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A weekly publication for the staff &
faculty of Valencia Community Colleg
Vol. XXXV, No. 22
June 12, 2006
This week at Valencia…
Monday, June 12
Career Program Advisory Committee, 3 p.m., Osceola Campus, TBA
Wednesday, June 14
College Executive Council, 9:15 a.m., West Campus, 6-202
Collegewide Curriculum Committee, 2 p.m., East Campus, 3-113
Thursday, June 15
Faculty Council, 2:30 p.m., Osceola Campus, TBA
Great News about Travel Expenses
The 2006 Legislative session passed a bill that “revises per
diem, subsistence and mileage rates for purposes of reimbursement
of travel expenses of public officers, employees and authorized persons.”
The new rates go into effect for travel on or after July 1. The new
figures are $80 per diem or $6, $11 and $19, respectively, for breakfast,
lunch and dinner while traveling. The mileage reimbursement rate was
increased from 29 cents per mile to 44.5 cents per mile.
The bill also extends prohibition on per diem and subsistence reimbursement
for Class C travelers (in- or out-of-district, but not overnight)
until July 1, 2007.
If you have any questions, please call Marcey Camacho at ext. 3310
or Vicki Mantione at ext. 3309.
News from Procurement
Toner Cartridges - All toner cartridges have a 30-day return policy.
Order only what you currently need. Storing toner cartridges for
more than six months is not recommended. If the cartridge is more
than 30 days old, the cartridge cannot be returned to the supplier.
Please check all cartridge packages when they arrive for any defects.
Vacation Time - Oracle Approvers can forward their notifications
to other Oracle Approvers when they are not in their office. This
will allow your office to run smoothly in your absence. Instructions
for forwarding notifications can be found in the Oracle 11i Purchasing
Training Manual, Tab 12 or by contacting our office at x5532 for
an electronic file.
Time is Almost Up - Important Year-End Reminder from Financial Services
As we approach the end of the 2005/06 fiscal year, the Financial
Services department would like to assist you to best utilize your
remaining budget funds. While financial processes cannot stop because
of fiscal year end, there are some required cut-off dates that must
be enforced due to Florida Department of Education (DOE) requirements
and audit guidelines. In order to have a smooth transition between
the closing of the 2005/06 fiscal year, and the opening of the 2006/07
fiscal year, it is important that we adhere to the following timeline:
Cash Receipts - All money received that should be credited to the
2005/06 fiscal year must be turned into any Business Office location
by 12:30 p.m., Friday,
June 30.
Vendor Invoices - Goods and services must be received by June 30
and invoices must be received by the Accounts Payable department
no later then July 7 for the expenditure to be charged to your 2005/06
budget. Please forward all invoices immediately to Accounts Payable,
mail code DTC-3, for processing. When ordering goods or services,
please allow sufficient time for goods and services to be received
and invoiced by June 30. This is especially critical for grants
with a June 30 closing date.
Budget Amendments - Submit completed budget amendment forms to the
Budget Office at mail code DTC-3. Please address related questions
to Pedro Rivera at extension 3350 or Sherri Dixon at extension 3306.
Purchase Orders - Financial Services recommends that you run the
Oracle VCC Encumbrance Detail Report for your department to determine
the status of all purchase orders showing an encumbered amount and
cancel any outstanding items not needed. Contact the Procurement
Office, extension 5532, should you have any questions in reference
to general operating fund 1 purchase orders and Sherri Dixon, extension
3306, for grant-related purchase orders.
You may begin entering Oracle requisitions for fiscal year 2006/07
on Monday, July 3.
Petty Cash - The last day to request reimbursement from the Business
Office is Friday, June 23. Please do not accumulate numerous petty
cash receipts, since reimbursements are limited to $75 per day.
Petty cash processing for fiscal year 2006/07 will resume on Monday,
July 3.
Travel Reimbursement - Requests for travel reimbursement must be
received in Accounts Payable, mail code DTC-3, by Friday, June 23.
Requests received after this date will be charged to the 2006/07
fiscal year budgets. Travel occurring June 26-30 will be handled
on an exception-only basis.
Personnel Pay Forms - Time sheets for part-time hourly and student
employees for hours worked the period of June 25-30 are due in Payroll
Services no later than Monday, July 3. Time sheets received after
this date will be charged to the 2006/07 fiscal year budgets.
Procurement Cards - Funds that have been encumbered for procurement
card expenditures will be released on June 29. The July 5 procurement
card download will include all transactions that have posted by
June 30 and will be charged to your 2005/06 fiscal year budget.
Procurement card transactions not posted until July 1 will be charged
to the 2006/07 budget year.
Important News About Upcoming Insurance Changes
Healthcare is a serious subject. After all, what’s more important
than your health and the health of your family? Yet maintaining quality
healthcare has become a challenge, as costs have been steadily on
the rise – here in Florida and across the country.
That’s where the partnership between our college and the Florida
Community Colleges Risk Management Consortium (FCCRMC) has been able
to make a difference – as group purchasing power and working
together with BlueCross BlueShield of Florida (BCBSF) have resulted
in cost increases that are lower than the national average. Most recently,
FCCRMC member colleges have worked together to develop a long-term
approach designed to support the availability of quality healthcare
resources at a cost you and the college can afford. That approach
requires smart healthcare buying and a focus on good health –
and includes tools and resources to help make that happen.
In making these changes, our goal is to support you and your families
in managing your health and your healthcare expenses. We are excited
about what our partnership can do. As another added measure of assurance,
the college will hire a consultant to conduct a review of the insurance
programs to ensure that we provide our employees with the best quality
coverage. In addition, the existing PPO, BlueChoice, will be maintained
for one year to allow a transition period prior to the new plans.
For 2007, you will see some changes as part of this evolving long-term
strategy. One is a new BCBSF PPO network and plan: The BlueOptions
PPO offers broad access to quality NetworkBlue doctors, hospitals
and providers who provide services at a lower cost than the PPO network
in place today. Overall, FCCRMC expects a 10-15% reduction in costs
by implementing this new plan. You are likely to see those savings
reflected in your out-of-pocket cost when you receive care, and in
what you are asked to pay for dependent medical coverage. With the
new PPO, you still will have freedom to choose any provider. And,
you benefit from direct claim filing, some savings on the cost of
care, and freedom from “balance billing” (requiring you
to pay amounts over BCBSF’s approved charges) when you use the
traditional BCBSF network.
In addition to the BlueOptions PPO (and the HMO offered in some areas),
you will have a new, customized BlueOptions HRA (available to full-time
employees and COBRA participants only—not available to retirees)
plan to consider. The HRA plan also uses NetworkBlue. With the HRA
plan, you’ll have:
• a higher deductible –
$1,000 per person or $3,000 per family – and you will pay a
percentage of the cost for the care you receive instead of set dollar
copayments.
• a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
funded through FCCRMC by the college. The HRA is a personal account
you can use to pay healthcare expenses tax-free in 2007 or the future.
• an even lower cost to buy dependent coverage than you
will with the BlueOptions PPO.
Our partnership with FCCRMC and BCBSF already includes great tools
to help you manage your health – including health risk assessments
to help you identify potential health issues, and myBlueService, an
online resource with a wealth of medical information. Between now
and 2007, that information will be expanded to help you manage what
you spend on healthcare with tools to help you compare medical options,
select a hospital or doctor, and understand the cost of the care your
doctor recommends.
We will provide many more educational opportunities and a detailed
look at your choices from August through mid-October – with
enrollment meetings, materials and an expanded myBlueService Web site
to support your choice of plans for 2007. Enrollment will take place
September through November.
Please contact Laurie Youngman at x8116, Linda Marcia at x8038, or
Barbara Luse at x8045 for more information.
Atlas for Staff Training-Many of the college's services,
forms, and announcements are now occurring in Atlas. If you forgot
how to use Atlas, forgot your PIN, and how to log on or just need
a refresher, attend one of these refresher sessions. Wednesday,
June 14, West Campus, Room SSB-142, 9-10:15 a.m., registration code:
AFS1; 10:30-11:30 a.m., registration code: AFS2; 1:15-2:15 p.m.,
registration code: AFS3; or 2:30-3:30 p.m., registration code: AFS4.
Human Resources and Diversity Question and Answer Session-The
purpose of this workshop is to host a conversation of Human Resources
and Diversity related topics. Questions need to be submitted via
e-mail to Dannette Johnson, dajohnson@valenciacc.edu. The questions
submitted will be answered during the question and answer session.
Participants must arrive 30 minutes prior to the session to allow
enough time for registration. The session will start on time and
will be presented by Dr. Stanley Stone, vice president, Human Resources
and Diversity, Joe Livingston, assistant vice president, Human Resources,
Jennifer Page, director, Employment and Development, Dr. Martha
Williams, director, Employee Relations, Diversity and Compliance,
Laurie Youngman, manager, Benefits and Retirement, Vicki Nelson,
coordinator, Records Processing, Dannette Johnson, manager, Compensation
and Classification, Vicki Pipkin, fiscal assistant and Mary Beth
Elkins, executive assistant, Human Resources. Please choose from
one of the following dates and locations: Monday, June 12, 10–11:30
a.m., Criminal Justice Institute Auditorium, registration code:
PHR1; Tuesday, June 13, 10-11:30 a.m., West Campus, room 9-218,
registration code: PHR2; or Thursday, June 15, 10-11:30 a.m., Osceola
Campus, Building 2, Auditorium, registration code: PHR3.
After All, You're the Supervisor-This program is designed
to help supervisors reach for and achieve greater success in the
workplace. The following eight components of supervisory success
will be presented: acknowledging your new role; planning and prioritizing;
being accessible; encouraging teamwork; communicating upward and
downward; delegating; effective discipline; and providing feedback.
Tuesday, June 13, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon, Winter Park Campus, Room 226,
registration code: MYTS.
Identity Theft: What You Can Do to Protect Your ID-As of
April 2003, 11.8 million Americans have been victims of identity
theft. If you do not own a shredder in your home or place of work;
if you still carry your social security card in your wallet; if
you do not check merchant copies of your debit/credit card receipts;
if you still use the mailbox red flag; then you will want to attend
this session. Tuesday, June 13,
2-4 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 1-171, registration code: GID1.
Principles and Qualities of Genuine Leadership, Manager's Version-More
than ever everyone in an organization needs a deep knowledge of
leadership best practices and help in tailoring those practices
to their own situations. To meet this need this workshop outlines
the universal leadership principles and qualities that help individuals
become genuine leaders that can translate intentions into reality.
The goal of this workshop is to help participants achieve results
for their organization by applying the principles and developing
the qualities of genuine leadership and applying them to their role
as a leader. Wednesday, June 14, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon, Sand Lake Center,
Room 2-123, registration code: MPQGL.
Florida Retirement System (FRS) and the Deferred Retirement Option
Program (DROP)-This first workshop provides an in-depth look
at the FRS and DROP programs. Some of the topics will include your
options under each one as well as how your retirement benefit is
calculated and how your DROP money accumulates. The benefits that
Valencia allows their retirees to continue will be discussed, as
well as the tax implications of the benefits. Wednesday, June 14,
3-5 p.m., West Campus, Room 4-120, registration code: GFRS614.
Presidential Perspectives on Contemporary Community Colleges-Dr.
Shugart and Chanda Torres will present a qualitative study of beliefs
and perspectives on issues of importance to three current community
college presidents. Monday, June 19, 2-3 p.m., East Campus, Room
5-112, registration code: LPP.
Personal Finance-Develop your personal financial savvy and
tweak your knowledge on saving for college and retirement. Learn
great tips on picking a mutual fund. Pre-workshop sheets will be
sent to you one week prior to the workshop. Note: Lunch will be
provided. Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of the American Association
for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) and the Valencia Foundation.
Tuesday, June 20, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 3-319H,
registration code: GPF620.
The Invisible Web/What Search Engines Fail to Find-The internet
is part of our everyday lives but Google and other search engines
are only allowing us to access about 25 percent of the internet.
Are you curious about the other 75 percent? This workshop will reveal
the secrets of the invisible web and show you how to use it in your
personal and professional life. Wednesday, June 21, 10-11 a.m.,
East Campus, Room 4-210, registration code: TIW.
Valencia Volunteers-Valencia Volunteers is a referral resource
for students, faculty/staff, and other members of the Central Florida
Community. We are committed to promoting volunteerism on our campus
and throughout Central Florida. This workshop will present different
ways that faculty and staff can participate in volunteer opportunities.
We will be discussing fall initiatives and upcoming events pertaining
to faculty and staff. Wednesday, June 21, 1-3 p.m., East Campus,
Room 3-113, registration code: GVV.
Social Security & Medicare-A representative from the
Social Security Administration will discuss what to expect and the
procedures to follow to enroll in Social Security and Medicare.
A representative from Valencia's Human Resources will discuss the
coordination of benefits between Medicare and the college's retiree
health insurance. Wednesday, June 21, 3-5 p.m. West Campus, Room
4-120, registration code: GSSM.
To register for any Leadership Valencia classes and for more information
go to http://valencia.cc.fl.us/leadership.
Award News at Valencia Enterprises
While attending the SHRM Educational Partners Conference in May, Carolyn
McMorran, senior program manager of the Business Solutions
Group at Valencia Enterprises accepted the following awards:
- Outstanding Enrollment Performance of the SHRM Learning System -
Valencia Enterprises ranked in the top 20 educational partners in
the world! Valencia's performance exceeded that of nationally known
colleges and universities.
- Certificate of Recognition for ranking in the Top Ten in enrollment
in the SHRM Essentials of Human Resource Management.
- Certificate of Recognition for achieving a 100 percent pass rate
on the SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) test for the
exam window of December 2005–January 2006. National pass rate
averages 67 percent.
Hello and Goodbye
A warm Valencia welcome is extended to Joyce Wilson,
library technician, Acquisitions & Technical Services-West, mc
4-4, ext. 1210; Nuria Curras, librarian-Winter Park,
mc 5-1, ext. 6832; James Ferrari, data warehouse/reporting
manager, CW SAS Data Warehouse Project, mc 4-12, ext. 5508; Elizabeth
Gangemi, coordinator, Atlas Information System, Student Services
Administration, mc 4-10, ext. 1144; Bettie Goldsmith,
manager, Payroll Services, mc 3-33, ext. 8100; Ainsworth Ramlochan,
security officer-East, mc 3-9, ext. 8000; Barbara Schermerhorn,
administrative assistant to the dean, Architecture, Engineering and
Technology-West, mc 4-41, ext. 1902; Kerri Tate,
staff assistant, Students with Disabilities-West, mc 4-7, ext. 1523;
Diane Vargas, administrative assistant to the dean,
Mathematics-East, mc 3-16, ext. 2438; Jimmy Dixon,
custodial working supervisor, and Manuel Dominguez,
custodian, Custodial Services-West, mc 4-9, ext. 1237.
A fond farewell and best wishes to Brenda Bredin,
retiring on 6/20/06 and Kira Bishop, Emily Hooker and
William Johnson, retiring on 6/30/06.
Kudos
Silvia Zapico, provost,
Osceola Campus, was recently appointed to the NSF (National Science
Foundation) Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources (EHR).
Kusum (Rosy) Aneja, cataloging librarian in
Technical and Acquisitions Services was elected to a two-year term
as chair of the Technical Services Committee and Suzanne Lynch Johnson,
reference librarian, was appointed to the Access Standing Committee
for the College Center for Library Automation (CCLA). Both committees
assist and advise the CCLA Executive Committee and CCLA staff regarding
service improvements and enhancements within the statewide environment.
CCLA's mission is to provide service and leadership in statewide automated
library and information resources to enhance the educational experience
at all 28 Florida community colleges.
Thank You
Kudos to the ladies of the West Campus Career Development Services
office for the lovely baby shower they threw for me. It was a very
special and fun occasion, with my husband and various Valencia faculty
and staff members attending. My colleagues have all been very supportive
during my pregnancy and I'm truly blessed to work with such wonderful
people. An extra kudos also goes to Corinne Russo, our Coordinator,
who will be covering all of my student appointments while I'm on maternity
leave. Thank you, Catherine Espenscheid
I want to thank everyone for all the cards, flowers, and support that
has been given to me and my family during the recent loss of my two
sisters. The losses have been great - but your support has made this
part of life's journey a little easier to bear. Thank you Valencia
family.
- Joanna Branham
Submissions to the Bulletin are encouraged, so please e-mail your
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 the Tuesday preceding
each Friday’s distribution. Mary Jane can be reached at ext.1017,mc
4-34 or mjjones@valenciacc.edu. |
Faculty & Staff 
