IN ONLY EIGHT MINUTES, WITH NO SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS OR COMMENT, DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES ACROSS THE BOARD TUITION INCREASES WHILE SLASHING CERTAIN DISCOUNTS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, December 15th, 2023

First tier General Ed up 5%; Second tier lab courses up by 6%, CTE  Allied Health programs jump by 7%; Nursing getting $25 per credit added; upper division nursing will pay $38 more per credit; high school students taking concurrent courses have existing discount slashed from 50% to 25%

Tuition increases at Yavapai Community College are annually approved by the District Governing Board with little significant questioning or commentary. The meeting on November 26, concerning the requested tuition increase for the 2024-2025 academic year, was no exception.

The College, evidently in need of more funds as it plans to spend millions expanding the Prescott Campus and its three west county centers, proposed major across-the-board tuition hikes. It also proposed slashing or eliminating some discounts now deemed too costly to maintain.

The increases vary: General Education courses, labeled as “tier one” in the three-tier rate system, will see a 5% hike. “Lab courses” in tier two will experience a 6% increase. The Career and Technical Education courses, along with Allied Health offerings, are set for a 7% rise.

The basic nursing courses, typically filled to capacity, will see an increase of $25 per course. Online upper-division classes will be raised by $38 per credit, exceeding the College’s initial tuition projections. The upper-division nursing program is set to begin in fall 2024.

High school students enrolled in concurrent high school and Community College courses will see their existing 50% discount reduced to 25%. The program that allowed students taking 12 full-time classes in a semester to take additional classes for free was discontinued due to perceived overuse.

It took the Governing Board only about eight minutes to approve the College’s proposal. None of the Board members, except Mr. Sigafoos, posed any inquiries or made notable comments during the vote to approve the increases.

Categories : Tuition

DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD HASTILY CALLS FOR SECRET EXECUTIVE MEETING DECEMBER 14 TO AGAIN DISCUSS POTENTIAL LEASE AND/OR PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY, OR PROPERTIES, IN PRESCOTT

By R. Oliphant
Friday, December 15th, 2023

Residents remain in the dark about the specific property under consideration, shrouded by the cloak of these closed-door meetings

Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board was hastily called into a one-hour secret executive meeting on Thursday, December 14 to discuss and consult “with College Representatives Regarding Potential Lease and/or Purchase of Real Property, or Properties, in Prescott.” 

The December meeting came on the heals of another long secret executive meeting held on the Verde Campus just three weeks ago on November 26. The purpose of that secret meeting was to discuss and consult “with College Representatives Regarding Potential Lease and/or Purchase of Real Property, or Properties, in Prescott.”

Residents of the county remain in the dark about the specific property under consideration, shrouded by the cloak of these closed-door meetings. The next public Board meeting, offering the first potential glimpse into the Board’s plans, is ten weeks away, scheduled for February 20th.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD, Secret meetings

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONDUCTS TRADITIONAL SWEARING-IN AND BADGE-PINNING CEREMONY FOR 27 RECRUITS

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, December 13th, 2023

New officers will join law enforcement agencies across the state

Yavapai Community College, in a press release dated December 12, 2023, announced that 27 law enforcement recruits trained at the College’s Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy in Prescott participated in the traditional swearing-in and badge-pinning ceremony at the Prescott campus earlier this month.

At the ceremony, Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine thanked the recruits for stepping into a difficult role during uncertain times. She said, “To say that it’s a very difficult time to be a police officer is truly an understatement. Thank you for your selfless decision to protect and serve and to take on the risks and demanding responsibility for all of us to live in a safe and secure community.”

Prescott Valley Police Chief Bob Ticer delivered the keynote address, congratulating them for the life of integrity it took to volunteer to join what he described as the “most noble profession on the face of the earth.”

The following are the NARTA Class 55 graduates and the police agencies they are joining:

Arturo Castillo, Jr., and Jason Tyler Ehlert, Chino Valley Police Department

Benjamin Samuel Bruner, Christian Brady Carter, Aaron Joseph Cote and Jennifer Jane Glover, Prescott Valley Police Department

Brandon Kalani Kawainui Callio, Page Police Department

Casey Sky Dragos, Camp Verde Marshal’s Office

Christopher Flowers, Nicholas William Hamilton, Douglas Allen Harwood, Nicholas David McKay, Brian Lee Sutton and Luis Alejandro Terrazas, Prescott Police Department

Michael Andrew Bentley, Oro Valley Police Department

Oscar Molina Teran, Payson Police Department

Richard James Avery, Bradley James Bartell, Jaden Elliot-Kai Berney and Tyler Jon Slim, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office

Travis Steven O’Donnal, Ryan Hunter Palmer and Corey James Tousley, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office

Ty Matthew Furr and Steele Domingo Salinas, Flagstaff Police Department

Victor Esteven Rodriguez, Maricopa Police Department

Zachary Joseph MacGregor, Jerome Police Department

Source: Yavapai Community College press release by JJ McCormack dated Dec. 12, 2023.

 

Categories : NARTA

NOTE: DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS HOLD HOLIDAY DINNER FOR THEMSELVES ON DECEMBER 6 IN PRESCOTT

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 9th, 2023

No business transacted

A holiday dinner party was held for the five members of the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board on Wednesday, December 6 at Murphy’s Restaurant in Prescott. No business was transacted during the dinner.  The public was not invited.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS ASSUMING A 2% TAX RATE INCREASE IN COMING YEAR

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 9th, 2023

Follows on the heels of a 5% tax rate increase approved by District Governing Board in May 2023

Yavapai Community College Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services announced at the November 26 District Governing Board meeting that the administration will ask for a two percent tax rate increase in 2024. The increase is needed, according to Dr. Ewell, to help provide funds for an estimated $3.36 million in additional revenue. If approved, the tax rate increase will add about one-third of the additional revenue the College says it needs.

If approved in May 2024, this will result in a total increase of seven percent in local property tax rates over two years that is associated directly with the College. This past May, the District Governing Board approved a 5% property tax rate increase. The administration also announced that it was seeking approval for a five percent tuition increase.

Categories : Taxes

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AUTOMOTIVE PROGRAM RECEIVES REACCREDITATION FROM THE ASE EDUCATION FOUNDATION

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, December 9th, 2023

Program accredited in maintenance and light repair through 2028

The Yavapai Community College automotive program announced in a December 7 press release, authored by Tyler Rumsey, that it has received ASE Training Program reaccreditation from the ASE Education Foundation. The automotive program has been accredited in maintenance and light repair through 2028.

The College reported that to achieve the reaccreditation, its automotive program underwent a rigorous evaluation by the ASE Education Foundation. Nationally accepted standards of excellence in areas such as instruction, facilities, and equipment were used. The program was reaccredited in maintenance light

John Morgan, Associate Vice President for Career and Technical Education explained the reaccreditation process. He  said: “During the past few months, we have worked closely with the ASE Education Foundation to make certain that our program would meet strict industry standards, and now we are delighted to join the ranks of the ASE accredited training programs. Students will be assured of a quality education, and shop owners will be assured of getting quality job applicants. The efforts of Jerrad Smith as the lead to get this accomplished are noticeable, and I want to commend the entire Automotive Department at Yavapai College for their continued excellence.”

YC offers two degrees and four certificates in automotive and diesel technology at its CTEC facility located at the Prescott airport.

Source:  https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2023/12/auto.html.
Categories : Career and Technical Education

GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE EARNS ACCREDITATION FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, December 3rd, 2023

Only community college admitted this year as well as being the first and only accredited NASM community college in the state of Arizona

Glendale Community College (GCC) was recently notified that they it has received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). GCC is the only community college admitted this year as well as being the first and only accredited NASM community college in the state of Arizona. Only the three state universities in Arizona are also accredited by NASM.

To earn this recognition, the music program at GCC wrote a comprehensive self-study that addressed numerous standards established by NASM. This was followed by a campus visit by NASM in 2022 to verify the information in the self-study, listen to performances, observe classroom instruction, interview faculty, staff, students and administration, as well as verify academic transcripts of recent graduates. New members of NASM must repeat this process five years after initial accreditation, then again in five years, and every ten years after that. 

Dr. Tiffany Hernandez, President of Glendale Community College, said that “our accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music reflects GCC’s commitment to our students and our community to prepare musicians at the collegiate level.  As the only NASM-accredited community college in the state of Arizona, GCC is proud to be a significant component of the performing arts and culture community in the West Valley and beyond.”

Categories : Music

COLLEGE SETS FEES FOR TRAILER PARK AND PRIVATE APARTMENT RENTAL FOR SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, December 1st, 2023

College offers no subsidy

Yavapai Community College has announced the rental fees for Sedona/Verde Valley faculty, staff, and students seeking temporary accommodation. Options include either a trailer park or rental apartments in Cottonwood. According to the College:

  1. A two-bedroom apartment is available at $1,900 per month for faculty, staff, or students.

  2. A “private bedroom” apartment can be rented for $1,100 per month.

  3. For those opting to share a bedroom in an apartment, the cost is $750 a month per person.

For those wishing to park their travel trailer of any vintage at the trailer park (six spaces potentially available), the fee is $500 a month. This fee may include water and electricity, but it’s advisable to confirm this before making a decision. The primary regulation for the trailer lot is a length limit of 50 feet for a trailer.

Additionally, the College has four of its own travel trailers for rent at the trailer park, which each renting for $1,000 per month, likely including electricity and water costs. However, potential renters should verify this information beforehand.

These facilities have been made available by the College to address the shortage of affordable workforce housing in the Verde Valley area for faculty, staff, and students.

Categories : Housing

GOVERNING BOARD NEEDS BETTER PLANNING WHEN SCHEDULING ITS SECRET EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETINGS IF IT CHOOSES TO SHOW CONCERN AND RESPECT FOR SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY RESIDENTS ATTENDING THE MAIN MEETING

By R. Oliphant
Friday, December 1st, 2023

At the November 26 meeting, local residents were sent from the large, comfortable meeting room to stand huddled in an adjacent hallway or to sit outside in the cold because four Board members would not move to smaller space to hold secret executive meeting of unknown length before starting posted workshop and business agenda

Robert E. Oliphant

EDITORIAL:  The experience at the November 26 Yavapai Community College Governing Board meeting left many local residents attending it questioning the lack of a better plan for accommodating them when the Board meets in secret executive session.

The meeting had just begun when the Chair announced the executive session. Surprisingly, and to some attendees’ dismay, the four-member Board in the room (a fifth on zoom) chose to stay in the large meeting room, leaving dozens of residents to either wait for the regular meeting to resume by standing in the hallway or wander about the Verde Valley Campus with no idea of how long the secret executive session would last. Meanwhile, the four Governing Board members remained seated comfortably in the main meeting room, opting not to relocate to another space in the building or to an adjacent one for their secret executive meeting.

After about an hour or so with no indication of the secret meeting’s duration, many frustrated residents left.

This situation could have been easily avoided with proper planning and adequate consideration for those local residents who took time from their busy schedules to attend. For example, the secret meeting could have been moved on the agenda to the end of the workshop and business meeting. Or, it could have been held separately in the morning hours before the announced Workshop and Business meeting. 

Alternatively, the four members of the Board could have demonstrated concern for the local Sedona/Verde Valley residents by moving to a space in Building “M” or ‘to an adjacent classroom building, if Building “M” had no available rooms. The residents would at least had chairs to sit on rather than stand in the hallway outside the meeting room or sit outside in the cold.

Categories : Editorials/Essays

FOUR VACANT KEYSTONE COUGAR TRAVEL TRAILERS SEEN GROUPED ON YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS PARKING LOT

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023

It is presumed they are being staged to prepare them for eventual placement at the ten space trailer lot still under partial construction where they will be used for faculty/staff/student temporary  rental

Four Keystone Cougar trailers have been seen grouped in a Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus car parking lot. These are likely the same four travel trailers that were scheduled to be ready by fall 2023, and it appears they have finally arrived—at least to a parking lot. Once fully equipped and relocated to the still partially under construction College trailer park, these trailers are expected to be available for short-term rental to faculty/staff and students.

Yavapai Community College has not disclosed the purchase price of the four travel trailers to the public.

 

Categories : RV PARK ON VERDE CAMPUS, Verde Campus
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