"Nieshia Green is USG’s senator of the month for February 2023. Nieshia has always stood out, but this month she exceeded expectations. She had attended practically every event in February, helped set up and take down, and put herself out there. She has been wonderful to have on the senate and is a fabulous person overall."
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It's that time again Buffalo State; time for another Referendum Year! Now you may be wondering, what does a "Referendum" mean? Simply put, a Referendum is when a group of people have the opportunity to vote either in favor of, or against a single question.
And this is where you come in! Every two years, the United Students Government at Buffalo State holds a vote and asks the student body whether or not they want to keep the student activity fee mandatory. During this upcoming election season, we ask that you please vote to keep the fee MANDATORY! Why should you keep the fee mandatory? Without this fee, USG would no longer have a budget, and therefore no longer exist on Buffalo State's campus. But, this does not only affect your student government. All currently recognized clubs and organizations would lose out on all support and funding from USG, and campus life as a whole would take a hefty hit.
With the current state of enrollment, and with the thoughts of your fellow students in mind, we implore you to VOTE YES, VOTE MANDATORY, and keep the student activity fee in place so that together, we can work to create an environment in which all Buffalo State students can thrive!
Madison Sierra - USG Senator of the Month October 2022
"Senator Madison Sierra was chosen as our Senator of the Month for October! Madison does an exceptional job both in meetings and at events. Her eagerness and willingness to help is seen and felt by all. We greatly appreciate all the work that Senator Sierra puts into USG"
Troy Millin - USG Senator of the Month November 2022
"Troy Millin was chosen Senator of the Month because of his consistency and eagerness to help. Troy Millin can almost always be seen working all USG events and is a very joyful person to interact with. Congratulations Troy Millin!"
Welcome to USG!
Please join us in welcoming the new officers of the USG 45th Legislature.
The United Students Government Offices have moved to the basement of the Campbell Student Union to the 105 Hallway. Our office is open Monday - Thursday with the staff working virtually on Fridays. To make an appointment with the staff or officers please call 716-878-6701 or email.
The United Students Government (USG) Executive Board has decided to reduce the Student Activity Fee for the spring semester by 25%. USG and our 40 organizations continue to offer virtual programming for Buffalo State students during these extraordinary times.
USG is confident with restrictions being lifted we will be able to return to most of USG’s programming this fall. The Student Activity Fee continues to fund BSC Daycare, Whispering Pines, NYPIRG, Club sports, Casting Hall Productions, WBNY, The Record, which have all continued operations during the pandemic.
I hope you are all doing well, as the semester comes to an end, I wanted to give you all an update! As Covid-19 has changed campus life tremendously, our organizations have raised the bar with online engagement through social media and virtual programming. I hope that we can continue to have more virtual and hopefully in person programming next semester. I would also like to encourage you to continue utilizing Bengal Connect. If you have not done so already, please join the USG treasurer page on Bengal Connect. You will get access to all that I post on my page such as documents, forms, and updates!
As spring semester approaches, there are just some updates and news that I have for you guys! As everyone knows, USG is funded by the MANDATORY Student Activity Fee which is charged each semester. I have decided alongside the USG Executive Board to decrease the MANDATORY Student Activity Fee by 25%. Being that this school year is a referendum year, meaning that the student body votes on whether or not to keep the MANDATORY Student Activity Fee. This fee maintains all of the organizations and services that USG funds! Voting will take place in March 2021, so we need all of your support in order to keep the MANDATORY Student Activity Fee!
Lastly, next semester I will be holding another MANDATORY meeting for all organization’s treasurers. I will be announcing the date of that meeting before the semester begins. I plan for it to be during the first couple of weeks of the semester! If your organization's treasurers do not attend this meeting, there will be a penalty. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me during my scheduled office hours.
My office hours for the fall/spring semester are:
Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Friday 10:00 pm – 2:00 pm
I hope you all finish the semester strong!
Nicole Gil
Treasurer, of The United Students Government
October 2020 Update:
Student Leadership and Engagement would like to share some updates to both student organizations and advisers regarding the Campus Events Policy and Student Organization Protocols.
Changes to Application Process
Effective Immediately, in order to better streamline the application process for in-person events, the Campus Events and Visitor’s Request Form through Finance and Management IS THE ONLY FORM that needs to be completed. The previous form through Student Leadership and Engagement is no longer required and has since been removed from our website to avoid any confusion. Please fill out the form and submit to eventmgt@buffalostate.edu through Events Management as part of the Campus Events and Visitor’s Policy. A link to the In-Person Request Form can be found through both Events Management and Student Leadership and Engagement.
Events Management: https://eventsmanagement.buffalostate.edu/covid-19-events-and-visitor-information
SLE: https://sle.buffalostate.edu/student-organizations
Update to Student Organization Protocols
In addition, Student Leadership and Engagement updated the Fall 2020 Student Organization Protocols to reflect the change. Here is the new language according to the policy:
Student groups will be encouraged to host virtual events. If any in-person gathering is deemed necessary by the Campus Events and Visitor’s Committee through Finance and Management, student groups that request space for an event will review a document regarding policies pertaining to social distancing, mask wearing and relevant health and safety practices.
Any event that cannot be replicated virtually (indoor or outdoor) will be considered and reviewed under current COVID protocols per local, state, and federal guidelines by the Campus Events and Visitor’s Committee. This includes, but not limited to, capacity, face coverings, physical distancing, etc. Decisions on events are subject to change pending updates to guidelines and protocols.
Student organizations wishing to host any in-person event must utilize the following process:
Complete the Campus Event and Visitor Form through Finance and Management and submit to Events Management at eventmgt@buffalostate.edu
Ensure responsible college official, student organization advisor or designee’s signature (faculty/staff) is included on form.
Event Management will forward request to Student Leadership and Engagement for review and consultation.
Student Leadership and Engagement will review and forward applications to Campus Events and Visitors Committee for final approval.
Student organization will be notified of the decision by the Campus Events and Visitors Committee
These policies and protocols apply to both on and off campus events with the student organization(s) as the primary host.
September 2020 Update:
Hello All,
Now that the semester has begun, USG wanted to make sure every USG Organization is aware of the changes that have been put in place below as we move forward.
There are new protocols to follow to apply to have an on-campus event. Start the process by reading the protocols and filling out a proposal with Student Leadership and Engagement. Also, make sure to familiarize your organization with the new event protocols and guidelines from Events Management regarding events and visitor information.
USG encourages our organizations to continue to collaborate and work together to plan virtual events/programs. All virtual events and approved on-campus events must still be submitted on Bengal Connect. Remember to mark events as organization only or for Buffalo State Students, Faculty and Staff so they are NOT promoted publicly as the campus is reducing density by limiting visitors to campus.
All Organizations must have a Bengal Connect page and keep it updated.
All Treasurers and Vice-Treasurers must be a member of the USG Treasurer’s Bengal Connect page.
At least two weeks prior to an event, all events are to be posted through Bengal Connect (on-campus events should be posted only after being approved by the campus with an official memo) and approved before any purchases are made.
SUBMITTING REQUISITIONS:
The requisition form (RF-USG REQFORM no2 XX.pdf) is located on the USG Treasurer’s Bengal Connect page under Documents.
Completed Requisitions and the required paperwork must be submitted for processing on the USG Treasurer’s Bengal Connect page under Forms by Tuesdays at 2pm. If the requisition and required paperwork are submitted correctly by Tuesdays at 2pm, it will be typed into a purchase order.
PLEASE NOTE: Approved Purchase Orders / Checks can take up to two weeks for approval.
Treasurers must check their emails on Wednesdays for any messages from the USG Business Staff or USG Treasurer related to their requisition submissions that week. Any unanswered questions will delay the approval process.
If there are any concerns, there will be a memo and/or email sent to the Organization Treasurer using the contact information that was submitted by the organization no later than Thursday.
CHECK-IN APP:
USG is still using the Check-in App to complete sign-in sheets for both virtual and on-campus events. Make sure your organization sign-in sheets are uploaded to your Bengal Connect event, see the presentation for instructions.
REIMBURSEMENTS:
Reimbursement requests MUST BE SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BEFORE PURCHASING!
Reimbursement forms are located on the USG Treasurer’s Bengal Connect page under documents. Fill out the Reimbursement form electronically. Make sure to save the document once you have filled it out and then email the saved reimbursement form to the USG Treasurer and USG Business Office Staff for review.
PRIZE AND GIFT FORMS:
Record any prizes awarded at events or gifts purchased with the organization funds.
Must be emailed to the USG Business Office when completed. Prize and Gift Forms can be found on the USG Treasurer’s Bengal Connect page under documents.
Only undergraduate, activity fee paying students are eligible to receive prizes from an organization.
STUDENT ADVOCACY:
The USG 44th Legislature is committed to assisting our fellow students in finding the answers they need. If you, one of your organization members, or a friend need assistance finding an answer; getting in touch with the right person from the administration; or if you just have a question, comment, or suggestion to make campus life better, please fill out our Student Advocacy Form. We are in this together!
If you have questions regarding the updates, please email us.
We look forward to working with you!
USG Executive Board
August 2020 Update:
Hello All,
My name is Nicole Gil and I am the USG Treasurer for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The beginning of the semester is approaching and due to COVID-19 there will be many changes on campus and within USG. As we prepare for the upcoming semester, I want to provide you with some necessary information regarding USG operations.
With these new changes and information that I have provided, I have listed mine and the USG President's office hours below. Feel free to contact us during our office hours. In addition, I will be creating a GroupMe text with all treasurers to keep in touch and answer any questions.
For more information please visist the college's COVID-19 information page.
I wish you all the best as we face the fall semester together.
