Vol. XXXVI, No. 41
October 29, 2007

This Week at Valencia

Thursday, November 1

Valencia Foundation Board meeting, 11:30 a.m., East Campus, 5-111-112
Atlas Access Manager’s meeting, 9 a.m., East Campus, 5-217D

Friday, November 2 – Sunday, November 2

Little Shop of Horrors, East Campus Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m., Sunday

Reports

Osceola Campus
Dr. Silvia Zapico, provost of the Osceola campus, informed the board that the Osceola Campus set an enrollment record this fall with 6,646 students, 43 percent of whom are Hispanic. She then introduced Kevin Mulholland, dean, Communications and Humanities, and Shari Koopman, professor of English, who gave a presentation on the Alchemist, the Osceola Campus arts magazine.

Osceola Campus Student Government Association Report
Dr. Zapico introduced Luis Figueroa, Osceola Campus SGA president, for an update on SGA activities on that campus.

Fall Term Enrollment
Dr. Joyce Romano, vice president, Student Affairs, gave a detailed report on fall enrollment collegewide. She said that overall headcount was up by 9.5 percent and FTE was up 11.6 percent.

First Quarter Financial Report
Keith Houck, vice president, Administrative Services, gave a financial report for the first quarter, which showed that expenditures are holding steady as to compared to the same time period last year. Mr. Houck said that the impact of state cutbacks, which are expected to be offset by a 5 percent proposed tuition increase for spring, will bring the total reduction in our overall budget to just under $1 million.

Construction Report
Project updates were given on Modules 10 and 11, the new parking lot on West Campus, the Kirkman Road property which should go on the market toward the end of November, and land options for a proposed campus in east Orlando.

Internal Auditor Report
Undria Stalling, DBOT internal auditor, presented an executive summary of the Upward Bound Compliance Audit report. Valencia President Sanford Shugart said that Upward Bound was being phased out due to heightened fiscal regulations that will soon come into effect that will make the program no longer viable for Valencia to continue.

Faculty Council Report
Rose Watson, Collegewide Faculty Council president, said that a task force was looking at how final exams are graded and making sure that the process was conducted in the best interest of students.

Foundation Report
Valencia Trustee Raymer Maguire reported that the board members of Valencia Foundation had set a stretch goal for themselves of $2.5 million in personal contributions as part of the college’s ongoing capital campaign. Mr. Maguire invited the college’s Board of Trustees to join the foundation’s board in making a similar commitment. Mr. Maguire also announced several upcoming Foundation events including the annual donor recognition gala on December 1 and Taste for Learning on April 12.

President’s Report
Dr. Shugart updated the board on the special legislative session in Tallahassee. He said that proposed budgets from both the House and Senate have applied a four percent cut to the state’s community colleges, while offsetting that reduction by restoring a five percent tuition fee increase starting in the spring term and also allowing an $11.4 million special appropriation of non-recurring dollars. Overall, Dr. Shugart said that Valencia got “exactly what we asked for,” and he’s hopeful that Gov. Charlie Crist will not veto plans passed by the two chambers. The special session ends on Oct. 29. In anticipation of another four-to-six-percent reduction next year, the college will continue its hiring freeze, managing travel and other expenses in an effort to control this year’s budget and make next year’s cuts more manageable. Dr. Shugart introduced Kaye Walter, executive vice president and chief learning officer, to give a preliminary enrollment report for the spring term. Dr. Walter said that college staff met recently and determined that we have the capacity to absorb 10 percent growth in enrollment for spring. Dr. Shugart informed the board of a November 5 joint community college summit at UCF to which principals from Central Florida’s high schools will be invited. As in prior years, the president and board members agreed to hold the December board meeting on the second Tuesday of the month (Dec. 11) instead of the third Tuesday in light of holiday schedules. The president closed with details of his recent study leave to Oxford and thanked the board for giving him the time off.

New Business

Strategic Planning Goals 2008-2013
Valencia’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the submission by Susan Kelley, co-chair of the College Planning Council, of the college’s new statements of vision, values and mission, strategic issues, “Big Hairy Audacious Goals,” and strategic goals for 2008-2013.

Student Fees Spring and Summer Terms, 2008 (Revised)
The board approved the revised student fees for the upcoming spring and summer terms in the maximum amount authorized by state law, effective for classes beginning after Jan. 1, 2008. The five percent increase is contingent upon final legislative approval and subject to executive veto by Gov. Crist.

Line of Credit Resolution #07/08-03
The board approved a line of credit agreement with the Valencia Foundation in order to finance the continuing construction of the Health Education Building on the West Campus.

Continuing Contract for Civil Engineering Consultant (Five-Year Renewable)
The board gave the college its approval to proceed with the selection and commencement of negotiations with Highland Engineering, Inc., to provide continuing contract services as the civil engineering consultant. Trustee Bertica Cabrera-Morris, abstained.

Continuing Contract for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Consultant (Five-Year Renewable)
The board approved allowing the college to select and commence negotiations with OCI Associates, Inc., to provide continuing contract services as the mechanical and electrical engineering consultant.

Consent Agenda
Approved under a consent agenda were various Policy Amendments and Policy Deletions; Valencia Emeriti; Direct Support Organizations Audit Review Check List; additions, deletions or modifications of courses and programs; Valencia Enterprise courses and fees; Human Resources agenda; submission of grant proposals and property deletion.

There was no other business. 

Library’s Online Resources

You may not recognize the "LINCC" name, but have you ever used online resources to search for a book, find an article or access a database through one of Valencia's libraries? LINCC is the portal for all of Florida's 28 community colleges to share an incredible amount of material, a service that most of us take for granted! Periodically LINCC administers a user satisfaction survey. This feedback is used to evaluate the users' experience. Please take a few minutes to complete this online survey. You will be able to identify your status (student, faculty, administrator, other). The 11 question survey runs through November 16 and is available at http://survey.cclaflorida.org/surveys/student2007.htm

News from Procurement

Purchase Order Change Orders - Changes/additions can be made to existing purchase orders. In Banner, the name is called “Change Orders.” Should you need a change order, send an e-mail to Valenciaprocurement@ valenciacc.edu with the following information: P.O. number, reason why change order is needed, Index/Account numbers. We can not revise the following items on a completed/approved purchase order: Vendor or Document Level accounting indicator.

Approved Strategic Equipment List - FY 2007-2008 Strategic Equipment List has been approved and Procurement is accepting all requests. Instructions on submitting your approved purchase and Form B can be found on the Procurement Web site under Faculty/Staff FAQ’s:  http://www.valenciacc.edu/procurement/facultystaff_FAQs.asp.  Although items were approved by the College Operations Council, college policy and Florida Statutes must be followed in ordering any item/service over $3,500.  We will contact you regarding any additional quotes or formal Invitations to Bid, if applicable. Only approved items will be ordered. Any changes will need vice president approval.

Latest Leadership Valencia Offerings

Formation: A Little Lunch, A Little Literature, and A Lot of Lively Discussions - Bring your lunch and join us for lunch and literature.  This is a one-hour relaxed discussion with colleagues around poetry or short prose chosen each meeting by one of the group. We begain with Teaching with Fire, a collection of educators' stories and poems and prose they have chosen that gives sustenance and courage to continue their work with others. October 30, 1-2 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-212B, registration code: LFORM-4 OR November 6, 1-2 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-212B, registration code: LFORM-5.

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. October 31, 1-3 p.m., CJI Campus, Auditorium, registration code: GSSM.

Distracted/Decision Driving - Attend this informative workshop to learn how to become a defensive driver. This session will sharpen your skills and hone awareness for this common activity. November 1, 2-3 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 221, registration code: GDRIVE-2 OR November 7, 2-3 p. m., East Campus, Room 8-131, registration code: GDRIVE-3.

Achieving the Dream: Developmental Education Best Practices After FDEA - After attending the Florida Developmental Education Association’s 29th Annual Conference, ‘Encourage, Engage, & Empower,’ you will attend this workshop to share. November 2, 1-4 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code: PFDEA-1.

Living Wills, Healthcare Surrogate, Estate Planning - What are these? Why do you need them? What is probate? Why should I care? All of this and more will be discussed in this final of the series of workshops. November 6, 9-11 a.m., CJI Campus, Auditorium, registration code: GLIVING.

Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach, 10th Anniversary - Join us for the 10th anniversary of Parker Palmer's renowned work, The Courage to Teach, a treatise on the health of an educator's spirit. Palmer believes this book is for all who have good days and bad, and whose bad days bring the suffering that comes only from doing something one loves. It is for teachers who refuse to harden their hearts, because they love learners, learning and the teaching life. The book will be discussed in two meetings. This is not just for teachers, everyone is invited. November 9, 2-4 p.m., West Campus, Room HSB-211, registration code: LPARKER-2.

Identity Theft:  The Crime of the Millennium - As of April 2003, 11.8 million Americans have been victims of identity theft. If you do not own a shredder in your home and/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, and if you still use the mailbox red flag, then you will want to attend this session. November 14, 2-3 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 3-300, registration code: GIT.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Training, Part One - A workshop to train faculty and staff in the college's new Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. Part one will provide an overview of human research protection and how our IRB works with an aim to be as unintrusive as possible, while complying with Federal regulations. (Note: Completion of this workshop satisfies the IRB training requirement for investigators of Valencia projects that have been approved through expedited or full review.) November 15, 1-3 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 220, registration code: PIRB1-5.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Training, Part Two - A workshop to train faculty and staff in the college's new Institutional Review Board (IRB)process. Part two will walk through the Valencia IRB application process through interactive discussions, including questions and discussion of examples. (NOTE: Recommended pre-requisite: IRB Training Part One). November 15, 3-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 220, registration code: PIRB2-5

Total Engagement - Have you ever paid total attention to anything? Have you ever had anyone pay total attention to you? Is it even possible? Can you imagine the possibilities in being totally engaged? This hands-on participatory, lots-of-fun workshop is all about getting your teeth into something big - finding passion and diving in fully. Strange and intentionally foreign sounding topics will include but not be limited to: learning to stay; listening without anchorage; leaving the shore; following the showing; being a contribution; grope vs. rote; curiosity/courage/creativity; what to do when you're lost; and wherever you are, you may call here. See you there. Please direct questions to Jim Belcher, JBelcher@ValenciaCC.edu. November 27, 1-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code: LTE.

To register for all Leadership Valencia classes, visit online at http://valencia.cc.fl.us/leadership.

Call for NISOD Nominations

Please consider nominating a worthy colleague for the National Institute for Staff & Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence in Learning Leadership Award.  The purpose of the NISOD awards program at Valencia is to recognize members of the faculty, staff and administration for outstanding accomplishments in improving student learning. Recipients should have demonstrated meritorious learning leadership, as outlined in the award guidelines. 

To request a nomination form and guidelines, please contact Shauna Anstey, College & Community Relations, extension 3211; or download the form at http://valenciacc.edu/pdf/ Nomination_pkg.pdf.

For more information about NISOD and this year's conference, to be held May 25-28, 2008, visit NISOD’s Web site at www.nisod.org.

Kudos

Silvia Zapico, provost, Osceola Campus, was recently recognized as an Alumna of the Decade Award Recipient for the 1990's at the 40th Anniversary Reunion of the University of Central Florida College of Education. This award was given in celebration of her contributions to the field of education.

We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for participating in the American Heart Association Heart Walk this year. We had an excellent turn out with over 200 walkers! As a result of your efforts, Valencia has contributed to helping people live healthier and happier lives...

To learn more about how you can make a healthy move forward through Valencia Wellness, go to www.valencia cc.edu/wellness or contact Debi Jakubcin at ext 2281 or djakubcin@valenciacc.edu.

Valencia Heart Walk 2007 Team Photo