College Update

From: Sanford Shugart
To: All Faculty and Staff
Date: 5/23/03 2:20 PM
Subject: College Update


1. Chief Financial Officer - The college has concluded its search for a Vice President for Administrative Services/Chief Financial Officer. Although there were many interesting and skilled applicants, we were unable to identify a person with the specific combination of gifts for which we were looking. Therefore, we are closing the search for now and will reopen later this year. I am pleased that Pedro Riviera has agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for Administrative Services beginning June 1 until we complete a new search. Also, I have reassigned the Purchasing and Auxiliary Enterprise responsibilities to Dennis Micare, in addition to his role as Assistant Vice President for Budget and Analysis. Both Pedro and Dennis have excellent skills and experiences for these roles, and both are deeply committed to Valencia. Please join me in thanking them.

2. Legislature - Late last night, the legislature adopted a budget. In essence, our state operating budget is unchanged. That is, while they didn't cut the budget like they did Universities', neither did they fund our new enrollment nor certain other obligations, like increased retirement contributions. They did approve a 7.5% increase in tuition and fees. They funded our facilities requests: 1. complete Building Three Osceola, 2. construction funds for Building Nine East, 3. complete Building Eight East, and 4. planning funds to completely renovate the PEC West to classrooms. Also, they approved some matching funds for eligible contributions already made to the Foundation. I am very pleased that we didn't take any cuts. Eight months ago I would have bet we would. Now the budget team can complete its budget recommendations, which I will share with you as soon as possible.

This will not be a great year for the budget, but we'll be OK. We have to plan also for next year - the state's financial position will likely deteriorate before it improves. Still, I am confident we can do good work and be good stewards.

Many of you are asking and speculating on salaries. I'm not prepared to say what we can do, yet, but my highest priority after assuring the basic health of the college is to prevent, at the least, any erosion of purchasing power among our employees. If we can do more, we will.

More later...

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