Verde Valley Governing Board Advisory Committee hears about Career and Technical Education problems

At its February 18 meeting, the Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the College Governing Board heard Dean John Morgan and County Superintendent Tim Carter outline some of the problems that face future development of Career and Technical Education (CTE) on the East side of the County . Here are some of the issues that were discussed during their presentations. 

1. Enrollment in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs with only high school students on the East side of the County make them difficult, if not impossible, to operate effectively. A solution is to allow adults and high school students to simultaneously take CTE classes. This is a model used by the College Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) on the Prescott campus in conjunction with the Mountain Institute JTED.

2. Obtaining and retaining qualified CTE faculty is very difficult. Because of their expertise, potential faculty can earn far higher wages in private industry than by teaching at the Community College.

3. Hiring retired former experts to teach CTE classes is problematic. On occasion, retired faculty may want to take time off during a semester, which the College may find difficult to provide. Hired folks have a particular life they want to lead and College demands do not always fit into their lifestyle.

4. Sedona Red Rock High School does not currently participate in CTE training. (Board members noted that enrollment patterns are changing in Sedona and CTE training may become of part of the Sedona Red Rock High School curriculum.)

5. There are typical young adult “competitive” issues among high school students that may discourage or prevent them from taking CTE classes at a high school that is not “theirs.” Therefore, a neutral site other than a high school is often preferable for CTE classes.  Read More→

Superintendent U’Ren tells Advisory Committee that Verde Valley students appear unaware of the Community College

The Verde Valley Governing Board Advisory Committee met on January 21 on the Verde Campus. Among the superintendents asked to address the Board was Ms. Barbara U’Ren, superintendent of the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District.

SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA U’REN

She strongly suggested that students in the Verde Valley were not aware of the local Community College. Or if aware, they did not see the Community College as an option to post-secondary education.

To illustrate her point, she said that at a recent meeting with seventh-grade students, she asked where they were going to college. None mentioned Yavapai Community College and when it was mentioned, they seemed baffled.

Superintendent U’Ren had several ideas she put forward to the Committee to increase awareness.  Among them was a suggestion that there should be greater outreach by the Community College to the Verde Valley community including parent-student campus tours.

Dean Perey’s Verde Valley Advisory Group to report to College Strategic Planning Group–3 year strategic plan in the works

Dean Tom Hughes reported to the Governing Board on October 15 that the College is at the very beginning of developing its next three-year Strategic Plan. The College Strategic Plan committee will hold face-to-face discussions, SWAT analysis, and other types of things “to engage all of the stakeholders.” He did not define “stakeholders.”

The Committee consists of 6 faculty representatives, 4 members of the President’s Leadership Team, 5 administrative representatives, 5 staff representatives and 1 student representative. The Committee will be assembled and trained over the next three months. Committee members will then be sent out in pairs to different “stakeholder groups” to gather information and data.

In March-April a draft plan will be put together and the plan will be presented to “stakeholders” for input. The new plan will be implemented by May 2015.

There will be videos and information posted on the an up-to-date web site so the process is transparent. Hughes says he intends to update the Governing Board at each of its meetings. He also said that James Perey’s Advisory Group would feed into this Strategic Planning Committee. The full presentation by Tom Hughes to the Governing Board can be viewed by clicking here.

Community College Governing Board Advisory Committee named

Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter has selected seven citizens from the Verde Valley to become members of the Yavapai Community College Governing Board Advisory Committee.  Those who were chosen are:

Bill Regner, Member, Clarkdale Town Council.

Randy Garrison, Member, Cottonwood City Council.

Paul Chevalier, Sedona citizen.

Amber Lee, Superintendent of Camp Verde School district.

Leona Wathogoma, Yavapai-Apache Nation.

Janet Aniol, Beaver Creek citizen.

Carolyn Fisher, Oak Creek citizen.

Complete background information of each of the Committee members may be obtained from a story in the Verde Independent, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Perey Advisory Committee held first secret meeting October 6

The first meeting of Dean James Perey’s Advisory Committee consisting of hand-picked members (by him) from the Verde Valley along with College staff met secretly on October 6. The secret meeting date was revealed in a story written by reporter Yvonne Gonzalez of the  Verde Independent  in the October 29 issue of that paper.

Gonzalez reported that Perey  said that one of the duties of the Committee was to conduct a “SWAT” analysis of the Verde Valley, which is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunity  and threats.

Perey’s secrecy policy is in keeping with the Wills’ administration view of how the public should be provided information. Perey controls the secret agenda. He alone provides the Committee with information, thus dampening serious discussion during a meeting  as both sides of an issue will not be presented. It also allows  Perey to release only information he deems favorable to the College to the public. Furthermore, secrecy means there is no formal written or media record of the proceedings that can be used to later challenge what was discussed and what, if anything, was decided.

Overall, the process  is clearly an effort to  control the Committee and the flow of information to the public. It reflects a weak administration afraid of the “truth” and exemplifies the College’s deep-seated disdain for Jeffersonian openness. As Thomas Jefferson once remarked:

If [a] book be false in its facts, disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. But for God’s sake, let us freely hear both sides if we choose. – Thomas Jefferson to N. G. Dufief, 1814.

Executive Dean James Perey says his Advisory Committee meetings will not be open to the public (or the press)

This Blog contacted Verde Campus Executive Dean James Perey on October 26, 2014 regarding the process the Verde Valley Advisory Committee that reports to him will follow.  He was asked the following:

“I have been asked about the meeting dates, time and place of the Advisory Committee that reports to you. Can you provide that information. Also, are the meeting open to the public? Does the Open Meeting law apply? Who will chair the group?” 

Executive Dean Perey replied:

“The advisory committee will be meeting once in November and once in December prior to the winter break and most likely here on campus. These meetings are not open to the public and open meeting laws do not apply. I will be chairing these meetings as we focus on gathering information and begin campus and site strategic planning.”

This means that the public and the media will not be allowed to attend and report on the activities of group.

“The very word ‘secrecy’ is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings.” John F. Kennedy.