Presidential Report January 20, 2004
Governor's Budget Announcement
Governor Jeb Bush announced last week that he was recommending an increase of $104.5 million for community colleges in his budget which will be released today to the Legislature. This would be the largest increase that community colleges have received in more than a decade IF the Legislature approves it.
The Governor also recommended full funding for matching grants, which is the $2 million that SCC needs to match the Central Florida Auto Dealers Association's (CFADA) donation.
However, think of this as only getting to first base. We need to make sure that the Legislature agrees with the Governor and finds the money. $104.5 million sure doesn't seem like much in a $55 Billion budget. Please thank the Governor and contact Legislative Leadership.
Board Workshop
The Board Workshop will be held on Tuesday, January 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the Boardroom (A200). Coffee and bagels will be served at 9:00 a.m. Our topic will be our future facilities growth. A packet of materials will be sent to you by Friday in preparation for next Tuesday's discussion.
Legislative Dinner
The 2004 Legislative Dinner will be held on Tuesday, February 17, at 6:00 p.m., at the University Center Club - FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium. The Presidents and District Board of Trustees from Lake-Sumter, Seminole, and Valencia Community Colleges are hosting this for the members of our delegations.
FACC Trustees Commission Legislative Workshop
The FACC Trustees Commission Annual Legislative Meeting will be in Tallahassee on Wednesday, February 18th. In addition, several CFADA Board members will also be in Tallahassee lobbying for our Automotive Facility. It will be the one-two punch in terms of contacting Legislative Leadership.
2004 Seminole County Luncheon
The 2004 Seminole County Update luncheon will be held on Friday, January 23, at 11:30 a.m., at the Lake Mary Marriott in Heathrow. If you are interested in attending, please contact Linda.
2004 Heritage Jubilee
On January 9, the African American Cultural Forum sponsored the annual Heritage Jubilee event honoring both Nina Simone, a noted jazz musician who died this past year, and Mrs. Evelyn Rock Clark, a local community activist and musician. Many thanks to Dr. Charles English and Ms. Dede Schaffner for attending what is always one of the most inspirational events held at SCC.
Presidents' Club Dinner
Many thanks to those of you who have joined the Presidents' Club. The dinner last Thursday was a real tribute to the College staff and community volunteers who have been working with the Foundation to make sure that we met our goal. We not only increased the membership from 112 last year, but we exceeded our goal by 2. The Presidents' Club now numbers 127. Dr. Kay Delk gets the credit for bringing in the $5,000 and $2,500 members! Congratulations and thanks to all!
Zora Neale Hurston Festival
The Zora Neale Hurston Festival Awards Gala will be held on Saturday, January 31, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort. SCC is a sponsor for the Festival. If you are interested in attending, please let Linda know.
2004 Bellwether Award
Seminole Community College is one of the finalists for a Bellwether Award - recognizing efficiency and effectiveness - at the 2004 Community College Futures Assembly to be held in Orlando on February 2. Our Construction Trades Facility will be in competition with other innovative projects from around the United States. Al Petrangeli from Centex Rooney and Suzanne Tesinsky will represent SCC.
Schedule
This week is a busy one for me, but, as you know, every week is busy. However, this is particularly true given our favorable budget status going into the Legislative session and the fact that we are trying to let the community know how important their support is. Tomorrow morning, I am on a 7:15 a.m. flight to Tallahassee to testify before the Women's Legislative Caucus to present the case for all 28 community colleges; Thursday is the Envision Seminole Conference, a group that we have asked to "adopt" SCC as one of their issues; and Friday through Sunday is the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce Leadership Retreat in Sarasota where I will be presenting on Saturday morning with Dr. Sandy Shugart.
Future Events
The Seminole County/Lake Mary Regional Chamber of Commerce is hosting the State of the County luncheon on Friday, February 20, at 11:30 a.m., at the Orlando Marriott in Heathrow. SCC is a sponsor for this event. If you are interested in attending, please tell Linda.
Also, since we will be hosting the Legislative Dinner in Tallahassee on February 17, we will need to reschedule our February meeting.
And a final reminder, the 20th Annual Dream Auction is scheduled for February 21. And our enrollment for Term II appears to be about 9.5% ahead of last year in College Credit.
