Vol. XXXVIII, No. 36, September 21, 2009

This Week at Valencia

Thursday, September 24

College Planning Council, 2 p.m., Osceola Campus, 2-219B

Registration Review Committee, 2 p.m., West Campus, 6-202

News from Human Resources

Sick Leave Pool Enrollment - Invitations have been mailed to employees who are eligible to enroll in the sick leave pool. The enrollment period is September 14-25. A full-time employee is eligible to join the pool if he or she:

• has been employed full-time with the College for 12 months, and
• has accumulated 10 days of unused sick leave as of August 31, 2009, and
• has not declined a previous enrollment opportunity as a regular employee of the College.

The Sick Leave Pool policy, 6Hx28: 3D-05, can be found on the Valencia website under the Faculty and Staff tab. If you have any questions, contact Beverly Ceasor, ext. 8024 or Laurie Youngman, ext. 8116.

The September issue of HR Notes is posted on the Human Resources website. The title of this issue is Employee Benefits Update, Issue #97. Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions.

Leadership Valencia

How to Run Reports in the Data Warehouse - (Presenter: Jim Ferrari) Please Note: This is the same training as the Data Warehouse Training for Cognos users. This is a hands-on workshop that will teach you how to access and run Data Warehouse reports. This will be accomplished through the Data Warehouse web portal and directly within Excel using a special add-in. Choose from one of the following:

• October 8, 1-2:30 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-326B. Registration Code: LRRDW-3
• October 14, 1-2:30 p.m., Criminal Justice Institute, Room 228. Registration Code: LRRDW-4

Aging Parents - Parenting parents: What You Need to Know as Your Parents Age (Presenters: Helen Von Dolteren Fournier and Julie Kronhaus) - Join us for a workshop created just to help you manage your concerns or questions regarding your aging parent(s). If you are the primary caregiver or simply concerned for the sake of your parent(s) or parent(s)-in-law and need answers, consider joining us. If you have any of the following questions, consider attending:

• What legal documents should every parent have in place? If my parents executed their documents 20 years ago, up North, are they still good?
• What if my parents outlive their money - what assistance/benefits are there for them? How do I find out about these programs?
• Do you and your siblings agree on the long-term care plan for your parent?
• My widowed mother wants to marry someone she has met at the Senior Living Center - what should she consider, legally, before she marries?
• I suspect that my brother is misusing the Power of Attorney - what can be done?
• Is it true that my father must 'give away' or 'sell' all his assets, including his home, to qualify for Medicaid assistance?
• What is Guardianship and how will I know if my parent needs it?
• My mother has passed but my stepfather is still living; how can I approach him to speak about these types of issues?
• My father was a WWII veteran - is he eligible for any VA long term care assistance and will my mother be eligible too?

September 24, 6-8:30 p.m., Criminal Justice Institute, Registration Code: GAP-1

Banner Finance for Beginners - (Presenters: Mary Ellen Davies, Brian Bastin, Nicoleta Brandolini) Learn how to look up your budget, create budget transfers, create requisitions, and research your budget and spending. October 2, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 219. Registration Code: TFBC-2

Circles of Belonging – (Presenters: Gerald Jones and Joe Nunes) Ever wonder what makes a person tick? Individual experiences play a huge part in shaping the way we interact with others and view the world around us.This in-depth interactive workshop will examine how diversity of experience impacts our interpersonal communications and relationships. Through discovery and discussion, learn more about yourself and the people around you. Participants will leave the session with an increased understanding of and appreciation for similarities and differences. September 25, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Criminal Justice Institute Campus Auditorium. Registration Code: PCOB-1

Preparing Yourself for Retirement, a four part series, presented by Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier and sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of AAWCC. A continental breakfast will be served at each presentation.

• Session III of IV: Picking Your investment - After you determine your risk tolerance and asset allocation, we will utilize Morningstar to determine which mutual funds fit into your allocation perfectly. We will discuss when you should consider cutting loose your mutual funds due to poor performance, etc. Additionally, you will have an opportunity to review the Morningstar report on your current mutual fund holdings. September 22, 9-10:30 a.m., Osceola Campus, Room 3-239. Registration Code: GPYR-3

• Session IV of IV: Wrapping Up, Completing an Analysis –Completing this analysis based on your personal income and expense information that we have compiled throughout this series of  workshop. You will know if you need to save a little more to reach your perfect retirement or if you can actually retire earlier than you thought. September 24, 9-10:30 a.m., West Campus, Room 6-202. Registration Code: GWU-2; OR September 29, 9-10:30 a.m., Osceola Campus, Room 3-239. Registration Code: GWU-3

21st Century Learning Environments - (Presenter: Jim Belcher) Creating environments for learning and exchange, not just delivery - applying research to design. We will have fun experiencing first hand- not just talking about-some of the more innovative and effective recent ideas including:

• Parker Palmer's "community of truth" vs. "the objectivist myth of knowing".
• Juanita Brown and David Isaacs' "World Café: Shaping Our Futures through Conversations That Matter" technology.
• Margaret Wheatley's "calling of circles to give birth to new ideas, new courage, and new companions for the journey."
• Harrison Owen's "Open Space Technology".
• The three new R's - relevance, resonance, and response.
• Lessons learned from three years of experimental room design in EC Room 8-144.
• And, YOUR best practice ideas, for designing more effective learning environments.

Please send any questions and comments to Jim Belcher, jbelcher@valenciacc.edu. September 24, 12:45-3 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112. (Please Note Room Change.) Registration Code: G21CLE

Fall Budget Forum - (Presenters Sherri Dixon, Keith Houck, Pedro Rivera) Everything you ever wanted to know and more on the FY 2009-2010 Budget. There will be a presentation of the budget and then a question and answer session with Keith, Pedro and Sherri. We welcome your participation, thoughts and ideas on Valencia's budget in making Valencia more efficient and effective while still delivering our high quality education. Choose from one of the following:

• October 20, 2:15-3:45 p.m., West Campus, Room 6-202. Registration Code: LFBF-1
• October 22, 1-2:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112. Registration Code: LFBF-2
• October 23, 10-11:30 a.m., Winter Park Campus, Room 226. Registration Code: LFBF-3
• October 29, 1:30- 3 p.m., Osceola Campus, Room 3-239. Registration Code: LFBF-4

Consensus Building: How to Effectively Reach an Agreement within a Group - (Presenter: Joseph Sarrubbo) Participants will work individually and in groups in order to learn techniques for effective consensus building. Sponsored by the Valencia Chapter of FACC. September 30, 10:30 a.m.-12 Noon, West Campus, Room SSB-110-D. Registration Code: PCS-1

Collaboration at the Learning College - (Presenters: Dr. Shugart and Michael Shugg) 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? October 28, 2-4:30 p.m., East Campus, Room 5-112. Registration Code: PCALC-3

To register for all classes go to http://valenciacc. edu/leadership/. 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 email. To view the status of a particular workshop and to see a full listing of workshops check the Leadership Valencia calendar located online.

News from Procurement

Consultant Agreements - The Valencia Contractor’s Agreement is composed of terms and conditions that have been pre-approved by Valencia’s General Counsel. This means that the agreement document, if not modified by the contractor/consultant, or a Valencia department, does not need any further legal review. An unaltered agreement form may be sent directly to the VP for Administrative Services (Keith Houck/Patty Nicholas) for signature. If the agreement form has strikethroughs or alterations of any kind, the agreement must be sent to Lisa Lovell (Valencia General Counsel’s Office) to review the changes to the template, prior to being signed by the VP.

Every Contractor’s Agreements must be accompanied by a Banner Requisition. Please enter the corresponding Contractor’s Agreement requisition into Banner so Purchasing may begin to process the purchase order while the Agreement is on the signature /approval route, as described above. Once Purchasing receives the signed agreement from the VP, a copy of the agreement and the purchase order is sent to the contractor/consultant. An electronic copy of the purchase order and agreement form is available for viewing in Banner at:  FPIPURR and the icon circled below.

Description and/or Statement/Scope of Work (SOW) - The item description/statement/scope of work is the part of the requisition that describes the item or service to be purchased. Great care should be taken to describe the item or service in sufficient detail to ensure that what is desired is in fact delivered. Be as specific as possible; cite the specific performance, service, or deliverables that are required and quote number. Choose words carefully so that the Purchasing department and/or the supplier that eventually receives the order fully understand what is requested.

Using State of Florida Contracts - When requesting purchases from State of Florida contracts please have the vendor reference the contract number on their quotation and enter the contract number on your requisition. Procurement will verify the contract number, items ordered, and expiration date to insure proper documentation for audit reviews.

PCards and Sales Tax - The College is exempt from paying local, county and state sales tax so please notify vendors of our exempt status before initiating your transaction with them to avoid any issues. 

The Valencia tax exempt number is 85-8012739699C-1. The tax exempt certificate from the Florida Tax Commission may be provided to the vendor if necessary whenever a transaction is made. You can find a copy on the Procurement website: http://www.valenciacc.edu/procurement/documents/2009ResaleCertificate.pdf. If a supplier will not reimburse or credit the college for sales tax that was inappropriately charged, it is the responsibility of the cardholder to reimburse the college. Payment can be made at any Business Office with a copy of the receipt sent to Procurement for audit purposes. 

Banner Issues (who to contact)

• Logging into Banner/password issues:  Dodie Dingley, ext. 1340
• Fund/Org Security:  Brian Bastin, ext. 3303
• Atlas Password:  Help Desk, ext. 5555
• Canceling requisitions or purchase orders:  Valenciaprocurement@valenciacc.edu

Valencia’s Center for Human Resources and Organizational Development-Money Basics Workshop

The onslaught of aggressive marketing to consumers, the increasing complexity and cost of the “average American lifestyle” and unprecedented variety of consumer financing offers have left too many Americans deep in debt, with little or no savings.

Financial education can help you take control of your money and achieve your financial goals. Get started with this workshop. 

Workshop Overview

The EDSA Group’s T.E.A.M. Series™ “Teaching Employees About Money” is a series of comprehensive and interactive sessions designed to meet the educational needs of a diverse population. Topics covered will include

• Setting financial goals
• Organizing your finances
• Taking control of your spending
• Tax and retirement planning
• Education planning
• Estate planning
• Investments
• Determining insurance needs
• All aspects of personal money management

Upon completion, participants will have the tools and knowledge to develop their own financial plan.

All courses will be held at Valencia Enterprises, 2411 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL.

For information or to register, call 407-582-6688 or visit valenciaenterprises.org.

Wellness by Valencia

Wellness classes are underway and people are excited to be working out and earning incentive points. Remember you get incentive points for each Wellness activity you sign in for, they then turn into Wellness bucks for some nice gifts. Here are some new offerings-no registration required-just show up. For a complete listing, go to www.valenciacc.edu/wellness.

• Yoga:  7-7:45 a.m., Wednesdays, East Campus, dance studio
• Yoga:  12-12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, West Campus, HSB-123.
• Dancing (Learn Cha-cha, Rumba and Foxtrot):  5:15-6:15 p.m., Thursdays, East Campus gym, bring a partner!
• Guided Relaxation, 6 weeks from 9/8 through 10/14:  1-1:45 p.m., East Campus, 4-205
• Guided Relaxation, 6 weeks from 10/21 through 11/25:  1-1:45 p.m., West Campus, 1-212
• Boot Camp:  5:15-6:15 p.m., Wednesdays at Lake Island Park across from the Winter Park campus

Following are the remaining September Lunch and Learns:

• Emotional Eating – 9/22, 1-2 p.m., East Campus, 3-113 and 9/24,1-2 p.m., West Campus, 5-215
• Preparing a Healthy Lunch – 9/28, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., West Campus, 9-139 – Seating in limited, reservations required djakubcin@valenciacc.edu
• 5 Secrets to Feeling and Looking Good – 9/29, 1-2 p.m., West Campus, 5-215

The Step by Step program kicked off on Monday September 14th. We are excited to have 111 participants. Make sure you are logging your steps everyday on your log sheets. You will receive a weekly updates with helpful information every Monday.

Remember: Good Health Begins with YOU....

Outlook Tip-of-the-Week:  Using Unified Messaging: Phone or Outlook

This is a slight deviation from previous posts but, voice mail is now an integral part of the e-mail system. Voice mail resides only on the MS Exchange Server, which you access via your Outlook. There are no longer two disparate systems. If you have listened to your voice mail via your Outlook you do not need to check the phone, too.

We have the Unified desktop messaging guide available in our FAQ’s at: http://answers.valenciacc.edu/ics/ support/default. asp?deptID=5572&task=knowledge&questionID=1315 or go to answers.valenciacc.edu Keyword: Unified. This is a large PDF file and if not printed on legal size paper it may be difficult to read and follow, therefore it is best used when it opens in Adobe.

One question that is often asked is how to navigate. EX: What numbers do you press to change your greeting? Here are some screen captures of that area of the guide:

This is a voice interactive system and you can use voice commands to access those options. Changing your greeting is under Personal Options. You can say “Personal Options” or press 6#.  After that you need to use the keypad to navigate:

For more tips and FAQs click on 'Ask a Question' in the OIT Tools on your desktop.

Welcome New Full-Time Valencia Employees

Kiesha Johnson, staff assistant II, Career Development, West Campus, mc 4-20, ext. 1464

Fitzgerald Mitchell, custodian, West Campus, mc 4-9, ext. 1217

Bobbie Willoughby, human resources specialist, CJI, ext. 3-33, ext. 8038

A Fond Farewell and Best Wishes to Retiring Valencia Employee

Carlos Arias, maintenance technician, East Campus, retiring September 30.

Kudos

Brandon Scolar, student leader on Osceola Campus and Valencia graduate, co-authored a research paper on the nature of memory which will be published in The Journal of Cognitive Psychology.