CONGRESSIONAL ACT ALLOWS EMBRY-RIDDLE TO ADD 16 ACRES TO ITS PRESCOTT CAMPUS; DOES THIS MEAN MORE COMPETITION FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AERONAUTICS PROGRAM?

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, March 13th, 2019

H.R. 756 removed an outdated restriction that was claimed to be limiting economic growth for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Yavapai County

H.R. 756, the Embry-Riddle Tri-City Land Exchange Completion Act of 2019, has been passed by Congress and was signed into law March 12. According to press releases regarding the measure, it removed an outdated restriction that limited “economic growth for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Yavapai County.” It has added 16 acres to Embry-Riddle University.

It is unclear how much the additional property will translate into increased competition between the aeronautical program operated at the Prescott airport by Yavapai Community College and Embry-Riddle.  Little is known about the Yavapai program and how well it has done since getting into difficulty with the Veterans Administration over a formula requiring at least 15% of students be non-vets. The Community College has reported it lost over $1 million in tuition revenue once that requirement was added.

Hopefully, the Governing Board and public will be provided an update about the Yavapai program and the implications, if any, of potential expansion by Embry-Riddle.

 

Categories : Aviation program

PRICE TAG FOR RENOVATING BUILDING “L” ON VERDE CAMPUS SET AT ABOUT $7 MILLION

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 9th, 2019

Fifteen year-old  block and brick building in need of major internal and external renovation according to architects

Yavapai Community College Vice President Clint Ewell unveiled the cost estimates the Community College is anticipating paying for renovating the inside of building “L,” building a shroud of some sort around it, and improving utilities leading to the facility. According to the college, the total may run to almost $7 million. This was almost double the previous estimates made by the Community College.

Here is a breakdown of the anticipated costs for renovating Building “L” the Community College gave the Governing Board at its March 5 meeting:

Direct cost of connecting to central plant/fan coils:   (work not completed in 2011-13)                            $430,000

Cost of FCA items – LED lighting, signage, Lauren, sprinklers:                                                                            $530,000

Construction including renovation and equipment:                                                                                                $5,341,790 

Additional funding in following year:  $672,210

 Total:  $6,974,000             

A short video clip with Dr. Ewell proving a summary of the costs appears below.

 

Categories : Career and Technical Education

COMMUNITY COLLEGE MOVES AHEAD ON BUILDING SOCCER FIELD ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 9th, 2019

Says Community College will ask Foundation to raise $2.65 million for project; already spent about $250,000 in design, exploring concept and is ready to spend another $1 million on improving parking lot adjacent the field

Yavapai Community College was told by VP Clint Ewell that it will ask the Yavapai Community College Foundation to raise $2,657,000 so it can build a multi-use soccer field on the Prescott campus. Last year, the Governing Board majority approved spending up to the a quarter million dollars for design and estimates for this project. Much earlier, over $1 million originally found in the capital improvement fund was transferred to the preventative and unplanned capital budget where it will be used to build (rebuild) a parking lot adjacent the soccer field.

This project had a high priority with the former administration. Despite concerns over spending money on this project rather than on educational programs, scholarships or constructing badly needed facilities on the east side of the County, it was clear to all observers that it would be pushed through the Governing Board in some fashion at some point.

From the Blog’s perspective, the money being raised by the Foundation would be much better spent on scholarships.

A short video clip follows below where Dr. Clint Ewell explains how the money will be spent for this project.

Categories : Multi-use Field

REPRESENTATIVE CHEVALIER EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR FUTURE CTE DEVELOPMENT ON EAST SIDE OF COUNTY

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 9th, 2019

Applauds renovating Building “L” for Allied health and nursing but is concerned budget shows no future commitment to additional CTE training

Third District Representative Paul Chevalier

Third District Yavapai Community College District Governing Board representative Paul Chevalier expressed concern over the future of career and technical education development in the Verde Valley at the Tuesday Board meeting. Mr. Chevalier pointed out that there was nothing in the Community College budget over the next 3 to 4 years to indicate facilities for programs outside the medical area would be considered.

Vice president Clint Ewell responded that a portion of one of the two floors in building “L” was set aside for manufacturing. However, Mr. Chevalier pointed out that the space set aside in Building “L” was not  an adequate for programs such as diesel and automobile programs. He also evinced a belief (shared with many on the east side of the County) that a CTE facility for broader training programs should be more centrally located than on the Verde Campus.  Board chair Ray Sigafoos suggested that nothing was written in stone and opined that there could be future changes.

Mr. Chevalier reminded the Board that 19 years ago when a $69.5 billion bond was passed to improve facilities District-wide, it was anticipated that a large number of CTE courses would be taught on the Verde Campus in Building “L” including Carpentry, Air Conditioning, Electrical, Automotive Technician, Welding, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Commercial Driver’s License Training, and Truck Driving among Others. He argued that  the Community College should try and live up to those aspirations.

You may view some clips from the Board meeting where Mr. Chevalier is making these arguments on behalf of District 3 below.

Categories : Career and Technical Education

DEAN PERRY EXPLAINS HOW VARIOUS ROOMS IN RENOVATED BUILDING “L” WILL BE USED

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 8th, 2019

Focus is almost all on Allied health and nursing training

Executive Dean of the Verde Valley Campus James Perey outlined in detail to the Governing Board at Tuesday’s meeting how once Building “L” is completed it will be used for training. As the current architectural plans show, almost all of the space will be used for Allied health and nursing training. A small section has been set aside for manufacturing training of some sort. Dean Perry said that it is hoped that the number of students in the Allied health and nursing training program will expand once the renovations in place.

According to the architects, existing exterior hallways will be enclosed to improve safety and security, increase energy efficiency, install new LED lighting, and provide a secured lobby with limited entry points. The renovation will begin in mid-May and the Community College expects it to be completed by the fall 2020 semester.

The Community College has been working “for months” with SPS Plus architects, a Scottsdale firm. The plan provides for fewer but larger classroom and lab spaces. It is intended to be flexible.

Building “L” will be closed during renovation with courses moved to other buildings on the Clarkdale campus.

The Blog has produced an eight minute film clip of Dr. Perey’s presentation to the Governing Board, which follows below.

 

Categories : Career and Technical Education

JAZZ BIG BANDS CONCERT IN COTTONWOOD MARCH 8 (FRIDAY) AT 7 PM AT OLD TOWN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

By R. Oliphant
Monday, March 4th, 2019

Tickets for the Yavapai Community College concert are $15 in advance, $18 at the door, and $20 for priority seating in the first three rows. Tickets are available online at showtix4u.com.

The Community College announced in a press release that there will be a  College Jazz Big Bands concert Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood. The concert will “include the ‘Roughriders’ and the ‘Trailblazers,’ who will present a night of big band sounds that will send you back in time. Swing rhythms, soulful saxophones, and punchy brasses combine to make this an evening of classics that define the genre. Greats from across the ages will be performed.”

It also wrote in its press release that “The Roughriders are a music student-oriented big band, with a few of the most talented community members Prescott has to offer anchoring the lineup. With multiple music degree seeking students on the roster, the group is focused on the fundamentals of jazz as well as its historical background. For this upcoming concert, the band is specifically concentrating on the heart of the jazz tradition, the 12-bar blues progression, and its varied use in the jazz language. Selections include some of the most recognizable names in the jazz tradition, as well as some lesser known gems.

“The Trailblazers big band is an elite group of community musicians from all over the region, representing the best jazz for miles around. Among their backgrounds are several military musicians, school band directors, and other musical professionals of the highest caliber. The band was honored several years ago with a 1st place finish at the Reno Jazz Festival in Reno, Nevada. Their performance includes music from across the jazz spectrum, with much of their literature coming from the professional catalog.”

The Old Town Center for the Arts Is located at 5th Street & Main in Old Town Cottonwood. Tickets for The Yavapai College Jazz Band are $15 in advance, $18 at the door, and $20 for priority seating in the first three rows. Tickets are available online at showtix4u.com. Tickets are also available in Cottonwood at: Desert Dancer, and Mount Hope Foods and in Sedona at The Literate Lizard Bookstore.  For upcoming events, visit www.oldtowncenter.org. For further information, contact Elena Bullard at 928-634-0940.

Yavapai Community College photo.

Categories : Event

VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE GATHERINGS THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 TO VIEW BUILDING “L” PLANS

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 2nd, 2019

Public may view plans at 10 a.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. in Building “M,” Room 137; purpose to review plans for Building “L.” Also Q&A sessions

Yavapai Community College has announced it will be hosting a pair of open-house style meetings Thursday, March 7, at the Verde Valley Campus.  The purpose of the meetings is to review plans for Building “L.” The College has explained that the meetings will allow interested citizens to review the building design with the construction team, Community College faculty and staff. 

Community members also will be able to participate in a Q&A session.

The meetings are at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Building M, Room 137. The Verde Valley campus is located at 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale.

 

 

Categories : Career and Technical Education, Event

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN? BLOG GOES BACK 15 YEARS AND EXAMINES HOPES AND DREAMS EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS HAD FOR BUILDING “L” CTE

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 1st, 2019

Verde Valley Expectations dashed when Community College opened Career and Technical Education Center at the Prescott airport in 2006-07

In 2000 the voters in the Community College District approved a $69.5 million bond issue. The Bond provided revenue for Community College renovation and expansion throughout the County. Included in that bond issue was a promise from the Community College to set aside revenue to construct and support a major CTE training facility on the Verde Campus.

The Career and Technical Education facility on the Verde Campus was to be called the “Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center (NARSC).” Yavapai Community College teamed with the United States Department of Commerce to provide the funds to construct the Center on the Verde Campus. Yavapai Community College dedicated approximately $1.3 million from its $69.5 million bond while the federal government provided $1.2 million in additional capital funding for workforce development. Yavapai County residents expected that the Center would provide education and vocational learning opportunities for high school students and residents across much of Northern Arizona. The program was intended to serve Yavapai, Coconino, Apache, and Navajo counties.

Professor Paul Kessel, the chief operational officer for the Verde Campus, when interviewed in 2002 about the future of the Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center on the Verde Campus, was enthusiastic. He said: “[T]he (Center) will provide much‐needed educational space and resources to further develop job training programs to benefit residents of northern Arizona. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for northern Arizona residents to gain specific work related skills that will allow citizens to seek immediate employment or increase their level of income in a current or new position.(Daily Courier, December 11, 2002.)

According to interviews given to the local media, the Community College indicated that the curriculum, at least in part, would be developed based on recommendations from business operators in Northern Arizona seeking specific training for existing and potential future employees. The Community College also announced that it had already identified a number of programs that were in the developmental stage. Those programs included the following:

  • Nursing Assistant
  • Direct Patient Care Provider
  • Medical Assistant‐ Front and Back Office
  • General Office, Customer Service, Receptionist
  • General Accounting, Receivable, Payable and Payroll
  • Computer Repair
  • Facilities Maintenance‐Plumbing, Carpentry, Electrical, Grounds keeping, Air Conditioning Automotive Technician
  • Welding 
  • Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration 
  • Cottage Industry and Small Business Operations 
  • Commercial Drivers’ License Training, Truck Driving, Bus Driving.

 BUILDING “L” COMPLETED IN 2004

In February 2004, Building “L” that would house  the Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center on the Verde Campus was dedicated. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report published and distributed by the College on June 30, 2004 summarized the progress of the Center. It reads as follows: “The construction of the new 15,000 square foot Northern Arizona Regional Skill Center on the Verde Valley Campus was completed this year. The building was formally dedicated at the February 2004 District Governing Board meeting. Programs at the Center will focus on six key areas ‐ business and office technology, basic health‐related occupations, construction and building maintenance, hospitality and tourism, information technology management, and manufacturing/engineering technology. The new Center will serve the workforce training needs of residents living in Apache, Coconino, Navajo and Yavapai counties.”

As noted above, partial funding for the Center was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce ‐ Economic Development Administration.

In 2006, Phelps‐Dodge (later Freeport‐McMoRan Copper & Gold), a Phoenix‐based global mining company, let the Community College administrators and some Govern Board members know that it would financially support the creation of a two‐year College apprenticeship program in diesel, industrial and electrical mechanics. Phelps‐Dodge agreed to build classrooms and pay faculty salaries for the first three years of the program.

Rather than put the diesel training facility on the East side of the County as a part of the fledgling Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center, the College administrators, with Governing Board approval, began looking for a facility in the Prescott area where a CTE Community College Career and Technical Education Center could be developed. The College Administrators found a large building at the Prescott airport for sale. They concluded it would be a perfect site for a CTE Community College Center. A funding scheme to purchase the building was quickly arranged. In April 2007, the College purchased the 108,000 square foot building under a lease purchase financing scheme for $5 million. An additional $750,000.00 was added for future renovations. (Recall the Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center was only 15,000 square feet.)

Once the decision to build a major CTE Campus at the Prescott airport was made, the College showed little further interest in developing the Northern Arizona Regional Skills Center on the Verde Campus in Building “L.” Most of the anticipated CTE courses that were listed above as in the development stage either never got off the ground at the Center or were eventually moved to the Prescott CTE Campus. Read More→

Categories : Yavapai Community College

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES RENOVATION PLANS FOR BUILDING L; CLAIMS EXTENSIVE SECRET MEETINGS ABOUT PROJECT WITH VALLEY CITIZENS AS A PART OF PLANNING PROCESS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 1st, 2019

Construction to begin in May on Verde Campus; claims it may spend as much as $4.9 million on project although no specific details announced; nursing and allied health facilities are obvious additions

Another renovation for Building L

Yavapai Community College announced in an interview with Verde Independent newspaper staff reporter Bill Helm that it would begin remodeling Building L on the Verde Campus in May 2019. The announcement came as a part of two stories appearing in the Friday, March 1, 2019 Edition of the Verde Independent about Building L

According to the story in the Independent, the Community College met both internal and external stakeholders including economic development directors, elected officials, and businesses and industry representatives to discuss how building L should be used.  What exactly was said and by whom is a secret because all of the meetings were private and by invitation only. The news media were barred from attending and recording those meetings.

The Community College has not finalized its renovation plans. However, according to executive Dean James Perey, the renovation will allow the Community College to create and expend quality CTE programming that meets local workforce needs and prepares students for careers.

Perry told reporter Helm that by renovating current space, the Community College would be able to increase capacity for both nursing and allied health while possibly adding other programs in emergency medical services, parent medicine and home healthcare.

Perry also told Helm that it may add a manufacturing lab to the building and a lab for short-term programs that could ramp up and down as needed.

Building L is currently used for nursing, allied health, computer networking technology, film and media arts programs, science labs that support university transfer courses, healthcare services and the viticulture and analogy programs.

 

Categories : Career and Technical Education

DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 5

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, February 28th, 2019

Begins at 1 PM on Prescott Campus in the Rock House

  • The Yavapai Community College Governing Board will hold its general monthly Board meeting beginning at 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in the Rock House, 1100 E. Sheldon St., Prescott.
  • The public is invited to attend.  There will be an opportunity for the public to address the Board on any topic at this meeting for three minutes shortly after it is graveled to order. 
  • The agenda will be posted on the Board’s website prior to the meeting. Agendas must contain information reasonably necessary to inform the public of the matters to be discussed or decided. A.R.S. § 38-431.09. Agendas must be available at least 24 hours before the meeting. A.R.S. § 38- 431.02(G).
  • The public has a right to attend, listen, tape record or videotape this meeting.  The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the call to the public at the beginning of this meeting. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.
  • When the agenda is posted, you may view it by clicking on the following link and going to this page on the College web site.
Categories : Event
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