Residents learn College Governing Board can provide little assistance to answer simple questions if they involve “operations”
Residents of Yavapai County are learning that their elected representatives on the Community College Governing Board are unwilling or unable to help them with answers to fairly simple questions about the Community College. At least, that is what some believe after an effort was made by them to find out the cost and reasons for building new College Foundation offices in a portion of the library on the Prescott Campus.
One of the residents, for example, recently sent an email to Governing Board member Steve Irwin asking if he “could you shed some light on a . . . report that the College plans to build a partition in the college library to provide office/meeting space for the Yavapai College Foundation?”
The Governing Board administrator, not Mr. Irwin, responded as follows:
“Thank you for your concern and for reaching out to our District Governing Board Member. Unfortunately the Board’s responsibility doesn’t include the day-to-day operations and activities on the campus. The president of the College has the responsibility to make decisions that are in the best interest of our students, employees, and the community, including operational decisions.”
There was no information or direction given to the resident about who to contact or how to contact anyone at the college who could deal with answering the question appropriately. There was no effort by Mr. Irwin to lend a hand regarding where to go with the question so it could be answered.
Later, this same constituent received a copy of the Community College Governing Board Policy Manual from the Governing Board administrator.
As of today, exactly how operation questions from taxpayer residents like this are to be handled by the Community College appears to remain a mystery. It is hoped the new College President will create a process where residents can ask questions about the College activities that involve “operations” and receive answers. “Operations” appear to be about 95% of what the President does.
Costs and reasons for construction of offices in this area of the Prescott Campus library remain a mystery.