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Accepted Students Day Recap: A Vibrant Success!

Accepted Students Day was a tremendous success and a great reminder of the momentum we are building for the Class of 2030.

The energy across campus was incredibly positive—there was a true buzz throughout the day that our guests could feel the moment they arrived. We welcomed 144 admitted students and a total of 430 guests, and the enthusiasm from both students and families was evident in every session, tour, and conversation.

We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees, with many families specifically sharing how much they appreciated the opportunity to experience campus firsthand. The Golisano Center for Student Success was a highlight for many, serving as a powerful example of our continued investment in the student experience and the level of support we provide.

We are excited to share that 23 students made their deposit as a direct result of the event, and we anticipate additional commitments from attendees in the coming weeks. Our team is energized and ready to build on this momentum as we continue working to yield the incoming class.

This event would not have been possible without the support of so many across campus. Thank you to our faculty, staff, student ambassadors, and campus partners who gave their time, energy, and expertise to make the day so impactful. Your efforts truly made a difference in how our future students and their families experienced Canisius.

We are grateful for your partnership and look forward to carrying this momentum forward.

Warmly,

Sarah Calzonetti, MBA
Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Sana Spector, PhD, Publishes New Method for Smarter Data Alerts

Canisius University congratulates Dr. Sana Spector of the School of Data, Computing & Mathematics on the publication of a new research paper in Methodology and Computing in Applied Probability, a prestigious Springer journal.

The paper, co-authored with Dr. Aristides V. Doumas of the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, introduces a novel mathematical approach to identifying meaningful changes in complex data.

The research addresses a common challenge across many fields: distinguishing between normal fluctuations and significant shifts in data. For example, when tracking COVID-19 cases across multiple cities, weekly numbers may rise or fall due to random variation or signal a true outbreak. Determining when a spike warrants concern is critical for timely decision-making.

Dr. Spector and Dr. Doumas developed a mathematical formula that establishes a reliable “alarm threshold,” enabling researchers and public health officials to determine when changes exceed expected variation. Importantly, the method remains effective even when datasets are correlated—such as when multiple cities experience trends driven by the same underlying factors—an area where traditional methods often fall short.

While the study highlights applications in public health, the methodology extends to a wide range of disciplines, including insurance, ecology, and any field involving complex count data.

The full paper is available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11009-026-10262-1

Submitted by: Richard Bailey, PhD, Associate Dean, School of Arts & Social Sciences

Schreiner Lecture Series Welcomes NPR’s Zorba Paster, MD

The Dr. George E. Schreiner ’43 Pre-Medical Center at Canisius University will welcome Zorba Paster, MD, to campus on Thursday, April 23 to deliver a lecture titled “Finding Joy in Caring for Others.” The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 7:00 p.m. in the Chester HON ’01 and Diane Stranczek Science Hall Commons; doors open at 6:30 p.m. 

Paster is best known for hosting “Zorba Paster On Your Health,” which aired on National Public Radio (NPR) for 33 years before ending in fall 2025 and sparked thoughtful, engaging conversations about health and wellness. Paster currently hosts the “Stay Well with Dr. Zorba Paster” podcast, focused on helping people live full, optimistic and vibrant lives by reducing suffering and building resilience.  

Click here to learn more.

Dome on Hiatus

The Dome will be on hiatus during Easter weekend—Friday, April 3, and Monday, April 6—and will resume on Wednesday, April 8. If you need something posted on April 8, please submit it by Tuesday, April 7, at 2 p.m. Thank you!

D2L: Spring 2026 Final Exam Information

 

Final exams are fast approaching!
Here are some important dates:

  • Reading Day is Friday, May 1
  • Final exams start May 4 and end on May 8
  • Grades are due May 13 by 9 AM

It may also be useful to review these features of D2L Quizzes and Dropboxes.

D2L Quiz Toolset for Final Exams

D2L Quizzes provides a robust tool to grade quizzes easier and quicker. Some features can help prevent cheating to a degree, like basic question randomization and advanced question randomization. If we want to use questions from a previous exam or quiz, the Question Library lets us copy questions to the mid-term. Additionally, for faster grading, you can connect the Quiz to the gradebook. We can also have our students sign an Academic Integrity Pledge before continuing to the Final Exam. To help students study for the final exam, customize the Quiz Result display to show students what questions they got and see where they need to brush up on their studying.

Please note that if we allow automatic grading of our exam, D2L will not automatically grade Written Responses. Those need to be graded manually. Inform students that the grade they have immediately after completing the exam is not reflective of their overall grade. We can add a Rubric to Written Responses for easier and faster grading. For additional tutorials on the D2L Quiz tool that COLI has compiled, check the Online Quizzes and Exams in the Quizzes Tool Section.

D2L Dropbox for Digital Assignment Uploads

D2L Dropboxes are a great way to receive student work in various formats but notably PDFs, Microsoft Office files, JPGs or PNGs. We can also restrict the types of files the dropbox will accept. Attach the dropbox to the grade book or use a D2L Rubric and attach it to the dropbox for faster grading.

For more information on D2L Dropboxes, check out the Collecting Assignments in Dropboxes Section. For tutorials on D2L Rubrics, check out the Using Rubrics Section.

Reminder: in Fall 2026, D2L Dropboxes will be renamed Assignments.

Copyleaks for Plagiarism Detection

Need plagiarism and AI Content Detection? Try out Copyleaks! Copyleaks can now be added to a D2L Dropbox or be used as a standalone activity. If needed, Copyleaks also has the Teacher Scan Tool, which allows faculty to quickly scan individual files. For more tutorials, check out the Copyleaks Wiki Page.

Need Further Assistance?

COLI has compiled other resources on the various tool sets in D2L. Check the D2L Self-paced Training for Faculty and Staff Wiki page. If we would prefer, faculty can also sign up for COLI workshops or sign up for a Consultation with COLI staff.