SECOND ANNUAL EMERGING WINEMAKERS COMPETITION AND SYMPOSIUM SATURDAY, APRIL 27

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019

Event takes place on the Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The second annual Emerging Winemakers Competition and Symposium will take place on Saturday, April 27th from 9:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. at Yavapai Community College’s Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale.  Early Bird tickets are $30; $35 at the door.

The program for the day begins with a Keynote Presentation from Arizona Wine Pioneer, Eric Glomski, who is the owner of the Page Springs Cellars.  It will be followed by educational seminars that will be of interest to emerging winemakers and supporters of the Southwest Wine Center.

There will be award-winning Southwest Wine Center wines served in addition to live music, a great lunch prepared by Yavapai Community College Culinary students and an award ceremony.

Tickets may be purchased by clicking on Emerging Winemakers Competition and Symposium.

 

Categories : Event

Captain CrossFit Funds Two Fire Science Scholarships at Yavapai College

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019

Scholarships named for two fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots:  Clayton Whitted Memorial Scholarship and Travis Turbyfill Memorial Scholarship

Yavapai Community College received two scholarships totaling $5,000 from the Prescott based Captain Crossfit owners, Michelle Blevins and Dave Franz, to honor two fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots: Clayton Whitted and Travis Turbyfill. “The funds will be used to  directly support firefighter education,” said Prescott Chief of Police, Debora Black. Chief Black initially approached the Community College about the scholarships. “Everyone agreed that the Yavapai College [scholarship] program was the best way to support students in our local community,” she said. The scholarships came from the money raised through the Captain CrossFit Granite Mountain Hotshot annual fundraisers.

“Fully-funded scholarships are incredible for students, especially those potential or current students that may not have been able to pursue a career in firefighting because of financial restraints,” said Yavapai College Fire Science Program Director, Ken Krebbs.

The Yavapai College Foundation  Fund Development Officer worked with Chief Black, Kristi Barton (widow of Clayton Whitted), and Stephanie Turbyfill (widow of Travis Turbyfill) to develop the two expendable scholarships.

Source: Prescott|eNews, Reporter Tim Diesch. Click here to read Mr. Diesch’s full account of the scholarship award.

 

Categories : Scholarships

SEDONA COUNCIL DISCUSSES BUILDING FUTURE CTE FACILITY IN EAST REGION

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, April 14th, 2019

Moderate letter from Council generally supporting future centralized facility in addition to Building L consistent with economic development needs most likely to be presented at April Board meeting on the Verde Campus

At its April 9 meeting, the Sedona City Council discussed the future of Career and Technical Education Center in the East Region of the County and the advisability of sending a letter regarding its view to the Community College.  The discussion was triggered by a request from Yavapai Community College Governing Board Representative Paul Chevalier that the Council  share its view on a centralized Career and Technical Education Center in a letter to the College president and Governing Board.

The Council was unanimous in expressing the view that a letter should be drafted and presented to the Community College.  However, because a new administration is in place, most Counselors believed the tone of the letter should be moderate and express the general view that a centralized facility in addition to Building L should be considered along with the economic needs and development in the region. 

A clip of a portion of the Sedona City Council meeting appears below.  You may view all of the meeting by clicking here, which will take you to the City Video containing the entire discussion.

Categories : Career and Technical Education

DECLINE IN NUMBER OF CREDITS BEING TAKEN BY STUDENTS IN 2017-18 ACADEMIC YEAR WORRYING

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 13th, 2019

Figures issued by College suggest decline of $624,000 in tuition revenue in 2018 when compared to four years earlier despite tuition increases every year

The tuition data released by the Community College at the March 2019 Governing Board meeting should be worrying to the Governing Board and Administration.  According to the data, the College took in about $624,000 less in tuition than it did four years ago.  This is despite tuition increase in every year over the past decade.

According to the data, four years ago students on the west side of the County took 35,504 credit hours in the fall.  However, in the 2017-18 academic year they took only 32,737, a decline of 2,767 credits.  Students in the east region took in the same period took 8,900 credit hours four years earlier and 9,603 credit hours in the 2017-18 academic year; an increase of 703 credit hours.  The net loss to the College in the fall was 2,064 credit hours.

In the spring semester four years ago, students on the west side of the County took 36,568 credit hours.  However, in the 2017-18 spring semester they took only 32,345 credit hours.  This was a decline of 4,225 credit hours.  Students in the east region took 8,897 credit hours four years and 8,938 in the spring 2018.  This is an increase of 41 credit hours.  The net loss to the College in this period (4225 – 41 =.4,184.)

The overall loss of credit hours in 2018 when compared to four years earlier appears to be 6,248 credit hours.  If these figures are correct, the Community College tuition revenue in the past academic year was down by $624,800 dollars when compared to four years earlier (using $100 tuition x 6248 credit hours) (tuition runs from $87, $100, $110, market).

A few years ago, the College announced it has lost about a million dollars in revenue from problems with enrolling students in its aviation program.  The College has not recently reported the status of that program or compared it with years earlier. That information should be included in the next tuition report.  It may have skewed this data, to some extent.

Categories : Budget

PEREY EXPLAINS REASONS FOR BUILDING L RENOVATION; ABOUT 80% FOR ALLIED HEALTH TRAINING

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 13th, 2019

Views a small portion of Building L as meeting “other” CTE training for the present

Verde Valley Campus Executive Dean James Perey explained to the Yavapai Community College Governing Board at the March meeting how the Administration decided on renovating Building “L.” As explained by Dean Perey, Building L is being renovated primarily for Allied Health.

Dean Perey did not, however, provide an indication that the College was planning to expand CTE to include a centralized  Career and Technical Education Center teaching subjects such as: Additive Manufacturing, Auto Body Paint and Collision, Automotive Master Technician training, Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Machining, Construction, Diesel, Electronics, Gunsmithing,  HVAC, Industrial Machine Mechanic, Integrated Systems Engineering, Hydro Utility Technician, Machine Fabrication, Robotics, Truck Driving, Welding, etc.  All of these subjects are taught at the Career and Technical Education Center operated by the College adjacent the Prescott airport.

 He noted that the plan for Building L included a small space on the ground floor for a manufacturing training site. 

Recall that approximately 80% of Building L is intended to service Allied Health courses.  The two large chemistry and biology labs on the ground floor will house courses that are a prerequisite to the Allied Health program.  All of the upper floor is dedicated to the Allied Health program.

The reasons Perey gave for renovating Building L as an Allied Health facility were essentially the following:

  1. Need to expand workforce opportunities for residents living in the East Region of the County.
  2. Workforce opportunities should align with economic drivers in the East Region.
  3. Registered nursing is currently number ten among the top ten list of jobs in the East Region. By 2023 it is estimated it will move to the number three list of those employed in the East Region of the County.
  4. Renovation will add significant training capacity to the nursing program.
  5. The health industry will continue providing high wage paying jobs.
  6. In the planning stage, Perey met and solicited ideas about the use of Building L from current faculty using Building L, economic development directors in business and industry, elected officials such as mayors from east region municipalities, and the Yavapai-Apache Nation,
  7. Governor’s office says highest growth rate will be in construction and manufacturing. Also claims the largest job gains will be in education and health services.
  8. Perey believes that he is using data rather an anecdotal story to drive this decision.
  9. College has done nothing about manufacturing programs in the east region so the small space on the ground floor is a start.
  10. New labs will provide courses that are prerequisites to the Allied Health program.
  11. The Verde Valley Medical Center staff was a part of the planning process.

A short four minute clip of his 22 minute presentation follows and focuses on the reasoning behind the decision to renovate Building L for Allied Health.

Categories : Career and Technical Education, Verde Campus

MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES CHANCELLOR IN HOT WATER WITH FACULTY

By R. Oliphant
Friday, April 12th, 2019

Facing a possible no-confidence vote by the end of next week; big issue focuses on challenge to faculty authority 

Chancellor Maria Harper-Marinick

The Arizona Republic, in an article by  Anney Ryman published April 11, reports that the Maricopa Community Colleges Faculty Association is asking representatives at all 10 colleges to cast a “no-confidence” vote in the leadership of Chancellor Maria Harper-Marinick. The faculty leadership claims that  the chancellor has failed to provide effective vision and oversight and accuses her of being “complicit” in governing board actions last year to limit faculty authority. The leadership also claims that she failed to demonstrate leadership at “pivotal moments.”

The main issue appears to involve the authority of faculty to meet and confer about pay and benefits. The Maricopa Governing Board in February 2018 voted to end a long-standing process used to negotiate faculty pay and benefits called “meet and confer.” However, that decision was reversed when three new governing board members took office in January.

The Maricopa Colleges faculty association points to a report critical of the college district by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) that was released in March. The AAUP said it found evidence, obtained through public-records requests, that strongly suggested the Governing Board’s motivation for ending meet and confer was “union busting,” or mischaracterizing the faculty association as a collective-bargaining group and then attempting to destroy it.

The report was also critical of the chancellor, saying Harper-Marinick chose not to provide an opinion on the February board resolution that ended meet and confer. A AAUP committee that wrote the report said, “in the view of this committee, that decision was a profound dereliction of her duty.”

You may read the entire article by Anney Ryman in the Arizona Republic by clicking here.

Categories : Politics

COLLEGE WARNS BOARD THAT DISTRICT WILL NEED $19 MILLION IN NEXT THREE YEARS FOR FIXED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, April 7th, 2019

With 769,000 gross square feet and 51 buildings, College fixed maintenance costs over next ten years may reach $32 million dollars

Community College Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, Dr. Clint Ewell, outlined in detail to the Governing Board at the March meeting the anticipated maintenance costs the Community College was facing in the District over the next three to ten years.  According to information supplied Dr. Ewell by consultants, the College will need at least $19 million dollars over the next three years to maintain and repair existing facilities.

The District currently has 769,000 of gross square feet in 51 buildings.  Most of the $19 million will go into maintaining the Prescott Campus because it has the largest number of  buildings.  The greatest needs are in the electrical and HVAC areas.

Dr. Ewell also reported that the consultants anticipated the College will need at least $32 million over the next ten years to ensure proper maintenance of the buildings on its campuses and centers in the District.

You may view Dr. Ewell’s five minute report to the Board on this subject below.

Categories : Budget

EXCITING EXPERIMENTAL FACE-TO-FACE THREE YEAR PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR VERDE CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 6th, 2019

Students will be guaranteed face-to-face courses for at least three years

Yavapai Community College Vice President of Instruction and Student Development, Ron Liss, announced at the March Governing Board meeting that a new experimental program aimed at enhancing enrollment on the east side of the County on the Verde Campus would be rolled out this fall.  The experiment will guarantee a student enrolling in a General Education program that all of the courses needed to complete it will be available face-to-face on the Verde Campus for at least three years. 

The guarantee applies regardless of the number of students who are actually taking a course face-to-face.

Students may also take the course online if they choose to do so.

The program will begin in the fall 2019 and Dr. Liss anticipates an initial small enrollment.  If the experiment is successful, it is anticipated that the number of students in face-to-face classes on the Verde Campus will increase.

 

 

Categories : Enrollment data

FALL ENROLLMENT TRENDS BY CREDIT HOURS OVER LAST 4 YEARS SHOW 2,767 DROP ON WEST SIDE OF COUNTY

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 6th, 2019

East side (Verde Valley) enrollment using credit hours increased by 703, out-of-County shows decline

As noted in an earlier post, Yavapai Community College analyzed enrollment trends over the past four years of students taking credit classes using credit hours and zip codes and reported the results of the analysis at the March Governing Board meeting.  The analysis included students taking face-to-face classes and those taking classes on-line.  It found that on the west side of the County there was a drop of 2,767  student credit hours in the last four years enrolling for fall courses (35,504 down to 32,737). 

However, enrollment of students on the east side of the County (Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, et. al.) for fall courses increased by 703 student credit hours over the past four years (8,900 up to 9,603).

Out-of-County students who take most classes on-line showed a decline in credit hours.

Categories : Enrollment data

SPRING ENROLLMENT TRENDS USING CREDIT HOURS OVER LAST FOUR YEARS SHOWS 4,000 DROP ON WEST SIDE OF COUNTY

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 6th, 2019

East side (Verde Valley) enrollment using credit hours remains about even; out-of-County shows decline

Yavapai Community College analyzed spring enrollment trends over the past four years of credits taken by students  using zip codes and reported the results of the analysis at the March Governing Board meeting.  The analysis included students taking face-to-face classes and those taking classes on-line.  It found that on the west side of the County there was a drop of over 4,000 student credit hours in the last four years (36,538 down to 32,345). 

However, enrollment of students on the east side of the County (Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, et. al.) using credit hours as the measure remained relatively constant (8,897 up to 8,938).

Out-of-County students who take most classes on-line also showed a decline (5,413 credit hours down to 5,350).

Representative Paul Chevalier suggested that with additional marketing effort enrollment could be increased on the east side of the County and the Community College could draw more out-of-County students.  The Vice President of Instruction & Student Development, Dr. Ron Liss, agreed.

It should be noted that although Dr. Liss did not have the exact number available, during an interview with the Blog he stated that he believed that students taking face-to-face classes had declined on the east side of the County while enrollment in on-line classes had increased.

Categories : Enrollment data
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