Faculty Affairs.

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Our School

SEAS Bylaws

The SEAS Bylaws provide for faculty governance within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

SEAS Strategic Plan

Learn about the vision, mission and goals of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in the current strategic plan.

Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

SEAS strives for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI). JEDI means everyone has equitable access and opportunity based on the principle that all our students, staff and faculty have a right to an educational experience free from social barriers.

Data and Cybersecurity in SEAS

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences takes computer security and the handling of data seriously.

Onboarding

Moving to Buffalo

New SEAS faculty members are given a moving expense in their start up that can help cover the costs of relocation services. Reimbursements of moving expenses should be requested and processed through the Concur system.

The University will provide one-time relocation services to the employee and their family.

New Faculty Resources

Review introductory materials and resources you may find helpful in your first year at the University at Buffalo.

Getting Set Up

Office and Furniture

New faculty members should work with Sujata Rawal, Assistant Dean and Director of Facilities Planning and Management, for office and furniture set up.

Computer Equipment/Technology

Science & Engineering Node Services (SENS) provides computer and technical support and assistance for eight of the nine departments in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and will handle computer purchases and set up. Please note that purchases of cell phones are no longer permitted.  

Other Equipment/Supplies

All purchases of equipment and/or supplies must be ordered through the ShopBlue e-Procurement System. Contact your department administrator for more information.

Please note that Amazon charges made with personal credit cards can no longer be reimbursed.

Professional Portrait and Web Profile

Every semester, the SEAS Office of Communications works with a professional photographer to capture portrait photos of all of our new faculty. Current faculty members have the option to have new photos taken as well. Look for a message from SEAS Communications near the beginning of the spring and fall semesters.

SEAS Communications also builds and maintains an online profile for each faculty member. In addition to appearing on your departmental website, your profile will be included in our school-wide faculty directory.

Concur Travel & Expense System

Getting started in Concur

Concur is UB's Travel and Expense Reimbursement System. Faculty members use Concur to book business travel, and submit business travel and non-travel expenses. As a supervisor or cost approver in Concur, use this guide to learn about your role and how to get started in the system. 

Travel and Non-Travel Reimbursements

All travel must be preapproved prior to booking. Travel that has not been preapproved is not eligible for reimbursement. You must submit the reimbursement no more than 120 days after the last day of travel. Your immediate supervisor approves travel. As a traveler, you may use Concur to request and book your business travel arrangements. You can also use Concur to submit business expenses for reimbursement. 

Start-up Funding Extension/Change Request

Start-up extensions should be requested no earlier than six months prior to the expiration of faculty start-up. Only one extension is allowed. If more than one extension is requested, allocation of start up will be reduced by 50% across all categories. The start-up extension must address how the funds will be utilized, and why the funds were unable to be utilized in the time frame originally. Funds can be re-budgeted at faculty members' request based on changing needs.

All start-up requests must be submitted using the Funding Deferral Request Form. All requests will be reviewed by the Unit Business Officer and the dean. Responses take two business days.

Graduate Faculty Membership

The Graduate Faculty Membership Roster is a list of faculty members who have been appointed or nominated and approved to direct theses and dissertations. Tenure-track faculty are automatically nominated for Graduate Faculty Membership by the SEAS Dean's Office. Non-tenure track faculty who are interested in joining the Graduate Faculty should speak to their department chair about becoming an associate member.

Appointments

Funding

Summer Salary

Faculty members should contact their Director of Adminstration regarding summer salary.

Immigration

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers guidance on H1B, J1, O-1 and TN visas, and permanent residency.

Immigration Services at UB

All new incoming faculty must use UB Immigration Services to obtain the original work authorization before beginning an appointment at UB. SEAS will pay for the employees work authorization and their immediate family, spouse and dependent children. The new faculty member will utilize start-up funds as per the discretion of the Department and Dean.

UB faculty must work with UB Immigration services on any UB-sponsored immigration actions.

Leaves

Maternity/Paternity Leave

Employees are encouraged to contact a benefits expert to explore their benefits options during periods of pregnancy and child-rearing.

Medical Leave

Employees who meet certain service requirements are entitled to medical leave benefits for serious personal or family health conditions. 

Sabbatical Leave

As a faculty member, taking a sabbatical leave increases your value to the university when your planned travel, study, formal education or research enriches an academic program. 

Awards and Recognition

Recognition of the exceptional scholarship and achievements of our faculty with awards and honors is an important component of institutional rankings and reputation.

Reporting and Service

Annual Reports

Each year, in June, faculty members are required to submit their annual report. Faculty members are asked to provide information on publications, presentations, research advisement, service and engagement, funding, awards, professional development and several other factors. 

J-Cope Reporting

Certain UB employees are required to file an annual financial disclosure statement (FDS) and attend ethics training every three years. Employees will be notified by the campus ethics officer or by the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) if they need to complete the training.

Training

The University at Buffalo provides various trainings, including two different mandatory trainings: Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Workplace Violence Prevention Training.

Teaching Evaluations

The results of course/teaching evaluations by students should be included in each faculty member's dossier and presented in a standardized summary or tabular form.

University at Buffalo Faculty Senate

The faculty senate is one of the five pillars of shared governance at the University at Buffalo. 

SEAS Faculty Affairs Team

  • M. Monica Vacanti.
    M. Monica Vacanti

    208 Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-0800

    mvacanti@buffalo.edu

    Assistant Dean for Human Resources
    Administration
    School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

    Areas of Support: Offer letter terms, moving to UB, tenure clock, scheduled reappointment reviews, tenure reviews, NSF CAREER Award or patent procedures, processing summer salary from offer letters

  • Ria Iliadou.
    Ria Iliadou, MA
    MA, Economics, Eastern Michigan University

    208C Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-1407

    eiliadou@buffalo.edu

    Associate Director of Human Resources
    Administration
    School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

    Areas of Support:: Faculty & Staff Recruitment & Onboarding; Faculty Tenure & Promotion Committees and Dossier Review and Assembly; Reappointments for Ladder Faculty (1st Renewal) & Qualified Faculty; Faculty awards process and nominations review for State, University and School level awards; Academic leaves and clock stops; Faculty volunteer and extra service appointments; Staff Reappointments, Promotions, or Permanent Appointments; Staff Performance Programs & Evaluations

    208C Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-1407

    eiliadou@buffalo.edu

  • Lisa Lennon.
    Lisa Lennon

    208A Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-0599

    elennon@buffalo.edu

    Human Resources Assistant
    Administration
    School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

    Areas of Support: New appointment paperwork, reappointment processing, sabbatical requests, volunteer appointments, processing extra service requests

    208A Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-0599

    elennon@buffalo.edu

  • Maria Putzke.
    Maria Putzke

    208 Davis Hall

    Phone: (716) 645-0979

    mariaput@buffalo.edu

    Associate Director, International Appointments
    Administration
    School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

    Areas of Support: Faculty employment authorization, visas and permanent residency, including H-1B and J-1 visas and outstanding professor/researcher green cards; questions regarding employment-based visa and green card processes and issues; preparation of employment-based immigration requests with UB Immigration Services