Vol. XXXVIII, No. 12a, April 6, 2009

This Week at Valencia

Monday, April 6

Career Program Advisors, 3 p.m., Osceola Campus, 3-319H

Wednesday, April 8

DOT Deans, 9 a.m., East Campus, 4-133A

College Operations Council, 9 a.m., West Campus, 6-202

College Curriculum Committee, 2 p.m., East Campus, 3-113

Commencement ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 9 at Silver Spurs Arena, Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. The commencement ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Please allow adequate travel time. All ceremony participants are to wear full academic regalia and report to room 157, between 9-9:30 a.m. Staff will be available at the main entrance to direct you.

Please remember that a ticket is necessary for each family member, including children, regardless of age.  If you wish to obtain tickets for guests, please contact Krystal Cortez, administrative assistant, Admissions and Records, ext. 1506.

Under the Finance and Budget tabs in Atlas there is a Financial Services Contact Report which alphabetically list functions and the associated contact information. Please use this list as a resource whenever you have a finance related question, so we may be able to serve you better.

Updated travel forms, instructions and checklists are now available under Valencia Forms in Atlas. These forms include Authorization for Travel or Absence from Campus, Per Diem and Other Local Mileage Voucher, and In-District Travel Report Voucher. The checklists serve as a step-by-step guideline to aid the user in completing the travel form and are not required for travel reimbursement. 

To reinforce the necessity of closing travel advances in a timely manner, a revision to the travel advance process will be implemented starting April 6. Any employee who does not submit their Per Diem and Other than Local Mileage with supporting documents within 30 days after returning from a trip will forfeit the right to any future advances for one year from the date of official notification sent by the Vice President of Administrative Services or designee to the employee and employee’s supervisor. After the one-year suspension, an employee may receive a travel advance. This revision has been approved by the College Operations, Faculty, and Learning Councils.

The checklist included with the Per Diem and Other than Local Mileage form is provided to ensure that all the supporting documents to substantiate the travel advance are provided. In addition, the accounts payable staff will continue to follow up with employee on travel advances, so employees are aware of the information needed to close out a travel advance before privileges are suspended. 

Applications are now being accepted for the 2009-10 Endowed Chairs for Learning Leadership Program.  The program provides resources tofull-time, tenured faculty for the advancement of instruction and learning.  This year the Valencia Foundation is offeringone application round of 39 chairs, altogether totaling $162,700.  The guidelines and application package can be found on the foundation’s website at http://www.valencia.org/ or by calling Shauna Anstey at ext. 3211. Applications must be received in College & Community Relations by April 13 at 5 p.m.

The April issue of HR Notes, issue #92, is now posted on the HR web site.  The title of this issue is General Reminders Regarding Five Common HR Topics.  Please contact Human Resources at ext. 8033 if you have any questions. 

There are 26 pay periods in academic year 2009-2010.  All 10-month faculty have the option of having their base salary disbursed in 22 payments over ten months, based on academic appointment, or in 26 payments over twelve months.  Once the first payroll for the academic year is processed, this option may not be changed until the next academic year.

Human Resources is posting this notice in the Bulletin as a reminder to 10-month faculty that changes to the current salary payment option may be made in June or July for the coming academic year.  All 10-month faculty have this annual opportunity to revise their salary payment option.  No action is necessary unless a change is being requested.

Faculty wishing to make a change, are required to complete a Payment Option Form for 10-Month Faculty.  The form is available online through Atlas at Valencia Forms.  To make a change, a faculty member must complete the form and submit it with an original signature to Human Resources no later than July 31.  Changes are then effective for the first payday in the new academic year. Please contact Vicki Nelson at ext. 8031 if you have any questions. 

Procurement terminology for "Consultant" - A consultant is a professional person who performs a service or gives expert advice to the College. A consultant is also a person who is hired to make a speech or talk to a group of people. All consultants MUST complete the Consultant Service Agreement and sign a W-9 form before services are needed. The service agreement contains all terms and conditions and the W-9 form is an IRS requirement. The name reported must be the same as the consultant files on their taxes each year with the IRS. The consultant service agreement can be found in Atlas under Valencia Forms.  The W-9 form can be found on the Procurement website at http://valenciacc.edu/ procurement/vendor.asp. Employees can NOT be hired as consultants or 1099 suppliers per College Policy 6Hx28:3E-05.2, Code of Ethics for Public Employees. For complete information on consultants and agreements please visit our website at: http://valenciacc.edu/ procurement/facultystaff_FAQs.asp 

Purchasing Card FAQ:  Q: Is there a list of suppliers that accept the PCard?  A:  No.  Any supplier that accepts MasterCard should accept the Valencia PCard, and in general, they do not have to be in Banner prior to use. Ask the supplier prior to purchasing if they accept Master Card. All PCard purchases must follow the guidelines and procedures outlined in the Procurement Card manual which can be found at: http://valenciacc.edu/procurement/ProcurementCard.asp

Reviewing and Approving PCard Transactions - The reviewing and approving of all PCard transactions is a procedure that is critical to the success of the PCard program. Without this step our checks and balances are not in place and potential fraud charges can appear. This is an audit criticism and susceptible to the suspension of your PCard. Updated Banner Supplier List - A recent download of all entered Banner suppliers can be found in Atlas under the Finance tab. This is a helpful tool for you to find your vendors and identify their VID number. Since the VID number is the key to looking up information, it is recommended that you keep a list of your most used vendors along with their VID number for easy access.

Focus on the Workplace is a unique program designed to give educators the opportunity to observe, work and learn in an exciting business environment so they can learn "first-hand" more about workplace expectations. Full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty are released from two 3-credit hour classes to work in an industry related to the field they each in. For more information about this program, please contact LeSena Jones at ext. 3344. 

Robert McCaffrey, program director, Digital Media recently participated in a Focus on the Workplace. "Focus on the Workplace" interested me because I was starting to notice the amount of change that had occurred in my industry since I last worked full time as a filmmaker. Additionally, I was applying my film skills to Valencia's Digital Media program, and that industry has a unique level of convergence from different disciplines. I felt I needed exposure to a current professional situation to better understand areas with which I was less familiar. I chose to participate in “Focus on the Workplace” this term at a company called Digitec.

“Focus on the Workplace” has been wonderful for me in three areas. First, it has exposed me to day-to-day chores and workflows in which I have had no experience. Second, it has updated my understanding of professional approaches and solutions in the digital media segment in which I teach. Finally and unexpectedly, it has reacquainted me with old skills I had forgotten that still have some bearing on what our students will face upon graduation.

I'm happy to see many of the concepts we teach our students being applied where I work, and “Focus on the Workplace” is allowing me to see opportunity for simple, but powerful improvements to my classes. Many of the problems I encounter at my job site are potentially better exercises than anything I can plan. Today, for instance, I find myself resizing DVD menus for an American project being shipped to Europe. Our students learn the software applications to do this type of fix, but the fix itself naturally requires an integrated use of different pieces of software as well as several critical thinking challenges we as teachers constantly try to design into class work.

Finally, as Program Director of Digital Media I have felt the need to understand computers and programming at a level atypical for a video professional. My time at Digitec has allowed me to work next to web developers and see and hear daily the type of work and issues they deal with. This enables me to better counsel students in our development track even though I've never worked professionally as a developer.

“Focus on the Workplace” has been a wonderful experience for me. I look forward to being able to speak with more authority on our industry and creating even better experiences for my students as a result of participating in the program.

Wellness News

April is Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly half of all men and a little over one third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by changes in a person's lifestyle, for example by quitting smoking and eating a better diet with fresh fruit and vegetables. Often, the sooner a cancer is found and treatment begins, the better are the chances for living for many years. Visit www.cancer.org for more information.

Quit Smoking NOW... FREE classes start Tuesday, April 7th on East in 4-204 and Thursday, April 9th on West in 2-213 from 1pm to 2pm. Ends May 12th and May 14th. Contact Debi at (407)582-2281 or djakubcin@valenciacc.edu

The next brown bag workshop is coming April 16. Blue Cross & Blue Shield will present Sleep Deprivation, Get some ZZZs. Presentations will be 11 a.m.-12 Noon on East Campus, room 3-113 and 1-2 p.m. on West Campus, room 1-212

Leadership Valencia

Resume Writing: Making Sense of Your Career Credentials - An introduction to effective resume writing and interviewing like a professional or not. Sponsored by the East Campus Career Staff Associates. April 14, 1-2 p.m., East Campus, Room 8-101, Registration Code: PRWCC

Podcasting 101 - LTAD 3241 - There is a required online orientation for this course. The remainder of the coursework will be completed online using WebCT. Your facilitator will send an e-mail with orientation details five days prior to the course start date. Note:  This is an introductory course. Faculty and staff new to podcasting are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop. April 14, ONLINE WORKSHOP, Registration Code: TPC101-1

Reading Circle: Strengths Based Leadership - If you are a manager or a supervisor and are interested in learning how to utilize your strengths, the strengths of those on your team, and getting people with the right strengths on your team, then please join us for this reading circle. The book includes an access code for an online assessment of your strengths that needs to be completed prior to the reading circle date. April 21, 12 noon-1:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 3-113, Registration Code: PREAD-1

Dynamic PowerPoint Slideshows-LTAD 2281 - Make a Flash photo slideshow in PowerPoint the easy way. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn to make a photo slideshow in PowerPoint using the Photo Album tool. Topics covered will include animation effects, image editing, background music, and looping options. The workshop will then demonstrate how the slideshow can be saved in PowerPoint or converted to Flash and uploaded to a website using iSpring, a free software. Participants are encouraged to bring their own photos for use in the workshop. April 24, 1:30-3:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326A, Registration Code:TDPS-1

Banner Finance for Beginners - Learn how to look up your budget, create budget transfers, create requisitions and research your budget and spending. April 24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 219, Registration Code: TBFB-4

Collaboration at the Learning College Workshop - Join Valencia's leaders for a conversation about our habits of collaboration. Questions to be considered include: What is collaboration at a learning college? Why do we collaborate? What are some characteristics of authentic versus inauthentic collaboration? What are the preconditions for effective collaboration? How do we balance our collaborative process with the need to move work forward? What level of collaboration is appropriate for what types of decisions? April 29, 2-4:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-202, Registration Code: PCALC-1

Outlook 2007 Basics Workshop - This is a hands-on workshop that will guide you through the basics of navigating, email/messaging, contacts/address books, and using the calendar in Outlook 2007. Choose from one of the following:

Criminal Justice Institute (CJI Employees Only)

• April 6, 9-11 a.m., Room 228, Registration Code: TOL2007-14
• April 6, 1-3 p.m., Room 228, Registration Code: TOL2007-15

Downtown Center (Downtown Center Employees Only)

• April 13, 9-11 a.m., Conference Rooms A/B, Registration Code: TOL2007-16
• April 13, (open lab for walk-in questions) 1-3 p.m., Conference Rooms A/B, Registration Code: TOL2007-17

East Campus

• April 7, 8-10 a.m., Room 4-123, Registration Code: TOL2007-5
• April 7, 1-3 p.m., Room 4-123, Registration Code: TOL2007-6
• April 8, 3-5 p.m., Room 4-203, Registration Code: TOL2007-10
• April 8, 5-7 p.m., Room 4-203, Registration Code: TOL2007-11
• April 9, 9-11 a.m., Room 4-203, Registration Code: TOL2007-12
• April 9, 1-3 p.m., Room 4-123, Registration Code: TOL2007-13

Osceola Campus April 6, 9-11 a.m., Room 2-115, Registration Code: TOL2007-4

• April 7, 1-3 p.m., Room 2-115, Registration Code: TOL2007-7
• April 8, 9-11 a.m., Room 2-115, Registration Code: TOL2007-8
• April 8, 5-7 p.m., Room 2-116, Registration Code: TOL2007-9

West Campus

• April 13, 5-7 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-18
• April 14, 9-11 a.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-19
• April 14, 1-3 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-20
• April 15, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-21
• April 15, 3-5 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-22
• April 16, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-23
• April 16, 3-5 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-24
• April 16, 5-7 p.m., Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-25
• April 17, 10 a.m.-12 Noon, Room 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-26
• April 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 6-220, Registration Code: TOL2007-27

To register for all classes go to http://valenciacc. edu/leadership/regstr.cfm. Please be sure you have the approval of your direct supervisor prior to registering for a workshop. If a workshop is canceled, only those registered can be sent a cancellation e-mail. To view the status of a particular workshop and to see a full listing of the Spring workshops check the Leadership Valencia calendar located online.

AAWCC Professional Development Day

The Valencia Chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges invites you to its Annual Professional Development Day on April 23. The keynote speaker will be J. Lenora Bresler, a creative and dynamic speaker who will inspire, inform and challenge everyone in attendance. This year's event will be in the new Signature Building, Room 111, West Campus. A continental breakfast will be served starting at 8:30 a.m., and the program is from 9-11:30 a.m. Admission to this event is a donation of a gently-worn business suit/dress, purse or accessory(s) for the Dress for Success organization. Reservations are a must so please RSVP to Natalie Ferenc at ext. 3338 or AAWCC@valenciacc.edu.by April 20. For more information visit the AAWCC website at http://www.valenciacc.edu/AAWCC/.

Kudos

Brad Honious, director, Financial Aid was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Maryke Lee, dean, Mathmatics, East Campus has been appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a four-year term on the West Orange Health District Board.

Thank you

Dear Valencia Family, Thank you so much for your prayers, hugs, songs, cards, and beautiful flowers during my mother's illness and passing.  Your encouragement, caring, and friendship has helped me so much through this difficult time.

Thank you, Linda Anthon

Please e-mail your achievements, awards, recognitions and relevant information for the college community to Mary Jane Jones in the Marketing and Media Relations office. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Tuesday to be included in the following Monday’s publication.