SEDONA CENTER HOTEL AND RESTAURANT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM PUT ON HOLD FOR THIS ACADEMIC YEAR

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Program will be “revamped” – brochures at Verde Valley Governing Board September meeting described the certificate program and requirements, however, no courses are being offered

There were a number of brochures at the entry table for the September 14 Governing Board meeting at the Verde Valley Campus describing in detail the Hotel and Restaurant Management certificate program at the Sedona Center. Among other matters in the brochure was a list of 11 courses that would lead to a certificate in Hotel and Restaurant management.

Unfortunately, the entire program is on hold. This decision is based on the Community College’s experience with COVID– 19 this past year and the industry. There were no classes offered in fall 2021 and no classes will be offered in spring 2022.

The Community College feels the program needs to be revamped and is looking forward to a new and more up-two-date approach to the Hospitality courses at the Sedona Center in the future.

The Community College has not announced a new date for restarting the program.

You may recall that in December 2017 that the Community College reported that the culinary program opened at the Sedona Center that fall had got off to a strong start. However, because of low enrollment, the hospitality programs offered on the Verde Valley Campus failed to open in the fall of 2017. During questioning by the Sedona Council at a December 2017 meeting, Verde Valley Campus Executive Dean James Perey said that he is meeting with the Yavapai-Apache Nation in December to explore the possibility of using the Nation’s new hotel as a facility to provide real life training in hospitality.

Perey said he has been told by businesses in the area that they are seeking employees who have both culinary and hospitality training. He sees a partnership with the Nation as an answer to the low enrollment in hospitality courses. The hotel offers the possibility of real life clinical training in hospitality management.

The program was moved to the Culinary Institute in 2018 at the Community College’s Sedona Center.  That is where it now resides.  

You may also recall that in 2019 the Community College announced that  the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management would  be available at the Prescott Campus as a second location for the program beginning September 2019.  There is no indication it will be offered  at the Prescott Campus this academic year.

Categories : Hotel Restaurant Management, Sedona Campus

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE OBSERVES NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH SEPTEMBER 15 THROUGH OCTOBER 15

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Hosting a variety of student and community events on Prescott and Verde Valley campuses

Yavapai Community College is observing National Hispanic Heritage month from September 15 through October 15.  The Community College is hosting a variety of activities and events for its students and residents in Yavapai County.

The four-week Hispanic Heritage celebration began on Wednesday, September 15, with a fiesta of Mexican food all day at the Prescott campus rider diner, and a photo booth for celebrity images with friends.

On September 22 and September 23, the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses respectively, hosted outdoor screenings of the animated feature “Coco.”  Pinatas were a part of each movie night, which began at 7 PM.

On September 30, Verde Valley students will host a Hispanic Heritage Month game night. Game night began at 6 p.m. in Building M-Room 137 on the Verde Valley campus.

On Friday, October 1, Yavapai Community College Spanish Professor Dr. Curtis Kleinman will deliver a talk about how to “embrace your inner bilingualism” and sharply improve your language learning ability. Kleinman’s talk is at noon in B-19, Room 147, on the Prescott campus.

Thursday, October 7 is a big HHM celebration day at the both the Verde Valley and Prescott campuses. A salsa dance party, hosted by Latin dance instructor Daniel Garcia, will take place at noon on the Prescott campus courtyard.

Also, on the evening of October 7, both the Prescott and the Verde Valley campuses will present an evening screening of the film, “Tortilla Soup.”

The community college will close out Hispanic Heritage Month on the Prescott Campus with a community celebration Wednesday, October 13, featuring community college President Dr. Lisa Rhine and renowned mask artist Zarco Guerrero sharing his art, his process and his influence: the late Cesar Chavez.

All activities and events are free and open to the public.

Categories : Event

NEW LED LIGHTING BEING INSTALLED AT PRESCOTT CAMPUS AND PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER PARKING LOTS

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, September 19th, 2021

Community College attacks one of the areas of significant costs it incurs, hoping for 80% reduction in energy consumption with brighter lighting

Yavapai Community College is currently upgrading its parking lot lighting with LED lamps at the Prescott Campus and the Prescott Valley Center. According to the College, experts have indicated it should expect to see brighter lighting with  an 80% reduction in energy consumption over the existing metal halide and high-pressure sodium lights.

Lighting is one of the most significant energy  costs incurred by the Community College.

Categories : Prescott Campus, Prescott Valley Campus

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONCERT SERIES AT PRESCOTT VALLEY THEATER ON THE GREEN APPEARS SUCCESSFUL

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, September 19th, 2021

Eight outdoor concerts beginning in May and ending in October at Prescott Valley’s Theater on the Green finds appreciative audience: well attended

Yavapai Community College’s concert  series at the Prescott Valley’s Theatre on the Green that began in May will wrap up  October 3. Eight performances were scheduled.  From every indication, it  appears the series was successful.  Turnouts for the concerts were good and the audiences appreciative.  The concerts  were “generously” sponsored by Findlay Toyota of Prescott and  CASA of Yavapai County.

Those attending  the concerts could bring their  own  lawn chairs or blankets for seating on the Green.  A food truck was  available for concessions, and  members of the audience could bring their own food and  beverage (no alcohol or glass containers).

Porta-johns and hand-washing stations were available. Restrictions including no smoking, no weapons, no pop-up tents, skateboards/ride-on scooters, or pets (trained service animals permitted). Wheelchairs were available for those who need assistance from the parking lot to the green.

Tickets for the concerts were generally $20 for adults, $5 for youths 9-7, and free to children 8 and under.

 

 

Past concerts

Categories : Prescott Valley Campus

PRESCOTT VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER’S REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER SEEKING $9.7 MILLION GRANT FOR FIRST PHASE OF EXPANSION

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 17th, 2021

Richard Hernandez says he anticipates an answer to the grant request in October;  if grant awarded, REDC will receive supplemental support from Community College for possibly  five years after which it expects to be fully self-supporting

The director of the Regional Economic Development Center  (REDC) located at  the Yavapai Community College Prescott Valley Center, met with the District Governing Board on September 8 during the Board’s special Work Session.  During the meeting, Mr. Richard Hernandez outlined the plans for a major expansion of REDC at the Prescott Valley Center.

As he described the plan, the first phase of the expansion would be based on obtaining a $9.7 million dollar grant that the REDC has already applied for.  He anticipates receiving information about the grant decision as early as October of this year.

Mr. Hernandez provided the Governing Board with a video sketch of what the expansion might eventually look like.  A portion of the video shown to the public and the Governing Board appears below with Mr. Hernandez  narrating how various spaces could be utilized. You are encouraged to spend about ten minutes with the video and the potential plans for this exciting project are outlined.

 

Categories : Prescott Valley Campus, Regional Economic Development Ctr

COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD REMAINS MUM AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING PURCHASE OF UNSPECIFIC LAND IN PRESCOTT VALLEY

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 17th, 2021

Tells public after executive session that it confirms the direction provided to the administration (whatever that was) during the meeting

Yavapai Community College met in a secret Executive session on September 7, 2021, to consider the purchase of additional land for the Community College in the town of Prescott Valley.  How much land or the purpose for the purchase were not disclosed.

To meet the legal requirement regarding a statement to the public following an executive session, the Board stated that “we confirm the direction provided to administration in the executive session.”

The public remains completely in the dark about this land deal.  You may view a verbatim transcript of the statement to the public made following the Executive session below provided in the video record of proceedings.

Categories : Prescott Valley Campus

PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER MARQUEE VIDEO BOARD UP AND RUNNING

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 17th, 2021

The new electronic marquee is similar to the one at the Prescott Campus

A new marquee has been installed at the Prescott Valley Center.  The marquee is similar to the one recently installed at the Prescott Campus.

Work on the marquee was completed in September 2021.  It is now fully  operational.

Categories : Prescott Campus

PRESCOTT VALLEY CENTER WILL HAVE NEW INGRESS/EGRESS “DECELERATION LANE”

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 17th, 2021

Partnered with Fain Signature Group to construct new road

Yavapai Community  College has partnered with the Fain Signature Group to construct what is described as a “deceleration lane”  off Glassford Hill Road (southbound) and a shared drive at the south end of the Prescott Valley Center. According to the College, this will create another ingress/egress point at the center, allowing southbound traffic to enter and exit the Prescott Valley Center directly from and to Glassford Hill Road.

 This deceleration lane is scheduled by the Community College to be complete in October 2021 and the shared drive within six months from September 2021.

Categories : Prescott Valley Campus

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS NO INFORMATION IN RE HAMILTON V. YAVAPAI COLLEGE LAWSUIT FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, September 15th, 2021

Federal jury found in favor of Yavapai College and co-defendants June 26 on eight-year old multi-million dollar lawsuit; Judge rejected Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law August 19; appeal possible

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board met in executive session at its September 14 meeting on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale to discuss the multi-million dollar lawsuit brought eight years ago by former Community College Director of Aviation, Dan Hamilton,  against Yavapai Community College, NorthAire, and Guidance Academy. The case was tried  from June 8, 2021 to June 26, 2021  before a federal district court jury.

The jury acquitted  all defendants of allegations  that they engaged in a fraudulent scheme to obtain funding from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”). Plaintiff had   essentially asserted that the  Defendants defrauded the VA by obtaining funding in violation of 38 C.F.R. § 21.4201, otherwise known as Regulation 4201 or the 85/15 Rule.

The Plaintiff brought a motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law following the jury verdict, which was reported dismissed on August 19.  Hamilton v. Yavapai Cmty. Coll. Dist., CV-12-08193-PCT-GMS, (D. Ariz. Aug. 19, 2021). It is surmised that the Executive Session held September 14 was intended to give instructions to the Community College’s defense team should the Plaintiff appeal the jury’s verdict.

The information supplied the public at the meeting about the lawsuit is contained in the below video.

Source:  Motion for Judgment as Matter of Law, filed August 2021, reported August 19, 2021. https://casetext.com/case/hamilton-v-yavapai-cmty-coll-dist-7 

Categories : Lawsuits

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO BRING BACK MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IN 2022

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 10th, 2021

Expansion of high-priced athletic programs on west side of County continues unabated; just completed adding soccer practice field and women’s soccer team; does enamored focus on athletics  ignore major real unmet educational needs in significant areas of the County outside Prescott?

Despite what many would argue are significant unmet community college needs outside the Prescott area, the Yavapai Community College has announced it is returning men’s and women’s basketball to the Prescott Campus with the  first games to be held in November 2022. 
The Community College will have baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s basketball and men’s basketball all based in Prescott. It will also have a softball field, baseball field, two leased soccer fields, a practice soccer field and gymnasium only in the Prescott area. Dormitory facilities to house all of the athletes are located only on the Prescott Campus.

The basketball program was cut back in 2010 when the Community College claimed that state aid was forcing large across-the-board belt tightening. This included major reductions in staff and administrators on the east side of the County – not on the Prescott based west side.

Astonishingly, just two years (December 2012)  after claiming major cutbacks were necessary because of extreme financial considerations, the Community College announced a $103.5 (at one time $119) million rebuild/renovation development program with over 95% going to the Prescott Campus area. More astonishing is the fact it intended to spend that money without a tax increase or a general obligation bond drive. 

Since its announcement back in 2012-13, the Community College has plowed ahead with the millions in development as originally planned back in 2012 with hardly a whimper about a lack of funding.  

Now, with educational needs going unmet in various areas around a County the size  of Rhode Island, the Community College is announcing that men’s and women’s basketball will return in 2022.  These programs bring little if anything to  vast areas of the County because of disinterest, no public transportation to them, and extremely long and dangerous drives to attend them.  They are more accoutrements for the Prescott Campus and citizens on the west side of the  County living in the immediate Prescott area.

The search for hiring coaches for both programs has already begun. It is expected that the  new coaching hires will be formally announced on November 18, 2021  at Yavapai College’s Basketball Celebration at Walraven Gymnasium to kick off the start of the reinstated programs.

Dr. Lisa B. Rhine, President of Yavapai College is quoted as saying:  “Basketball is a popular sport and a great way to bring the community together. After several conversations with both internal and external constituents and with the financial support of a generous donor, we decided to bring basketball back to YC.”

Vice President of Community Relations & Student Development Rodney Jenkins says, “we plan to create an atmosphere that is both fun and family-friendly, making [the Community College]  a great destination for local family fun. Both men’s and women’s basketball are rooted in the history of this institution, and we are all excited to welcome back the game, our alumni, and community to help us grow our programs.”

The donor contribution alluded to by Dr. Rhine  is what some consider a fairly typical approach used by Institutions to start programs and projects that would be extremely unpopular in some quarters.  (Who and how much was donated remains a mystery to the public.) However, after a few months or years, the taxpayers who support the Institutions are left holding the financial bag, so to speak, as donor funds evaporate.  (Take for example, the current approximate $1 million dollar renovation/replacement costs associated with the roof and air conditioning at the Performing Arts Center or the hundreds of thousands, probably millions of dollars since it was first built,  in subsidized funds  paid out by taxpayers  to keep the  Center going.)

Too bad for the rest of Yavapai  County.

Categories : Athletics
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