In this page, you will be able to review and learn about common words and acronyms used throughout the college.

You can review the page by scrolling up and down or by selecting a letter. The blue letters have definitions available and the black letters do not have a definition. The yellow arrow on the right-hand side of the screen will help you navigate back the top of the page.

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AHS: Allied Health Sciences is located at West Campus. Visit the School of Allied Health homepage.

Atlas: Atlas is the College’s online learning community that connects employees and students to the resources they need to succeed. It is our Intranet — a network that allows the College to securely house and share information about the organization.

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BASBOL: Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Organizational Leadership. The program’s curriculum prepares you for supervisory and management roles in your respective field. This degree will provide you with the essential skills necessary for developing an effective business plan and give you hands-on experience using the most current best practices in the industry. Visit the BASBOL homepage.

Big Meeting: Big Meeting is an important component both of the College’s Institutional Effectiveness effort and of the annual evaluation of progress toward the goals and objectives in our Strategic Plan. The meeting provides the opportunity to identify and make recommendations to the President about any missing pieces of the work to be done to achieve the strategic goals and objectives, to make recommendations regarding how the work might best be sequenced and coordinated, and to recommend any changes the group may deem advisable to the current strategic goals and objectives and/or the evaluation plan.

BOT: Board of Trustees. Each of the 28 community colleges in Florida's statewide system is under the local control of a lay District Board of Trustees composed of citizens who serve without pay and are legally vested with decision making power in all matters of college policy, programs, building, budget and personnel. Each trustee is appointed by the governor. Eight Orange and Osceola County citizens form the Valencia College District Board of Trustees. Meeting in regular sessions once each month, these civic-minded individuals contribute their time and talent to guiding the development of Valencia College so that it remains responsive to the educational needs of its local community. Visit the Board of Trustees homepage.; C
CAT: Center for Accelerated Training (CAT) building. CAT houses short-term job-training programs, including construction, heavy construction equipment, transportation logistics, warehouse packaging, clinical medical assisting and private security. CAT will also house Valencia’s English programs for speakers of other languages, as well as conversational Spanish and Portuguese classes.

CDC: Collaborative Design Center (West Campus - Building 10, 3rd floor). The Collaborative Design Center is an innovative space designed to be used by companies, nonprofits and community organizations that want to create strategic plans, define visions and priorities, and troubleshoot problems. At Valencia’s Collaborative Design Center, companies and organizations will have access to the expertise of a professional facilitator, who will guide discussions and encourage participants to use creativity to turn big ideas into practical solutions.

Check-In: An online performance review process that is located in the EDGE (log into Atlas, navigate to the My Development channel, and click the Access Valencia EDGE banner) is a tool designed to document goals and objectives throughout the development process. The Check-In is simply a record of conversations, comments, and collaborative goal setting.

CIT: Career in Industry and Technology building. The CIT building provides space for bringing Valencia’s engineering technology classes to the Osceola Campus.The building also houses classes for criminal justice technology, hospitality and tourism management, residential property management, Valencia’s mechatronics program. CIT also houses classrooms, administrative offices and one small mock apartment unit for the college’s hospitality program.

COA: Certificate of Absence

CTLI: Center for Teaching/Learning Innovation. A place where faculty learning, collaboration, innovation, and scholarship contribute to the greater success of our students, faculty, and our community by providing a variety of services in the support of teaching and learning on each campus. Visit the Center for Teaching/Learning Innovation homepage.

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DO: District Office located at Park Place at Metrowest, 1768 Park Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32835.

DTC: Downtown Campus is a partnership with the University of Central Florida located in downtown Orlando, this campus

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EAC: East Campus is located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL 32825. Visit the East Campus homepage.

EAP: Employee Assistance Program – Provides assistance to help employees and their families resolve personal problems. The Downtown Campus offers a multitude of programs, certificates, and training to increase access to education in the immediate downtown Orlando area. Valencia College leads all of the general studies classes for both colleges, providing students with a seamless transition into a career, or on to a program at UCF through the DirectConnect to UCF program. Visit the Downtown Campus homepage.

EDF: Employee Development Funds are funds available, with supervisor approval, to current full-time employees of the college who have been employed at the college in a full-time position for a minimum of six continuous months. These funds provide these eligible employees the opportunity to acquire skills, knowledge, abilities, and/or competencies to learn and develop within their current role or in preparation for their future career development at Valencia College. Review the Employee, Dependent and Program Development Funds policy.

EDGE: This program is designed to encourage employee development, growth, and engagement by providing relevant, timely and results-oriented training. The Valencia EDGE portal is designed to help you with Employee Development, Growth and Engagement and is your resource for professional development and training and career enrichment. Access the Valencia EDGE to register for online and in-person workshops, view your transcripts, complete your Check-in, send badges for recognition of good work, apply for job opportunities, and much more.

Executive Council: The Executive Council is responsible for the major strategy, priorities, and operations of the College, including budgeting, staffing, strategic College, campus and department planning and College, campus and program design.

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Faculty Council: The Faculty Council serves as the official voice of College faculty. The Council engages the larger faculty and leadership of the College in matters relating to advancing the quality of teaching and learning.

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid application to apply for federal and state financial aid. Visit the Financial Aid homepage.

FLSA: The Fair Labor Standards Act is a federal law which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments. Visit the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) homepage.

FCS: Florida College System is the primary access point to higher education for Floridians, including recent high school graduates and returning adult students. The 28 member colleges of the Florida College System respond quickly and efficiently to meet the demand of employers by aligning certificate and degree programs with regional workforce needs. With an array of programs and services, our colleges serve individuals, communities and the state with low-cost, high-quality education opportunities. Visit the Florida College System homepage.

FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Visit the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) homepage.

FICA: Federal Insurance Contribution Act is a U.S. federal payroll or employment contribution directed towards both employees and employers to fund Social Security and Medicare and is deducted from each paycheck.

FIP: Faculty Incentive Plan is a compensation enhancement designed for annually appointed, tenured, and tenure-track faculty members. The Faculty Incentive Plan is conducted in a two-year cycle and has two components, the High Impact Practices Plan ($1,000) and the Professional Development Plan (Level 1 $750 or Level 2 $1,500). Participation in the Faculty Incentive Plan is voluntary and faculty members can choose to participate or not participate in each component. Visit the Faculty Incentive Plan homepage.

FLAC: Faculty Load and Compensation is a Banner module being implemented to process faculty adjunct and overload payments. Payroll records and EPAFs will be created using information stored in the Banner faculty assignments screen.

FTE: Full-Time Enrollment is defined as taking 12 credit hours or more per semester.

FRS: Florida Retirement System. Upon employment, all eligible full-time employees become members of the FRS unless currently enrolled in the State and County Officers' and Employees' Retirement System, Teachers' Retirement System, or another program as otherwise permitted by applicable laws or rules. Part-time, hourly employees who work a cumulative total of 2080 hours at the College will be enrolled in the FRS. View the Retirement Programs policy.

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HR4U: Human Resources general information contact at HR4U@valenciacollege.edu

HSB: Health Sciences Building is located on West Campus. Visit the Health Sciences Programs homepage.

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IAC: Instructional Affairs Committee is a permanent college-wide advisory group to Valencia’s Senior Leadership Team and various councils. The purpose of IAC is to provide a collaborative forum to ensure Dean input on college-wide academic matters. Visit the Instructional Affairs Committee homepage.

IAP: Individual Action Plan - is intended to create awareness and accountability when addressing and correcting performance concerns. IAC a permanent college-wide advisory group to Valencia’s Senior Leadership Team and various councils. The purpose of IAC is to provide a collaborative forum to ensure Dean input on college-wide academic matters. Visit the Instructional Affairs Committee homepage.

IRB: Institutional Review Board at Valencia College is a representative group of faculty and staff members who review research proposals on a regular basis when the person proposing the study aims to obtain any information about Valencia students or employees and plans to share that information (for example, through publications or presentations). Visit the Institutional Review Board homepage.

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Learning Day: A Friday in mid-February when classes are suspended, allowing all faculty and staff to come together for a day of learning, serving, and inspiration.

Learning Council: The Learning Council is responsible for leading the College’s work toward the achievement of our core mission — learning. The Council meets regularly to consider the state of the college's progress in achieving its core mission, to discuss potential major initiatives to advance the work. The Learning Council bears chief responsibility for identifying a select number of major initiatives and commissioning collaborative work teams to design the implementation of these initiatives. Visit the Learning Council homepage.

LNC: Lake Nona Campus is located at 12350 Narcoossee Rd., Orlando, FL 32832. Visit the Lake Nona Campus homepage.

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ODHR: Organizational Development and Human Resources. Visit the Human Resources homepage.

OIT: Office of Informational Technology employs technology to create, communicate, and apply knowledge that facilitates learning and supports the mission and goals of Valencia College. Visit the OIT homepage.

OLT: Operations Leadership Team which meets to research, design, and implement solutions to address major operational changes that impact how the college manages its day to day functions, communication regarding operations changes that affect the college, and planning/training for operational changes that cross impact college locations. Visit the Operations Leadership Team homepage.

OSC: Osceola Campus is located at 1800 Denn John Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744. Visit the Osceola Campus homepage.

OSD: Office of Students with Disabilities is committed to the fulfillment of equal educational opportunity, autonomy, and full inclusion for students with disabilities. Visit the OSD homepage.

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration assures safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. Visit the Compliance and Safety homepage.

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PAC: Performing Arts Center is located at East Campus.

PCF: Property Control Form is to be submitted when property belonging to Valencia is to be relocated, removed for disposal, temporarily off-campus. Visit the Property Management homepage.


PD Credit: Professional Development credit for faculty (both full-time and part-time) only.

PJI: Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College promotes peace and justice for all. Our aim is to nurture an inclusive, caring and respectful environment on campus and within our community - one where conflict leads to growth and transformation, rather than violence or aggression. Visit the Peace and Justice Institute homepage.

PNC: Poinciana Campus is located at 3255 Pleasant Hill Rd., Kissimmee, FL, 34746. Visit the Poinciana Campus homepage.

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment. Visit the Safety, Security, and Rick Management homepage.

Protected Status: It is the policy of the District Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the College, without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sex/gender, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and any other factor protected under applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws, rules and regulations (collectively referred to as “Protected Status”).

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QEP: Quality Enhancement Program creates a New Student Experience that will provide a coordinated experience for all new students with fewer than 15 college-level credits at Valencia. Visit the QEP homepage.

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SEC: Special Events Center is located on the West Campus. It is a a 17,000 square foot building designed to hold special events, receptions, conferences and meetings. The facility also includes a commercial kitchen for the culinary program, a 40-seat executive dining room and a 320 set assembly area.

SEED: Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity is a national project, founded 27 years ago by Dr. Peggy McIntosh of Wellesley College. It utilizes a cohort-based monthly seminar model with the intention of creating gender fair, multiculturally equitable and globally informed educational spaces and workplaces.The application process to participate in SEED occurs in the Spring Term and is announced through the Juice and Faculty Insight newsletters. Visit the SEED Program homepage.

SPS: School of Public Safety is located at 8600 Valencia College Ln., Orlando, FL 32825 and provides comprehensive education, training and resources for our communities’ first responders—helping Central Florida maintain the finest in public safety services to protect its booming visitor and residential populations. Visit the SPS homepage.

SSB: Student Services Building is located at West Campus and offers many services such as the Assessment Office, Business Office, Financial Aid Services, etc. Visit the Student Services homepage.

SUS: State University System is a group of public universities supported by an individual state or similar entity. Community College Associate in Arts graduates are guaranteed certain rights under the statewide Articulation Agreement 6A-10.024. This Articulation Agreement governs the transfer of students from Florida public community colleges to the state university system. The agreement addresses General Admission to a state university and Program Admission. Visit the Transfer Guarantees homepage.

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The Grove: This website is the communication hub for employee news, information, and updates. Visit The Grove homepage.

The Juice: This weekly e-news digest delivers information from The Grove.

Title IX: A Federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment and acts of sexual violence against students in educational programs or activities operated by recipients of Federal financial assistance. Visit the Title IX homepage.

Title V: A provision of the Federal Higher Education Act that offers specific protection for, and advancement of, the educational opportunities of Hispanic students around the country. Visit the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program - Title V homepage.

Total Rewards: In order to attract, motivate, develop, and retain employees who contribute to student success, the College shall offer health insurance programs and may provide opportunities for wellness as permitted by applicable law, rule, College policy or procedure. These programs are designed to promote an atmosphere of well-being for employees by supporting and encouraging their health and wellness. Visit the Total Rewards Employee Benefits policy.

Travel Authorization: An Authorization for Travel or Absence from Campus form must be used when traveling for Valencia College and are requesting expenses to be prepaid or reimbursed. Visit the Accounts Payable homepage.

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VID: Valencia Identification number consisting of a "V" followed by eight digits and is used for identification when completing various transactions with the college.

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WEC: West Campus is located at 1800 S. Kirkman Rd., Orlando, FL, 32811. Visit the West Campus homepage.

WPC: Winter Park Campus is located at 850 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, FL, 32789. Visit the Winter Park Campus homepage.

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