Concerns about the search process , which began in January,  given as one reason for the restart

The Maricopa Community College Governing Board has decided to terminate the search for a new district chancellor, according to a story by Emily Wilder in the Arizona Republic of August 14, 2020.  Officials told Ms. Wilder that the Board will meet to plan and establish criteria and committees for the new search in the coming weeks.

The Board began its search for a new chancellor in January of this year.  One of the reasons given for starting over was “concerns about process.” There was no explanation given about the kind of concerns the Board experienced.

Until a new chancellor is selected,  Steven Gonzales will continue in the  role of interim chancellor in addition to his position as president of Gateway Community College. Gonzales was appointed in January.

Source:  Emily Wilder, Arizona Republic, August 14, 2020.  https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/08/14/maricopa-community-college-chancellor-search-ends/5587652002/

Governing Board unanimously approves fall semester plan; about  85 percent of classes will be on-line; students and visitors must sign waiver or acknowledgement regarding liability

At a special meeting called for August 4, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board unanimously approved a new plan for handling fall classes in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The new plan was needed because of liability coverage available to the College for Covid-19.

The College is insured by the Arizona School Retention Risk Trust for liability and other services.  The Trust announced that it would provide Covid-19 insurance but there were two requirements.  First, a re-entry plan for fall semester must follow the Federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.  Second, the College must implement a requirement of signed waivers or acknowledgment for all students and visitors.

Because of the trust requirements, the College was forced to change some of its initial re-entry plans.  The re-entry plans cause the College to move from teaching an estimated 70% of students on-line to now about 85%. 

You may view a statement from Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine issued August 5  in a slightly edited video below.

Replacing District #4 representative Pat McCarver

The District #4 seat, which is now occupied by Pat McCarver, will be filled in January by  Chris Kuknyo.  McCarver decided not to run after serving for more than a decade on the Board. Kuknyo is the only person to have completed the paperwork by the filing deadline for the position in that district.

Chris Kuknyo was born in Chicago and moved to Prescott with his family in 1978. He attended Prescott High School and graduated with the class of 84. Out of high school, he went directly into the workforce where he has held a wide variety of jobs from broadcasting to underground mining.

Chris is the co-founder of Patriot Disposal Inc. He has been  actively involved in the Prescott community for many years.  He served on the board of the Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation, was Chairman of the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2010 and was a Councilman for the City of Prescott from 2011 to 2015.

He has also served as  the Vice President of the Citizens Tax Committee, President of the Zeitz-Prescott sister city organization and Treasurer for the Williamson Valley Community organization.

The following is the letter he sent to Yavapai County Superintendent Tim Carter when he filed for the Yavapai Community College District #4 position.

Dear Mr. Carter:

Yavapai College is one of the greatest assets in the county. It trains our residents for careers in an ever changing workplace. It is an inexpensive start to continuing education for our young people and gets them up to speed for the next step to a university. Our seniors never stop learning through the OLLI program. I, along with most people, see the value in this local resource that is paid for by our property taxes. This support comes with the expectation that our tax dollars need to be spent on our county. When the majority of merit scholarships are given to students from outside the county, outside the state, and sometimes outside of the country, we have lost our focus. Tax increases were becoming the norm until recently. I have seen innovative improvements from the new president and would like to serve on the board to help her and the college continue to make positive changes. Great things happen when we look at the needs of our local community. The nursing program and first responder courses are great examples. Teaming with local industry to train local people so they can make a better wage is also the right way to go. Being ready to assist economic development in bringing good paying clean jobs to our area is a must. We are starting to put the word “Community” back into Yavapai Community College and I want to be a part of that.

I have lived in Prescott since 1978. My wife and I raised our family and started a business here that I sold three years ago. We started with a single truck and built it into a successful business by listening to the needs of the community and watching expenses like a hawk. I will bring my life experience and values to the Board of Yavapai College. I don’t consider myself a politician but feel it’s my duty to serve and give back to the community that has given me so much. I served one term on the Prescott City Council, was president of the PV Chamber of Commerce, Board member of The Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation and Chairman of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planing Organization. I currently serve on the Yavapai County Industrial Development Commission.

In my spare time I head up a watchdog group called The Citizens Tax Committee that holds government accountable for being fiscally responsible and am on the board of the Prescott- Zeitz Germany sister city group.

Should you choose me, I promise to serve, listen and be accountable to you.

Thank You

Chris Kuknyo

Community College Newsletter available to public conducts extensive interview 

Dr. Tina Redd

If community members  want to get to know more about the new dean of the Verde Valley Campus and Sedona Center, Dr. Tina Redd, she is featured in the June Community College newsletter.  (see link below). The Q & A interview covers a host of areas. 

In one of the questions, was asked about her initial impressions of the College. She replied:   

The college is physically amazing. The leadership here has clear ideas for improving things and turning the institution into a first-choice college. There is a lot of positive energy, not stagnation, on how the leadership here wants to make change happen. When I was searching for a new position, I did not want to leave the West Coast, but after interviewing and meeting with the leaders here, my mind was completely changed. It’s exciting to feel like I’m a part of positive change and growth for Yavapai College in the Verde Valley and Sedona.

The Blog believes the communities in the Verde Valley are indeed fortunate to have Dr. Redd as the leader and dean of the Community College in this area.

To learn more about Dr. Redd, you may access the newsletter and the complete interview by clicking here.  

Letter to Community College Community explains hands-on classes will adopt classroom hybrid model of learning; outlines approach to Covid-19 and  issues of racism and injustice

Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine and her staff are moving forward with plans for the fall semester.  In her most recent letter to the Community College family, she outlined how she intends to keep students safe from infection from Covid-19 while moving ahead with fall classes. 

She also touched on how the Community College will be considering racism and injustice.

Her letter is reproduced below.

Letter links:  Letter to students click here: 

CTE video:  Click here.

Includes when wearing  face covering is required and several other protocols intended  to help stop the spread of COVID-19

Yavapai Community College has announced specific safety protocols for students, faculty and staff.  The protocols  are immediately effective.  They include requiring employees, students, faculty and guests to wear face masks except when outside with adequate social distancing.

The complete list of eight protocols follows  below.

Says U.S. has failed to uphold unspoken societal contract to protect each other fairly and justly; must stand against racism together

In a short address to faculty, staff and students on June 3, Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine asserted that as a society the United States has failed to uphold the unspoken societal contract to protect each other fairly and justly.  She said that the community must take a stand against racism.

She also said that the College is taking immediate action to “re-examine our own practices and ensure we continue to implement policies, trainings, and accountabilities to protect our students, staff, and faculty of color.”   She said that in “our roles as educators, researchers, professionals and community leaders, we must prepare those in our classrooms to participate vigorously in civic discourse and democracy.” Moreover, the “killings and mistreatment of citizens must stop.

You may view Dr. Rhine’s two-minute video statement on this issue below.

Asking Campus Chief of Police and YC Respect Committee to look at tangible and inclusive ways to foster a healthy relationship between Campus law enforcement and the communities of color

Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine has asked the College Police Chief and the College Respect Committee to “look at tangible and inclusive ways to foster a healthy relationship between our law enforcement and the communities of color who depend on our officers of the law to model both justice and compassion.”

In a letter on this issue, she wrote that “in our roles as educators, researchers, professionals and community leaders, we must prepare those in our classrooms to participate vigorously in civic discourse and democracy. For a robust civil discourse requires open, honest dialog: The bottom line is the killings and mistreatment of citizens must stop. The system as it stands must change, from the inside out.”

Dr. Rhine’s complete statement follows below.

Plans face-to-face classes in labs and elsewhere where necessary; safety from Covid19 paramount concern

Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine has said that she anticipates that the College will deliver 70% of all its  fall 2020 classes remotely or on-line.  The remainder will be delivered in classes that require “hands-on learning, face to face activity, and/or  laboratory work.

She said that the College will ensure that the face-to-face classes it offers  are “safe for everyone.”

You may view her May 27 update on the estimate of face-to-face classes on the very short video clip below.