SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLAIMS TO OFFER FLEXIBILITY IN NEW B.A. PROGRAM WITH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON CLASSES BEING OFFERED – APPEARS TO BE IN COMPETITION WITH YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S NEW ALL ONLINE B.A. PROGRAM

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, March 19th, 2025

Says by 2031 39% of all jobs in Arizona  will require a bachelor’s degree

The Phoenix Business Journal ran a story in its March 3 edition, written by Maricopa Community Colleges, promoting Scottsdale Community College’s newly created Bachelor of Business Administration in Management (BBA) degree. The article emphasized the program’s flexibility, offering both in-person and online classes.

It cited a report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, which projects that the number of new jobs in Arizona requiring postsecondary education and training will grow by 372,000 between 2021 and 2031. The report also stated that by 2031, 39% of all jobs in the state will require a bachelor’s degree, highlighting the increasing demand for highly skilled business professionals.

The Scottsdale program appears to compete with Yavapai Community College’s  Bachelor of Science in Business degree. Unlike SCC’s in-person and online options, Yavapai’s program is entirely online. It offers flexibility by allowing students to enroll on a full-time or part-time basis.

You may read the full article by posting the following link in your browser:  https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2025/03/03/scottsdale-community-college-bachelor-business.html

 

 

 

Categories : CURRICULUM

VERDE VALLEY NATIVE ASSOCIATION DEAN HEATHER MULCAIRE FEATURED IN CURRENT EDITION OF PRESCOTT WOMAN MAGAZINE

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, March 18th, 2025

Labels her an “Ambassador of Education”

Yavapai Community College Associate Dean for Education Heather Mulcaire is featured in the February/March issues of Prescott Woman Magazine.  You may read the article authored by Michael Grady by following this link:  https://publuu.com/flip-book/785991/1738411/page/34

Mulcaire discusses her work at the Community College, her family, and history in the Verde Valley.  The article is well worth reading.

Categories : Faculty

DESPITE OVER $2 MILLION IN CONSULTING FEES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DELIVERS FEW RESULTS FOR SEDONA AND VERDE VALLEY

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, March 18th, 2025

 Developmental projects  for the Verde Campus of over $20 million including major housing, creation of commercial driver training program, important brewing and distilling  project, and future EV hi-tech repair all scrapped despite recommendations from consultants and initial concept approval by Board

OPINION:According to data obtained from Yavapai Community College, the institution has spent over $2 million in consulting fees with SmithGroup, Inc. over the past three years. SmithGroup has been advising the college on capital development projects throughout the district.

Records indicate that the college paid SmithGroup consulting fees of  $364,907 in 2022, $399,738 in 2023, and $1,312,938 in 2024.

In its 2022 master plan, SmithGroup recommended a development strategy for the Verde Campus, which the Governing Board conceptually approved. The plan outlined approximately $20 million in proposed projects, including $9.25 million for student housing, $608,000 for a commercial driver training program, $8.04 million for expanding the fermentation program with craft brewing and distilling, $3.09 million for renovations to Building “M,” and $146,000 for acoustic upgrades to rooms at the Sedona Center.

However, several projects outlined in the plan for the Verde Campus have since been abandoned, including major student housing, the commercial driver training program, and the fermentation and distilling expansion. Additionally, an electric vehicle (EV) project proposed in 2022 as a possibility for the Verde Campus has also been scrapped.

Given these outcomes, Verde Valley residents may reasonably question whether local taxpayers should be footing the bill for much, if any, of the $2 million spent on consulting. Or does the responsibility for the lack of development and refusal to follow the recommendations  lie entirely with the controlling west side voting bloc on the District Governing Board?

Categories : Construction, District Governing Board, GOVERNING BOARD

A CLOAK OF CONCERN WITHOUT EXPLANATION

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 15th, 2025

Is Zoom being used by Yavapai Community College District Governing Chair as a convenient tool to control and cut off unwanted discussion?

OPINION: In a perplexing display of opacity, the chairperson of Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board, Ms. Deb McCasland, has repeatedly insisted that unspecified “safety concerns” prevent the Community College’s District Governing Board from holding in-person public meetings. (For example, in-person public meeting on the Verde Campus once scheduled for this month.) Yet, despite weeks passing since announcing there were “safety concerns,” she refuses to elaborate on what these concerns entail or provide any evidence to substantiate them.

Meanwhile, the public sees no signs of any credible threat—no incidents, no warnings, and nothing to suggest that an in-person meeting would pose any risk beyond the ordinary. The absence of a clear explanation has only deepened skepticism, raising questions about whether these so-called safety concerns are legitimate.

This refusal to engage in transparency has left many wondering whether the claim of safety is  merely a convenient pretext to control meetings. By relying on Zoom, the chair can dictate the flow of discussion with a click of a button—muting dissent, cutting off Board members she does not favor, and silencing the public at will.

Moreover, instead of promoting open dialogue and accountability, this approach suggests that the Board’s leadership is more focused on controlling the narrative than fulfilling its responsibility to the community it was elected to serve.

Categories : District Governing Board, Editorials/Essays, GOVERNING BOARD, OPINIONS

PRESCOTT CAMPUS IS LOCATION OF SECOND DRIVE-THROUGH ONLY FOOD GIVEAWAY MARCH 28

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 15th, 2025

Open to the public  from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. — In partnership with St. Mary’s Food Bank

Yavapai Community College’s  Prescott Campus will hold its semi-annual community food distribution drive-through only on March 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until all food is distributed. As noted, it is a drive through only event and is open to the public.

 “If you need food, come and get food. We will load you up,” said YCC Student Affairs Coordinator Deborah Chambers.

Yavapai Community College, in collaboration with St. Mary’s Food Bank, is facilitating this food distribution initiative. According to the College, more than one in seven Yavapai County residents experience food insecurity or lack consistent access to sufficient nutrition for themselves and their families.

The blog has no information regarding a similar food distribution effort at the Sedona Center or the Verde Campus. Notably, programs like this not only address food insecurity but also enhance the Community College’s public visibility and reinforce its role as an active participant in the community. Hopefully, if it has not already preparing to do so, the College leadership will consider expanding such efforts to all campuses and centers as this would further demonstrate a commitment to serving the broader Yavapai County region.

Categories : Event

MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE GUTS NATIVE AMERICAN CONVOCATION TO COMPLY WITH PERCEIVED DEI MANDATE

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 13th, 2025

A decade-long ceremony honoring Native American students is canceled, and Native American clubs like MCC’s Inter-Tribal Student Organization face dissolution. Tribal leaders argue the relationship of Native American Tribes and the federal government is misunderstood and say the college erred in its decision

Arlyssa D. Becenti, writing in the Wednesday, March 12 edition of the  Arizona Republic, reported that the Native American Convocation scheduled for May was cancelled at Mesa Community College (MCC)  because of the perceived DEI mandate issued by President Donald Trump. The event was to be a celebration of the academic  achievements of Native American students attending Mesa Community College.

According to the article, Native American students from MCC and the nine other Maricopa County community colleges “received troubling news.” Due to actions by President Donald Trump, their Native American Convocation would be canceled. Additionally, Native American clubs, likely including MCC’s Inter-Tribal Student Organization and others, would be dissolved.

“I am incredibly disappointed to learn that the 2025 Maricopa County Community College District’s American Indian Convocation has been canceled,” Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis said in a news release. “This decision concerns me deeply, because it shows fundamental misunderstanding of the federal-tribal relationship which is based on political, not racial status. Today I am calling on MCCCD to immediately correct this error in interpreting the federal Executive Order and to allow the convocation to proceed.”

Maricopa Community Colleges have traditionally held a smaller ceremony to honor Native American students from all 10 community colleges in the Maricopa Community Colleges District. This year, that ceremony, along with similar convocations for other diverse student groups, has been canceled.

Neither Maricopa Community Colleges nor the county community college district responded to The Arizona Republic’s request for comment.

The issue of racial and political classification among Native Americans gained attention after Trump’s Education Department issued a memo on February 14. The memo claimed that Supreme Court decisions prohibit treating students differently based on race to achieve goals like diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity. This raised concerns among Navajo leaders and their attorneys.

“The letter doesn’t mention federal funds that are provided to Indian tribes and tribal organizations are not based on race,” said Chris Schneider, principal attorney for the Navajo Department of Justice. “It’s longstanding, its federal case law, you have Morton v. Mancari, which is a United States Supreme Court case … that determine that Indian isn’t always per se going to be a classification according to race. Instead, based upon the history of the United States and Indian tribes, it’s more political classification.”

Many legal experts believe the Trump administration ignores legality, precedent, the Constitution, and tribal treaties. Mel Wilson of the National Association of Social Workers notes this follows the vision of Project 2025. The dismantling of DEI efforts marks a dramatic shift, as colleges and institutions that once honored First Peoples with land acknowledgments have abruptly stopped doing so.

Categories : Politics

STUDENTS FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OVER ILLEGAL DOGE DATA ACCESS

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, March 11th, 2025

Lawsuit alleges the Department of Education shared confidential student data with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Representing the University of California Student Association, Student Defense and Public Citizen Litigation Group filed a lawsuit  against the Department of Education for sharing confidential student data with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

The lawsuit alleges that on February 3, 2025, The Washington Post reported that DOGE staffers had gained access to multiple internal systems with the Department of Education, including a financial aid dataset that contains the personal information of millions of students enrolled in the federal student aid program. As a federal agency, the Department of Education is subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, which makes the improper disclosure and misuse of sensitive personal and financial information unlawful. In addition, the Department’s records contain tax information protected by confidentiality provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

According to the complaint, the Defendants have violated the Privacy Act, Internal Revenue Code, and Department regulations by allowing DOGE-affiliated individuals to access the Department’s data and the computer systems that house federal student financial aid information. 

A copy of the lawsuit can be found by clicking the link below.

DOGE-LAWSUIT

 

 

Categories : Lawsuits

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS SEEKING ART WORKS FROM STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CELEBRATE THE THEME OF “PEACE.”

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 7th, 2025

Selected works will play a significant role in Yavapai Community College’s Peace Summit, to be held Thursday April 3 and Friday April 4 on Prescott Campus

Yavapai Community College is inviting students and community members to submit artwork that reflects the theme of “Peace.” Selected pieces will be prominently featured at the Yavapai College Peace Summit, taking place on Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4, on the Prescott Campus, contributing to the event’s mission of fostering unity and meaningful dialogue.

Sponsored by Yavapai College’s Justice Institute and RESPECT campaign, the Peace Summit will hold court on YCC’s Prescott Campus, providing a variety of College and local groups an opportunity to discuss and share ideas on important values like empathy, open-mindedness and courteous conversation. The Community College says that The Peace Summit is designed to create an effective place and time to promote unity and healing among students and community members in this time of great social division.

The deadline for submitted artwork is March 24, 2025. The Community College is accepting a variety of works — including drawings, paintings, printmaking, textiles, and small sculptures – that capture or express a theme of “Peace.” Artists may submit up to two original art works, which will be juried by YCC Art History Professor Dr. Brandelyn Andres and YCC Galleries Manager Tim Hull. Applicants may submit their works on the YCC Gallery’s submission link:

https://yavapaicollegeartgallery.submittable.com/submit

All accepted artwork will be displayed in Yavapai College’s Prescott Campus Community Room, Building 19, Room 147, during the two-day Peace Summit. After the Summit, the artwork will travel to the Mountain Artist’s Guild in Prescott to be part of the annual Yavapai Community College Art Exhibition from April 21 to May 17.

Artists will be notified on Tuesday, March 25. Accepted artwork must be hand-delivered to the YCC Prescott Art Gallery by Tuesday, April 1, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wall artwork should not exceed 40 lbs. Paintings on canvas must be gallery wrapped and wired for hanging. For additional information, please contact YC Galleries Director Timothy Hull at (928) 776-2031.

Source:  Yavapai Community College Press release by Michael Grady dated February 27, 2025.
Categories : Art programs

DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD SHIFTS MARCH 25 VERDE CAMPUS MEETING TO ZOOM

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 7th, 2025

—No Explanation Given

OPINION: Residents of Sedona and the Verde Valley have few opportunities to meet in person with members of the Yavapai Community College Governing Board or attend the handful of meetings scheduled each year. The primary reason? Nearly all Board meetings are now held on the Prescott Campus, specifically in the Rock House.

The sole spring exception was supposed to be the March 25 meeting, which had been scheduled as an in-person session at the Verde Valley Campus. However, the Board has now changed that meeting to a Zoom-only format—without offering any explanation.

Perhaps the journey from Prescott to the Verde Campus is too burdensome for Board members so they have decided to use zoom. By contrast, students from Sedona and the Verde Valley are expected to make the trip whenever a class is offered only on the other side of the mountain—just as residents must do if they wish to attend Board meetings. It seems the burden of a long drive depends entirely on who holds the power and who is left without a say.

 

Categories : District Governing Board

CHANDLER-GILBERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE TAPPED BY GOVERNOR HOBBS FOR SECOND FUTURE48 WORKFORCE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, March 6th, 2025

Awarded $6 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to support creation of a  state-of-the-art training facility — Follows November 2024 $15 million ACA Future48 award, for semiconductor focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator approved for the Maricopa Community College District

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and partners from Boeing and Honeywell have joined forces to launch the first-of-its-kind Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator. This aerospace and defense-focused facility will open in the fall of 2026 at Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s (CGCC) Williams campus, bringing together students and industry partners.

“We are incredibly honored to be selected for a second Future48 Workforce Accelerator,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of the Maricopa Community College District. “Through this opportunity, our system will provide the critical education and training required by today’s aerospace and defense manufacturing workforce. We look forward to empowering individuals and driving innovation in this high-demand industry.”

The program will receive $6 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority to support the development of a state-of-the-art training facility. Students will have access to flexible training spaces, labs, and industry-standard equipment, ensuring a seamless transition between lectures and hands-on skill development. The accelerator will expand CGCC’s aviation programs, building on existing offerings such as Aircraft Maintenance Technology—providing affordable degree and certificate pathways in airframe, powerplant, and comprehensive maintenance—and Airway Science Technology. Flexible, accelerated training opportunities will support rapid upskilling and workforce entry in emerging aviation fields.

It is noted that in November 2024 the Maricopa County Community College District and GateWay Community College (GWCC), in partnership with Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), launched the first-of-its-kind, semiconductor-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator—slated to welcome students and industry in 2027.

Housed at GWCC’s Central City campus, the state-of-the-art fab lab facility marked the newest Future48 Workforce Accelerator planned for the state. MCCCD received $5 million from the governor’s office to provide critical wraparound services for working students. The Arizona Commerce Authority contributed an additional $15 million for infrastructure, equipment, and curriculum development. Industry leaders Intel, TSMC, and NXP partnered in the facility’s design and training focus.

The Future48 Workforce Accelerators are supported by a $30 million investment from the ACA to build six new advanced manufacturing training facilities across the state in partnership with local community colleges.

Categories : CTEC, CURRICULUM, Grants
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Topics