Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 24

COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERS WITH COTTONWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO SPONSOR THE VERDE VALLEY JOB FAIR AT THE VERDE VALLEY FAIRGROUNDS (800 E. CHERRY ST.) ON WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4 FROM 3:30 TO 6 P.M.

By R. Oliphant
Tuesday, September 26th, 2023

Attendees can learn the latest information about careers and apply for full and part-time jobs

In a Yavapai Community College press release written by Tim Diesch it was announced that the College and the Regional Economic Development Center are partnering with the Greater Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations to sponsor the Verde Valley Job Fair at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds (800 E. Cherry St.) on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

According to the release, attendees can learn the latest information about careers; apply for part-time, full-time, temporary, and seasonal jobs; and meet with representatives from business, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.

Following below is a portion of the press release.  You can read the entire press release at https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2023/09/jobfair.html.

There are currently more than 20 businesses that will be providing information about themselves as employers.

Veterans, individuals 55 and older, and job seekers with disabilities may take advantage of early admission at 3 p.m. Professional attire for all attendees is strongly recommended.

Need help preparing for the job fair? Resume review and interview tips are available at ARIZONA@WORK. Veterans who need assistance may call U.S. VETS at 928-200-5631.

The Verde Valley Job Fair is coordinated by the Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center, the City of Cottonwood, the Greater Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, ARIZONA@WORK Yavapai County, NACOG, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Categories : Regional Economic Development Ctr

APARTMENT SCHEME DESIGNED BY PRESCOTT COLLEGE EXECS TO OFFER HOUSING TO VERDE CAMPUS/SEDONA CENTER FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN NEW COTTONWOOD APARTMENT COMPLEX WITHOUT SUBSIDY TWO MILES FROM VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS (ABOUT 15 MILES FROM SEDONA CENTER) A TOTAL DUD FOR FIRST SEMESTER

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, September 24th, 2023

Governing Board is told that no student, faculty member, firefighter, police officer, or medical person  signed up for fall semester apartment or single bedroom; College will end project unless there are sign-ups for winter semester; high price, timing are blamed for initial failure

The Yavapai Community College Prescott-based executive team, in collaboration with Fain Signature Group, a Prescott Valley housing developer, kicked off in June a project apparently aimed at providing Verde Valley/Sedona Center faculty and students with housing options at little cost to the College.  It had Governing Board approval and is part of a workforce project being pushed by the College. The project centered on an apartment complex being constructed by the Fain Signature Group in Cottonwood, Arizona about two miles from the Verde Valley Campus and about 15 miles from the Sedona Center.

This venture involved the College leasing 10 apartments in the complex from the developer.  Then, renting the leased apartments back to students, or leasing bedrooms of each apartment to different students at the builder’s rates.  A two bedroom apartment rents for $1,900 a month; a three bedroom for $2,100 a month. (Note chart below.)

It came as a surprise to many, including the Blog, that the College was not subsidizing  any of these units for students or faculty members.

The College initiated its efforts to rent these apartments to Verde Valley/Sedona faculty in early June, and then in later June to students.  It was hoping to cater primarily to students and faculty. Unfortunately, the response was less enthusiastic than expected. In an attempt to broaden their target audience, the College then extended the scheme to include local firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel, with the idea that they would share the apartments with students or faculty members.

Despite the initial interest shown by a handful of individuals, none have committed to the idea thus far. This includes students, faculty members, local firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel. It’s clear that there are significant hurdles to overcome in making this concept a reality.

The College plans to intensify its  marketing efforts in the coming months. If there is little success by January 2024, the College intends to abandon the plan.

One key obstacle faced by potential tenants is the high cost associated with these apartments. The rental rates are notably steep for students and working class individuals. Another obstacle is that the apartmens cannot be leased out as B&B’s if they do not rent.  Or are vacant for several months.

The following is the schedule of costs of the apartments just published by the College may be a little confusing:

YOU MAY VIEW THE VIDEO OF DR. CLINT EWELL’S REPORT TO THE GOVERNING BOARD ABOUT THIS PROJECT ON SEPTEMBER 19 BY CLICKING HERE.  AUDIO ON VIDEO OF POOR QUALITY AS COLLEGE TECHS FORGOT TO MOOT CERTAIN MIKES.

Categories : Housing

GOVERNING BOARD MEETS IN SECRET EXECUTIVE SESSION TO SET GOALS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT BUT REFUSES TO INFORM COUNTY RESIDENTS OF THOSE GOALS FOLLOWING SECRET MEETING

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, September 23rd, 2023

Only information provided County residents after Tuesday’s meeting  was a Board motion stating that it “accepts the goals” it set during the secret meeting

Robert Oliphant, Editor

EDITORIAL:  In the shadows of secrecy, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board met on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, with a significant agenda item—establishing goals for Dr. Rhine in the upcoming academic year. The veil of confidentiality shrouding the meeting would be comical except for its importance to County residents.

Following the closed-door secret executive session, a motion was passed, stating, “We accept the goals that we all set for Dr. Rhine and look forward to a prosperous 2023-2024.” A harmless  statement  concealing a disquieting truth  about what was actually decided..

It is of concern that there was a total absence of any prior discussion about setting goals in the public domain. It is as if the residents of Yavapai County have been left in the dark, their curiosity about the health of the College and the goals set for the College’s chief executive is being met by the Governing Board with a resounding silence. The secrecy that surrounds these objectives denies County taxpayers any insight into the very essence of their Community College’s aspirations for the coming year.

The consequences of this secrecy extend beyond mere curiosity. It fundamentally undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that should be the bedrock of any publicly funded educational institution. Without knowledge of the goals established, residents are rendered impotent in their ability to assess the achievements and progress of Dr. Rhine as the College’s president.

In essence, the result of the Governing Board’s secrecy erases any semblance of public accountability. The very residents who support Yavapai Community College with their hard-earned tax dollars are denied the right to participate in the essential process of evaluating their College’s leadership.

Moreover, the lack of transparency has a domino effect. It renders residents incapable of determining whether the Governing Board itself is effectively executing its duty of setting goals and providing effective direction for the College. The College, which is funded to the tune of over a hundred million dollars a year by taxpayers, deserves an open and participatory governance process that safeguards the public interest.

Hiding these goals behind closed doors not only robs residents of their rightful involvement but also obscures the path Yavapai Community College is intending to take over the coming year. What were these goals, and how do they reflect the aspirations of the diverse communities in the County? These questions remain unanswered, lingering in the shadows, casting a pall over the institution’s integrity.

It is imperative that the Community College  uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and public engagement. The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board must recognize its responsibility to the residents it serves, for it is they who entrust it with their resources and their aspirations.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S LIFELONG LEARNING COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM CANCELS SEVEN OF 14 CLASSES ON VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS/SEDONA CENTER SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, September 23rd, 2023

Blog presumes cancellation due to low enrollment but College is being asked for more information; three classes full

Yavapai Community College’s Sedona Center/Verde Valley campus offered 14  community education classes through its Division of Lifelong Learning to begin in September.   According to the information posted on the Community Education website, a total of seven (50%) of the classes were cancelled that were to begin on September 25, 26, or 27 at either the Verde Valley Campus or the Sedona Center.

The blog presumes that the classes were canceled due to insufficient enrollment. It has requested further details from the Community College regarding these cancellations, but as of now, no response has been received.

The following classes offered as a part of the Community Education program on the Verde Valley Campus and at the Sedona Center are listed as having  been canceled:

Broadway Musical Theatre Dance

 Intermediate Conversational Spanish

 Jazz Funk at the Sedona Performing Arts Center Studio (Sedona)

Patents & Copyrights Made Easy

Power Barre Fitness (Sedona)

Power Barre Fitness (Sedona)  (to start a day later than the other)

Watercolor Pencils

Categories : Lifelong learning

ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND FEATURED ONE EVENT ON THE VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS AND ELEVEN EVENTS ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 22nd, 2023

Single event on Verde Valley Campus was a luncheon of alumni who worked at Verde Valley Campus

Yavapai Community College’s third annual Alumni Reunion was held from Thursday, September 21 to Sunday September 24.  According to the events planned for the reunion, as announced by the Community College, one event was scheduled on the Verde Valley Campus while eleven events were scheduled on the Prescott Campus.

The event on the Verde Valley Campus was a luncheon for former staff, which was held on Friday, September 22, 2023.

The events on the Prescott campus covering Thursday thru Sunday included the following;

  • YC Alumni Small Business Summit in Partnership with SBDC

  • Are YOU a RAD Alum mixer

  • YC Staff Alumni lunch

  • Athletics Alumni Mixer

  • Athletics Volleyball Game

  • Phi Theta Kappa Fun Run

  • Come celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month at YC!

  • Learn why NOW is the perfect time to join the trucking industry.

  • Hall of Fame Athletics Brunch

  • Soccer Games Men’s and Women’s

  • Prescott Film Festival

Categories : Alumni

CLARKDALE ARTISTS EXHIBITION ON VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 22nd, 2023

September 28 – October 26, Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Gallery

Yavapai Community College will hold a “Clarkdale Artists Exhibition” on the Verde Valley Campus from September 28 to October 26 at the Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Gallery. 

The opening reception is Thursday, September 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The Gallery is open three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Categories : Verde campus events

COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVES APPROVAL FOR SECOND BACCALAUREATE DEGREE FROM HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, September 17th, 2023

Final approval pending from IAC, which is a medical professional accreditation organization. Dr. Rhine announces she will hold press conference Monday, October 16, outside Building 1 on Prescott Campus to reveal exactly what the degree is about

Dr. Lisa Rhine announced to the Yavapai Community College faculty on Thursday, September 15 that the College has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer its second baccalaureate degree.  Full approval is pending before the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). The IAC is a nonprofit, nationally recognized accrediting organization.

The IAC was founded by medical professionals to advance appropriate utilization, standardization and quality of diagnostic imaging, interventional and therapeutic procedures. The IAC programs for accreditation are dedicated to quality improvement and patient safety and all support one common company mission: Improving health care through accreditation®. Since its inception in 1991, the IAC has granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites.

Dr. Rhine also announced that she would hold a press conference outside Building 1 on the Prescott Campus Monday,  October 16 “to reveal what it is,” referring to the new baccalaureate degree.  She did not provide a time for the conference. 

Categories : Nursing

BOARD CHAIR DEB MCCASLAND AND PROFESSOR JERALD MONAHAN RECOGNIZED BY ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEES IN PACIFIC REGION FOR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, September 16th, 2023

Second consecutive year McCasland has been recognized nationally; Monahan described as a “dedicated educator and former law enforcement officer with a passion for empowering others”

In a press release issued by Yavapai Community College on September 15 it was announced that District Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland and Professor Jerald Monahan were regional winners and national finalists for the Association of Community College Trustees awards. Last year, McCasland received the American Association of Community Colleges’ Trustee of the Year award.

The American Association of Community College Trustees is a nonprofit business involved with advocacy efforts aimed at federal government. It also provides Yavapai Community College for a charge its educational services, including annual conventions and seminars, instructional publications, and other board services.  The College has hired it in a number of capacities over the years.

You may read the press release from Yavapai Community College written by JJ McCormack that contains additional information about the recognition by clicking here.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

DEVELOPER ANNOUNCES A SMALL PORTION OF APARTMENTS IN COTTONWOOD ON 89A OPENED FOR OCCUPANCY SEPTEMBER 8

By R. Oliphant
Friday, September 15th, 2023

Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine says the ten apartments to be subsidized in part by the College in this complex provide another housing option for employees and students who work at or wish to attend the College’s Verde Valley Campus or Sedona Center

Last week the Prescott Valley based Fain Signature Group announced on its website that it had completed 44 new apartments in the apartment complex off 89A in Cottonwood.  Residents began moving in on Friday, September 8th. Its goal is to complete the complex with a total of 192 apartments sometime this year, if possible.

Readers may recall that on June 8, 2023, Yavapai Community College announced it had partnered with the Fain Signature Group to rent ten apartments for Verde Valley Campus/Sedona Center students and employees at the Cottonwood complex.  At the time, the College released no other details regarding the number of apartments it anticipated leasing or any estimate of the amount of subsidy it would provide for those who leased them.

Readers may also recall that in an interview with Verde Independent reporter Vyto Starinskas published June 11,  2023, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services  Clint Ewell provided the following information:    The Community College will rent 10 units, five 2-bedroom and five 3-bedroom apartments.  “We plan to sublet these apartments to our employees, and will offer them to YC students if there is not enough employee demand.”

In the Fain Signature Group’s September 8 website announcement, Yavapai Community College president Lisa Rhine is quoted as saying:  “The housing availability and affordability situation in our county has reached a point where Yavapai College is losing valuable faculty, staff, and prospective students. YC will continue to identify and invest in solutions for this issue. We are thankful for the Fain Signature Group’s vision and willingness to partner with the College to create solutions.  The Inspiration Apartments in Cottonwood will provide another housing option for employees and students who work at or wish to attend the College’s Verde Valley Campus or Sedona Center.”

The Community College has not released any additional information regarding the subsidy for these apartments, the number of units currently available to them from the 44, or the volume of applications from students and employees for the newly available accommodations. 

There is a pressing need for greater transparency on the part of Yavapai Community College. County residents deserve a more inclusive and informative process, particularly for a publicly funded institution of this magnitude.

You may visit the Developer’s website announcing the availability of the apartments and containing additional information about them by clicking here.

Categories : Housing

AFTER ALMOST FOUR MONTHS WITHOUT A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHEDULES A SESSION FOR SEPTEMBER 19 AT THE ROCK HOUSE ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, September 14th, 2023

Study session to run from 1:00 p.m. for over an hour. There are 15 minutes set aside for a business meeting. A 90 minute secrete executive will then be held to establish goals for President Rhine in the coming year. Board rejects modern technology and will not live stream meeting

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board is scheduled to meet on September 19 at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. The first part of the agenda called a “work session” is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. According to the announced agenda, about 15 minutes have been set aside for a “business meeting” later is the session. That will be followed by a secret executive meeting that may run for an hour and a half (See agenda). The purpose of the executive meeting is to set goals for President Dr. Lisa Rhine for the coming year.

About ten minutes have been set aside at the beginning of the meeting for input on any subject by members of the public. A citizen wishing to address the Board is normally asked to complete a “Request to Speak” form, and give it to the Recording Secretary. The speaker should be prepared to limit his or her remarks to the designated time (from one to three minutes although typically three minutes). 

Under Arizona law, a citizen has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape all of these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the Call to the Public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

You may access the minimalistic agenda that appeared on the Governing  Board’s Saturday morning September 16 website  by clicking here.  https://www.yc.edu/v6/district-governing-board/sub/2023/09/09-19-2023-meeting-summary.pdf.

The less than opaque process regarding distribution of information to the community by the Governing Board is disturbing. Few know much at all about the operational decisions involving its two campuses and four centers in the County. This presents a significant challenge for rural residents throughout the County interested in the health of the College.

One example of the opaque process is how the agenda is handled. The agenda provided prior to the handful of yearly Board meetings leaves community members with scant opportunity to familiarize themselves with items touched because of the intentionally sparse descriptions of agenda items. This lack of detail creates a formidable hurdle, if not an insurmountable one, in evaluating whether a particular agenda item justifies the significant sacrifice of a 100 to 200-mile round trip and a day off from work to attend the meeting in person.

Another example of the opaque process is the Governing Board’s rejection of of modern technology.  Despite having all the equipment and personnel needed, it refuses to live-stream its infrequent sessions exacerbates the problem about a resident of the County gaining meaningful information. County residents are left without real-time updates and information about the affairs of a $100 million dollar government educational institution funded by their property taxes.

A third example of the satisfaction the Board has with the out-of-date opaque process is its refusal to require those using PowerPoint slides during a meeting to provide them so they can be posted on the Board website either prior to or after their use during a meeting.  

There is a pressing need for greater transparency and accessibility in the District Governing Board’s proceedings. Rural residents and taxpayers deserve a more inclusive and informative process, particularly for a publicly funded institution of this magnitude. Or maybe, there’s a pressing need for new Board members who actually care about providing their constituents with actual information.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD, Meeting Notice
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