Vol. XXXVII, No. 27, July 28, 2008

This Week at Valencia

Monday, July 28

SALT mtg., 10 a.m., East Campus, 8-105

Wednesday, July 30

AtD Date Cube/SAS mtg., 11 a.m., West Campus, HSB-211

Friday, August 1

My LifeMap Tools mtg., 9 a.m., West Campus, HSB-211

District Board of Trustees Meeting Summary

At the start of the July 15 District Board of Trustees meeting, Valencia President Sanford Shugart bid farewell to three people soon to retire from their duties. First he recognized C. David Smith as founding director of the Criminal Justice Institute for the last 12 years, calling CJI “the house that Dave built.” He said that over the years Mr. Smith had demonstrated an immense work ethic and the highest level of integrity. Dr. Shugart invited Stan Stone, vice president, Human Resourses and Diversity, to bid Mr. Smith farewell after working so closely with him. Dr. Stone said that under Dave’s leadership, CJI has become the number one academy in the state that has trained over 27,000 law enforcement officers. Mr. Smith will retire on July 31. Dr. Shugart then recognized Donna Harrison, executive assistant, who is retiring from Valencia at the end of July. The president commended Ms. Harrison for having done her work with humor and grace. Bill Mullowney, vice president, Policy and General Counsel, said that it has been an absolute pleasure working with Ms. Harrison, and he thanked her for her calm steady presence. Lastly, Dr. Shugart recognized board chairman and outgoing trustee Larry Slocum. Mr. Slocum, the president said, has given almost 20 years of public service to the college and the Valencia Foundation. He described Mr. Slocum as steady, low key, a faithful attender of meetings who never calls attention to himself. Mr. Slocum was presented with the college’s customary gift to parting board members: a framed caricature of himself by artist and Valencia senior graphic designer, Dean Scott.

Reports

Criminal Justice Institute - Dave Smith and Dr. Stone introduced Dr. Jeffrey Goltz who would be replacing Mr. Smith as the new training center director of the Criminal Justice Institute. Dr. Goltz is a twenty year veteran of the Orlando Police Department and holds the rank of captain. Mr. Smith said that CJI’s core mission is to provide basic recruit training for entry-level law enforcement and correctional officers; they served approximately 500 students during the 2007/08 fiscal year. Valencia’s academy graduates, he said, continue to lead the state in exam pass rates at 98% for law enforcement students and 94% for corrections students. The job placement rate for Valencia’s graduates is 99 percent. In addition to the basic academy program, the Institute conducted approximately 120 continuing education courses last year serving over 2,500 practicing criminal justice officers. For the seventh consecutive year, CJI was selected by the State Department of Juvenile Justice to conduct basic recruit and advanced training courses for their officers in the Central Florida region. Valencia has also just signed a grant agreement with the Transportation Safety Authority to provide self-defensive training for all flight crew member at the Orlando International Airport. In closing, Mr. Smith said that CJI has an excellent staff and a facility that is the envy of the entire state.

Construction Report - Helene Loiselle, assistant vice president, Facilities, reported that West Campus’ Mod 8 construction is continuing, Mod 10 is scheduled for completion on August, 18, 2008, and Mod 11 (joint-use building) would be ready in the fall of 2009. She said that phase one of the Siemen’s contract is completed with the installation of new chillers on West Campus and the phase 2-central chiller plant on East is set to begin soon. The new improvements will result in a guaranteed $900,000 in cost savings to the college. Ms. Loiselle said that this past year the college spent less on energy than it did two years before.

Internal Auditor Report - Undria Stalling, internal auditor, provided the board with a Bookstore buy-back services audit and Accounts Receivable/fee collection audit, as part of the current audit plan approved by the board.

Faculty Association Report - Michael Shugg, president, Collegwide Faculty Council, said that the work reported on at last month’s board meeting, including the withdrawal policy, faculty/student engagement hours and an evaluation instrument used by deans to evaluate faculty, is still ongoing and will continue into the fall semester. Mr. Shugg said that Valencia would be delivering the CCSSE (Community College Survey of Student Engagement) to students in the spring of 2009 and as a result, there’s a ramped-up effort to communicate with faculty on how they can impact student engagement.

Valencia Foundation Report - Mr. Slocum, trustee, filling in for Raymer Maguire Jr., briefly discussed what was happening at the Foundation.

President’s Report - Dr. Shugart said that July 28th was the scheduled date for the official groundbreaking of the new joint-use facility on West Campus. UCF President John Hitt and Dr. Shugart would welcome their respective trustees to that event. Dr. Shugart said that he and Dr. Mullowney were planning a detailed briefing for the board in the fall on legislative issues and pending policy decisions that will need to be made by the board. He also referenced the Capital Improvement Plan under new business.

New Business

Banking Services - Dr. Shugart said that Fifth Third Bank provided the most competitive bid in a recent Request for Proposals and therefore have been chosen as the new banking services provider for the college. It was also decided that the college should continue using Bank of America for merchant services, since their costs are significantly below Fifth Third Bank. Dr. Shugart said that the incumbent bank missed the deadline and was unable to deliver a qualified bid. 

President’s Evaluation and Contract - Trustee Larry Slocum read a list of comments from the board’s evaluation of the president, of which there were no unsatisfactory remarks, saying he was noted for being respected at both state and local levels, dedicated to his job and creative in his duties. A motion to accept the evaluation was approved unanimously. A change to the contract would extend it to 2012. The board unanimously approved the president’s contract and evaluation as submitted.

Capital Improvement Program - Dr. Shugart reviewed details from the Capital Improvement Program for fiscal year 2009/10 to fiscal year 2013/14. The Capital Improvement Program was created to identify, document and justify requests for dollars for the major categories of capital projects, remodeling, renovation and new construction. The college has the following priorities for new construction: complete the funding for Osceola Building 4 and the Central Plant on East Campus; and purchase land for the Southeast Campus, Valencia Enterprise Corporate Campus, Administrative Center, Lake Nona building and parking garages.  The board approved the Capital Improvement Program as presented.

Consent Agenda - Approved under a consent agenda were: McCoy Center Resolution; Delegation of Authority to Valencia Community College Foundation Board of Directors for Short-Term Debt Agreements; Annual Prequalification of Contractors; Resolutions for Amendment and/or Restatement of the Flexible Benefit Plan, Health Care Reimbursement Plan, Dependent Care Plan and HRA Plan; Additions, Deletions or Modifications of Courses and Programs; Valencia Enterprises Courses and Fees; Human Resources Agenda; Submission of Grant Proposals; and Property Deletion.

The board adjourned its regular meeting.

Organizational Meeting

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman - Dr. Bill Mullowney, college counsel, called the meeting to order and presided. Nominations were heard for Lew Oliver to serve as chairman and Raymer Maguire, Jr. to serve as vice chairman. These nominations were confirmed in a vote.

Schedule of Regular Meetings - The board accepted the following schedule of regular meetings for the 2008/2009 academic year:  September 16, October 21, December 16, February 17, April 21, May 9 (Commencement), May 19, June 16 and July 21.

Election of Representative to the Foundation Board of Directors - The board nominated and unanimously approved Jerry Buchanan as the board’s representative to the Valencia Foundation Board of Directors. Having no other business, the organizational meeting was adjourned.

Important Information for all 10-Month Faculty

There are 26 pay periods in academic year 2008-2009. All 10-month faculty have the option of having their base salary disbursed in 22 payments over ten months, based on academic appointment, or in 26 payments over twelve months. Once the first payroll for the academic year is processed, this option may not be changed until the next academic year. 

Several times each summer, Human Resources will be posting this notice in the Bulletin in lieu of a mailing to faculty home addresses. All 10-month faculty will continue to have the June/July window to revise their salary payment option for the coming academic year.  No action is necessary unless a change is being requested.

Faculty wishing to make a change will be required to complete a Payment Option Form for 10-Month Faculty. The form is available online at Valencia Forms and can be accessed through Atlas. To make a change, a faculty member must complete the form and submit it to Human Resources no later than July 31. Changes are then effective for the first payday in the new academic year.

Please contact Vicki Nelson at ext.8031 if you have any questions. 

Important Information on Pay Dates Occurring During Upcoming Holiday Breaks

In the coming year there are two pay days that occur during a time that the college is closed for holidays, November 28 and December 26. Starting this year, we are implementing a new procedure for our holiday break payrolls so employees are not required to come in to work while the college is closed. Pay checks will not be distributed to the Business Offices, nor will they be mailed to your home, until we return to work from the break. 

November 28 pay checks will be forwarded to the Business offices and mailed on December 1. December 26 pay checks will be forwarded to the Business Offices and mailed on January 2.

If you currently have direct deposit, you will not be affected by this change and no action is required. Employees who have direct deposit will have their funds available to them on November 28 and December 26 as scheduled and can access the deposit information via ‘Employee Self Service’ in Atlas. 

If you do not currently have direct deposit and would like to have your paycheck directly deposited into an account of your choice and available for withdrawal as normally scheduled during those holiday breaks, you must sign up for direct deposit no later than October 22. The Direct Deposit Authorization form can be found online under ‘Valencia Forms’ in Atlas or by contacting the payroll department at ext. 8160.

Please be sure to distribute this information to anyone who may not have Groupwise or who does not receive the Bulletin on a regular basis. This includes part-time, student and adjunct employees who work with you.

If you have questions you may contact Joe Livingston at ext. 8069, or Bettie Cooper at ext. 8100.

Procurement News

Requisitions, Banner and Payment tips: Who to call?

• Accounts Payable Department:  Questions regarding check requests, invoices or anything that has to do with a payment.
• Budget Department : Questions regarding your budget or accounts
• OIT: If you need assistance with Banner login or for new accounts. Contact Dodie Dingley, ext. 1340
• Procurement: Banner requisitions, supplier information, supplier business profile and W-9 forms, call Procurement at ext. 5532 or email: valenciaprocurement@valenciacc.edu

Help us help ourselves. We need your input to help us become a more efficient department. Let us know what process or procedure could be improved to make your life easier.

Fax and Printer Repair Costs Decrease - Before Procurement began the copier program in 2004, the college was spending in excess of $26,000 per year on just repairing printers, scanners and faxes. The latest data that we have for this past fiscal year shows that these expenditures have dropped to $6,000 and we expect that number to drop even lower now that we have achieved full implementation of the multi-functional copiers campus wide.

Three Year Anniversary of Student-Pay-for-Print - This fall will be mark the three year anniversary of the Student-Pay-for-Print program in the libraries. New leases will be signed with Seminole Office Solutions to continue the program with no costs to the college. Procurement would appreciate feed- back from faculty and staff on this program. Please send comments and or suggestions on the Student-Pay-for-Print program to valenciaprocurement@valenciacc.edu

New Promotional Items Contract - This year marks a new concept in promotional items procurement. The college traditionally spends approximately $300,000 per year on promotional items such as t-shirts, key chains, cups, pens, etc. Previous contracts were with one supplier which gave us better pricing than we had with no contract but for this type of commodity it is difficult to determine the real value on any purchase. The new contract features five of the very best promotional items companies (selected via the Request for Qualifications process) competing with each other on every Valencia department order greater than $3,500. Price does not have to be the awarding criteria. Some of the companies may be able to provide a quick turnaround for a little higher price. If time is of the essence in your order, the faster companies’ quote is the most advantageous. Other features of this contract include the ability to select based on creativity and promotional concepts. Utilizing the five pre-qualified suppliers assures the college that we will always get the best competitive market price available at any given time and that our departments will have the flexibility to select a firm based on factors other than price.

Elevator Inspections - We now have a new contract with an independent elevator inspection company to perform regular inspections. Prior to this contract the company that was doing the maintenance contracted a third party to do the inspections. The inspection company that we have contracted with is Vertical Assessment out of Tallahassee. They have a reputation of being the best elevator inspection company in the state. Most importantly, they are not hired by or affiliated with any maintenance company and the prices for the inspections are very competitive. Vertical Assessment works in conjunction with our contracted elevator maintenance firm, General Elevator, to ensure that we have safe, reliable elevator service at all of our locations.

Purchasing Card FAQ:

Q: Should I pay state sales tax on purchases made with my PCard?

A: Because all PCard purchases are for Valencia business use, you should not pay sales tax when making purchases in the state of Florida. For a copy of Valencia’s tax exemption certificate visit the Procurement website at http://www.valenciacc.edu/procurement/vendor.asp. For your convenience, Valencia’s Florida tax-exempt number is printed on the front of your PCard. Some vendors may ask for this number, or even a copy of the certificate itself. Always check your receipt before leaving the store.

A Note From Dr. Stanley Stone

I am very pleased to announce that Valencia Community College has selected Dr. Jeffrey Goltz as the Training Center Director for the Criminal Justice Institute to replace Dave Smith.

Jeff is a twenty year veteran of the Orlando Police Department and holds the rank of Captain. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Commander of the Professional Standards Division. Dr. Goltz received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Central Florida in 2006. He has served as an adjunct instructor in the Florida Leadership Academy being conducted at Valencia.

Jeff started work at Valencia on July 7. Please give him a warm Valencia welcome. Jeff can be contacted at ext. 8265 or via e-mail at jgoltz@valenciacc.edu.

The Final Summer Offerings for Leadership Valencia

Banner Finance Training for New Hires and Deans - Beginner Banner Finance/Purchasing for new budget managers and staff assistants. This class will cover Banner nomenclature, budget, budget transfers, payroll, purchasing and accounts payable functions. We will also cover Introduction to both INB and Self Service Banner. July 28, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 219, Registration Code:TBFNH

How To Say It , Part I - If you are struggling to find just the right words for that all important e-mail message; if you need assistance getting your message across to your co-workers, supervisor, or students, then you will find this workshop beneficial. Sponsored by the Florida Association of Community Colleges. July 29, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112, Registration Code:LHTSI-1

Are You The Sandwich Generation - Do You Need Help? - An informational workshop to explore the both sides of the sandwich-college planning for your children and elder planning for your parents. Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of American Association for Women in Community Colleges. A box lunch and beveragewill be provided. August 13, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112, Registration Code: GSG

How To Say It-Difficult Conversations, Part III -These are the conversations that we all find so difficult. Conversations about discipline or correction, complaints and disagreements with a co-worker or student all tend to leave us looking for places to hide.This workshop will offer sound and appropriate advice on how to have these sensitive conversations.August 14, 2:30-4:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112, Registration Code: LHTSI-3

Learning Conversations: Running Virtual, Collaborative Meetings Using GoToMeeting - Attend this session to learn how to use the college's new application for online meeting solution, GoToMeeting. Topics covered will include: 1) what is it and how it can be used; 2) how to organize online meetings, 3) how to participate in online meetings; 4) best practices, and 5) how to get started. Come see how this tool can enhance your next meeting. August 22, 10-11:30 a.m., West Campus, Room 6-326-A, Registration Code: TLC-1

To register for all Leadership Valencia workshops please go to http://valenciacc.edu/leadership/regstr.cfm with the registration code for the workshop you wish to enroll in. Be sure you have the approval of your direct supervisor prior to registering. Also if a workshop is canceled, only those registered are sent a cancellation e-mail. To view the status of a particular workshop, check the Leadership Valencia calendar located online. And be sure to look for announcements for upcoming Fall workshops in a couple of weeks.

There is a lot less of Osceola campus. The last 17 weeks 22 Weight Watchers members lost a total of 319.6 pounds.  Congratulations to ALL those losers. 

July is Stress Relief Month - Stress is a part of everyone's life and can cause physical, mental and emotional reactions. If extreme, long-term stress is not taken care of, it can lead to depression and heart disease, drug and alcohol abuse and even suicide.

Learn new ways to calm your stress. You cannot avoid stress, but you can manage how it affects you. Explore these simple relaxation techniques to reduce the effects of stress and improve your health:

• Exercise - regular daily exercise allows you to feel in control and promotes a sense of well-being and relaxation. Health benefits of exercise include decreased blood pressure, lower cholesterol and reduced muscle tension.
• Positive thinking - during the day, take the opportunity to evaluate the thoughts going through your mind.  Practicing positive thinking will improve your outlook on life and increase your ability to handle everyday stress.
• Journaling - keep a diary or journal of your thoughts and feelings about events that cause you stress each day. Writing will help you process and release emotions while identifying stressful situations you can avoid.
• Yoga - the main goal of yoga is to achieve a sense of peach throughout the body and mind by coordinating specific poses and focused breathing.

When you come across stressful situations or events, try a few of the following quick stress relievers to help yourself relax: take a deep breath; play a game; laugh; listen to music; take a walk; plant a garden; read a book; call a friend.

Effects of stress on the body - symptoms associated with stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Stress symptoms may often look like other illnesses or problems. A stomachache or headache could actually be caused by stress and not the onset of a common cold or flu. Recognize what things cause you stress and then take steps to manage them. Although we are not able to keep stress out of our lives completely, we can find new ways to manage our stress and deal with it effectively. Remember to talk to your health care provider before you begin any exercise program or if you feel that you can no longer manage stress by yourself.

                - Information provided by Preventive Care Services, a part of Health Net Federal Services, www.healthnetfederalservices.com

E-mail achievements, awards, recognitions and relevant information for the college community to Mary Jane Jones in the Marketing and Media Relations office. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Tuesday to be included in the following Monday’s publication. Mary Jane can be reached at ext.1017, mc 4-34 or mjjones@valenciacc.edu