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Yavapai Community College in Northern Arizona

Archive for Advisory Committees – Page 5

College administration fights to keep individual campus costs from public view

By R. Oliphant

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

College says it can’t give financial information as requested because it doesn’t keep books so it can; reluctantly agrees to provide some estimates

For more than 20 years, the Yavapai Community College has functioned almost completely out of the public eye. Its administrators have been able to do whatever they chose to do with taxpayer funds with little or no question. Given this history, the administrators were no doubt shocked by the action of the Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the District Governing Board.

The Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the District Advisory Board has been trying to obtain the specific costs of operating the Sedona Center and the Verde Campus in Clarkdale with little success.

Hiding data When the Committee asked for the information from Vice President Clint Ewell, he refused to provide it. He claimed that the financial records are not kept by the College in such a way as to provide the information the Committee was seeking.

At the District Governing Board meeting on August 5, 3rd District Representative Al Filardo asked the Board if it would join him in asking Ewell for the information. During the discussion, which you can view by clicking here, Ewell again stated that he could not provide the details the Committee sought. However, he reluctantly agreed to provide some financial information based on “estimates” to the Committee.

The detailed financial data is viewed as operational and is kept closely guarded by the Administration. The budget it produces fails to provide any details regarding the costs of operating individual campuses. Ironically, it closed the Camp Verde facility in 2010 and tried to close and sell the Sedona Center in 2013 because of low enrollment and operating costs. Amazing how those costs seem to be at the fingertips of the administrators when they want to close something down in the Verde Valley.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Budget, Sedona Campus, Verde Campus

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee lives to die another day

By R. Oliphant

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

Motion to extend life of Committee to two years sidelined—given a few more months to function–maybe?

The question of the future of the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee to the District Governing Board came up during discussion at the Governing Board’ August 5 meeting. When Verde Valley Board representative Al Filardo moved to continued the Committee for two years, it was met with opposition from the West County majority voting block. President Penelope Wills appeared less than happy with the motion. The District Board Chair was then joined by the other two members of the West County voting block to quash this effort.

AXE When it became clear there was not majority support for extending the Committee’s life for 24 months, a motion was eventually made to continue the Committee until “such a time that we have enough information from the strategic planning output and then determine whether we disband, discontinue, or whatever.” The Board Chair immediately jumped into the discussion to ask for a vote. The vote was unanimous. This left the Committee hanging precariously out to dry.

The strategic plan may be discussed as early as August 31, at which time the Committee’s life could be ended. It is the Blog’s perception that the Board Advisory Committee is a group the West County voting block want to get rid of as soon as possible while trying to politically avoid an enormous blow-back.

You may see the video of the discussion regarding the life of the Committee by clicking here.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Politics

Dean Ralston outlines why Verde Campus is struggling

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, August 8th, 2015

Suggests aggressive effort to get things going on the Verde campus, which is experiencing “tough times”

Dr. Ralston

For many, this was a breath of fresh air in terms of actually having an educational expert begin to analyze and share some of the reasons post-secondary education on the east side of the County has collapsed. It was also a stark warning of the college’s future on the east side of the County without a major injection of effort from the community.

Here, in summary, are the major factors he suggested that may explain, at least in part, the collapse since 2006 of the Community College on the East side of the County.

1. In at least one high school on the West side of the County, students were specifically told not to attend Yavapai College because the education was “substandard.” In his first year, Dr. Ralston has turned that view around. (May or may not have affected the Verde Valley enrollment.)

2. Yavapai College’s strict adherence to a minimum number of students (usually 15) before a class is offered is probably going too far. In Dr. Ralston’s experience, he had never been at an institution that had gone so far as to say, “if you’re not close to 15, we’re going to shut down the class.” He evinced concern that if courses are shut down for various reasons because enrollment has dropped, then programs associated with the courses will collapse.

3. Yavapai Community College faculty appear resistant to change. It is imperative that faculty engage with the community and the high schools. Dr. Ralston does not see the kind of investment at the high schools and in the community that is needed; rather, he sees a high degree of resistance from faculty because of perceived past failures.

4. There is a need for increased funding for recruiting, marketing and promotion of the Community College in the Verde Valley.

5. There is not an organized base of supporters, donors, people that the College can tap into to help make its presence in the Verde Valley known. There is a lack of participation from the community.

6. Dean Ralston warned: “Honestly, in the real world, this campus should not be open in a sense, these are tough times on this campus, …”

Categories : Advisory Committees, Verde Campus

College stonewalls giving Board Advisory Committee detailed financial data

By R. Oliphant

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

Request to provide operating and administrative financial data for Sedona and the Verde Campus rejected by the Wills’ administration

The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee asked the Community College administration to provide “in reasonable detail and by category” the “operating and administrative expenses for the entire Verde Valley.” Rather than provide the information, Vice President Clint Ewell responded that the Committee should “look at the College’s Budget website.” That site does not provide information of the kind sought by the Committee.

So much for transparency! So much for providing the data showing the costs of operation and administration of the Sedona Center and the Verde campus. Are we really to believe that nobody in the administration knows what it costs to operate and administer the Verde Campus and Sedona Center? Or, are there other reasons the data seems impossible to obtain?

The Committee will make a request to the Governing Board that it ask that the current administration supply the members with the data.

Categories : Advisory Committees

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee meets August 5

By R. Oliphant

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

Committee set to meet this Wednesday, August 5, 2015 at 8:30 a.m.

The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee will meet this Wednesday, August 5, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. on the Verde Valley Campus, 601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale, AZ. The meeting is scheduled to be held in Building G, Room 102.

AGENDA AUG 3

Categories : Advisory Committees, Meeting Notice

Strategic plan narrow and without vision

By R. Oliphant

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

Community College Board Advisory Committee hears outline of “dink and fail” strategic plan July 29

Executive Dean James Perey outlined the long awaited strategic plan for the future of the Verde Valley campus at the July 29 meeting. Unfortunately, the plan was narrow and without vision for the future of the Verde Valley.

The plan failed to consider the future of the Sedona Center other than it will be studied. In terms of programs, the plan put forth the “dink and fail” style of approach for the Verde Valley. “Dink and fail” means that the College will invest a tiny amount of money to see if a program can succeed and if it does, it will keep it, otherwise it will end its life.

An example of the “dink and fail” approach is putting the culinary program at the Camp Verde High School despite repeated requests from Sedona residents that it be located there. The College will invest a total of $35,000 in the project–an amount almost unrecognizable in the budget. It won’t build a culinary facility at the Sedona Center at a College estimated cost of $600,000–that’s just too much money and demands a serious commitment.

As pointed out by Mr. Randy Garrison, the College would rather invest $1.3 million in a tennis court that has no academic value than invest $600,000 in a program with serious academic potential.

The following is the broad, little detailed outline of the strategic plan for the Verde Valley as presented by the College:

District Governing Board Ends
Yavapai College exists so communities within Yavapai County are equipped with the vision and skills to create a sustainable economic environment. The College will fulfill this role at a justifiable cost. The following Ends are listed in priority order.
Job Seeker End
Job seekers have the qualifications, skills, and abilities to succeed.
Student Ends
Students seeking transfer will succeed at their next educational institution.

Lifelong Learning Adult Ends
Lifelong learning adults have affordable access to a variety of high-quality learning opportunities.

Mission
The mission of Yavapai College is to provide quality higher learning and cultural resources for the diverse populations of Yavapai County.

Vision

Yavapai College exists to provide educational and cultural opportunities to students of all ages. We shall strive to create stronger partnerships and enhance leadership to develop and strengthen our community. Our students will have the abilities to be active participants in the global community.

Values

Learning -Yavapai College values learning and an environment where students are engaged in their educational endeavors . We take pride in our campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County. Our facilities provide a safe and supportive environment where students can learn, and our community can share in the benefit of a cultural center within reach·.
Scholarship -Yavapai College values scholarship. We value an educated and experienced faculty and staff who foster and encourage the spirit of inquiry and expression. We value education not merely as a means to an end, but as a lifelong joy and endeavor.

Stewardship-Yavapai College values responsible resource management and affordable learning opportunities. We appreciate our obligation to budget and allocate fiscal and human resources in the best interests of our students and community.

Diversity -Yavapai College values the diversity within our community and the rich cultures of Yavapai County.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Strategic Plan

Strategic plan for Verde Valley to be unrolled (maybe) July 29

By R. Oliphant

Friday, July 24th, 2015

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee schedules meeting for July 29

MEETING NOTICE 1 The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, July 29, 2015 8:30 a.m. on the Verde Campus. The address is 601 Black Hills Drive Clarkdale, AZ. The room has yet to be announced on the website but the meeting is usually held in building M 137.

Although the agenda has yet to be published for this meeting, it is anticipated that a strategic plan for the Verde Valley campus and Sedona Center will be presented. If so, this is an important meeting for those concerned about the future of post-secondary education in the Valley.

Categories : Advisory Committees

Verde Valley Board Advisory committee requests college financial data

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, July 11th, 2015

Will College provide details or continue hiding them?

The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee voted unanimously at its July 1 meeting to request operating and administrative expenses from the Community College administrators for the Verde campus over the last two years. The question is, will the administrators provide this data to the Committee?

Hiding data In a story by Verde Valley Independent reporter Tom Tracey, Dr. Clint Ewell, the VP for finance and administrative services, responded that “We need time to see what we can provide for them. As far as the information being anything new, this has been requested by other groups in the past, as well. The problem is our accounting system is setup by function and account.” “We really don’t collect information by location, so we will have to work on manually pulling that information out.” (You may read the entire story in the Verde Independent by clicking here.)

Ewell’s response is the same one he has given Verde Valley requests for this information over the last 18 months. The Blog hopes that the Committee will be more successful than the groups that have tried to pry this information out of the College in the past.

Categories : Advisory Committees

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee recommends stepping-up marketing and recruiting

By R. Oliphant

Tuesday, July 7th, 2015

Rejection of two recommendations by Governing Board (3-2) doesn’t damper VVBAC enthusiam

Despite the rejection of two of the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee’s most important recommendations at the last Governing Board meeting, the Committee is moving enthusiastically ahead. One June 9, the Governing Board by a 3-2 vote rejected the Committee’s recommendations that there not be any additional property tax increase at this time and that movement on the ten-year-development plan be delayed until there was a strategic plan that included Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Paul Chevalier

The Committee at its July 1 meeting focused on improved marketing of Yavapai Community College on the East side of the County. The Committee Chair, Paul Chevalier, stated that the College needed to “engage students early-on” if it was to attract students to the Community College. The Committee agreed that it would ask the Governing Board for a specific response to its marketing and recruitment recommendation.

The Committee also discussed improving communication with the residents of the East side of the County through Town meetings or similar gatherings. No date was set for the first such effort.

A story in the Verde Valley Independent regarding the meeting can be read by clicking here.

Categories : Advisory Committees

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee

By R. Oliphant

Monday, June 29th, 2015

Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee Meetings for July

Wednesday, July 1, 2015 8:30 a.m.
• Verde Valley Campus
• 601 Black Hills Drive
• Clarkdale, AZ

MEETING NOTICES

Wednesday, July 15, 2015 8:30 a.m.
• Verde Valley Campus
• 601 Black Hills Drive
• Clarkdale, AZ

For updates and the agenda when it is posted, please click here.

Categories : Advisory Committees