Joe Battista

This Strategic Impact Plan outlines a primary goal of ensuring that by 2030, 65% of Orange and Osceola County high school graduates attend a post-secondary institution in Florida. The plan emphasizes the critical role of post-high school education and training for job opportunities, economic health in Central Florida, and addressing the demand for skilled workers.

The meeting addressed several significant items, including the appointment of an Interim Trustee Representative to the Board of Directors of the Valencia College Foundation, with Trustee Hindle volunteering for the interim role until the Organizational Meeting scheduled for August 6, 2026. The President's Report highlighted a successful partnership with Lift Orlando leading to increased enrollment and provided updates on legislative proposals concerning the funding formula (SB7038) and potential use of renovation funds for nursing simulation labs (SB1246 and HB1325). Key new business items included the acceptance of the Affordability Report and approval of the corresponding resolution, the preliminary approval of the 2026-2027 Operating Budget Framework, and the approval of the 2026-2027 Capital Improvement Plan Framework. Furthermore, the Board approved a budget amendment request and a transfer of $2,744,382 from Fund 1 to Fund 7 for laboratory space renovation. The consent agenda covered policy amendments, course additions/deletions, and property deletion. The Spring Enrollment Report indicated the highest-ever Spring enrollment figure at 49,341 students.

Key discussions during the meeting included updates on the partnership with LYNX transportation services, noting over 1,000,000 rides logged by Valencia students and staff since January 2022. The President reported that the Osceola Prosper program was named "Floridian of the Year" by Florida Trend Magazine, and provided an update on legislative advocacy efforts following the AFC Legislative Fly-In. It was noted that Valencia received The Collegiate Purple Star Campus Designation for supporting military students. A major item was the approval of the 2026-2027 Student Block Tuition and Fee Rate Schedule, which maintained no increase in matriculation, technology, or student fees for the thirteenth consecutive year. Additionally, the Board approved several items via consent agenda, including the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, awards for graduation diplomas and supplies, the Blue Frontier Installation project, policy amendments concerning Total Rewards, Contracts, and Anti-Hazing, and course/program modifications.

This document outlines the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Framework for Valencia College for the Fiscal Year 2026-2027. The plan is developed to identify, document, and justify legislative funding requests for major categories including capital projects, remodeling, renovation, deferred maintenance, and new construction. It details the current status of funded and budgeted projects, ranging from campus infrastructure upgrades and equipment refreshes to specific facility renovations and planning initiatives across various campuses.

Discussions centered on course and program modifications, additions, and deletions, as well as a review of programmatic learning outcomes (PLOs) alignment with state framework standards. The College Curriculum Committee (CCC) approved several consent agenda items, though FIL 1000 was removed for discussion regarding TVCA removal. Regular agenda approvals included course designation changes for MUM 1620C and the replacement of an obsolete course, VEC 1201C, with PLS 1801C. The committee also approved the deletion of TPA 2358C due to low enrollment and the deletion of the Criminal Justice Institute - Auxiliary Law Enforcement Officer Career Certificate due to lack of local workforce demand. Several A.S. programs (Accounting Technology, Business Administration, Supervision and Management for Industry, Medical Administration, Administrative Office Management, Property Management) had their PLOs updated for state framework alignment. Proposals for A.S. in Emergency Medical Services Technology and A.S. in Dental Hygiene were tabled for future review. Discussion items included the purpose and scope of CCC review for PLOs, deadlines for submissions (noting the cancellation of the December meeting and rescheduling of the January meeting), and CCC resource feedback to better facilitate reviews.