"First Wednesday" Update: February 7, 2007

PeopleSoft Financials System Upgrade

The next generation of our PeopleSoft Financials system will "go live" over SCC's Spring Break next month. This upgrade is on schedule and will impact the Office of Finance and Budget, Purchasing, Department Budget Managers and their Assistants, and Grant Program Directors. Complete training for purchase requisitioners, department budget managers and grant program directors will begin Feb. 26, 2007.

Also, our SET team is beginning the initial work on the next generation of our PeopleSoft system for "Campus Solutions" (Student Administration and HR) which will "go live" in the spring of 2008.

Heathrow Center for Economic Development

Construction on our Heathrow Center is expected to be completed in May, with the first college credit classes commencing on Aug. 22, 2007. A detailed move-in schedule for affected SCC faculty and staff will be developed over the next few months, with input from those departments and divisions. Discussions are also commencing about the future usage of offices and classrooms that will be vacated on the Sanford / Lake Mary Campus when SCC constituents from digital media, construction, and Community Education / SCCorporate College move to Heathrow.

Altamonte Springs Campus

Construction is currently on schedule to be completed in September 2007, with the first classes commencing on January 7, 2008. Move-in schedules for affected faculty and staff are beginning to be discussed within those departments and divisions. Hunt Club Center classes will be held as usual through the end of the Fall 2007 Term. Full occupancy of the new Altamonte Springs Campus will then take place by January 7, 2008.

Sanford / Lake Mary E Building Renovations

Planning continues for the upcoming renovation of the E Building, with review of the preliminary architectural designs and initial stages of determining schedules and locations for vacating the E Building in advance of the renovation. Current expectations are that the E Building renovation will be completed by January 2009.

Sanford / Lake Mary K & I Building Renovations

A new plan for K & I Building renovations has emerged ... to connect the 2 buildings with a new structure that will result in a singular "Center for Public Safety" that will accommodate SCC's Criminal Justice, Fire Science, and EMS programs in one location. Architectural designs are being created now for this new Center. Also, the current Fire Tower will be renovated and a Fire Simulation Lab will be constructed adjacent to the Fire Tower. At the request of our region's fire chiefs and state fire science officials, this Fire Simulation Lab replaces the previously-planned "burn building" that had been scheduled to be located several miles from Campus. All facets of this "Center for Public Safety" project are currently expected to be completed by January 2009.

Sanford / Lake Mary L Building Renovations

A $1.2 million amount for renovating the L Building has been placed on the future PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay) list in Tallahassee. The initial placement of this amount on the PECO list is a significant first step in the process needed to update and renovate this classroom facility on the Sanford / Lake Mary Campus in future fiscal years.

SCC / UCF Joint Use Facility

An architect has been engaged to begin designing the Joint Use Facility (JUF) on the Sanford / Lake Mary Campus. Educational specifications are being completed and a construction contract is expected to be submitted to SCC's Board of Trustees later this month. This JUF will be located in front of the gymnasium, where Weldon Blvd. currently curves at a 90 degree angle. This means Weldon Blvd. will be relocated ... from the D Building around the east side of the Maintenance Building to hook up near the current intersection of Main Rd. and Weldon Blvd. Look for more details about the JUF and the timeline of the Weldon Blvd. relocation in future "First Wednesday" communications.

Sanford / Lake Mary Parking Lots

About 1,000 additional parking spaces are scheduled to be added to the Sanford / Lake Mary Campus over the next year. Specifics about particular parking lots affected will be disseminated in advance of any potential temporary closures or resurfacing.

Designated Smoking Kiosks

Our student-led endeavor to designate SCC as a non-smoking College took effect on Jan. 1st. Unfortunately, we are several months behind in our intention to have permanent "designated smoking areas" located around each SCC site, with a covered seating area for employees and students who smoke. Therefore, we are in the process of procuring temporary structures for these areas. Beginning next week, our contractor will install one of these temporary structures per week until all designated areas have one.

Staff Benefits

The Staff Benefits Committee is continuing their task of reviewing the costs and needs of SCC's benefits programs for all employees. Requests For Proposals have gone out and are due back to our committee by Feb. 20 from any vendors interested in bidding on SCC's array of benefits. The committee will then conduct finalist interviews on March 19 - 20. SCC employees will be invited to these interview sessions. Any change in vendor(s) must be determined by June 30, 2007 in order to be implemented for 2008.

SCC Board of Trustees

With the new Governor taking office, statewide community college Board appointments are being reviewed ... including SCC Trustees Chris Dorworth and Dr. Charles English, whose appointments last year have yet to be confirmed by the Senate. We understand that perhaps as early as the end of February, the Governor will either confirm their appointments or potentially name 1 or 2 new Board members for SCC.

The Florida Community College System 07-08 Budget

Governor Crist's just-announced budget proposes a $57.5 million increase in 2007-08 operating funds for the entire Florida Community College System (FCCS.) The FCCS is currently evaluating the governor's proposal, and SCC is conducting an in-depth analysis as well. The House of Representative's Schools and Learning Council will hold an all-day hearing on the Governor's budget next week. It is early in the Legislative Session with many changes in personnel and policies in the works. We are glad that Don Payton has taken up residence in Tallahassee to protect SCC's interests.

Did you know?

In a recent survey, 95 percent of responding graduates said they would attend SCC again and 43 percent rated their overall SCC experience as "excellent."