Vol. XXXIV, No. 10

March 14, 2005

This Week at Valencia.

Monday, March 14:

Student Affairs Professional Development Day, 1 p.m., East Campus PAC

Tuesday, March 15:

Professional Staff Forum, 9 a.m., East Campus 5-112

Student Affairs Leadership Team, 3 p.m., West Campus 9-140B

Wednesday, March 16:

East Campus Staff, 9 a.m., East Campus 3-113

Design & Operations with Deans & Team, Winter Park Campus TBA


"Intimate Abstraction: Works by Miami and New York Painters", Anita Wooten Gallery, East Campus, runs through March 18

Learning From Our CCSSE Results

Valencia's CCSSE (Community College Survey of Student Engagement) results have a story to tell. Actually, at least two stories inform our practices: 1) a Valencia story and 2) a story about our students. The counter-point between these stories is worth a closer look.

What is the CCSSE? The CCSSE is a research-based national survey that provides data regarding both institutional practices and student behaviors that positively correlate with learning and retention. These behaviors are clustered into five categories: Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Academic Challenge, Student-Faculty Interaction, and Support for Learners.

Valencia's Story: Nationally, 152 community colleges administered CCSSE in 2004, including all of the Florida community colleges. Valencia scored above the mean in all 5 categories when compared to Florida's Community Colleges and above the national mean in four out of five of these benchmarks. Because of this strong performance, Valencia has been selected to receive a MetLife Foundation Best Practice College Award.

It appears that our efforts over the last few years are paying off! Our Strategic Learning Plan reflects the priority given to practices that promote learning. Faculty development programs have supported friendly, active, and challenging learning experiences. The Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator supported by TLA are based upon much of the same research as the CCSSE benchmarks. LifeMap is all about supporting learners as they develop and achieve their goals. While we always want to improve, we should be encouraged that so many of our efforts appear to be bearing fruit.

Our Students' Story: An initial examination of the patterns reflected in students' responses to CCSSE questions is equally informative. A few patterns stand out most clearly and lead us to infer that our students are too busy to maximize engagement through traditional avenues: 33% have children living with them, 81% are working (many full-time), and 14% also take classes at other institutions. Further, our students are hearing but not doing: 68% said we encourage them to spend significant amounts of time studying, but 47% said they spend less than 6 hours per week preparing for class. Time may also be a factor in another pattern. Our students are not doing the things they know are important to their success: 50% said that academic advising/planning is very important; however, only 12% report using it often. 50% rated career counseling very important; however only 6% reported using it often.

It is also thought provoking that students identified non-academic issues as most likely to cause them to withdraw: 39% indicated working full-time, 45% lack of finances and 29% caring for dependents. Only 19% expected that being academically unprepared would cause them to withdraw. When asked about the services Valencia emphasizes (very much/quite a bit), 68% identified "support to succeed" and 42% chose "providing financial support." Only 22% selected "support to cope with non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.) as a service we emphasize. While these patterns reflect the perceptions of students and may be subject to many variables, they do provide food for thought and discussion.

One more pattern is worth mentioning and celebrating - 95% of our students would recommend Valencia to a friend or family member! If you are interested in more information about our CCSSE results, please e-mail ehooker@valenciacc.edu to request a packet. The CCSSE website is also a good source of information at http://www.ccsse.org

Endowed Chair Application deadline is approaching!

Nominations are currently being accepted for the following Category A Endowed Chairs for Instructional Leadership:

Bank of America Chair in Business
Bank of America Chair in Business Management
Wayne Densch Chair in Geriatrics
Freeda Louise Foreman Chair in Family Resource Development
Grace Gillen Hanna Chair in Nursing
Sue Luzadder Chair in Communications
John and Florence MacLeod Chair in Business
Chesley G. Magruder Chair in Allied Health
Raymer F. Maguire, Jr. Chair in Mathematics
Lester N. Mandell Chair in Natural and Physical Sciences
Lockheed Martin Chair in Mathematics
Lockheed Martin Chair in Science
Howard L. Palmer Chair in Foreign Languages
University Club of Orlando Chair in Humanities
Patricia Havill Whalen Chair in Social Sciences
Abe and Tess Wise Chair in the Study of the Shoah

Nomination packets with complete program details are available in provost/dean's offices or through College & Community Relations at extension 3218. The deadline for submission of nomination packets is April 1, 2005, at 5:00 p.m.

Academic Regalia for Commencement

If you need to rent academic regalia for Commencement, please place your order at the following locations:

Downtown Center - Room 302
East Campus - Building 5, Room 214
Osceola Campus - Building 1, Room 155
West Campus - SSB, Room 101
Winter Park Campus - Room 206

Valencia will pay for your regalia if ordered by March 11, 2005. Payment for orders received after the March 11 deadline will be the responsibility of the employee.

The latest from Leadership Valencia

2005-06 Budget Conversation Forums: This Forum is designed to provide information about the budget process and budget development timeline at the college. Participants will discuss and make recommendations to the College Planning Council regarding the principles and priorities to be used in planning the budget for 2005-06. (The College Planning Council, in turn, will make recommendations to the President. This workshop will be presented by Keith Houck, Dennis Micare, and Pedro Rivera on the following dates: 1) Monday, March 14, 8-10 a.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code PBCFWC, 2) Tuesday, March 15, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Osceola Campus, Room 3-230, registration code PBCFOC, 3) Tuesday, March 15, 2-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 226, registration code PBCFWP, or 4) Wednesday, March 16, 2-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code PBCFEC.

Home Fire Safety: This workshop is designed to help identify and eliminate common household fire hazards. Some of the topics that will be covered are preparation and training for household fires and emergencies, using the EDITH program, identifying different types of fires, and proper use of fire extinguishers. This workshop will be presented by Bill Gibson on Tuesday, March 15, 9 a.m.-12 noon, West Campus, Room 7-114, registration code GFIRE3.

The Prometheus Project: Learn more about the 'face' of poverty in Central Florida today and Valencia Community College's response to the underserved of our community. This workshop, presented by John Scolaro, Elizabeth Eschbach, and David Sutton, will include a discussion of how the humanities empower the poor to climb out of poverty and what you can do to help. Wednesday, March 16, 2-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112, registration code GPROM.

Photoshop Heart and Soul: If you need to take your Photoshop skills to the next level, take this intensive seminar. Seamlessly blend images together, apply effects selectively to specified areas, and make tiles for web page backgrounds. Learn the heart and soul of image manipulation Selections, Quick Masks, Alpha Channels, Adjustment Layers, and Layer Masks. This workshop will be presented by Eddie Howell on Thursday, March 17, 1-5 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-220, registration code TPSHS317.

Advanced Topics in Adobe Photoshop Elements: This hands-on session will be continuing on the elements learned in the Introduction to Adobe Elements workshop held earlier in the session. The focus will be on advanced topics using a combination of concepts and tools available in Adobe Elements. Topics covered in this session will include color correction, retouching portraits, body sculpting, working with filters, and creating photo backdrops, photo merging, and photo restoration techniques. Participants are encouraged to bring their own photos for use in the onsite scanner. This workshop will be presented by Jenny Nevarez and Ewa Rozpedowska on Monday, March 28, 2-5 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 2-116, registration code TATAP.

Writing and Wellness-Living an Authentic Life: This interactive workshop shows participants how they can use various modes of writing to promote personal growth and development. The topic of the day will be "Living an Authentic Life." Participants are asked to send a photograph of themselves to Dara Winfield or Michelle Johnson, facilitators, at least two weeks prior to the workshop. Photographs will not be damaged in any way, and they will be returned on the day of the workshop. This workshop will be presented by Michelle Johnson and Dara Winfield on Tuesday, March 29, 1-4 p.m., Sand Lake Center, Room 2-114, registration code GWSW.

Valencia Student Core Competencies: Think, Value, Communicate, Act
Participants will examine the rationale and methods of integrating and evaluating Valencia's Student Core Competencies Think, Value, Act, and Communicate. This workshop will be presented by Kathleen Perri on the following dates:1) Thursday, March 31, 2-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code LCOMP331 or 2) Friday, April 1, 2-4 p.m., West Campus, LRC Third Floor Study Gallery, registration code LCOMP401.

Tax and Estate Planning -Lunching and Learning: This workshop will address estimating your federal and estate taxes, including tax-deferred or tax-free options. Topics will include estate planning tips, information on wills versus trusts, and a discussion of important estate documents. Note: Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). Lunch will be provided by the Foundation. This workshop will be presented by Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier on Thursday, March 31, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code GTAX2.

To register for any Leadership Valencia workshop, mail a completed registration form to DTC-1, fax to ext. 3134, or register online at http://valenciacc.edu/leadership/regstr.asp . For additional information please e-mail Heather Coxe at hcoxe@valenciacc.edu .

Important payroll information

In consideration of the potential hardship caused by the delay in the distribution of payroll checks for the March 25 payroll, the following will occur:

1- Employees on direct deposit will have their funds available on Friday, March 25. Your deposit advice (payroll stub) will be distributed in the usual manner on Monday, March 28.

2- Payroll checks or deposit advice normally mailed to employees will be mailed on Thursday, March 24.

3- We have made arrangements with the West Campus Business Office to distribute payroll checks (not check stubs) on Thursday, March 24, between 9 and 11 a.m., at the West Campus SSB Building, Room 101. In other words, regardless of which campus you work at, your check will be available for pick up at the West Campus Business Office on March 24, between 9 and 11 a.m. Checks will be dated March 25 and cannot be cashed until 2:00 p.m. on March 24. In order to claim your check, you must present some form of photo I.D.  Checks will be released to the employee only. Payroll checks not claimed on March 25 will be delivered to your respective campuses for routine distribution on Monday, March 28. Deposit advice (check stubs) will be distributed in the usual manner on March 28.

Imagination + Computer + Events

Currently on display on the first floor windows of the LRC on East Campus is a selection of colorful posters created by the East Campus Word Processing Staff. These provide a historical depiction of some of the campus events over the past few years. The show will run until March 18. Walk over and take a look at the creations of this very talented group!

Kudos

Congratulations go to Paul Matson, who received re-accreditation under TSCA Title III/AHERA at the University of Florida's TREEO Center as an Asbestos Inspector and Management Planner.

Hello and Goodbye.

A warm Valencia welcome is extended to Carlos Omana Polentino, Custodial Services, West Campus, mc 4-9, ext. 1217.

A fond farewell and best wishes is extended to Carol Matthews, who retired on February 28, 2005.

FACC needs you!

As the 2005 legislative session gets underway, Valencia employees should consider the importance and impact of joining the Florida Association of Community colleges (FACC). This organization works tirelessly on behalf of all of Florida's community colleges to influence and affect legislation that promotes the growth and advancement of the Community College system. If you have never been a member of FACC, there's no better time to join - new members will have their first year's membership paid for by Valencia President Dr. Sanford Shugart. For more information, contact Debi Jakubcin at ext. 2281.

UCF Decision Day At Valencia

Thinking about attending UCF? Get ready for Decision Day at West Campus, with undergraduate admissions for immediate admissions decisions for all students working toward an AA or AS degree (with at least 45 earned credit hours. Wednesday, March 16, 2005, inside SSB, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. A completed UCF application, official transcript, and $30 application fee (check or money order) will be needed. For questions, please call the UCF office at Valencia West, (407) 582-5500.

          April 30, 2005, 7-10 p.m.

Please join us for a spectacular evening of wine and epicurean delights at the beautiful Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Dozens of vintners from around the world will serve their finest creations, complementing a variety of gourmet food samplings.
Scout for unique auction items, and be ready when the bidding starts - It's all to benefit scholarships for Valencia Community College students! The event is slated for April 30, 2005, from 7 - 10 p.m., and tickets will go fast! Just $75 per person, or $125 per couple, and tickets can be purchased from the Foundation office at the DTC, ext. 3150. The Silent Auction will run from 7:00 - 9:15 p.m. and is loaded with exciting items for you to bid on. Don't miss this exceptional event, and benefit Valencia student scholarships at the same time. There's even special room rates for those interested in staying overnight at the Gaylord Palms - just visit the foundation web site for more information, at www.valencia.org.

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, Staff Assistant in Marketing and Media Relations. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday preceding each Friday's distribution. Mary Jane can be reached at ext.1017, or mjjones@valenciacc.edu.