AFTER ALMOST FOUR MONTHS WITHOUT A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHEDULES A SESSION FOR SEPTEMBER 19 AT THE ROCK HOUSE ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS

Study session to run from 1:00 p.m. for over an hour. There are 15 minutes set aside for a business meeting. A 90 minute secret executive will then be held to establish goals for President Rhine in the coming year. Board rejects modern technology and will not live stream meeting

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board is scheduled to meet on September 19 at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. The first part of the agenda called a “work session” is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. According to the announced agenda, about 15 minutes have been set aside for a “business meeting” later is the session. That will be followed by a secret executive meeting that may run for an hour and a half (See agenda). The purpose of the executive meeting is to set goals for President Dr. Lisa Rhine for the coming year.

About ten minutes have been set aside at the beginning of the meeting for input on any subject by members of the public. A citizen wishing to address the Board is normally asked to complete a “Request to Speak” form, and give it to the Recording Secretary. The speaker should be prepared to limit his or her remarks to the designated time (from one to three minutes although typically three minutes). 

Under Arizona law, a citizen has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape all of these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the Call to the Public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

You may access the minimalistic agenda that appeared on the Governing  Board’s Saturday morning September 16 website  by clicking here.  https://www.yc.edu/v6/district-governing-board/sub/2023/09/09-19-2023-meeting-summary.pdf.

The less than opaque process regarding distribution of information to the community by the Governing Board is disturbing. Few in the community know much at all about decisions involving the College’s two campuses and four centers. This presents a significant challenge for rural residents throughout the County interested in the health of the College.

One example of the opaque process is how the agenda is handled. The agenda provided prior to the handful of yearly Board meetings leaves community members with scant opportunity to familiarize themselves with items only touched upon because of the intentionally sparse descriptions of agenda items. This lack of detail creates a formidable hurdle, if not an insurmountable one, in evaluating whether a particular agenda item justifies the significant sacrifice of a 100 to 200-mile round trip drive and a day off from work to attend the meeting in person.

Another example of the opaque process is the Governing Board’s rejection of of modern technology.  Despite having all the equipment and personnel needed, the Board members refuse to live-stream the infrequent sessions. This exacerbates the problem of  gaining meaningful information. County residents are left without real-time updates or extensive information about the affairs of a $100 million dollar government educational institution funded by their property taxes.

A third example of the satisfaction the Governing Board members have with their out-of-date opaque meeting process is the refusal to require presenters using PowerPoint slides during a meeting to post them on the Board website either prior to or after their use during a meeting.  

A fourth example of satisfaction with the opaque process is the too often failure of Governing Board members to ask meaningful questions of presenters during Governing Board meetings.  This is especially true when it comes to budgetary items. 

A fifth example of the satisfaction with the opaque process is the failure of Governing Board members to hold monthly meetings in their districts with their constituents where questions about the health of the Community College are asked and answered.  They hold none.  Moreover, they never issue written reports to the constituents they  represent about their activities on behalf of the district they come from.

There is a pressing need for greater transparency and accessibility in the District Governing Board’s proceedings. Rural residents and taxpayers deserve a more inclusive and informative process, particularly for a publicly funded institution of this magnitude. Or maybe, there’s a pressing need for Governing Board members who will demand an open and transparent process.