Vol. XXXIV, No. 42

October 31, 2005

This Week at Valencia.

Wednesday, November 2

Design & Operations-Deans only, 1 p.m., Winter Park Campus 123

Alumni Association Board of Directors, 5 p.m., West Campus 6-202

Thursday, November 3

College Learning Council, 2:30 p.m., West Campus
6-202

Friday, November 4

Student Affairs Professional Development Day, 8 a.m., West Campus HSB-105

Student Development Group, 9:30 a.m., Winter Park Campus 223

Summary - District Board of Trustees meeting

Reports

Osceola Campus Update

Dr. Sanford Shugart, President, began the meeting by introducing Dr. Silvia Zapico, Provost, Osceola Campus, who gave the board an update on her campus. Dr. Zapico said that the annual unduplicated enrollment at Osceola was currently around 7,000 students, and that the campus continued its status as a certified Hispanic-serving institution. She also reported that the first cohort from CORE (Creating Opportunities and Resources for Educators) had graduated from the 2+2 program offered in conjunction with UCF. She said that all the graduates were already employed as elementary school teachers, and that the program was very successful.

Dr. Zapico noted that two new partnerships were proving fruitful for Osceola - the first, with Poinciana High School, had brought in 60 students. The second, a partnership with the Osceola Center for the Arts, was helping to enrich Humanities education at the campus. Dr. Zapico introduced Kevin Mulholland, Dean of Humanities to provide more details. Mr. Mulholland said that the Humanities were best taught as a living, breathing experience for students, and that the partnership had helped foster an added requirement in the Humanities curriculum of attendance at a minimum of two cultural events. Mr. Mulholland also noted that students were encouraged to write for the campus literary magazine, visit exhibits of art and photography at the campus, and attend or participate in plays put on at the campus.

Fall Term Enrollment and Student Characteristics Report

Dr. Shugart introduced Dr. Joyce Romano, Vice President for Student Affairs, for a report on enrollment for Fall 2005. Dr. Romano reviewed enrollment statistics, noting that although enrollment was down slightly, by about one half of one percent, that enrollment of first-time in college students was up over 7 percent. She said that Valencia stood in contrast to other area community colleges, which experienced larger enrollment declines. She also said that help from the Valencia Foundation in the form of special assistance scholarships and the implementation of a tuition installment plan, really helped curb a larger decline. She noted that the college had experienced a sharp decline in the number of students taking advantage of dual enrollment, which also contributed to the loss of FTE. Along with the report on enrollment, Dr. Romano also presented the student characteristics report for Fall, which revealed that for the first time, Valencia was a "minority majority" college, meaning that Caucasian students were now less than half of the overall student population. Dr. Romano noted that this meant that the college was highly representative of the regional population, and reflected the fact that minority students had access to Valencia's services. Finally, she said the report also showed that more than 65 percent of Valencia's students were of traditional college-going age.

Report on Student Completers

Dr. Shugart then introduced Dr. Kaye Walter, Executive Vice President and Chief Learning Officer, and Rhonda Glover, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research, who gave a report on completion rates among A.S. students. Dr. Walter said the report was really good news for Valencia, as the number of students completing A.S. degrees and technical and vocational certificates had increased dramatically. In the last three years, the number of students completing vocational certificates had gone up by 400 percent.

First Quarter Financial Report

Mr. Keith Houck, Vice President for Administrative Services, gave the Board the quarterly financial report. Mr. Houck reported that although enrollment was slightly down, revenue was up and expenses were in line with expectations. He noted that the primary area of concern was to find a way to keep utility costs down, as the college had already expended one third of its utility budget by the end of the first quarter.

Auditors Report

Ms. Undria Stalling reported that an audit was recently conducted on student fees. The objectives of the audit were to evaluate the adequacy of the college's internal procedures f or assessing registration fees; to determine that fees were assessed properly and recorded in a timely way; and that Student Activity fee revenue is expended properly and recorded accurately in accounting records. Ms. Stalling said that the audit had no findings and that only very minor adjustments were needed in fee collection procedures. Ms. Stalling also gave the board an overview of upcoming audit schedules.

Construction Report

Ms. Helene Loiselle, Assistant Vice President for Facilities reported that the only building currently under construction was nearing completion -- the new Criminal Justice Institute on Valencia College Lane. She said that the college's Human Resources department was preparing to move to the second floor of this new facility by mid-November.

Faculty Association Report

Ms. Amy Bosley, Professor of Speech and President of the College-wide Faculty Association, reported that faculty had enjoyed their time at the Learning Conversations Conference and their participation in Learning Day. She said that many new faculty were enthused about their role in college governance and were volunteering for committees and other activities at a good rate. She said that she and Dr. Kaye Walter were planning a series of lunches, rotating among the campuses, to meet with faculty on a regular, informal basis and hear their concerns and suggestions.

Valencia Foundation Report

Dr. Shugart reported that the Foundation held their first board retreat, and that more than 90 percent of the board attended. He said the group is very enthusiastic, particularly about the capital campaign, which is in the quiet phase now. The overall goal for the capital campaign, which will be led by several key civic leaders and the Foundation, is $20 million.

President's Report

Dr. Shugart reported that the Learning Conversations Conference was a huge success. The conference was actually oversold, and a significant profit was achieved, and that the popularity of the event suggested that several more similar conferences might be needed. He said he was pleased with the conference presenters and the faculty participants, and noted that he was reminded again of how authentic Valencia's work is.

The president also reported that Senator Bill Nelson held a Town Hall Style meeting at the Osceola campus recently and that it was well-attended. He reminded the Board that another signature conference, Legal Issues in the Community College, was coming up, and that the content for that conference was very well-developed. He said he expected that this conference, which is aimed at staff as well as legal representatives for community colleges, would also be very well attended.

Dr. Shugart said that Valencia's annual College Night was held at the beginning of October, on both East and West Campuses, and that the events seemed to be very well attended. More than 140 colleges participated, and he said that Osceola County expressed interest in doing a similar event, possibly at the Osceola Campus.

Dr. Shugart also reported that Dr. Bill Mullowney, Vice President for Policy and General Counsel, and Mr. Keith Houck continue to work on the Southeast Campus land swap. He said that the configuration of the campus on the Moss Park property, and the relative value of the West campus parcel that is part of the swap are making the final contract fairly complicated.

The president said that another complex property negotiation that wasn't faring as well was the negotiation for a joint library with Winter Park. He said complex discussions about development of the parcel have led him to ask for clarity from the city of Winter Park on Valencia's status as a partner in the project.

Finally, the president advised the board that Valencia would soon have a contract to lease a large portion of the available bandwidth from the college's broadcast capabilities to ClearWire, a communications company. The contract will be worth up to $12 million if ClearWire exercises all of its renewal options on the contract.

New Business

The trustees voted unanimously to accept a Recommended Order to continue suspension without pay for Professor Tim Williams. The Recommended Order, issued by Trustee Lew Oliver acting as Administrative Law Judge for the Board, is the final decision on Professor Williams' suspension. Dr. Mullowney indicated that a formal hearing on the professor's termination would take place later this fall.

Hiring Freeze

A hiring freeze for new full-time employees will soon be in effect. To hire an employee before the freeze becomes effective, the employee must begin work on or before November 14, 2005. After that date, recruitment activities may be conducted through Human Resources department and offers of employment may be extended, however, the employee may not begin work until January 9, 2006.

News from Procurement

On-line ordering with Office Depot is for consumable office supplies only. Types of personal or departmental items that the college does not pay for out of operational funds are: coffee, tea, sugar, candy, paper products (cups, bowls, plates), plastic silver ware, over the counter medicine, band aids, tissues, clocks, cleaning supplies and bottled water.

Paper requisitions should only be used to make a request for payment(s) and encumber funds for items that can not be requested on an Oracle Requisition. Specific items are employee reimbursements, SPD and travel. If using SPD money, send your paper requisitions to the SPD office (MC: 3-1) first. If traveling outside Orange or Osceola counties, the FA-33 Authorization for Travel form must be attached with any pertinent travel related information.

The Procurement web-site is updated regularly with forms and information about our department. We have information that could make your job easier such as: Vendor information including Vendor Business Profile and W-9 form, Valencia's Tax Exempt Certificate, requirements on becoming a VCC vendor; information pertaining to Faculty and Staff, name tags, toner cartridges, rubber stamps, Office Depot orders; our current bid projects, PCard guidelines and application, Mail Services and Shipping and Receiving general information. You can view the above mentioned at:
www.valenciacc.edu/procurement

Current Pcard holders: Did you know that you can order new toner cartridges from Colamco or Ace Office Supplies using your pcard? It's as easy as picking up the phone and calling Tom at (407) 331-3737 ext. 1040 (Colamco) or (407) 523-6440 (Ace). Just another way the pcard makes your life easier!

Painless Procurement: A quick and easy class to answer all your questions regarding the purchasing process at Valencia. Topics will include: our website, Oracle shortcuts, the value of using the P-Card, and Tips and Tricks from the Procurement Staff to purchasing end users with moderate experience. Join us on Friday, November 4, 3:00 PM 4:00 PM, Osceola Campus, Room 2-246. For more information visit the Leadership Valencia web-site.

We Need Your Help with the Part-time Hourly Time Sheets (Form HR-28)

As Valencia grows, so does the amount of paperwork submitted and processed every pay period. The Payroll Dept would appreciate your efforts in correcting the increasing problems we are having with the hourly time sheets submitted to our department. Correcting these errors is very time consuming. Here are some things you can do to help:

. Please follow the Hourly Part-time & Student Time Sheet Schedule reporting hours worked for the periods on this schedule.
. Verify that the correct budget number is recorded and the correct GL Code is checked.
. Make sure the top portion of the time sheet is completed, hourly rate, hours worked, daily line total is correct, total dollar amount due employee, etc.
. If the employee is entitled to Shift Differential, Parking or Overtime, please record those hours in the proper section.
. When an employee works over 29 hours, make sure an Exception Form has been completed and approved prior to the employee exceeding the 29 hour limit. Attach the form as backup to the time sheet.
. Employees working more than a 6-hour work day are required to take at least a half hour meal break.
. If an employee works in more than one department, supervisors should verify that there are no overlapping hours being reported on either time sheet.
. Verify the hours recorded on each timesheet.
. Make sure the time sheet is signed by the employee and approved by the supervisor.
. Please make sure the timesheet is legible.
. Make sure timesheets are submitted by the due dates on the schedule. Employees will not get paid on time if time sheets are submitted late.
. The Hourly Part-time & Student Time Sheet Schedule is on the Valencia Home Page under Human Resource then Employee Resources.
. Form (FA-63) Part-time Work over 29 Hours is on the Valencia Home Page under Valencia Forms Online.

We would like to thank you in advance for your efforts to eliminate errors on the Part-time Hourly time sheets.

The latest from Leadership Valencia

Nutrition Facts and Fallacies - Learn what's right or wrong and true or false about nutrition. This workshop will discuss the importance of nutrition for a healthy lifestyle. Note: Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of Florida Association of Community Colleges (FACC). Friday, November 4, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code GNFF2.

Developing Others - Organizations need to get the most out of their people, and employees want the opportunity to do more, grow and develop. Developing others is critical to retaining key talent, driving higher levels of employee engagement, and ultimately impacting an organizations success. This course provides leaders, coaches and mentors with a practical process and the skills necessary to develop talent. Friday, November 4, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Location TBA, registration code MDO.

Painless Procurement - Tips and Tricks for purchasing end users with moderate experience. Learn how to make your job easier by avoiding mistakes that cause application errors and problems with Procurement. Several topics will be covered, such as website, shortcuts, and the P-Card. Friday, November 4, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 2-246, registration code LPP1104.

Macromedia Flash - Advanced - Learn advanced painting, graphic, and animation techniques, and then take your first step into using music in a movie. This course will show you how to use multiple scenes, create dynamic text, how to create animated buttons, and how to add ActionScripts to control the behavior of your movie. Monday, November 7, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.,West Campus, Room 6-220, registration code TMF1107 or Tuesday, November 8, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-203, registration code TMF1108.

Budget Forum - Join this 90-minute session sponsored by the College Planning Council. Learn about Valencia's Operating Budget and an explanation of the budget process. Bring your questions for Q & A at the end of this session. Monday, November 7, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code PBFOR9; Monday, November 7, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, registration code PBFOR2; or Wednesday, November 9, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 225-226, registration code PBF1109.

Journeying Toward an Undivided Life - Formation Trust Circle: Formation work is creating open and trustworthy spaces where individuals work alone, but together in a quiet, focused space to find reconnection with the inner self. Join us this year for an ongoing, monthly gathering of a circle of trust. A Hidden Wholeness by Parker J. Palmer will serve as our road map for this journey together. Each participant can explore his/her own responses to how the ideas in the book intersect with our lives. Tuesday, November 8, 2:00 PM - 4:00 p.m., West Campus, Room 9-111, registration code LFORM1108.

Designing a Fitness Plan - This workshop will provide guidelines on how to create a fitness plan that will keep you healthy. Note: Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of Florida Association of Community Colleges (FACC). Tuesday, November 8, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, registration code GDFP2.

Hello and Goodbye

A warm Valencia welcome is extended to Alfred Taylor, Professor, English-Osceola, mail code 6-6, ext. 4872; Joanne Flores, Program Support Specialist, CCR-Conferencing, mail code DTC-1, ext. 3219; Richard Harvey, Security Field Supervisor-East, mail code 3-14, ext. 2000; Susan Ling, Accounting Clerk, Acquisitions and Technical Services-West, mail code 4-4, ext. 1213 and Lena Phillips-Caro, Business Development Representative, Valencia Enterprises, mail code 8-1, ext. 6631.

A fond farewell and best wishes are extended to Andrea Barr, retiring 5/31/06.

Kudos

Second year dental hygiene students Nicole Laws, Heather Price, Lauren Scott, and Jessica Straugh won first place in the table clinic competition at the Florida Dental Hygiene Association's annual symposium October 1 and 2, 2005 in Orlando, FL. Valencia's students were judged the best of the Florida colleges competing including Daytona Beach Community College, Palm Beach Jr. College, St. Petersburg College, Brevard Community College, and others from around the state. Valencia students were presented their first place award with FDHA officers and delegates in attendance as well as their peers from Florida's colleges.

Pamela Sandy, Professor of Dental Hygiene and advisor to the West campus SADHA organization, was present for the award ceremony. Professor Sandy served as a delegate to the Florida Dental Hygiene Association's House of Delegates and had twenty- two students in attendance at the state meeting to observe and participate in the business of their professional association.

Submissions to the Bulletin are encouraged, so please e-mail your 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