Vol. XXXVI, No. 08

March 5, 2007

This Week at Valencia

Monday, March 5

Professional Staff Leadership Team, 2 p.m., East Campus, TBA

Career Program Advisors, 3 p.m., Osceola Campus, TBA

Wednesday, March 7

Design and Operations with Deans, 1 p.m., East Campus, TBD

College Curriculum mtg., 2 p.m., East Campus, 3-113 

Learning Evidence Team, 2:30 p.m., East Campus, TBD

Thursday, March 8

Visions & Voices Presents John Gorka, 1 p.m., East Campus PAC

Faculty Senate

-East, 1 p.m., 3-113
-West, 1:15 p.m., 6-202
-Osceola, 1:30 p.m., 2-237

Strategic Budget Initiative Deadline

Each year Valencia plans to allocate a portion of its budget to Strategic Budget Initiatives (SBI), projects linked explicitly to Valencia 's Strategic Learning Plan. SBI funding provides support for promising innovations that may be scaled to reach large numbers of students, moving them beyond the original trial to "venture capital" investment by the college.

This year, only a final, completed packet will be required for project proposals. Completed proposals for Strategic Budget funding during the 2007-2008 fiscal year are due on Friday, March 9, 2007 .

The SBI training session, along with all other documentation for proposals, is available on the Valencia website: http://www.valenciacc.edu/budget/ . For more information on the process or copies of the documentation, please contact Dave Rogers, ext. 3223, or Liz Gombash, ext. 2909.

Academic Regalia for Commencement

Valencia will pay for faculty, administrators and professional staff regalia if ordered by March 9, 2007 . Orders must be made in person at your campus Business Office. Payment for regalia orders received after March 9 will be the direct responsibility of the employee. If you ordered regalia last year, the Business Office staff will have information that you must confirm is accurate. If you did not order regalia last year, you will need to provide the appropriate information, such as cap/gown size, degree level, field of study, and the university from which you graduated. Campus Business Offices are at the following locations

• East Campus-Building 5, Room 214
• Osceola Campus-Building 1, Room 155
• West Campus-Student Services Building , Room 101
• Winter Park Campus-Room 206
• Downtown Center personnel should contact Patty Nicholas, ext. 3465

Achieving the Dream (AtD), Supplemental Learning (SL) Update:

The Supplemental Learning Leadership Team is looking for excellent students to be trained as Supplemental Learning Leaders. Many of our best SL Leaders have been recommended to us from instructors and staff such as yourself. For the Summer semester, we are offering SL in MAT0012C, MAT0024C, MAT1033C, MAC1105, ENC1101 and POS2041. We will need SL Leaders for each class that is offering an SL component. SL Leaders participate in class, and they offer weekly "SL sessions" for students enrolled in SL courses.

Do you know of a great student who would make a great SL Leader? Contact your campus Supplemental Learning Coordinator:

* East - Libby Gore, ext. 2385
* Osceola - Al Groccia, ext. 4182
* West - Russell Takishima, ext. 1724
* Winter Park - Linda Hidek, ext 6817

Want to learn more about Supplemental Learning or how you can get involved? Check out our website: http://www.valencia cc.edu/dream/suppLearning.asp

Got Scrap Paper?

You can help students in the West Campus Math Support Center while saving trees! We need any scrap paper you have AND we will even help you sort out the sensitive paper from the recycled if you happen to be located on the West Campus. Just send an email to Carol Thompson at cthompson39 @valenciacc.edu the day before you want one of us to come help you in your recycle efforts. If you don't need help sorting sensitive paper from the recycled paper, just mail the scrap paper, old computer paper etc. in an inter-office envelope addressed to the Math Lab, mail code 4-23 or drop by anytime in building 7, room 240 on the West Campus.

The Latest from Leadership Valencia

Florida Retirement System (FRS) & 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.  Discussion will include the benefits that Valencia allows retirees to continue and the tax implications of your benefits. March 6, 3-4:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code: GFRS.

Introduction to GroupWise 7.0 - Learn new features of GroupWise 7.0.  Discuss topics such as managing groups and address books, viewing multiple screens and effectively using your calendar.  March 6, 2-4 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 2-246, registration code: TGW4 or March 20, 2-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 8-221, registration code: TGW5.

Introduction to PowerPoint - This session will provide participants with basic PowerPoint presentation skills, including entering and editing backgrounds, text and images.  Also covered will be slide transitions, custom animation, and printing options. March 7, 1-2:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326A, registration code: TIP2.

Phone Etiquette - This session will focus on utilizing your phone for great service. Learn tips on phone etiquette with ideas on how phone features can assist you. Note: This session is sponsored by Career Staff Council. March 7, 2-4:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 8-221, registration code: PPEE.

Circles of Belonging - Ever wonder what makes a person tick? Individual experiences play a huge part in shaping the way we interact with others and view the world around us. This in-depth interactive workshop will examine how diversity of experience impacts our interpersonal communications and relationships. Through discovery and discussion, learn more about yourself and the people around you. Participants will leave the session with an increased understanding of and appreciation for similarities and differences. March 8, 4-8 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code: PCOB4.

Formation is For Everyone - Bring your lunch and join us for ongoing, relaxed conversations around Parker Palmer's essay, "13 Ways of Looking at Community." This is a time for faculty, staff and administrators to practice ways of speaking and being heard that allow a group to become a deeply respectful and caring community-in-learning where each person has a voice. March 20, 1-2 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-212B, registration code: LFORM5.

Enhancing Your WebCT Course with Videotape using Visual Communicator - Create professional quality video for your online course. Visual Communicator software can be used to create an orientation video for your students, as well as online video reviews and lessons. You will be introduced to Visual Communicator, shown samples of finished videos, participate in a brief videotaping session, and discuss best practices. An opportunity will be given to sign up for individual sessions. March 20, 1-2:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326A, registration code: TEYW2.

Valencia's Incentive Retirement Program & the 401a/403b/457 Plans -  Discover the aspects of Valencia's own Incentive Retirement Program, Terminal Leave Payout, and the 401a/403b/457 plans and how they all work together to save you money. Tax implications will also be discussed. March 20, 3-4:30 p.m., Criminal Justice Institute Auditorium, registration code: GRETIRE.

Musician John Gorka to Give Free Concert at Valencia

Guitarist, pianist, singer and songwriter John Gorka will give a free, live performance at the Valencia Community College Performing Arts Center on March 8 from 1 to 2 p.m. followed by a CD signing from 2 to 2:30 p.m.

John Gorka's musical style is a hybrid of energetic folk, non-traditional blue grass and country. Formerly a Windham Hill/High Street recording artist, his latest album titled The Company You Keep was produced under Minnesota-based label, Red Hill Records. Rolling Stone magazine has called him "the preeminent male singer/songwriter of the new folk movement." His video for the single "When She Kisses Me" found a long-term rotation on VH-1's "Current Country," as well as on CMT and the Nashville Network. Over the years he has toured and performed with such artists as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Gorka's visit is one in a series of featured performances and readings under Valencia 's Visions and Voices distinguished artists' series and will take place at Valencia 's East Campus Performing Arts Center. It is free and open to the public, with limited seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information call the College & Community Relations office at 407-582-3128, or visit www.valenciacc.edu/visionsvoices.

Osceola Campus Learning Center Offering Free Student Workshops During March

The Osceola Campus Learning Center is offering the following free student workshops during March in building 3, room 100:

3/8/2007 - WebCT 6, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
3/22/2007 - Online Tutoring, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
3/29/2007 - MS Word, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

For more information visit the Learning Center or go to: http://valenciacc.edu/osceola/learningcenter/workshops. If you would like to set up an in-class workshop, please contact Sandra Guevara-Torres, ext. 4112 or Bobby Cruz, ext. 4220.

A Warm Valencia Welcome to New Full-time Employees..

Michael Miller , security officer, West, SSB 170, mc 4-28, ext. 1000
Anthony Jansen , business office specialist, Finance Office, East, 5-214, mc 3-11, ext. 2613

A Fond Farewell and Best Wishes to..

Rhonda Glover , assistant vice president, Institutional Research and Learning Assessment, retired 2/28/07

Valencia Graphics Students Sweep ADDYs

Out of the total 29 Student ADDYs awarded this year by the Orlando Advertising Federation, 21 went to Valencia students! Selection of the most creative entry in each category is effected by a scoring process in which a panel of judges evaluates all creative dimensions of every entry. In each category, a GOLD ADDY® is recognition of the highest level of creative excellence and is judged to be superior to all other entries in the competition. Entries that are also considered outstanding and worthy of recognition receive SILVER ADDYs®. The number of awards given in each category is determined by the judges, based on the relative quality of work in that category. Congratulations to:

Jason Ellison - 3 gold and 3 silver
Tyson Robertson - gold
Jennifer Johnson - 2 silver
Melissa McHenry - silver
Phyllis Hanson - silver
Daissy Linares - silver
Lisa Harrison - silver
Crystal Aria - silver
Darla Dietz - silver
Kenny Roy - silver
Amanda Bonilla - silver
Garrett Burtoft - silver
Dionne Aiken - silver
Rafael Garcia - silver
Alexis Lassman - silver

Special congratulations to Gong Liu , UCF student and former Valencia student, for winning this year's Best of Student ADDY and three gold ADDYs and for the great work he's done while at Valencia and UCF.

Thank you

I want to offer my humble and sincere thanks for all of the cards, emails, phone calls and letters I received from my Valencia family during my mother's battle with cancer and her passing in January. Your prayers and wishes gave my family strength during those final days and I will be eternally grateful. My special thanks to those of you who contributed to the Kathryn Terrill Memorial Nursing Scholarship to help me keep her dream of serving others alive.

Grace & Peace, Angelique Smith