Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 3

PRESCOTT CAMPUS IS LOCATION OF SECOND DRIVE-THROUGH ONLY FOOD GIVEAWAY MARCH 28

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 15th, 2025

Open to the public  from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. — In partnership with St. Mary’s Food Bank

Yavapai Community College’s  Prescott Campus will hold its semi-annual community food distribution drive-through only on March 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until all food is distributed. As noted, it is a drive through only event and is open to the public.

 “If you need food, come and get food. We will load you up,” said YCC Student Affairs Coordinator Deborah Chambers.

Yavapai Community College, in collaboration with St. Mary’s Food Bank, is facilitating this food distribution initiative. According to the College, more than one in seven Yavapai County residents experience food insecurity or lack consistent access to sufficient nutrition for themselves and their families.

The blog has no information regarding a similar food distribution effort at the Sedona Center or the Verde Campus. Notably, programs like this not only address food insecurity but also enhance the Community College’s public visibility and reinforce its role as an active participant in the community. Hopefully, if it has not already preparing to do so, the College leadership will consider expanding such efforts to all campuses and centers as this would further demonstrate a commitment to serving the broader Yavapai County region.

Categories : Event

MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE GUTS NATIVE AMERICAN CONVOCATION TO COMPLY WITH PERCEIVED DEI MANDATE

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 13th, 2025

A decade-long ceremony honoring Native American students is canceled, and Native American clubs like MCC’s Inter-Tribal Student Organization face dissolution. Tribal leaders argue the relationship of Native American Tribes and the federal government is misunderstood and say the college erred in its decision

Arlyssa D. Becenti, writing in the Wednesday, March 12 edition of the  Arizona Republic, reported that the Native American Convocation scheduled for May was cancelled at Mesa Community College (MCC)  because of the perceived DEI mandate issued by President Donald Trump. The event was to be a celebration of the academic  achievements of Native American students attending Mesa Community College.

According to the article, Native American students from MCC and the nine other Maricopa County community colleges “received troubling news.” Due to actions by President Donald Trump, their Native American Convocation would be canceled. Additionally, Native American clubs, likely including MCC’s Inter-Tribal Student Organization and others, would be dissolved.

“I am incredibly disappointed to learn that the 2025 Maricopa County Community College District’s American Indian Convocation has been canceled,” Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis said in a news release. “This decision concerns me deeply, because it shows fundamental misunderstanding of the federal-tribal relationship which is based on political, not racial status. Today I am calling on MCCCD to immediately correct this error in interpreting the federal Executive Order and to allow the convocation to proceed.”

Maricopa Community Colleges have traditionally held a smaller ceremony to honor Native American students from all 10 community colleges in the Maricopa Community Colleges District. This year, that ceremony, along with similar convocations for other diverse student groups, has been canceled.

Neither Maricopa Community Colleges nor the county community college district responded to The Arizona Republic’s request for comment.

The issue of racial and political classification among Native Americans gained attention after Trump’s Education Department issued a memo on February 14. The memo claimed that Supreme Court decisions prohibit treating students differently based on race to achieve goals like diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity. This raised concerns among Navajo leaders and their attorneys.

“The letter doesn’t mention federal funds that are provided to Indian tribes and tribal organizations are not based on race,” said Chris Schneider, principal attorney for the Navajo Department of Justice. “It’s longstanding, its federal case law, you have Morton v. Mancari, which is a United States Supreme Court case … that determine that Indian isn’t always per se going to be a classification according to race. Instead, based upon the history of the United States and Indian tribes, it’s more political classification.”

Many legal experts believe the Trump administration ignores legality, precedent, the Constitution, and tribal treaties. Mel Wilson of the National Association of Social Workers notes this follows the vision of Project 2025. The dismantling of DEI efforts marks a dramatic shift, as colleges and institutions that once honored First Peoples with land acknowledgments have abruptly stopped doing so.

Categories : Politics

STUDENTS FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OVER ILLEGAL DOGE DATA ACCESS

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, March 11th, 2025

Lawsuit alleges the Department of Education shared confidential student data with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Representing the University of California Student Association, Student Defense and Public Citizen Litigation Group filed a lawsuit  against the Department of Education for sharing confidential student data with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

The lawsuit alleges that on February 3, 2025, The Washington Post reported that DOGE staffers had gained access to multiple internal systems with the Department of Education, including a financial aid dataset that contains the personal information of millions of students enrolled in the federal student aid program. As a federal agency, the Department of Education is subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, which makes the improper disclosure and misuse of sensitive personal and financial information unlawful. In addition, the Department’s records contain tax information protected by confidentiality provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

According to the complaint, the Defendants have violated the Privacy Act, Internal Revenue Code, and Department regulations by allowing DOGE-affiliated individuals to access the Department’s data and the computer systems that house federal student financial aid information. 

A copy of the lawsuit can be found by clicking the link below.

DOGE-LAWSUIT

 

 

Categories : Lawsuits

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS SEEKING ART WORKS FROM STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CELEBRATE THE THEME OF “PEACE.”

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 7th, 2025

Selected works will play a significant role in Yavapai Community College’s Peace Summit, to be held Thursday April 3 and Friday April 4 on Prescott Campus

Yavapai Community College is inviting students and community members to submit artwork that reflects the theme of “Peace.” Selected pieces will be prominently featured at the Yavapai College Peace Summit, taking place on Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4, on the Prescott Campus, contributing to the event’s mission of fostering unity and meaningful dialogue.

Sponsored by Yavapai College’s Justice Institute and RESPECT campaign, the Peace Summit will hold court on YCC’s Prescott Campus, providing a variety of College and local groups an opportunity to discuss and share ideas on important values like empathy, open-mindedness and courteous conversation. The Community College says that The Peace Summit is designed to create an effective place and time to promote unity and healing among students and community members in this time of great social division.

The deadline for submitted artwork is March 24, 2025. The Community College is accepting a variety of works — including drawings, paintings, printmaking, textiles, and small sculptures – that capture or express a theme of “Peace.” Artists may submit up to two original art works, which will be juried by YCC Art History Professor Dr. Brandelyn Andres and YCC Galleries Manager Tim Hull. Applicants may submit their works on the YCC Gallery’s submission link:

https://yavapaicollegeartgallery.submittable.com/submit

All accepted artwork will be displayed in Yavapai College’s Prescott Campus Community Room, Building 19, Room 147, during the two-day Peace Summit. After the Summit, the artwork will travel to the Mountain Artist’s Guild in Prescott to be part of the annual Yavapai Community College Art Exhibition from April 21 to May 17.

Artists will be notified on Tuesday, March 25. Accepted artwork must be hand-delivered to the YCC Prescott Art Gallery by Tuesday, April 1, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wall artwork should not exceed 40 lbs. Paintings on canvas must be gallery wrapped and wired for hanging. For additional information, please contact YC Galleries Director Timothy Hull at (928) 776-2031.

Source:  Yavapai Community College Press release by Michael Grady dated February 27, 2025.
Categories : Art programs

DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD SHIFTS MARCH 25 VERDE CAMPUS MEETING TO ZOOM

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 7th, 2025

—No Explanation Given

OPINION: Residents of Sedona and the Verde Valley have few opportunities to meet in person with members of the Yavapai Community College Governing Board or attend the handful of meetings scheduled each year. The primary reason? Nearly all Board meetings are now held on the Prescott Campus, specifically in the Rock House.

The sole spring exception was supposed to be the March 25 meeting, which had been scheduled as an in-person session at the Verde Valley Campus. However, the Board has now changed that meeting to a Zoom-only format—without offering any explanation.

Perhaps the journey from Prescott to the Verde Campus is too burdensome for Board members so they have decided to use zoom. By contrast, students from Sedona and the Verde Valley are expected to make the trip whenever a class is offered only on the other side of the mountain—just as residents must do if they wish to attend Board meetings. It seems the burden of a long drive depends entirely on who holds the power and who is left without a say.

 

Categories : District Governing Board

CHANDLER-GILBERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE TAPPED BY GOVERNOR HOBBS FOR SECOND FUTURE48 WORKFORCE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 6th, 2025

Awarded $6 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to support creation of a  state-of-the-art training facility — Follows November 2024 $15 million ACA Future48 award, for semiconductor focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator approved for the Maricopa Community College District

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and partners from Boeing and Honeywell have joined forces to launch the first-of-its-kind Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator. This aerospace and defense-focused facility will open in the fall of 2026 at Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s (CGCC) Williams campus, bringing together students and industry partners.

“We are incredibly honored to be selected for a second Future48 Workforce Accelerator,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of the Maricopa Community College District. “Through this opportunity, our system will provide the critical education and training required by today’s aerospace and defense manufacturing workforce. We look forward to empowering individuals and driving innovation in this high-demand industry.”

The program will receive $6 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority to support the development of a state-of-the-art training facility. Students will have access to flexible training spaces, labs, and industry-standard equipment, ensuring a seamless transition between lectures and hands-on skill development. The accelerator will expand CGCC’s aviation programs, building on existing offerings such as Aircraft Maintenance Technology—providing affordable degree and certificate pathways in airframe, powerplant, and comprehensive maintenance—and Airway Science Technology. Flexible, accelerated training opportunities will support rapid upskilling and workforce entry in emerging aviation fields.

It is noted that in November 2024 the Maricopa County Community College District and GateWay Community College (GWCC), in partnership with Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), launched the first-of-its-kind, semiconductor-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator—slated to welcome students and industry in 2027.

Housed at GWCC’s Central City campus, the state-of-the-art fab lab facility marked the newest Future48 Workforce Accelerator planned for the state. MCCCD received $5 million from the governor’s office to provide critical wraparound services for working students. The Arizona Commerce Authority contributed an additional $15 million for infrastructure, equipment, and curriculum development. Industry leaders Intel, TSMC, and NXP partnered in the facility’s design and training focus.

The Future48 Workforce Accelerators are supported by a $30 million investment from the ACA to build six new advanced manufacturing training facilities across the state in partnership with local community colleges.

Categories : CTEC, CURRICULUM, Grants

ARIZONA’S LARGEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT CUTS DIVERSITY INITIATIVES AMID TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PRESSURE

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, March 5th, 2025

No public information about DEI changes at Yavapai Community College 

According to a March 4, 2025 article in the Arizona Republic by Helen Rummel, the Maricopa County Community College District is removing various diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from its schools following increasing pressure from the Trump administration. The changes are being made to comply with guidance from the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. A four-page letter  from the Office required schools to remove race-based programming by February 28 or risk losing federal funding. The letter was said to be an effort to clarify existing legal requirements under Title VI, the Equal Protection Clause, and other federal civil rights principles, but apparently does not carry the force of law.

Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Steven Gonzales announced that employee affinity groups, pronouns in email signatures, and all DEI and gender identity-related language will be removed from district materials. More changes may follow to comply with evolving requirements.

Employees are no longer to be able to use money from the district to attend any conferences or events focusing on DEI, including ones that center on race, identity or national origin. Employee groups focusing on race and identity would be removed, like affinity groups and the Diversity Advisory Council.

Websites for groups like HSI EXCELlence and the Black Student Union were removed, though student clubs are not impacted. Many DEI-related pages, including those on convocation ceremonies for diverse cultural backgrounds, were also taken down.

“As a public higher education institution, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) must comply with all local, state, and federal laws, including recently issued enforcement priorities set forth by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights,” a Maricopa Community College district spokesperson said in a statement to The Arizona Republic.

“We recognize that these required changes may be disappointing to some of our students and employees. However, we remain committed to fostering a welcoming learning environment for all students as they pursue their educational goals.”

Yavapai Community College has not yet provided the public with any information regarding what action, if any, it has taken in regard to the Trump mandates.

Categories : CURRICULUM, Politics

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM SURPASSES $1 MILLION IN TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS, HELPING 600 STUDENTS GRADUATE DEBT-FREE OF TUITION

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, March 4th, 2025

Program begun in 2019 provides full reimbursement for tuition if degree completed in two years

Yavapai Community College announced in a February press release that its Promise Program has provided over $1 million in tuition reimbursements since 2019. This initiative has helped more than 600 students graduate debt-free of tuition.

The Promise Program, based on the Tennessee Promise model, provides tuition reimbursement to eligible high school graduates and adult learners in Yavapai County. Students who complete their associate degrees within two years receive full reimbursement for tuition costs, allowing them to pursue their educational goals without incurring debt for tuition.

The program, launched in 2019 for high school graduates, expanded in 2022 to include the Workforce Promise. This addition offers tuition reimbursement for adult students pursuing one of 16 workforce-focused degrees in fields like nursing, radiology, and elementary education.

Yavapai Community College funds the Promise Program from external grants, which it says is intended to ensure its sustainability and independence.  However, it provided no details about the grantors.

Categories : Tuition

MCCASLAND AND ALLIES BLOCK BOARD MEMBER KIEL FROM DISCUSSING A PROCEDURAL MOTION THROUGH WHAT SOME MIGHT CALL A CALCULATED MANIPULATIVE TACTIC

By R. Oliphant
Friday, February 28th, 2025

Universally accepted process followed at Board meetings of calling for discussion before voting on a motion was disregarded during the  February 18 Board meeting. This episode appears to be a part of an ongoing pattern of hostility specifically directed at Kiel by a majority on the Board

OPINION:  Some members of the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board seem to harbor a strong dislike for the newest elected member, William Kiel. (Most likely viewing him as asking too many questions; being too persistent, wanting greater transparency, and doesn’t necessarily agree with all their views.) That animosity became evident at the outset of the February 18 Board meeting when Kiel attempted to speak to  a motion before it had been voted on.  In response, the Chair McCasland employed a sleight-of-hand maneuver to pass the motion, bending procedure just enough to disguise what some feel was her real intent, which was to muzzle Kiel.

The procedural trickery unfolded when McCasland skipped the standard step of allowing discussion on a motion after it is seconded, opting instead to push for an immediate vote. When Kiel objected following the vote, the board attorney stepped in, suggesting to  the members who had hurriedly introduced and approved the motion to consider rescinding  it so there could be  discussion. Both flatly refused.

The treatment of Kiel  is perplexing because  it is universally understood that once a motion is made and seconded, board members are given an opportunity for discussion prior to  a final vote. In this instance, the expectation was even more unmistakable because Kiel had explicitly informed the chair in advance he wanted discussion.

Despite standard procedure and Kiel’s prior notice, the Governing Board Chair brazenly disregarded protocol at the February 18 meeting. The most obvious reason for this abrupt deviation is that Kiel is clearly not in Chair McCasland’s favor. Likewise, Board member Patrick Kuykendall’s refusal to rescind his second to the motion appears rooted in his personal disdain for Kiel.

The blatant dismissal of standard procedure in Kiel’s case raises serious concerns about the fairness and integrity of the Governing Board’s decision-making process. When procedural rules are selectively applied or ignored based on personal biases, it undermines the very principles of transparency and accountability that should guide the District Governing Board. If Board leadership is willing to bend the rules to silence a dissenting voice, it begs the question—what else are they willing to manipulate to maintain control?

A video clip of the incident appears below:

Categories : District Governing Board, Editorials/Essays, OPINIONS

DURING FEBRUARY 18 BOARD MEETING NEWLY APPOINTED GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER PATRICK KUYKENDALL LAUNCHES VICIOUS ATTACK ON BOARD COLLEAGUE WILLIAM KIEL

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Chair and attorney block Kiel from responding to the unwarranted behavior. Was the December appointment of Kuykendall a major mistake? 

OPINION: Fourth District Yavapai Community College District Governing Board member Patrick Kuykendall launched a vicious personal attack on First District Representative William Kiel during the February 18 Governing Board meeting. The outburst occurred amid a discussion on the authority and accountability of Yavapai’s president, Dr. Lisa Rhine, and the adoption of a resolution that vested virtually all power in her.

In his carefully controlled but angry tirade Kuykendall declared that he “wanted it on the record” that, in his view, Mr. Kiel had “made threats and been . . . disrespectful.” He further claimed, “I’ve sat on a lot of boards, and I’ve never been on a board with somebody with so much hate and discontent.” He provided no examples.

Not satisfied with his initial attack on Kiel, Kuykendall pressed on in anger saying:  “The reason we’re not in live meeting is when somebody mentions firearms and they’re unstable, it is a threat.”  Once again, he provided no examples to support his attack.  (See video clip.)

Mr. Kiel, clearly caught completely off guard by this stunning accusation, attempted to question the source of Kuykendall’s claim regarding “stability.” Yet, he was abruptly prevented from doing to  by the Board’s attorney and Chair Deb McCasland. (See video.)

Such an inflammatory and vicious public attack on a fellow Governing Board member is unwarranted and should immediately call into question Kuykendall’s fitness to serve on the Community College Governing Board. In my judgment, his appointment in December to the open Board seat in District 4 now appears to be a major mistake.  Given his discomfort and anger directed at Mr. Kiel, he  should resign.

A video clip of Mr. Kuykendall’s outburst in context follows below: A complete video of the meeting is available at the Community College’s Governing Board website.

Categories : Editorials/Essays, OPINIONS
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