Vol. XXXVII, No. 04
February 4, 2008

This Week at Valencia

Monday, February 4

Student Development Collegewide, 8:30 a.m., Osceola Campus, 1-258

Senior Staff mtg., 1 p.m., West Campus, 14-100

Career Program Advisor mtg., 3 p.m., Osceola Campus, 3-319h

Thursday, February 7

Atlas Access Manager mtg., 9 a.m., Osceolo Campus, 1-258

Important Notice from Human Resources and Diversity

The Human Resources and Diversity Department has the responsibility of appointing a diversity representative to each Selection and Hiring Committee at the College. As a vital member of the committee, the diversity representative assists in ensuring that the process is fair and unbiased, and adheres to the College’s commitment to equal opportunity in its hiring practices. Additionally, the Human Resources and Diversity Department is responsible for training the diversity representatives and maintaining a list of qualified individuals.

The next training class will be held on February 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Immediately following the training class, individuals will receive their first assignment to serve as a diversity representative on a hiring committee. If you would like to be considered to serve as a diversity representative, and are available to attend the training class, please submit a Diversity Representative Application by February 8. You may access the application on the Valencia forms Web site via Atlas. Located at the bottom of the application are instructions on how to submit the form.

The Body for Life challenge-first round is complete. I want to congratulate all 78 participants for taking the challenge. It was not an easy 12 weeks, especially through Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have 17 who completed the challenge with great results and I would like to acknowledge them for finishing the Body for Life challenge: Kristen Abel, Rosy Aneja, Jim Belcher, Karen Blondeau, Carl Creasman, Kim Creasman, Bernice Ferber, Allison Langevin, Cathy Mizell, Keith Mizell, Heather Parrish, Lana Powell, Beverly Pugh, Stephanie Randolph, Jennifer Taylor, Tom Winch and Marisa Zuniga.

The top five winners will be announced in next week’s Bulletin.

The new Body for Life challenge began on January 28th. If you are interested in joining this round, please contact Debi Jakubcin - djakubcin@valenciacc.edu immediately.

Diabetes Education Brown Bag Lunch - join us for a brown bag lunch on diabetes education Thursday, February 14. The presentation will take place at the following campuses and times:

• East Campus, 11 a.m.-12 noon, 3-113
• West Campus (includes Valencia Enterprises,) 1-2 p.m., HSB 220
• Osceola Campus, 11 a.m.-12 noon, Auditorium
• Winter Park Campus (includes DTC,)  1-2 p.m., room 224

Diabetes is one of the most significant problems in health care today, and the disease is reaching epidemic proportions. Whether you have pre-diabetes, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, following the instructions you have been given about eating, medication and exercise is very important. Diabetes is a serious illness, but if you are careful to do the things your doctor tells you to help manage it, you can still live a full life. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida is committed to helping educate Floridians about the dangers of diabetes and to partnering with our members and providers to help prevent this deadly disease.

Please join us for this brown bag lunch to learn more about diabetes and have your questions answered by a qualified professional. Sponsored by the Valencia Wellness Program

Leadership Valencia

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 will discuss educators' stories and poems and prose they have chosen that gives sustenance and courage to continue their work with others. All are held from 1-2 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-212B. 

• February 5, registration code:LFORM-4
• February 12, registration code:LFORM-5
• February 19, registration code:LFORM-6

Classroom Performance Systems - This is a face-to-face professional development section which will guide faculty through the interface and practical application of this formative assessment tool for traditional courses. Note: For Faculty, Deans and Managers.  February 4, 1-2:30 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 219, registration code:TCPS-1 or February 5, 1-2:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326A, registration code:TCPS-2

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. February 8, 9-11 a.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code: PIRB1-1

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Training, Part Two - Planning to conduct a research project that will require completing the application for Valencia's new Institutional Review Board (IRB) process?  This session will go through the Valencia IRB application process through interactive discussions, including questions and discussion of examples. (Recommended pre-requisite: IRB Training, Part One)  February 8, 11 a.m.-12 noon, West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code: PIRB2-1

Computer Essentials - This is a basic computer course to help you learn the essentials of file management, plug-ins, trouble-shooting, file types and document extensions to help faculty be prepared for teaching in the online environment. Note: For Deans and Faculty. February 14, 1-2:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-133C, registration code: TCE

Spring Formation Retreat, In the Spirit of Spring - Spring is on the horizon and what better time to come together with friends for some rest from that everyday process called "school" and renewal for the mind, body and spirit. Join us for our 4th Annual Spring Formation Retreat. Here you can rejuvenate your spirit while being with friends in a peaceful place. It is never "share or die" at a Formation gathering. Join us and allow yourself to find some moments of quiet and joy this spring. February 28, 4 p.m. through March 1, 1 p.m. Canterbury Retreat, Oviedo, Florida. Registration deadline is February 15. All inclusive registration fee is $300.Fee may be covered by SPD for eligible full-time employees.  Registration code:LSFR

Banner for Beginners Finance & Procurement - Includes INB and Self Service. February 15, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Winter Park Campus, Room 134, registration code: TBB-3

Refresh Banner for Finance & Procurement - Open to all who have attended a Beginners Finance & Procurement workshop. February 15, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 134, registration code: TBR-3

Excelling with Excel - This introductory workshop will provide participants with basic Microsoft Excel 2007 worksheet skills - entering and editing data, navigating, formatting, and printing the worksheet along with basic Excel functions and formulas. February 20, 1-2:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-133C, registration code: TXCEL-1 or February 21, 1-2:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326A, registration code: TXCEL-2

Visit the Leadership Valencia Web site at http://valencia.cc.fl.us/leadership to register for all Leadership Valencia workshops and additional information.

News from Procurement

Expiring PCard (a.k.a MasterCard) - If your PCard is due to expire soon, don’t be alarmed!  A replacement will be ordered and sent to you before the end of the expiration month. Your current card is good until then. Be sure to update your new expiration date with all of your vendors. You need to update the same information with Susan Ioder or Annmarie Wise in Procurement, to prevent the disruption of your on-line Office Depot account.

Updated information on PCard usage - The PCard is to be used for purchases directly related to Valencia business only. Typically, these are your low-dollar, high-volume purchases, such as office supplies, conference registration fees (other than Valencia conferences), educational supplies, institutional memberships, subscriptions, and the like.  Airline tickets for individuals authorized to travel can also be purchased with a PCard. 

For further information on what the PCard can be used for or any other PCard related questions, please contact Kacy Weekes at ext. 1974.

Supplier Business Profile and W-9 Forms - In order to create a requisition and purchase order or cut a check to a vendor, vendors must complete a supplier business profile and a W-9 form. Please refer your vendors to the supplier’s information page of our Web site for easy access to these forms: http://valenciacc.edu/procurement/vendor.asp.  Advise your vendor to enter your information, name and extension number, in the “Valencia employee requesting the Vendor Profile” field. Only when this field is completed do we enter the vendor in Banner. All vendors are required to complete and sign the forms, not employees. This is important, especially on the W-9 form which is an IRS requirement.

Toner cartridge scams - Beware of solicitors who call you and want to send you toner cartridges. The college has contracts with all our copier vendors who provide us with FREE toner (cost is covered in our contract). Printer toner is ordered when needed by departments through the Procurement Web site.  We rotate the orders among several local developing companies. 

Going green - Procurement establishes college wide contract with Peninsular Paper Company - As you might imagine, it takes a lot of manpower and supplies to keep our campuses looking good. Procurement, in close collaboration with Plant Operations, developed specifications and solicited a bid on custodial materials and supplies. These products include: paper towels, toilet tissue, multi-fold towels and foam soap. All products are Green Sealed certified. Green Seal is a non-profit organization which works with manufacturers, industry sectors, purchasing groups and governments at all levels to "green" the production and purchasing chain. They utilize a life-cycle approach, which means they evaluate a product or service beginning with material extraction, continuing with manufacturing and use, and ending with recycling and disposal. Products only become Green Seal certified after rigorous testing and evaluation, including on-site plant visits. If the product meets the organization's high standard, it will be awarded the Green Seal. Once certified, products are subject to annual monitoring to ensure that the product offered for sale continues to meet the Green Seal standard.

News from the International Student Office

Congratulations to Valencia student Erika Trnka, who received a $5,000 Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study the Japanese language in Tokyo. Erika applied for the scholarship in November after seeing it advertised on our Study Abroad and Global Exchange (SAGE) Web site.  During the Spring 2008 application cycle, the Gilman Scholarship Program received 1,369 applications for 400 possible awards.  These dollars are earmarked to promote study abroad beyond the traditional confines of the university setting, and we hope to encourage other Valencia students to apply for this and similar opportunities that are emerging nationally. 

For ten intensive, exciting weeks beginning in April, Erika will develop her proficiency in the Japanese language while living in Japan. She is a sophomore at the Osceola Campus, majoring in American Languages and Literature, with a minor in Southeast Asia Area Studies. Erika is also the first Valencia student to study abroad independently with support from our Study Abroad office.  For more information about study abroad or other global exchange opportunities, visit the SAGE website: http://www.valenciacc.edu/international/ exchange/.    Sayonara, Erika!

Kudos

Jerry Reed, adjunct professor of Computer Programming and Analysis, West Campus had an article based on his COP1006 students' project published in the February 2008 issue of Servo Magazine. The article describes the "RoboCooler", a microcomputer-controlled model heating and cooling system programmed by students enrolled in Introduction to Programming Concepts.  The students' program automatically controls the temperature in the cooler by turning heating and cooling on or off based on temperature readings. The program was developed in the C language as a class project.