As per the direction of the SUNY Board of Trustees all student government elections and referendum votes are being postponed until the Fall semester. Please note that all of the GSA’s E-board candidates are returning officers that were running unopposed to begin with, so this will not impact our ability to represent you or to continue running the organization in any way. We will reach out to everyone again in the Fall semester with all of the relevant information needed about the postponed election, and we will be in touch sooner if any further information or direction is received. As always, please stay safe and be well.
GSA Office Closed Until Further Notice
Dear Graduate Students,
This morning the University at Buffalo asked all non-essential employees to work remotely for the time being, therefore the GSA office will be closing immediately until further notice. Please note that staff will do their best to respond to emails and continue processing paperwork so long as they are able, however there may be delays under these unique circumstances. Please be especially patient with us over the next few days, as it will take us some time to get everything situated. Thank you for your understanding. Updates will follow as necessary.
Sincerely,
Jessy Coley, President
Connor Walters, Vice President
Joshua Joseph, Treasurer
GSA COVID-19 Statement and Update
Dear Graduate Student Community,
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic the Graduate Student Association has been meeting with the University to see what we can do to try and help prevent the spread of this virus and to protect our campus and community. The health and safety of students and staff is our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution the Graduate Student Association has made the difficult decision to cancel all student events, both on and off campus, indefinitely. We feel that this bold and decisive action is necessary in order to best comply with all suggested health guidelines for group gatherings and social distancing.
Please note that refunds will be automatically processed for any GSA tickets that were purchased prior to this announcement for cancelled events, however this process will take some time as refunds must be processed individually for each and every sale and every event. Please be patient as the Ticket Office works to accommodate this task.
The GSA North Campus office will remain open until we are directed otherwise (the South Campus office will be closed until further notice), but we strongly recommend that students only come to campus if they are directed to do so specifically by a Professor or Supervisor. Should the University close, please note that GSA staff will do their best to continue working remotely to the best of their abilities in order to provide uninterrupted service to our constituents. Please keep in mind that the University’s current directives prevent us from being able to approve any new requests for international travel, and domestic travel should be undertaken at your own risk. We are working on a plan to continue processing pre-approved reimbursements for conferences and MDRF research grants and will notify students directly if alternate submission policies become necessary. Additional information about the University’s response can be found on their COVID-19 FAQ page.
Additionally, please note that we are working on determining an online solution for hosting the GSA’s April 1st Board meeting where next year’s budget should be approved. We will be reaching out to all Board members and club officers directly with instructions on how to access the meeting as soon as they are available. Similarly, the GSA’s Officer Elections and Referendum vote will take place online as planned from April 6th to 9th. We will be sending out the mandated reminders to all students for these votes, so please be on the lookout.
Students who have no access to the internet may want to note that Spectrum is offering 60 days of free internet service and waiving all installation fees for college students. For more information, please call Spectrum directly 1-844-488-8395.
We urge all community members to practice caution and strictly follow the CDC’s guidelines for preventing the spread of disease during this time. We will continue to provide updates as necessary. We truly appreciate your patience as we navigate this unprecedented situation.
Please stay safe and be well!
Sincerely,
Jessy Coley, President
Connor Walters, Vice President
Joshua Joseph, Treasurer
South Campus Siesta Cancelled
Please note that the GSA’s South Campus Siesta scheduled for this Friday, March 13th has been cancelled.
We will keep everyone informed of additional cancellations and/or alterations to our normal schedule and business operations as soon as we receive further direction from the University.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding. Please stay safe!
University Libraries 2020 Census Exhibit and LibGuide
The University Libraries have created a 2020 Census exhibit that are now up in both Lockwood (across from the 2nd floor elevators) and HSL /Abbott Library (1st floor lobby). The exhibit provides a historical perspective and overview of the U.S. Census, along with information for students, faculty/staff and visitors on why the 2020 Census is important, and when and how to participate.
As a companion to the exhibit, we have created a 2020 Census LibGuide. On this guide, you will find a list of FAQs with questions and answers provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and local Library Census Committees.
The 2020 Census starts THIS WEEK! Most households will receive their first mailing from the Census Bureau between March 12th and March 20th. The first mailing will include an invitation letter with a unique Census ID, instructions on how to respond to the 2020 Census online or by phone, and a language assistance sheet with instructions in 12 non-English languages. To see examples of what each mailing will look like visit 2020 Census Mailings.
The 2020 Census online and phone systems will go live on Thursday, March 12th. Online access to the 2020 Census form can be found at my2020census.gov and the phone response option can be reached at 1-844-330-2020 (TDD service for the hearing impaired can be reached at 1-844-467-2020). The Census Bureau has released a Video Guide demonstrating how to navigate the online 2020 Census form from start to finish. Language guides for 59 non-English languages can be found at Language Guides (Print), including a Large Print guide.
Watch PhD Research Come to Life at UB’s Fourth Annual 3MT Live Competition!
UB’s Fourth Annual Three Minute Thesis Competition
An 80,000 word thesis would take nine hours to present. Their time limit … Three minutes.
Watch your fellow graduate students compete in the 3MT live competition on Friday, March 13, 2020, at 3 p.m. in the Center for the Arts, and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award!
The 3MT competition hosted by the Graduate School and Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars, features PhD students communicating their research to non-experts and competing to win monetary prizes up to $1,000.