, stress, isolation, illness, grief and loss, financial issues, job loss, child care and other issues. They have resources to help address domestic violence and suicidal ideation concerns as well.
If you are experiencing anxiety or other emotional distress during this crisis, or just want to talk, we encourage you to contact EAP online or via telephone at 1-800-822-0244. EAP services are confidential, voluntary, and free.
Buffalo State’s EAP website is a link to many useful resources pertaining to COVID-19 concerns and general wellness.
Additionally, New York State’s COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline, at 1-844-863-9314, provides free and confidential support, helping callers experiencing increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 emergency.
This guidance applies through April 15, 2020, and is subject to extension. It supports the continued processing of time records and payments for hourly employees (includes CSEA Hourly, UUP Hourly, student assistants, and work study):
Non-essential employees who are not in the workplace pursuant to the Governor’s direction should code timesheets as time worked. Such employees should be working from home to the greatest extent possible. Hourly employees, including CSEA hourly or UUP hourly, student assistants, and work study, may work remotely via the telecommuting program.
Essential employees not in the workplace may also work remotely via the telecommuting program. Telecommuters will treat telecommuting days like regular workdays and will be expected to maintain a regular work routine while telecommuting.
Supervisors may require telecommuters to have a set telecommuting schedule that is specified on the work plan. Telecommuters will work their entire approved workday. Supervisors will ensure work plan is followed and review and approve their timesheets.
This process is based on current guidance, applies from March 16 forward, and is subject to change at any time.
All college-funded travel, both international and domestic, is generally prohibited until further notice. Limited exceptions for travel to non-affected areas (see CDC guidance) may be considered with the approval of the appropriate cabinet member.
As per the president’s March 12 announcement to the campus community, all college-funded travel, both domestic and international, is generally prohibited until further notice.
It is the sole responsibility of the traveler to cancel all travel arrangements regardless of the method of payment used. Please notify Bonnie Heim and Mary Taylor regarding all cancellations. Contact Latisha Robinson or Sherrie Manka in the Sponsored Programs Office regarding Research Foundation sponsor funded travel.
Until further notice, all deliveries to campus addresses—including U.S. mail, intracampus mail, and parcels—will be received, sorted, and held at the campus mail room/central receiving location in Clinton Center.
Department representatives may make appointments for pickups by calling the campus mail room at (716) 878-5515 or central receiving at (716) 878-5729. Curbside pickups will occur at the south side of the Clinton Center (Lot R-10) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Receiving Items
Items will be brought out to you. Signatures will not be required. Individuals may retrieve mail or parcels for more than one department.
This process will help to protect employees through social distancing, allow central receiving and mailroom staff to limit density and ensure the security of mail and property.
Perishable Items
Departments or individuals will be notified by e-mail and by phone, if possible, of any perishable items that arrive.
Outgoing Mail
All outgoing mail must be delivered to the mailroom in the Clinton Center for metering.
To reduce the spread of and exposure to COVID-19, the Copy Center will be monitored remotely with no staff on site.
Until further notice:
The State of New York, SUNY System Administration and Buffalo State College recognize that there are legitimate reasons for faculty and staff to remove property from the college for work-related functions.
All Buffalo State College property—whether recorded on a departmental inventory or not—that is removed from campus by faculty or staff for work-related functions must be identified on a Loan of College Property Form.
This requirement applies to assets, such as laptop computers, that are transported back and forth on a continual basis.
All signatures are required in order for the form to be considered a valid request. It is the responsibility of the user to secure permission and signatures to take an item out in loan. Electronic signatures are permissible.
Please contact Property Control with any loan or inventory questions.
Loan Renewals
Loan forms are required to be renewed every year. An email reminder will be sent out when the user’s loan has expired. Signed original forms should be submitted to the Property Control Office.
Loan Returns
It is the user’s responsibility to report to Property Control when a loaned asset has been returned to campus. This will remove the loan status from the user and allow for the inventory to be updated to reflect the new location of the property. If the return is not reported, then the loan status for the asset will remain with the user. This will cause inaccuracies when an audit occurs.
Yes. Procurement Services Office staff are working remotely until further notice.
Please refer to the Procurement Services Temporary Procedures instructions for details on how to complete purchase requisitions remotely.
The Accounts Payable Office will accept Buffalo State College Foundation and subsidiary entity payment requests three ways:
Submissions still require a completed payment request form, approval by authorized signatories, and attachment of all backup information.
For electronic payment request forms and further guidance, please visit the Accounts Payable website.
Yes. Buffalo State College has developed new procedures—consistent with guidance from SUNY System Administration—for spending controls to help mitigate the wide-ranging financial impact this situation continues to have on our campus budget.
