Archive for Prescott Campus – Page 2

COLLEGE RUNNING MOTEL/HOTEL BUSINESS TO ATTRACT GROUPS OF 20+ DURING SUMMER

Offers rooms with private baths, free Wi-Fi, computer rooms, classrooms, indoor pool and weight room, tennis courts, etc.; few classes and few on-campus students during summer drive project

Yavapai Community College has begun operating a motel/hotel business from Mid-May to the end of July on the Prescott Campus. It is attempting to attract groups of 20 or more persons to stay in a residence hall and enjoy the various accouterments associated with the College. These including the indoor swimming complex, weight room, gymnasium, tennis courts and all the other accouterments it has recently upgraded.

The Blog notes that to its knowledge the College President has never reported to the Governing Board publicly that it put together a business plan for running a motel/hotel facility during this period. Also, to the Blog’s knowledge, the President has  never reported to the public the income and expenses associated with the project if it has been operated prior to this year.

The Blog speculates that there are so few summer classes offered on the Prescott Campus and so few students staying in the residence halls during the summer that the College has decided to try and operate a motel/hotel business of sorts during this period.

What follows is a portion of the advertisement the College is running for this business. You may view the College advertisement by clicking here.

“Escape the heat and enjoy picturesque Prescott.

“For groups of 20+ people who desire a variety of meeting and activity spaces for a two-night or more stay. Our location is ideal for:

  • Youth camps (music, sports, computer tech, etc.)
  • Faith-based camps
  • Large family reunions
  • Professional conferences/retreats/workshops

“Reservations available for events from Mid-May to end of July

“Yavapai College features include:

  • Double occupancy, air-conditioned rooms with private baths in each room with free Wi-Fi (no TV). On-site laundry available. Night-lighted 1/2 basketball court & regulation-sized volleyball court located adjacent to halls
  • State-of-the-Art classrooms, fully-equipped computer rooms and labs, conference rooms and meeting spaces for 10 – 180 people
  • Indoor exercise facilities: indoor pool and weight room with locker room access
  • Outdoor exercise facilities: lighted tennis courts, 1.35 mile hiking/mountain biking trails with Crossfit exercise stations, and baseball/softball fields 
  • 1,200-seat gym, 1,050-seat professional performance space with elevated stage, and outdoor concert spaces
  • Custom meal plans and dietary restriction accommodations available through Rider Diner, YC’s dining facility 
  • Consecutive day stays and volume discounts available
  • 24/7 campus security with certified police officers on duty
  • Walking distance to downtown Prescott
“About Prescott:  Prescott offers year-round hiking, biking, and kayaking opportunities in town and in the surrounding area. For more information, please check the following local area resources.”

 

SCAMMERS MAKING FAKE YAVAPAI COLLEGE CALLS

Scammers have managed to acquire College owned phone numbers

Yavapai College is warning residents that scammers have acquired college owned phone numbers and are using them to make nuisance calls. Yavapai College chief information security officer, Sean Hagan, said: “It appears that someone was spoofing our telephone numbers and attempting to impersonate College employees. We are aware of five instances related to the scam so far. Given the design of the public telephone system, there’s not much we can do about it beyond collecting evidence and getting the police involved, which we are doing now.”

Yavapai College Financial Aid Director Diana Dowling said that “Yavapai College will never call you to tell you that you need to speak to a loan officer.”

 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS ADDRESSES BUILDING INDUSTRY EMPLOYEE SHORTAGE

Similar meeting scheduled for December 11 on Verde Campus

More than 50 building industry representatives met on the Prescott Campus October 24 to help craft a plan to develop and retain a strong workforce to meet long-term industry needs. The meeting was organized in response to a perceived workforce shortage in the building trades.

It is thought that during the recession that many in construction change careers and never returned. The industry needs workers and is apparently struggling to recruit them.

The College has scheduled a similar workforce development discussion on this topic to be held from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Friday, December 15 in building M, room 137 of the Verde Valley campus. Representatives from the building trades who would like to attend the lunch must RSVP by December 11 by contacting Billy Norris, 928-717-7170 or email billy.norris@yc.edu.

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COLLEGE ANNOUNCES NEW WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

Kim Kapin to act as host

Yavapai College announced that it has partnered with Prescott Valley broadcasting for a weekly one-half hour talk show focusing on college activities. The Saturday show will be hosted by the Director of Marketing and Communications, Kim Kaplin.

The first show aired Saturday, November 4 at 12:30 PM. It is carried on KQNA am at 11:30 AM, 99.9 FM in Prescott and Chino Valley. It is also carried on 95.5 FM in Prescott Valley and Cottonwood. It will be  available via live streaming on kqna.com.

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YAVAPAI COLLEGE DID NOT APPLY TO ASPEN INSTITUTE COLLEGE EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Cochise Community College (among nine Arizona colleges) to compete for $1 million in prize funds

Cochise Community College in Arizona and 149 other community colleges will compete for $1 million in prize funds (to be announced in fall 2018) by insisting on high standards for learning, college completion without delay, and serving as a training ground for jobs that pay competitive wages. Cochise College is a public Arizona community college. The prize funds are being provided by through the Aspen Institute College Excellence program.

Founded in 1964, Cochise Community College has campuses in Douglas and Sierra Vista, and centers in Benson, Fort Huachuca, and Willcox. It was announced in October 2017 that the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has ranked Cochise College as one of the nation’s 150 best community colleges

Readers may be surprised to learn that Yavapai Community College apparently did not apply to the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.  A full list of the selected colleges and details on the selection process are available at www.aspenprize.org.

The following nine Arizona colleges applied to the Institute to be considered for the award:

Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Cochise County Community College District

Estrella Mountain Community College

GateWay Community College

Mesa Community College

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix College

Pima Community College Scottsdale Community College

South Mountain Community College

The prize, awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges and recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and access and success for minority and low-income students.

PRESCOTT CAMPUS RENOVATION/NEW CONSTRUCTION CHARGING AHEAD

Primary property tax rate increases and tuition hikes provide millions for capital projects with little citizen accountability or justification

The Yavapai Community College building boom supported by primary property tax revenue and increased student tuition continues throughout the District with the west side of the County spending millions in renovations, new parking lots, and new construction.  Since 2013, when the District Governing Board approved the $103.5 million dollar capital development plan in concept (with less than 5% going to the Verde Valley/Sedona), construction and renovation has been nonstop. This is especially true on the West side of the County. Note, however, that it has spent from $4 to $5 million over the past three years in Sedona trying to fix its public relations nightmare with that community. It has reopened the Sedona Center with a culinary institute that replaces the internationally recognized film school it shut down when it was contemplating selling the Center.

While there have been some changes to the 2013 $103.5 million capital development plan, the changes have not affected the flow of property tax revenue coming to the College that the administration uses for these projects. The changes have had little affect on West County development other than reducing the huge size of potential construction at the Prescott Valley Allied Health/JTED facility.

Recall that the College Administration has increased tuition every year in some form and the property tax rate was raised by the District Governing Board in six of the last twelve years to accumulate the cash to support the building projects.  In addition, the College has been over budgeting so that annually excess unspent general fund revenue is transferred into the capital building fund accounts.  Finally, recall that under the Administration’s revenue budgeting scheme, its expenditure plan allows it to spend from $6 to $8 million each year of primary property tax revenue on capital projects. 

What most County citizens don’t know is that the College administration does not need to justify to County voters or seek their approval for the massive construction/renovation projects it is using their primary property tax revenue to pay for.  In the distant past, the College had to seek General Obligation Bond approval from voters before embarking on capital projects. When seeking the bonds, the Administration had to  justify the expenditure of the millions of dollars and imposition of a secondary property tax to pay for them. Because of the budgetary scheme the Administration created,  that kind of accountability to voters no longer exists. (All the Administration needs is to persuade the highly political Governing Board three west county representatives to vote for the annual budget and the  spending spree continues. This group has  approved every request from the College since at least 2012.) 

Below are photos of some of the current construction/renovation involving buildings #1 & 15 and a sketch of a new atrium under construction on the Prescott Campus. They appear in the September Board meeting Agenda. Estimates are the College is spending from $5 to $6 million alone on these projects.  

 

 

 

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOD PANTRY RIBBON CUTTING

Event to be held on Prescott Campus, Building 1, back hallway of advising offices, Tuesday, October 10, 2017 4:45 p. m.

I AM YC has been working hard to open the first ever Yavapai Community College Food Pantry. It has been successful.  The purpose of the pantry,  located on the Prescott Campus,  is to aid students who are “facing food insecurity.” The College urges students, staff and others to stop by on October 10 to learn more and see the food pantry during the ribbon cutting ceremony .

PRESCOTT CAMPUS TO CELEBRATE STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILY DURING ROUGHRIDER NATION DAYS: OCTOBER 13-14

Athletic events, evening barbeque, concert and morning brunch drive celebration; No similar celebration apparently planned for Verde Campus

Yavapai Community College has announced that it will celebrate staff, students and family during Roughrider Nation Days.  Roughrider Nation Days will coincide with the Prescott Campus Family Weekend, October 13-14.  No similar celebration is being held on the Verde Campus on the East side of the County.

The events on the Prescott Campus include:  Friday, October 13, 5 p.m., concert and barbecue in the Roughrider Circle near Building 19 on the Prescott Campus. The barbecue will be followed at 7 p.m. by a Roughrider Volleyball match vs. South Mountain in the YC gym.

 A second event will be held Saturday, October 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m., which is a pancake brunch in the Rider Diner in Building 3 on the Prescott Campus.

The Prescott Campus bookstore, says the College, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and “visitors are welcome to enjoy the fall beauty on self-guided campus tours.” At 6 p.m. the Community College Soccer team takes on  Mesa Community College at Ken Lindley Field.

PHOTOS SHOW PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER $4 MILLION ADDITION PRETTY SPECTACULAR

Skills labs and examining rooms are superior learning facilities

The Prescott Valley Center allied health program facility photos shown to the District Governing Board at its August 8, 2017 meeting  were spectacular.  The $4 million plus facility will be opening in August and boasts superior skills labs and examining facilities. The Board is anticipated to hold a Governing Board meeting at the facility in the next couple of months.

The photos, which were taken by College facilities management, can be found in the August 2017 Governing Board agenda by clicking here.  Some of them are reproduced below. 

MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE JTED HEALTH PROGRAMS MOVED TO YC PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER

Allied Health/EMS/JTED  consolidated and moved to Prescott Valley Center—a real advantage for JTED training and additional tuition for the Community College

The Community College Facilities Management reported to the District Governing Board at the August 8, 2017 meeting that the Allied Health/EMS/JTED Health Occupation Programs were moving (or had been moved) to the Prescott Valley Center.  Management also reported that the Prescott Valley Center Parking Expansion  was complete and the Prescott Valley Center addition was substantial Complete. Facilities management indicated the Prescott Valley Center Addition second floor was almost complete with programming starting August 30.

The Joint Technical Education District, Mountain Institute, has fully partnered up with College. It has its administrative headquarters at the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) and its Health Occupation programs are now housed at the College’s Prescott Valley Center. 

The Community College’s close, supporting partnership on the West side of the County with the Mountain Institute has been developing over a ten-year period.  During that same period, it is the Blog’s view that the College and District Governing Board have essentially written off the JTED on the East side of the County.  The result of writing off the East side of the County has been devastating to East side CTE training opportunities, especially East County high school students who are not able to consider enrolling in several of the sophisticated job training opportunities offered at CTEC (or taking similar courses on the East side of the County).  Those opportunities are only available to students who are a part of the West Mountain Institute JTED.  From the Blog’s view, this is simply not educationally fair as the College is supposed to serve “all the County” equitably.