About Us

The Minority Faculty Staff Association of the University at Buffalo was founded in 1976 under the leadership of the late Dr. Edward Jenkins, an Associate Professor in the Department of Learning and Instruction.  

The association remained active, but in the 1990s participation was solely subject to bringing the Martin Luther King Jr. speakers to campus in conjunction with the Office of Special Events. In 2000 the organization was resurrected by Denise Hare with the assistance of the executive board that year. Since the association has become more active major strides have been made, such as the rededication ceremony for the Mary B. Talbert Hall in 2001 and MFSA collaboration with the Association of Faculty and Staff of African Descent (AFSAD) at Buffalo State College to put on a biennial networking conference.

The vision for MFSA still remains as follows:

1. To serve as a vehicle through which minority faculty and staff could support each other on campus.
2. To serve as a unified voice to the University’s administration about the concerns and needs of minority faculty, staff, and students.
3. To be a support system for minority students.
4. To celebrate cultural events and include the larger campus community to become more culturally aware of minority contributions to our society.

The mission of the Minority Faculty and Staff Association (MFSA) of the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York is to enhance the quality of life and campus climate by promoting participation and inclusion of all minorities, historically underrepresented populations and those seeking sense of place in the workforce at the University. To this end, the Association will develop, support and execute programs that incorporate the following:

1. Support of Faculty/Staff recruitment and retention efforts
2. Networking and Mentoring (Faculty/Staff/Students)
3. Establishing and Maintaining Positive Community links