Vol. XXXIV, No. 7

February 21, 2005

This Week at Valencia.

Wednesday, February 23:

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

Learning Evidence Team, 2:30 p.m., Osceola Campus TBA

Thursday, February 24:

College Planning Council, 2:30 p.m., East Campus 3-113

"Into the Woods", East Campus Performing Arts Center, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

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

District Board of Trustees Meeting Summary

Recognitions
Dr. Tracy Edwards, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Learning Officer, introduced Dr. Ruth Prather Provost, Winter Park Campus. Dr. Edwards announced that Dr. Prather had agreed to take over provost responsibilities at East Campus for an indeterminate amount of time. Dr. Edwards explained that Dr. Anthony Beninati, the interim provost at East, would be moving on to a teaching position at the Osceola Campus at the start of the next academic year, and that two searches for a permanent provost at East were not successful. She praised Dr. Prather's leadership qualities, and thanked her for her willingness to support East Campus as provost. Dr. Edwards also stressed that Dr. Prather would continue her excellent work in the community of Winter Park, and would continue to assist the Winter Park Campus until the transition was complete.

Dr. Edwards then introduced Michelle McArdle, Dean of Academic Programs at Winter Park, and noted that Ms. McArdle would be taking on additional responsibilities at Winter Park due to Dr. Prather's transition to East Campus. Dr. Edwards said that Winter Park would be in excellent hands under Ms. McArdle's leadership.

Dr. Sanford Shugart, President, then introduced Thomas Greene, a doctoral student from the University of Texas, who is completing an internship related to his studies in the Community College Leadership program. Dr. Shugart said that Mr. Greene is assisting him with a variety of initiatives at the college.

Reports
Faculty Association Report: Chris Borglum, President of the Faculty Association, reported that the group had voted on a constitution recently, and that the constitution adopted reflected the change that the Association would now be formally recognized as a governance council. He said the group had its first meeting as the newly constituted Faculty Council. He said that two subcommittees, the Institutional Effectiveness Task Force and the Professional Development Task Force are finishing draft proposals and will submit them to the Faculty Council for approval soon. Once approved by the full Faculty Council, the proposals move to the Board of Trustees for their review.

Winter Park Campus Update: Dr. Ruth Prather re-introduced Michelle McArdle and Dr. Leesa Sward, a professor of Biology at Winter Park, and asked them to give the board a report on a recent change to biology instruction at Winter Park. Ms. McArdle explained that for several years, the Winter Park campus rented space at Winter Park High School in order to conduct laboratory classes for various sciences. This was due to the lack of lab classrooms at the Winter Park campus. However, an innovative approach to teaching Biological Science has brought a lab class back to the Winter Park campus. Dr. Sward explained that she now uses special manikins to teach various aspects of human anatomy. The manikins eliminate the need for dissection, and the students can then remain on-site in a traditional classroom while completing the lab component of the course. She said that students enjoy the classroom environment while still being able to master the curriculum. Ms. McArdle noted that this not only saves the college money because they no longer rent space at Winter Park High School, but that the students are happier as well.

Winter Park Student Government Association Report: Dr. Prather then introduced Janeen Garcia, the Student Government Association President for the Winter Park Campus. She reported on Janeen's behalf that the Winter Park SGA was very active in the community, supporting community events, fund raising initiatives and other civic activities. She also noted that the SGA participates in solving student issues, working with college policies, and provides input in the course development process.

Alternative Delivery Report: Dr. Edwards and Mr. Bill White, Chief Information Officer for Valencia, delivered a report on the current trends in alternative course delivery. Mr. White reported that today's students are of an "information age" mindset and regard computers and computer use as an important part of their daily life. Students are impatient with delays in computer systems, and regard staying connected as essential. In some ways, this mindset has contributed to exponential growth in enrollment in courses that used web support or were completely online. Mr. White presented data that showed the number of courses that made use of Web Course Tools (WebCT) had increased 300%, and the number of students enrolled in WebCT courses had increased 253%. Mr. White and Dr. Edwards reported that advisory groups are being established to review alternative delivery of courses and develop appropriate processes and procedures for continued enhancement of this method of instruction.

Strategic Learning Plan Refresh Report: Dr. Louise Pitts, Special Assistant for the Learning Centered Initiative, reported that an annual review of the college's Strategic Learning Plan had been conducted, with special attention to the seven learning goals that are the basis of the plan. She said that the original plan had 59 key action items and that each of these action items was reviewed by the appropriate governing council. She reported that of the 59, 35 had been completed, and the remaining 24 were examined to determine if these items were stalled in any way. She said the review included the creation of a precedence diagram, and that four initiatives were selected as urgent: The creation of an annual enrollment plan, improving student success in preparatory courses, establishing a professional development task force, and developing a plan to identify and align learning outcomes and assessment procedures.

Spring Term Enrollment Report: Dr. Shugart reported that enrollment had declined 3% for the spring term, and that one-third of that number was due to a drop in dual enrollment students. He noted that dual enrollment does not generate revenue for the college, and he thought that the drop in dual enrollment may have been due to aggressive marketing by the College Board for AP courses in the high schools. He said the remainder of the decline could certainly be attributed in part to students having lingering issues with hurricane damage. The president noted that all of the region's community colleges had a drop in enrollment, several losing a significant number of students. He indicated that he has asked the governor to "hold harmless" the colleges most affected by hurricanes so that state aid is not negatively impacted.

Second Quarter Financial Report: Mr. Keith Houck, Vice President for Administrative Services reported that the drop in spring enrollment had caused a slight ripple in the budget, with revenue anticipated to be approximately $250,000 below the original budget. He also noted that the college was facing some additional expenses, including an increase of 39.7% in insurance premiums and an increase in utility costs.

Property and Inventory Control: Mr. Houck and Ms. Undria Stalling, Auditor to the Board of Trustees, reported on their efforts to evaluate and make improvements to the college's property and inventory control methods. They reported that they have evaluated existing factors that contribute to missing or stolen items, have identified improvements that are currently in process, and plan to continue benchmarking assessment of Valencia to other Florida community colleges to glean best practices that can be put in place at Valencia.

Construction Report: Dr. Shugart noted that the primary development in construction was the fact that Building 8 on East Campus was now 45 days behind schedule. He and Helene Loiselle, Assistant Vice President for Facilities, reported that it was likely that the college would seek liquidated damages from the contractor in charge of the construction, due to the lateness of the project.

Valencia Foundation Report: Mr. Larry Slocum, Trustee, reported that the Foundation was gearing up for its first-ever signature event, A Taste for Learning. The event is an international wine tasting and silent auction, scheduled for April 30 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. Mr. Slocum distributed information on the event to the trustees and urged their attendance.

President's Report: Dr. Shugart reminded the Board that Commencement was scheduled for May 7, and that it would be held for the first time at Osceola's Heritage Park in Kissimmee. He said that the Honors graduation ceremony, traditionally held separately, would now be combined with the regular commencement, with the Honors grads receiving their diplomas first at the ceremony.

The president reported that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), has completed its follow-up evaluation of Valencia, and has given a full reaffirmation of accreditation for the next ten years. In other positive news, the president reported that the MetLife foundation had awarded $10,000 to Valencia for the ranking the college achieved in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). The college has also been given a Bellwether Award for its work on LifeMap.

Dr. Shugart said that work with state legislators was in full swing, and that the Council of Presidents of FACC was urging an increase in general revenue for community colleges. He said that a number of other funding priorities would also be emphasized in meetings with legislators, and a real push would be on for changes to the capital improvement fee.

The latest from Leadership Valencia

ILP Review Panel - This workshop is designed to help prepare Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) Review Panelists for the second review of tenure candidates ILP work. Panelists will examine the elements and requirements of the pre-tenure portfolio. Panelists will then develop a shared understanding of what constitutes a quality portfolio by assessing sample artifacts using the Portfolio Evaluation Rubric. Note: All panelists serving on Year-2 Panels must attend this workshop. If you have already attended a workshop on the Year-2 ILP meeting, you do not have to attend again. Monday, February 21, 2:30-4:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-217D. Registration code: LILPR4.

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, February 22, 9 a.m.-12 noon., Osceola Campus, Room 2-223. Registration code: GFIRE2

Improving Your Health (Sponsored by FACC) - This workshop is designed to compare popular diet techniques with emphasis on walking and sound nutrition. This workshop will be presented by Joe Marek and Tammy Sabourin on Tuesday, February 22, 1:30-3:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 6-110. Registration code: GHEALTH

Mediation-Alternative Dispute Resolution- Dispute Resolution can be painless and inexpensive. Come join us for this informative and interactive workshop exploring alternatives to the legal system. This workshop will be presented by Rick Keith on Wednesday, February 23, 2-4 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113. Registration code: GMADR

Oracle 11i for Beginners - This introductory class for the Oracle 11i online financial system is offered to new employees and first time users of the Oracle 11i financial software system. This two-day class includes instructions on creating requisitions, looking at budgets, printing reports, and general purchasing procedures. This workshop will be presented by Mary Ellen Davies and Brian Bastin on Wednesday and Thursday, February 23-24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 112. Registration code: TORBEG2

Student Development: It's Not All Candy, Fun, and Games! - Participants will learn about the history, theory and mission of Valencia Community College's Student Development department as well as the impact Student Development has on students, faculty, staff and the greater community. There's much more to it than you think! This workshop will be presented by Danielle Boileau and Chanda Torres on Thursday, February 24, 10-11 a.m., East Campus, Room 5-112. Registration code: LSD224.

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, February 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 226. Registration code: GTAX.

The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey - Are you working more hours and getting less accomplished? Do your employees' problems wind up on your desk? Are you spending Saturdays at the office instead of on the golf course or with your family? If so, attend this workshop to learn how successful managers "keep monkeys off their back." This workshop will be presented by Barbara Frazier and Carmen Diaz on Thursday, February 24, 1-4 p.m., West Campus, Room 4-104. Registration code: MONKEY.

Introduction to Power Point - Discover the ease and flexibility of designing PowerPoint presentations. Get basic hands-on instruction and learn how to enhance your class with creative visuals. No previous PowerPoint experience needed. Note: An individualized session is also available. Please call for an appointment: East Campus, extension 2425. This workshop will be presented by James Wells on Thursday, February 24, 1-3 p.m., East Campus, Room 4-210. Registration code: TIPP.

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.

Kudos

The American Poetry Journal, one of the nation's leading journals of poetry and literary criticism, is scheduled to publish in an upcoming issue the poem, "Leaving the Mainland" by Marilyn McLatchey, Professor of Humanities at Valencia Community College, East Campus.

Election - Sick Leave Pool Board

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!! Ballots were sent to all Sick Leave Pool members on Monday, February 14, by email and interoffice mail. If you are a member of SLP and don't receive a ballot by Wednesday, Feb 16, please call Sue Bouchard, extension 1780. Your vote is due in Human Resources by Friday, Feb 25.

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.