2015 finds Yavapai Community College enrollment continuing to decline

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 26th, 2015

About 5,000 fewer students than eight years ago

According to Community College data, the current administration is presiding over the continued decline in student enrollment at Yavapai College.  In fact, in the last eight years the Community College enrollment has fallen by 4,794 students.

The headcount report for the fall, 2015 showed a decline continuing with a drop from fall 2014 of 416 students.  The decline is troubling in view of reports from Northern Arizona University and other colleges of major increases in first-year enrollment.  NAU, for example, reported it was breaking enrollment records.  NAU’s overall student population is 29,035, up from 27,639, and the university welcomed 5,141 first-time freshman compared to 4,765 last fall. You may view the NAU report by clicking here.

Enrollment at the Flagstaff campus is 20,839, a nearly 5 percent increase from 19,913 last year. “Our commitment to Arizona is represented in this outstanding incoming freshman class,” said NAU President Rita Cheng. “Its diversity and distinctiveness evidence the important and changing nature of our state and the communities we serve. I’m delighted to see that NAU continues to be a university of choice for so many new and returning students.”

ENROLLMENT SLIDE OVER EIGHT YEAR PERIOD

STUDENT ENROLLMENT FALL 2015

Categories : Enrollment data, Yavapai Community College

2015 in Review: Verde Valley suffers heavy losses

By R. Oliphant
Friday, December 25th, 2015

Penelope Wills’ administration and West voting block romp over East County in 2015

Frustraterd

 

In reviewing 2015 it is clear that the once again the residents of the East side of Mingus Mountain were trampled by the political power of the West County Wills’ administration and the three-member voting block representing the West County.  Virtually every effort by the Verde Valley to stop the wild spending spree for more and more construction and renovation under the current Administration failed.  A call to come together and “cooperate” in solving the post-secondary education issues in the Verde Valley was ignored by College President Penelope Wills’ and her handlers. They no doubt raised a champagne toast at their year-end party to their continued political post-secondary educational trouncing of the Verde Valley.  Here is the record:

Stomping on high school students for revenue. The Penelope Wills’ administration announced at the December 8, 2015 Governing Board meeting that it was moving ahead on charging each high school student who takes a dual enrollment class at a high school in Yavapai County at least a $10 per credit fee. The administration ignored a letter from all eight Verde Valley Superintendents opposing such a fee. The administration also ignored a letter delivered to the Board containing the unanimous recommendation of the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee opposing such a fee.

Folks say Wills administration should leave. A poll conducted by the Sedona Redrock News in the late fall showed that 90% of the persons responding were dissatisfied with Yavapai College and its current administration.  Click here to see the poll. Given Wills’ comfortable salary, it is very doubtful she will ever leave. 

Wills’ keeps tight reigns on Verde Valley. The Wills’ administration continued its strategy of filling top administrative spots in the Verde Valley with trusted Prescott employees with the appointment of Kelly Trainer as Assistant Dean. The top four administrators on the Verde Campus/Sedona Center all reside in the Prescott area and are considered Wills’ loyalists.

Wow—now you know why millions in construction money is available to Wills. The Arizona Tax Research Association (ATRA) released a report in September, 2015 showing that Yavapai College is collecting double the amount of property tax per full-time student than is the average in Arizona.  You may read the report by clicking here.  Despite this evidence, Wills’ insisted on increasing student tuition and property taxes in 2015.

You’ve got to be kidding. A wine tasting room was opened on the Verde Campus with the College setting $50,000 as the revenue goal for the room in its first year of operation.

Don’t tread on me. The suggestion by the Board Advisory Committee for a joint meeting with the Governing Board, the Administration and the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee to discuss a long list of post-secondary educational issues affecting the Valley  was snubbed by Wills’ and the three-member voting block on the West side of the County. In response to the Advisory Committee’s Chair’s request for a meeting, District Governing Board Chair Pat McCarver said in ignoring the request:  “You shouldn’t have to negotiate with our own committee.”

So, I was fibbing; I’m a politician. New District Governing Board member Steve Irwin had his first chance to vote on a property tax increase in June. During his campaign for the Board seat in 2014 he had promised that “A vote for me equals no new taxes.”  Irwin was the swing vote that pushed property taxes up once again for County homeowners.  So much for facebook political campaign promises.

Property taxes go up. The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee recommended to the Governing Board that it not increase property taxes at its June, 2015 meeting. The District Governing Board (3-2) voted to increase taxes.  This was the 6th time in the last ten years that property taxes have been increased. (The dissenting votes were the two Verde Valley representatives.)  Residents now pay more in primary property taxes to Yavapai College than to Yavapai County.

Keep hitting the College students for more money. The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee recommended no tuition increase in 2015. The District Board 3-2 voted to increase tuition—the 10th time tuition of some kind was increased in the last ten years.  (The dissenting votes were the two Verde Valley representatives.)

What? You need a plan? Not in Prescott. The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee recommended that there be a short moratorium on building projects until a strategic plan that included the Verde Valley and Sedona be in place.  It was ignored at the June, 2015 Board meeting by a vote of 3-2.  (The dissenting votes were the two Verde Valley representatives.) Read More→

Categories : Politics, Underserving the Verde Valley

Cottonwood Journal Extra Newspaper Slams College Appointments

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, December 24th, 2015

Says “College staff will never care from far side of mountain”

An editorial in the December 23 Cottonwood Journal, written by Managing Editor Christopher Fox Graham, slammed the continued appointment of the Deans hired to supervise the Verde Valley and Sedona College facilities who live outside the area (and have no intention of moving here).  The editorial was based on a front page story in the same issue, “Board fumes over college staffing.”  The article reported on the most recent Dean to be hired for the Verde Valley, Kelly Trainor, who resides in Prescott.  (The online version of the newspaper article may be found by clicking here.)

Deb McCasland 4

The Blog has pointed out in earlier postings that the top 4 administrative appointments to the Verde Valley Campus and the Sedona Center have all been Prescott area residents.  And none of the appointees have indicated they will move from the Prescott area to the Verde Valley.

Shafted

Graham wrote:  “A lot of phrases come to mind when we think of how Yavapai College views the Verde Valley, but `I think the Verde Valley is getting shafted,’ is perhaps the best, spoken by none other than Yavapai College District Governing Board member Deb McCasland, who along with Al Filardo, represents Verde Valley interests.”  He asked one to imagine that the Governor of Arizona flew home to California after a day’s work at the state capital and analogized the image to the Prescott resident administrators running the Community College in the Verde Valley.

Does Penelope Wills intentionally make these appointments to control the Verde Valley?

He pointed out that “Deans who do not live in the Verde Valley do not hear concerns from neighbors, nor do they bump into residents at the grocery store, nor do they enroll their children at Mingus Union, Camp Verde nor Sedona Red Rock high schools and hear about their children’ friends’ college plans.  They have no community connection to the Verde Valley, which perhaps is exactly what Wills wants.”  (The complete editorial may be read by clicking here.)

Categories : Editorials/Essays, Underserving the Verde Valley, Verde Campus

Verde representatives question appointment of Associate Dean to Verde Campus

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 19th, 2015

Governing Board has no say in hiring as Prescott folks dominate Verde Valley posts

The Verde Valley representatives to the District Governing Board raised questions about the appointment of the new Associate Dean of the Verde Valley Campus in a story written by Zachary Jernigan for the December 18 edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.  The last four important positions in the Verde Valley have all been made by President Penelope Wills and have gone to Prescott employees who live in the Prescott/Prescott Valley/Chino Valley area.  (The names, positions, and residence of the appointments are contained in the diagram that appears below.)

Prescott dominatin in the Verde Valley 2

 

The Verde Valley is getting shafted

District Two Representative Deb McCasland told Mr. Jernigan during her interview that “I think the Verde Valley is getting shafted” with the hiring of the new Associate Dean, Kelly Trainor. McCasland lamented that “the board has no authority over the president” when it comes to hiring top employees.

District Three Representative Al Filardo told the News that he was putting the issue on the agenda for discussion at the January, 2016 Governing Board meeting.

Wills not very responsive

The News asked President Penelope Wills why  the college would not “expect an administrator to relocate to the area he or she would represent.”  Wills’ responded that she would “be glad to chat” but failed to provide the News with a time when she would be available or when she would next be in Sedona or the Verde Valley. Representative Filardo did not respond to the question.

Categories : Politics, Underserving the Verde Valley

President says Higher Learning Commission makes surprise visit on November 9

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 19th, 2015

Claims they wanted to look just at the Sedona Center and CTEC—is there something odd going on here?

President Penelope Wills exhibited surprise to the District Governing Board at a visit by the North Central Higher Learning Commission to the College on November 9, 2015.  According to Wills, they came back “because they wanted to look at our centers. They selected, which is their right to do, both Sedona and CTEC.”  (You may click here to view Wills’ statement to the Governing Board.)

Wills said  that“they had no recommendations for us, and in fact commendations for the planning that went into CTEC and the planning that is being planned starting tomorrow, um, in Sedona. And they very much appreciated that.  So here’s a third party saying we’re doing this right.”

An odd visit, to say the least? Or, one set up for political purposes?

accreditation 3

There are a few issues regarding the Wills’ report that are odd:  First, visits to Colleges are normally arranged with an Administration before the evaluators arrive on campus.  Wills’ suggested to the Governing Board that the visit was a surprise to her. That is odd.

Second, checking the on-line accreditation records from the Higher Learning Commission (shown above)  do not indicated that any accreditation visits to Yavapai Community were planned or anticipated in 2015.  In fact, the next accreditation visit of any kind to the Campus is scheduled for 2017.  So this visit is odd.  (You may also view the Higher Learning Web site showing dates for accreditation of Yavapai College  by clicking here.)  

Third, the lack of access by East County residents and high school students is a fact and under scrutiny in many quarters at present.  It seems odd the evaluators would select CTEC and fail to see the obvious inequity in how the County Community College is treating about one-third of its residents.

Fourth, the Sedona Center is likewise under intense scrutiny in many quarters at the present time.  Yet, it was also selected by this mystery evaluation team.  Wills’ did not explain what she meant by the “planning that is being planned” for the Sedona Center so the public is left in the dark about what she meant.  So is the Governing Board.

Was this a political effort by the Wills’ administration to gain outside support for its paltry efforts to serve the East side of the County?  Or what was it?  The Blog will continue to try and find out.  But according to the  commission online dates for accrditation,  the visit must have been for something else. Ummm?

Categories : accreditation

College ignores Verde Valley citizens and superintendents in Dual Enrollment fee fight

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, December 13th, 2015

Arrogance and disrespect for Verde Valley views hallmark of Prescott Administration’s decision to charge high school students fees in dual enrollment classes

The Penelope Wills’ administration announced at the December 8, 2015 Governing Board meeting that it was moving ahead on charging each high school student who takes a dual enrollment class at a high school in Yavapai County at least a $10 per credit fee. In doing so, the decision  reflects an unparalleled level of arrogance and disrespect for citizen concerns about the cost of  education  in the Verde Valley. 

dual enrollment discussion two at dec 8 bd meeting

HIDING FACTS? 

Scott Farnsworth, the interim Vice President of Instruction and Student Development made the fee announcement to the Governing Board.   He told the Board that “we’ve had conversations with principals and superintendents both, and looking at all the varying differences that are out there, we’ve asked in moving forward for a ten dollar per credit hour charge for dual enrollment classes.” He went on to say that “most of the superintendents and high school principals we visited with about this recognize where we are and that there are costs associated with dual enrollment.”  (You may view his entire dual enrollment presentation to the Board by clicking here.)

What he did not tell the Board is that: 

All 8 Verde Valley superintendents opposed the College assessing a fee on high school students in dual enrollment classes.  (A letter opposing the fee signed by them is included at the end of this story.)

He also did not tell the Board that:

The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee, consisting of citizens from throughout the Verde Valley, unanimously opposed setting a fee for dual enrollment students. (A letter signed by them opposing the fee is included at the end of this story.)

When Representative Deb McCasland raised a question about the letter signed by the 8 superintendents opposing the fee increase, the Board lawyer ruled her question out of order.

Farnsworth attacks student motives.   

It is a fact that no serious study of dual enrollment in the County has been undertaken.  Yet, without an analytical basis to support his views, Farnsworth attacked the motives of many students who take dual enrollment classes. He stated  that “students will take a class

not because they are particularly interested in it, or that they need it, it’s because their friend is taking it, or they heard it was kind of fun, or it’s an opportunity for them to kinda get out of the normal classroom day.”

Farnsworth suggests only money will bring students to their senses.

Despite the absence of a study of dual enrollment and its pros and cons in the County, Farnsworth plowed ahead giving his unsupported view that “the minimal amount that we are asking, ah,  

is gonna to provide a little bit of skin in the game for these students and their families. That they recognized that once they start, ah a college education, that it becomes a part of the permanent record.”   

In an interview given to the Verde Independent, Farnsworth elaborated on his view for the need to pay for high school dual enrollment saying that:  “There’s that old adage that if you don’t pay for something, then you don’t value it, so we want students to recognize that, hey, this is a college education, there’s some worth to that.”  Apparently, if this view is applied across the board to education, without “skin in the game”  students won’t take their education seriously.  Umm–think about it.

Unelected College bureaucrat may impose fees (tuition)  on public schools without citizen or Board approval

In a demonstration of arrogance and total independence from what citizens in the County may think about public education,  Dr. Penelope Wills stated during her interview with the Verde Independent that imposing a fee on students in public high schools is completely at her discretion—neither the board nor citizens can do anything to stop her.  The reporter wrote that she said the new dual enrollment fee  “does not need to be voted on and approved by the DGB to take effect.”  She also stated to the reporter that the matter is “being handled internally.” You may view the entire story in the Verde Independent by clicking here.

Read More→

Categories : Dual enrollment

College extends soccer field lease agreement with Prescott Valley

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, December 10th, 2015

College now leases soccer fields in Prescott Valley and Prescott, which adds to the huge disparity in sports facilitates  between the East and West sides of Yavapai County

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board at the December, 2015 meeting agreed to a five-year contract with Prescott Valley for the use of the Mountain Valley Park Amphitheater for its soccer team.  The agreement may be terminated by mutual agreement upon 30 days written notice.

The Community College now has athletic facilities that are comparable to a four-year college or small university on the West side of the County.  The East side of the County, with about one-third of the population ,has nothing comparable. Furthermore, it takes part in virtually none of the athletic endeavors promoted by the Prescott administrators for Prescott and Prescott Valley.

The following is a comparison between the athletic facilities on the Prescott Campus and those on the Verde Campus, Sedona Center, and Camp Verde.  As you can see, almost all of taxpayer money over the last half century has been plowed into the West side of the County to build and lease athletic facilities the exclusion of about 75,000 residents on the East side of the County.

comparing athletic facilities

Categories : Underserving the Verde Valley

College reserves top $25 million

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

Huge reserves well above lines set by Governing Board—College awash in money

The College reported at its December, 2015 meeting that it now has in its Educational & General and Auxiliary Fund Reserve $16 million.  This is $11 more than is required by the Governing Board.  (The following chart was produced by the College.)

educational and general fund reserve november 2015

The College also reported that it had $9 million in reserves in its Plant Fund Reserve account.  As of November 30, 2015, Plant Fund reserves exceed the Governing Board’s designated reserve amount by $7,760,000.

plant fund reserves to November 2015

Categories : Budget

College says “no” to call to the public at December meeting

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

Citizen input shut down

The College President and President of the Governing Board put together the agenda for each meeting of the District Governing Board.  For the December meeting they served up their version of a holiday treat by closing out from the five-member Governing Board any citizen input.  This input typically comes when there is an open call to the public and a citizen gets from two to three minutes to express his or her views on a topic relevant to the College. SPEECH SHUT DOWN

Under Arizona law, the College and Governing Board can turn off the call to the public, as was done here. This effectively prevents any citizen input going to the Governing Board. 

I suppose, given the track record of the Board and the total control exercised by the three-member West County voting block, that citizen input is not considered really relevant anyway.

This is just  another small-minded tactic to keep citizens from expressing their views in a democratic forum.

Categories : Politics

Holiday Ceramics Sale on Verde Valley Campus

By R. Oliphant
Monday, December 7th, 2015

On Campus this coming Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m. each day

Great gifts for the holidays at ridiculously low prices.  

Helping to support Yavapai College students in the art department.

601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale, Arizona 

Building “M” (or follow signs)

Holiday ceramics sale 2

Categories : Yavapai Community College
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