Covid not on agenda, rules Board lawyer, who abruptly shuttered the issue after two questions were asked at the end of president’s report; ruling left Board impotent to ask additional questions about Covid decisions and the possible implications of those decisions for the community when classes resume January 19
The question of how Yavapai Community College would handle the current pandemic when it opens on January 19 for regular classes was raised at the January 12 Governing Board meeting by Third District Representative Paul Chevalier. He was allowed two short questions with the issue then being abruptly shuttered by the Board attorney for any further questioning by Board members.
The request for information by Mr. Chevalier came at the end of Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine’s monthly report to the Board. In response to his query, Dr. Rhine said that the plan to reopen was a “modified one.” Dr. Rhine indicated that there would not be face-to-face classes in the performing arts and music programs.
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Diane Ryan, estimated that about ten percent of the entering spring class would be hybrid with some face-to-face interaction. The ten percent included students in Allied Health and Career and Technical Education . However, she estimated the number of students in face-to-face classes at the Career and Technical Education Center would be “lower” than in the fall semester.
After the two questions from Mr. Chevalier, any additional queries from the Board were abruptly cut off by the Governing Board attorney . She said that because the issue of Covid-19 wasn’t on the Board Agenda, nothing more about the pandemic and its impact on students, staff and the community could be publicly discussed.
➡ Because the ruling limiting questions to President Rhine about Covid-19 came up at the end of the Community College’s president’s report and she had not addressed the important issue until asked, there remains a general question about what a Board member may ask the President when she makes her monthly report, if anything, if it has also not been placed on the Board agenda.
You may see a clip of the brief discussion regarding this issue on the video below.