College required to  spend funds on students before receiving an equal amount to spend on other institutional needs | Generates creative student spending by Administration during fall 2021 semester

Yavapai Community College received about $5.5 million in COVID – 19 federal assistance.  (See video below.) According to a report at the September 14, 2021 District Governing Board meeting, the money is divided between student needs and other institutional needs.

Furthermore, the Federal Government links the amount a community college provides to students to the amount the college will be able to spend on the institutional side of the ledger.  This requirement has caused community college administrators to find creative ways in which to spend money on students.

The Community College refers to how it is using the student money as “incentives” and  “initiatives.”

The Yavapai Community College Administration decided one way to spend money was to provide free room and board to all students living in the Prescott Campus dormitories during the fall 2021.  This fact was provided to the District Governing Board by Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development Rodney Jenkins during his portion of the Administration’s report to the Board.  The total amount was not revealed.

In addition to subsidizing all food and dorm costs in the fall, a student living in a dormitory can fill out a form indicating a need and the Community College may authorize an additional $500 to that student.  The student determines need.

You may hear Vice President Jenkins discussion about this expenditure with the Governing Board in the short video clip below.

Students who refuse to comply face code of conduct violations with penalties ranging from  warnings to expulsion; effort will probably first be a sit and talk session with a student who defies the mandate to help the person better understand that the requirement is not about any individual but an effort to better protect the education community the person is  a part of

The three public universities in Arizona and its largest community colleges have indicated how they will enforce the mask mandates they have imposed to protect the education community from the rapid spread of Covid-19.  Failure to comply is considered a violation of the student code of conduct.

The sanctions for ignoring the mandate may range from education of a student by explaining the mandate has nothing to do with that person  but its about protecting the community that the student is a part of to expulsion. 

The institutions all emphasized they are not mask police.  The policy is merely an application of common sense.

The mask policies are combined with encouragement for vaccinations and testing.  The goal is to keep the classroom doors open.

Arizona State University will  focus on encouragement, according to the article in the New Republic. “We will take steps through the student affairs process and the student code of conduct to address unwillingness to be a part of the Sun Devil community, just as we will address any other matter of conduct within the university.”

At the University of Arizona (UA), faculty can offer students a mask if they forget to bring one. If students refuse to wear a mask when offered, they should be asked to leave, according to a note sent to instructors from the University Provost.  Instructors have been given an online form to use that will  alert the dean of students’ office about students who violate mask rules.

According to Jessica Summers, chair of UA’s Faculty Senate and professor in the college of education, faculty members had advocated and petitioned for masks requirements in classrooms. Many were concerned about having packed classrooms without masks required, and having students get sick and then needing to return to an online semester.

Summers said: “I think there’s a sense of relief. I still think that there’s some anxiety about what is this going to look like, how hard is it going to be to enforce this requirement in classes? It hasn’t relieved all of the pressure . . .  but I think it’s taken a lot of anxiety and pressure off faculty who were worried about their students getting sick, about them getting sick.”

Gary Rhoades, a professor of higher education at the University of Arizona, said faculty have “virtually uniform relief and pleasure” with the new mask requirement.

Note: Yavapai Community College is not among the institutions that have implemented a mask  mandate.

Source:  Alison Steinbach article, Arizona Republic, August 21, 2021, p. 1.

Face coverings indoors when social distancing is not possible

Pima County Community College in Tucson had joined  the University of Arizona, Arizona State, Northern Arizona and the ten Maricopa Community Colleges  in requiring face coverings indoors when social distancing is not possible.

In its announcement, Pima said the mandate was in “alignment with guidance from the CDC, the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Pima County Health Department and recent actions by public universities in Arizona.”

The following is its Pima Community College press release regarding the requirement:

Throughout the pandemic, Pima Community College has been committed to protecting the health and safety of students and employees while delivering the highest level of educational services possible. Based on the changing health conditions and in alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Pima County Health Department and recent actions by public universities in Arizona, effective Monday, August 16, 2021, we will require face masks to be worn in all indoor spaces where it is not possible to adequately and continuously maintain social distance.

The masking requirement includes classrooms, labs, student learning spaces, offices, meeting areas, and any indoor areas designated by posted signage, and applies to all employees, students, visitors and vendors. We appreciate everyone’s continuing understanding and flexibility as we respond and adapt to changing circumstances.

Recommends but does not require masks in classrooms, offices or where groups congregate indoors; reluctance not unusual as administration is centered in ultra conservative Arizona County where only 40.4 percent of citizens are fully vaccinated

Yavapai Community College has fallen behind Arizona’s Universities and its largest Community College in Covid-19 safety protocols by not mandating the wearing of masks in classrooms, offices, and other indoor gathering facilities  when classes begin August 16. 

The mask mandate is a simple precautionary step  recommended by reputable  scientists around the world as a method of helping reduce the spread of COVID-19. While all public universities in Arizona have required  precautionary measures such as mandating masks in certain locations (placing intelligence over ignorance), Yavapai Community College sits in the heart of conservative Arizona where common sense health measures such as vaccinations and wearing a mask are opposed by large numbers  of the population.

There are significant political influences that may explain Yavapai’s reluctance to follow the best health protocols for educational institutions.  For example, one of Arizona’s leading conservatives, State Senator Karen Fann, comes from the Prescott area. This is the location of  the Community College’s largest concentration campuses and centers.  It is also the  home base for all of Yavapai’s  administrators. 

Senator Fann was a leader in the  conservative dominated Arizona legislature that resulted in  a law approved in  July that was intended to outlaw mask mandates at all public educational institutions.   However, because of sloppy last-minute drafting, it was  discovered that Universities and Community Colleges were most likely not covered by the anti-health directive.  

Senator Fann is also a supporter of the Community College with a relationship with its current president.

Meanwhile, cases of Covid-19 continue to leap upward in Arizona and Yavapai County.  Prescott and Prescott Valley appear to be at the epicenter of the surge in Covid-19 in the County at the present time. The two municipalities reported a total of 71 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, August 13.  The two also account for 52% of all 555  deaths so far in Yavapai County from Covid 19.

On August 13 the County health department reported there were 61 persons in hospitals in Prescott and the Verde Valley because of Covid-19 and the one-week positivity rate was at a shocking 14.4%.  Also, according to the County’s August 13 report, only 40.4% of the County was fully vaccinated with 46.1% of its citizens having at least one shot.

Associate Justice  Barrett latest in line of jurists to issue order favoring schools; Supreme Court ruled in 1905 in Jacobson v. Massachusetts that states could enforce vaccination mandates through criminal penalties

The United States Supreme Court refused Thursday to block Indiana University’s requirement that students be vaccinated against Covid-19 before being allowed to attend classes in the fall semester.  Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a request from eight students at Indiana University who had claimed the University of Indiana should be barred from mandating that they be vaccinated because the risks associated with the vaccines outweighed the potential benefits for the population in their age group.

Justice Barrett’s rejection of the request from students contained no dissents from any of the other justices.

“Once again, the court has affirmed our legitimate public health interest in assuring the safety of our students, faculty and staff and we are excited to welcome our community back for the fall semester,” Indiana University spokesman Chuck Carney said in an email.

The students had lost their case at the trial level and at the Court of Appeals level before asking the Supreme Court to stop Indiana from mandating that all students be vaccinated. before entering the classroom.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago had earlier dismissed the students claim. Seventh Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook, when declining to grant an injunction as requested by the students, noted that the Supreme Court had ruled in 1905 in Jacobson v. Massachusetts that states could enforce vaccination mandates through criminal penalties. Unlike the university’s mandate, he said, Massachusetts’ smallpox vaccine mandate did not include a religious exception.

The plaintiffs, he wrote, nonetheless claim that Indiana University’s mandate infringed on a “fundamental right. Yet Jacobson, which sustained a criminal conviction for refusing to be vaccinated, shows that plaintiffs lack such a right. To the contrary, vaccination requirements, like other public-health measures, have been common in this nation.”

The judge also wrote that the plaintiffs’ right to bodily integrity did not mean that the school could not require vaccines or other safety measures, just as their right to property did not stop it from charging tuition. “Undergraduates must part with at least $11,000 a year (in-state tuition), even though Indiana could not summarily confiscate that sum from all residents of college age.”

Source:  Klaassen v. Trustees of Indiana University, 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 21-2326.

Administration  believes that this decision will provide the best chance to maintain in-person learning experiences for students | Students receiving the vaccine at one of its college campuses will receive a $50 grocery gift card while supplies last

The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) announced late Thursday  that it has updated its mask guidelines. Under its guidelines,  face coverings are mandated to be worn indoors at any facilities across the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges and system offices.

“The Maricopa Community Colleges’ goal throughout the pandemic has been to protect our community’s health and wellbeing,” said MCCCD Interim Chancellor, Dr. Steven R. Gonzales. “Requiring our students, faculty, and staff to wear face coverings is another step in the right direction for our Colleges to begin the fall semester safely. I want to thank our employees and students who have continued the hard work of keeping themselves and our Maricopa community safe.”

In its press release, Maricopa stated that “Because this requirement applies to all individuals regardless of vaccination status, it is in line with both the Governor’s Executive Order (2021-15) and Arizona Revised Statutes 15-1650.05, which will go into effect on September 29, 2021. We understand that not everyone may be able or willing to be vaccinated, and our intent is to respect each individual within our community while also addressing the safety concerns associated with the current circumstances.”

The Community College stated that it believed “this decision will provide the best chance to maintain our in-person learning experiences for our students. We will also continue to monitor the evolving mask and face-covering guidelines and update the Maricopa community of any changes as we move into the fall semester.”

The Maricopa Community colleges continue to strongly encourage members of our community to receive the vaccine. Beginning August 21, 2021, it will be hosting vaccine clinics on each of its college campuses for students and their friends and families. As an added incentive, students receiving the vaccine at one of its college campuses will receive a $50 grocery gift card while supplies last. Only Maricopa Community College students are eligible for the grocery card.

Source:  Maricopa Community Colleges Press Release dated August 12, 2021.

All three state universities will require face coverings in all classrooms and labs and at some other indoor settings; University officials believe they have not broken Arizona’s law on prohibiting mask mandates

Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona have announced that they will require face coverings in all classrooms and labs and at some other indoor settings. Although the universities’ new policies appear initially to contradict the Arizona law that prohibits  requiring masks for unvaccinated people to receive in-person classroom instruction, University officials argue they have not broken that law.

ASU’s mask mandate  states that: “In certain indoor settings face coverings will be required. Those settings include all classrooms and teaching or research labs.” Masks are also required “in close-quarter environments where physical distancing may not be possible.” These include ASU clinical programs and centers that serve the public; meeting rooms, production studios and other indoor locations where distancing isn’t possible; and all indoor settings “designated by posted signage.”

Meanwhile, university officials contend they have not broken Arizona’s mask law because the mandate applies to everyone at ASU. “Unlike the legislation applicable to K-12 districts, neither the governor’s order nor the legislation applicable to the universities prohibits a mask mandate,” said ASU spokesperson Jay Thorne. “Instead, it prohibits the universities from either requiring vaccinations or imposing different requirements on students to attend classes (such as masking or testing) based on the student’s vaccination status or willingness to disclose that status.”

Thorne said that there is “no limit to what we can do in terms of masking at a university level and requiring that of all students in areas where we can’t provide physical distancing.” He said ASU officials believe they can require masks as long as there is no differentiation between unvaccinated and vaccinated students.

Northern Arizona University and Arizona University have followed the lead of ASU with their own mask mandates. So far, no Arizona Community Colleges have followed the three universities in issuing mask mandates.

Sources:  Arizona Republic, Thursday, August 12, 2021 article by Lacey Latch; Arizona State University Health Services, https://eoss.asu.edu/health/announcements/corona;

NAU Health Services, https://in.nau.edu/campus-health-services.

Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatric, the Arizona Department of Health and Safety and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health  have all updated their guidelines to include universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status

OPINION COLUMN.  Governor Doug Ducey and a majority in the Arizona Legislature passed a law in July  that will become effective September 29. According to the Governor, the new law “does not allow mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports or discrimination in schools based on who is or isn’t vaccinated.”   The law was demanded by a group of anti-mask Republican legislators, which led to a last-minute anti-science add-on to one of the state’s budget bills. The votes from the anti-maskers were needed, it is claimed,  if several of Ducey’s  most-favored  portions of the budget bill  were to  be blessed by their  approval.

Dr. Cadey Harrel, a family physician in Tucson and the Arizona leader for the Committee to Protect Health Care, said at a press conference Wednesday that:

“The decision to prohibit these schools from requiring masks be worn is quite reckless, dangerous and shortsighted. The decision is not informed by science or evidence.”

The Governor and the legislators who supported the new law join an historic group of ignorant politicians and religious leaders who clearly rejected science.  For example, recall that in the 17^th century Galileo had the audacity to  support the science-based theory of Copernican heliocentrism, which claimed the Earth rotated daily and revolved  around the sun.

 Galileo’s support of this  scientific theory was met with furious opposition from within the Catholic Church and was investigated by the Roman Inquisition in 1615. (The Inquisition was a permanent institution in the Catholic Church charged with the eradication of heresies.) It concluded that Galileo’s science-based view on heliocentrism was foolish, absurd, and heretical because it contradicted Holy Scripture. Church teachings were  ignorantly based on the theory that the Earth, not the sun, was at the center of the universe.

Galileo later defended his scientific views in a 1632 writing, which was viewed by Pope Urban VIII and others as an attack on him and the Church.   He was tried in 1633 by the Inquisition, found “vehemently suspect of heresy”, and forced to recant his science and plead  guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence. He was placed  under house arrest indefinitely by Pope Urban VIII.

So, in the 21^st century, as in the 17^th century, are we rejecting science? Twenty-first century science says mandatory in-door face mask mandates can help  protect students, staff, and community college visitors against the surging, easily spread  COVID-19.  Ignorance, in the guise of Arizona’s anti-science law on mandatory mask prohibitions, rejects the science.

While those who dare violate Arizona’s  law in order to better protect others will not be burned at the stake of suffer an inquisition,  they may have to defend in court a senseless cease and desist order (brought by the Governor) that demands they not follow the best scientific guidelines available to protect staff, students and visitors from possible death at the hands of COVID-19.  

 It sure looks like 17^th century ignorance is winning in its 21st century battle with  science  in  Arizona. The new Arizona law reads as follows:

 15-1650.05. COVID-19 vaccine; face covering; testing; mandate prohibition; exceptions [Effective September 29, 2021]

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Arizona board of regents, a public university or a community college may not require that a student obtain a COVID-19 vaccination or show proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination or place any conditions on attendance or participation in classes or academic activities, including mandatory testing or face covering usage, if the person chooses not to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination or disclose whether the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, unless the vaccination or other mandateis required by the laws of this state.
2. A health care institution may require a student who participates in a clinical setting at the health care institution to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and be subject to regular health screenings and testing as determined by the health care institution. For the purposes of this subsection, “health care institution” includes a hospital, a nursing care institution, a residential care institution, an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities and a group home or other medical facility licensed pursuant to title 36.
3. A public university may require testing only if a significant COVID-19 outbreak occurs in a shared student housing setting that poses a risk to the students or staff. The university must receive approval from the department of health services before implementing the testing requirement.
4. This section does not apply to students who are engaged in research or testing that involves a live COVID-19 virus.

Governor’s mask mandate contrary to CDC guidelines; Covid-19 showing potential surge in Prescott/Prescott Valley

Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine, told the Clarkdale Town Council July 13 during her update on the College that she must comply with Governor Doug Ducey’s order regarding COVID-19. She said that “the Governor put out an executive order that does not allow any public college to require masks, vaccines, [or] testing . . ..”

As of Friday, July 16, COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised unvaccinated students and staff to continue to wear masks inside school buildings. 

Meanwhile COVID-19, driven by the Delta virus, is making itself heard in Yavapai County and in particular the Prescott Valley/Prescott area.  Yavapai  County reported a total of 45 new COVID cases in total appearing in those two cities in its July 15 report.  A day earlier it had reported 28 new cases in total in those two cities . Worse,  the July 13 report from the County found a total of 80 new COVID cases in total at the same two locations. On Friday, July 16 the State reported 64 new COVID cases in Yavapai County with two deaths associated with the disease. The state also reported 1,251 cases state-wide with 17 persons dying from the disease on July 16.

(Video/audio clip below of Dr. Ryan speaking to Clarkdale Council about the Ducey Executive Order.) 

Regardless of risk to public and students from unvaccinated persons, Governor Ducey cracks down on higher education institutes trying to stay safe; Yavapai escapes Governor’s  wrath by only encouraging distancing and mask wearing among the unvaccinated

Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey, whose business experience was  in ice cream management, but who has become the State’s health czar,  issued an executive order on Tuesday, June 14  to prevent Arizona State University and other public higher education institutions from implementing requirements for unvaccinated students on campus this fall.

According to press reports, ASU officials were not requiring college students to get vaccinated to return to its campuses, however, they  said they “expected” them to do so before classes resume Aug. 19. This statement seemed to rile the Governor, or at least that is the impression one gets from the news reports. (Some suspect this order is a part of an as yet unannounced campaign for higher  office, which Ducey denies.)

Once learning of ASU’s plan, the Governor almost immediately issued an executive order quashing it.

Ducey’s executive order prohibits all public universities and community colleges in Arizona from requiring a COVID-19 vaccination or information from students about their vaccination status prior to their arrival on campus. It also blocks requirements for mask usage and distancing  for the unvaccinated.

The order declares  that institutions  like Yavapai Community College cannot “place any conditions on attendance or participation in classes or academic activities, including but not limited to mandatory testing and mandatory mask usage, if a person chooses not to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine or disclose that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, unless such requirement has been mandated by law in the State of Arizona.”

The executive order from Ducey provides exemptions for the institutions for students participating in medical or clinical training. Nursing students, for example, can still be required by supervisors to wear masks when treating Covid-19  patients.

The order does not  prevent institutions from encouraging students to get vaccinated so they don’t become ill and possibly perish.  It also  does not  prevent institutions from providing testing or asking for voluntary mask usage, consistent with CDC guidance.

A public university will be permitted to require testing due to a significant COVID-19 outbreak in a shared student housing setting, but must receive approval from the Arizona Department of Health Services before doing so.

Below is  the gist of the announcement from Yavapai Community College about distancing and mask wearing that was put in place June 1.