WEST COUNTY GOVERNING BOARD VOTING BLOC GREATEST OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS IN THE VERDE VALLEY

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, August 31st, 2017

Record shows West County reps on Governing Board voted down 80% of major recommendations coming from Verde Valley citizens group; left other major issues in hands of Administration with minimal direction

Over the past three years the citizens in the Verde Valley have spoken out about the need for greater development of post-secondary education. They were particularly vocal in voicing their concerns to the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee. Recall that the committee was unceremoniously shuttered during the fading minutes of a a-long Governing Board retreat in September 2016.

During its existence, the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee (VVBAC) made about two dozen specific recommendations for improvement. The District Governing Board formally considered five of them and rejected all but one.

There were also 16 recommendations made to the Governing Board that it never formally considered on an individual basis.

Five recommendations made to Governing Board with all but one voted down by the West County Governing Board representatives 3 – 2:

  1. VVBAC recommended no tax rate increase in 2015-16. This recommendation was rejected by the District Governing Board 3-2. As a result, the County property tax rate was increased.
  2. Former representative Al Filardo and then the VVBAC recommended obtaining an independent outside expert to assess the efficacy of creating an Administrative College or other model for operating the Community College in the Verde Valley. This recommendation was ejected by District Governing Board 3-2 (vote was on Filardo’s motion; VVBAC recommendation followed and was ignored).
  3. The VVBAC recommended no tuition increase. This was rejected by District Governing Board 3-2.
  4. The VVBAC recommended that the Sedona Center not be closed and sold. This recommendation was approved on a 5 – 0 vote.
  5. The VVBAC recommended no fees be assed to County high school students receiving College credit in courses taught in County high schools by high school faculty with facilities and administration paid by the high school. This was rejected by the Administration and Governing Board in March 2016.

There also was a general request that the VVBAC, the College Administration, and the Governing Board meet as a group and discuss issues involving the Verde Valley.  This was ignored.

16 recommendations Governing Board never took individual action on; left it up to the College to respond in some fashion:

  1. Allocate a far greater percentage of financial resources generated in the Verde to the Verde.
  2. Establish effective and efficient local decision-making through a Verde Advocate structure rather than through Prescott.
  3. Implement an ongoing Verde marketing and recruitment program of continuous and direct interaction with Verde lower and secondary education students and their parents.
  4. Focus on increasing student numbers in the Verde.
  5. In the Verde Valley create a CTE building for classes in fields that meet the needs of Verde residents.
  6. Prioritize building a state of the art delivery system.
  7. Add sufficient remote learning centers for distance learning opportunities.
  8. Provide and increase core transfer courses.
  9. Provide and increase multiple pathways of 2+1, 2+2, Certification, and CTE.
  10. Increase Verde scholarship and financial assistance and maintain an affordable tuition rate.
  11. Add focus on working with governments in all Verde communities to increase broadband coverage that can be used by the college.
  12. Fund all capital projects privately or through bonding rather than taxes, tuition and fees.
  13. Further incorporate workforce demand analysis in education decision-making. Build stronger local partnerships for business development and job creation.
  14. Focus on solutions for Verde affordable student housing.
  15. Encourage the immediate exploration of alternative models or structures to increase Foundation related activities and fund raising in the Verde. 
  16. Recommend revised criteria for evaluating investment needed for new programs as well as criteria for continuing programs.
Categories : Administrative College, Politics

ALL HOSPITALITY CERTIFICATE COURSES CANCELED AT SEDONA CENTER FOR FALL 2017

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, August 29th, 2017

College says enrollment was too low to open any of the courses

Verde Valley Executive Dean James Perey reported that he has been forced to cancel all hospitality certificate courses offered at the Sedona Center prior to the start of the 2017 fall semester. His report came during an interview with Zachary Jernigan, whose article about the Center appears in the August 30 2017 edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.

Perry was quoted in the article as saying: “We need to regroup and evaluate what happened. … Look at our demographic and who to target.” Perry is also apparently considering partnering with Northern Arizona University’s hospitality program to align coursework at the Sedona Center with offerings at NAU.

Perry was also quoted in the article is saying that the College “can’t do this without business and industry … Partnerships” in the local community.

The Blog recommends a small blue-ribbon committee of Sedona business and political leaders be immediately assembled to help the College assess the reasons for the failure of this certificate program to obtain sufficient enrollment.

Categories : Yavapai Community College

VERDE CAMPUS HOSTS SHAKESPEARE’S “TAMING OF THE SHREW”

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, August 27th, 2017

Free performance at Mayberry pavilion Saturday, September 9, at 7 PM

The Laark Production Company will present Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” at the Maybery Pavilion on the Verde Campus Saturday evening, September 9, at 7 PM. The performance is free and opened to all the public.

The Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus is located at 601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale.

 

Categories : Verde campus events

SIGAFOOS HAS IRON-FISTED CONTROL OF BOARD AGENDA

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, August 26th, 2017

Keeps the public and Board members in the dark

Commentary

District Governing Board Chair Ray Sigafoos keeps iron-fisted control over the agenda for Governing Board meetings. In doing so, it is the opinion of the Blog that he is preventing the public and the other members of the Governing Board from receiving important information that may affect the public pocketbook and the direction of the College.

Documents obtained by the Blog through public information requests and other sources show the nature and extent of his control.

For example, earlier this year the Chino Valley Town Council asked that it be placed on the College agenda. The Town wanted to share information with the Governing Board about the potential implications to the College should a Speedway be constructed near the College’s Chino Valley Center.  Because of the possible location of the Speedway and a 2003 agreement, the District Governing Board held veto power over the project.

Without first discussing the request with the Governing Board at a public hearing before making a decision, Sifoos decided on his own that placing the matter on the College agenda was a bad idea. He drafted and signed a letter stating that “we will not be able to accommodate your request.” The “we” he referred to were the other members of the District Governing Board who knew nothing of the request or his letter. Moreover, they had not authorized such a letter be sent.

It was only after the Chino Valley Town Council received the letter denying their request that Sigafoos casually disclosed to other member of the Board his decision. There never was a vote on this issue.  

There are other examples.  A number of written requests for items to be placed on the College agenda from at least one member of the Board have been refused by Sigafoos. For example, a request that the Board discuss as an agenda item whether information contained in a letter from the College to a member of the public was leadked from a confidential Board meeting was rejected by Sigafoos.  He replied that “this is not a Board issue and Dr. Wills may have more information if needed.”

When a Board member asked to be allowed to “submit a list of [scholarship] questions I would like to be answered” and be placed on the Agenda, Sigafoos replied:  “operational issue and can be discussed in applicable monitoring reports.”   A similar request that “the total financial picture for the Community Events and Public service” be an agenda item was met by Sigafoos with the same response: “operational issue and can be discussed in applicable monitoring reports.”

Philosopher Alan Bloom said: “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” The Blog says, “Open government is vital in a democracy. All too often, the doors to government are closed.” This is especially true when one person controls an agenda. 

Categories : Politics

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE MOVES FROM NEAR BOTTOM OF NATIONAL RANKING TO MIDDLE OF PACK

By R. Oliphant
Friday, August 25th, 2017

Wallethub ranks College overall at 365 from the top of 728 community colleges

According to Wallethub, Yavapai Community College moved from near the bottom of Community college rankings in 2016 to about the middle of community college overall rankings in 2017. Wallethub ranked Yavapai community College at 365 from the top in 2017. Last year it ranked the Community College near the bottom at  716.                                                                                          

Cochise Community College received a number two ranking in 2017 while in 2016 it received a fourth place ranking.  In reporting the 2017 ranking, the Verde Independent provided the data used to assess Yavapai Community College.  The table that follows is based on that information.

 

 

 

 

Sources:  Click here to go to the Wallethub site.  Click here to read Howard Fischer’s article in the Verde Independent of August 25, 2017.  Click here to read Prescott’s Daily Courier article, “Yavapai College earns mediocre national ranking.”

 

Categories : Rankings

SEDONA CENTER OPEN HOUSE SET FOR TUESDAY, SEPT. 12, 3:45 P.M

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017

Celebrating the saving and remodeling of Sedona Center

Yavapai College has extended an invitation to members of the public to attend a special event at the College’s Sedona Center located at 4215 Arts Village Drive, Sedona.  The College describes the event  as the “re-launch” of the school’s Culinary Arts program. It will be held Tuesday, September 12 starting at 3:45 p.m.

Verde Valley Advocates who work tirelessly for improving post-secondary education will celebrate the saving of the Center and installation of significant learning opportunity programs for the Verde Valley.

Recall a majority of the College District Governing Board was happy to close down and sell the Center as a part of the ten-year Master Plan, which was adopted by the District Governing Board in a 4-1 vote (Oliphant dissenting) in December, 2013 .  However, vigorous advocacy by residents of Sedona and the Verde Valley plus strong vocal support opposing the closing of the Center from the former and present Sedona mayor and City Council were instrumental in bringing to a halt the closing and sale.

Advocacy also was necessary in order to persuade the College to renovate and construct the facilities for a culinary program. It came from many quarters including the now shuttered Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee, former Verde Valley representative Al Filardo, and  Verde Valley District #2 representative Deb McCasland.

For those who question whether the College was contemplating possibly selling the Sedona Center, the Blog has included below the development chart presented to the Governing Board and approved 4-1.   The red arrow points to the statement reading, “Sell Existing Sedona Center.”    Also note that there were no funds allocated to the Sedona Center in the chart for renovation of any kind as a part of the College’s ten-year-plan for County Community College development.  However, the chart shows an estimated $44 million allocated to various West County projects during this phase of development.

Verde Valley Campus Executive Dean Dr. James Perey will make opening remarks, after which he will introduce special guest speakers, including Yavapai College District Governing Board member Dr. Connie Harris, Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty, and Yavapai College President Dr. Penny Wills, who will all speak about the occasion.

To read the College press release regarding this event, please click here. 

Categories : Sedona Campus

FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT SETS EXAMINING “SHARED GOVERNANCE PROCESS ” AS #1 GOAL

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, August 20th, 2017

Review of structure of faculty committees, faculty workload, faculty handbook also on Senate agenda for coming academic year

Dr. Matt Pearcy, Yavapai Community College Faculty Senate President, reported to the Governing Board at its August 8, 2017 meeting that the faculty has given an examination of  the “shared governance process” at the College its highest priority for 2017-18.  A survey is being developed and will be distributed to the faculty in the not too distant future.

He also said the faculty committee structure is the second priority for the faculty.  In addition, the faculty will review the faculty workload and the faculty handbook. 

Dr. Pearcy’s report to the faculty on the Faculty Senate priorities can be viewed below.

Categories : Faculty

PHOTOS SHOW PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER $4 MILLION ADDITION PRETTY SPECTACULAR

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, August 19th, 2017

Skills labs and examining rooms are superior learning facilities

The Prescott Valley Center allied health program facility photos shown to the District Governing Board at its August 8, 2017 meeting  were spectacular.  The $4 million plus facility will be opening in August and boasts superior skills labs and examining facilities. The Board is anticipated to hold a Governing Board meeting at the facility in the next couple of months.

The photos, which were taken by College facilities management, can be found in the August 2017 Governing Board agenda by clicking here.  Some of them are reproduced below. 

Categories : Allied Health Campus, Prescott Campus

BOARD CHAIR APPEARS IRRITATED AT THOUGHT OF IDENTIFYING COLLEGE AS “YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE”

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, August 19th, 2017

Sigafoos says name change made 40 years ago for marketing, branding purposes; issue of rebranding the College wasn’t raised by McCasland

Yavapai Community College Board Chair Ray Sigafoos was clearly irritated at  the mere suggestion that “Yavapai Community College” be used anywhere when referring to the College, even in the  obscure Governing Process ends statement 3.0 of the Carver process used by the Board. The broad name-change issue of changing “College” to “Community College” was brought up by   Sigafoos’ at the August 8, 2017 Board meeting.

Representative Deb McCasland’s explanation that she felt the ends statement should merely identify the owners more accurately in the Governing Process statement didn’t seem to satisfy Mr. Sigafoos. He went on at length suggesting at one point that it would cost a lot of money to change the current name from “College,” to “Community College”  and further suggesting the College undertake a “survey” to determine the cost of the change to “Community College.”

McCasland had not remotely suggested a major name change.  The exchange between Mr. Sigafoos and Ms. McCasland can be viewed in its entirety below.

Categories : CARVER MODEL

SOME MINGUS STUDENTS RECEIVED YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS THIS YEAR

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, August 19th, 2017

Mingus School officials say College waits until July to notify students

Based on information received by Ms. Ruth Wicks, it is now estimated that five students at Mingus High School received scholarships from Yavapai College this year.  Ms. Wicks was informed that the Mingus students were not recognized at the High School’s Scholarship and Academic Honors Ceremony because Yavapai College does not award the scholarships until July, which is long after graduation.  The Yavapai College Foundation Scholarship application deadline is June 1. 

She was also informed that Mingus students who are accepted into the Honors Program at the College are notified in April.  In the class of 2017, Mingus did not have any seniors who were accepted into the Honors Program at Yavapai College.

This explains why a list of Yavapai Community College Scholarships did not appear at the Scholarship and Academic Honors Ceremony at the High School earlier this year. 

Categories : Scholarships
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