Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 73

TWENTY-THREE PAGE REPORT ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES DELIVERED IN THE SHADOW OF A HALF CENTURY OF AGGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT ON WEST SIDE OF COUNTY

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, March 13th, 2021

Representative Chevalier calls into question whether County communities really have equitable access to Community College social and cultural opportunities given the details in the report; Chair McCasland points out Prescott was selected 50 years ago as College site; also says there are opportunities for everyone to come to Prescott to participate in cultural activities and there have been some cultural activities in the Verde Valley

As a part of its report to the Yavapai Community College Governing Board at Tuesday’s meeting, the Yavapai Community College administration delivered a detailed, comprehensive 23-page report on its commitment to provide “access to social and cultural opportunities”  in the County.  This is one of three major goals adopted by Yavapai  Community College Administration and its Governing Board.

Third District Community College representative Paul Chevalier took the position that the College was not providing equitable access to social and cultural opportunities throughout  the County.  In particular, he argued that for a variety of reasons the east side of the County fails to  receive “equitable” access to these activities.  He provided a list of obvious differences as evidence of his view.

Chair Deb McCasland acknowledged the differences between the two sides of the County but said that history and open opportunities for persons on the east side to visit west side activities support concluding there is sufficient County-wide adequate access to cultural events as provided by the College.

Following presentation of the written report, Mr. Chevalier began to suggest an amendment to what is called the Governing Board’s  “ends” statement that was used by the Board to evaluate  the “access to cultural activities” report.  However, he was ruled out-of-order. He  promised to revisit the issue in June when the Governing Board reviews it policies and procedures.

In his written response to the report, Mr. Chevalier stated the following:

“Chevalier: Amend to clarify what we agree should be included here and discuss equity. If I am reading the report correctly, there is continuing inequity by the college between the West and East side of Mingus Mountain. It appears from this report that 176 college performance arts events were scheduled on the west side (mostly in Prescott) with 135 actually occurring but only six such events scheduled on the East side with only four occurring. That is inequality. In addition, all four current college athletic teams are located on the West side, with three more athletic teams being added by the college and all will be located in the West side (Prescott again). These teams are not filled with West side residents. The team athletes (63 or 68 currently) do not come from Yavapai County therefore they could just as well been placed in teams on the East side as the West side and housing could be found or created.

The East side has about 1/3 of the county population, pays about 1/3 of the college taxes but has never gotten anything close to a 1/3 share of social and cultural activities from the college. This is unfair.”

Board Chairperson Deb  McCasland’s written response to the report was short.  She stated: “An outstanding variety of opportunities for enrichment.”

Representative Ray Sigafoos wrote: “A broad range of cultural activities are part of the heritage of Yavapai College. The College continued that tradition under very difficult conditions last year. The staff and faculty involved in these endeavors deserve our hearty congratulations. This End is an appropriate allocation of our resources.”

The Governing Board’s newest member, Mr. Chris  Kuknyo wrote: “COVID has had an effect on this.”

The final vote on the report was 4-1 with only Mr. Chevalier dissenting. 

The discussion on this topic at the March 9 meeting can be viewed in full on the video clip below.  The entire Governing Board meeting can be viewed at the Community College’s District Governing Board web site.

 

Categories : ADMINISTRATION, Politics

TOWN OF CAMP VERDE HAS GOAL OF HAVING A BRICK AND MORTAR HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITY IN NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 12th, 2021

Camp Verde Town Council Member Cris McPhail

Town  liaison to Community College Cris McPhail tells Governing Board that Camp Verde’s people are hungry for higher education and that the Town can offer land, buildings, students and had a possible $1 million dollar Community College donor

The Town of Camp Verde’s liaison to Yavapai Community College, Town Councilmember Cris McPahil,  urged the Governing Board and administration to  “not be left behind” in developing the Camp Verde area.  “Camp Verde is on the cusp of growth and innovation,” she said.  She noted the absence of any Community College facilities in the town of Camp Verde and observed that the College market for students in the Prescott area has been  saturated. 

She urged the Community College to view Camp Verde as the College’s next client base.  She said that with a typical income in Camp Verde of around $45,000, students cannot afford to drive to the Prescott Campus or to Northern Arizona University, which is located in Flagstaff.  Moreover,  it takes at least an hour to drive to either location.

She said that “our people are hungry for education” and Camp Verde is “low hanging fruit” for the Community College.  The town “can offer whatever” the College needs, “to make it happen,” she said.  “We have land, buildings, and students.  We had a donor who was willing to put in $1 million dollars,” she also said.

In her view,  Camp Verde’s location was ideal for a number of reasons including its  vineyards, “agriculture and an equestrian arena for your student athletes.” Moreover, Camp Verde is “on the cusp of growth and innovation.”

Finally, she told the Governing Board that   “[i]t is the town goal to have a brick and mortar higher education facility within five to ten years.”  Currently, there is a collaborative program with the ASU planning department and it is  developing a business internship program with NAU.  “Don’t be left behind,” said Ms. McPhail.

The Blog notes that there was a small Community College leased facility in the town of Camp Verde until about 2010.  At that time, without any public outcry from Camp Verde residents, the College  withdrew from its Camp Verde leased facility. In an interview with the Blog about the reason for the closing, the Blog recalls the reason given was lack of student enrollment.

The Blog also notes that the Community College has partnered with Camp Verde High School in a small culinary program.  However, Sedona became the center for the Community College’s culinary training program in the County.  

You may listen to Ms. McPhail’s speech to the Governing Board made at the March 9 Governing Board meeting below.

Categories : Politics

VERDE INDEPENDENT ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS NEW BREWERY TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, March 7th, 2021

Yavapai Community College to offer craft-beer production certificate  on Verde Campus in the fall

A story by reporter Vyto Starinskas in the March 7, 2021 Verde Independent highlighted the new Brewery Technology Certificate offered the  fall of 2021 by Yavapai Community College.  A certificate in Brewery Technology can be obtained by successfully completing  four eight-week courses  worth 16 credits. (See academic sequence below.) 

In the article by Mr. Starinskas, Michael Pierce told the reporter that he had been working with the head brewer and owner of “That Brewery” in Cottonwood to develop the new program. 

The Community College is setting up an industry-standard pilot-brewery similar to those used by breweries to make small batches of beer for experimentation.  Pierce was quoted as saying “we won’t be doing a tap” as the focus is on training students who are employable.

According to the interview, the students will have the small pilot-brewery, a series of fermenters, a brew station, and some smaller brew kettles to make beer on their own. 

The Community College does not intend to grow hops or other crops on its vacant 80 acres of land on the Campus.  Rather, it will purchase hops in Camp Verde.  Pierce believes that the craft-beer program will be  popular.

Sources:  Yavapai Community College Fall 2021 course offerings; Vyto Starinskas, March 7, 2021 Verde Independent, p. 5.

Categories : Career and Technical Education

SHOULD THE VERDE VALLEY HAVE A STRONGER VOICE IN YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE?

By R. Oliphant
Friday, March 5th, 2021

Verde Campus Dean one of  nine units who report to Vice President; not included among those in President’s Executive Leadership Team     

Bob Oliphant:  Editorial Opinion

OPINION:   By all accounts, Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine is doing a great job. For the first time since 2000-2004, it appears  legitimate efforts are being  initiated by her to begin the challenging task of bringing significantly increased  community college educational development to the 75,000 plus residents living on the east side of Yavapai County. That is great news.

However,  one hopes that the new President will consider making some significant changes in  the current reporting/operating  Community College administrative structure  that will provide the Verde Valley Campus Dean with  a much stronger  voice in the development and direction of the Verde Campus and Sedona Center. Here is why.

First, there is a strong belief, if not a perception, that  the Verde Valley has been under almost total control of  the Community College executives and a west side majority on the Governing Board for over fifty years.  Verde residents are quick to point out that the result of this overarching control has been extensive, multi-million investments and development on the west side of the County by the Community College.  Today, the facilities on the Prescott Campus are comparable, if not  better, than  any small college in the nation.

Second, when east County residents look with envy at  the facilities and programs crammed on the west side of the County, they lament how their taxes have being spent.  They see   their taxes  as having been  funneled for decades to the west side of the County by the College  to build and provide ongoing support for multi-million dollar projects found only on the west side. They include the huge Performing Arts Center, a large gymnasium,  indoor swimming pool, child care training center, two residence halls, heated wading pool for seniors, a soccer training field, and a  splendid new tennis complex.

Furthermore, they see that only on the west side of the County has the Community College focused on programs such as music, theatre, and athletics. For example, the Prescott Campus boasts a baseball team, volleyball team, softball  team, two soccer teams and soon two basketball teams. Those teams play all their games and matches on the west side of the County.  Furthermore, there is a burgeoning music program and an expanding theatre arts program. It just doesn’t seem fair to the east side residents that they should be so obviously left out of this development.

Third, from the perspective of many in the Verde Valley, the directive from the State Legislature that members of the Governing Board represent “all” of the citizens in Yavapai College has fallen far short of the mark.  Repeatedly, decisions about how east County residents  property  taxes are spent are controlled by a west side majority.  The result are decisions establishing facilities and programs that minimally benefit the east side while the west side enjoy the fruits of those east County taxes.

Fourth, given the fifty years of what some see as outright economic and educational development discrimination against the Verde Valley by the Community College and it Governing Board,  the path to serious development on the east side of the County is  extremely challenging, at best.  The residents of the east side of the County  are decades behind the west side in terms of Community College development. That gap will take years to overcome.

Fifth, east County residents believe that only with a persistent and  extremely strong voice within the Community College’s structure coming from the east side of the County will development that has begun will continue to be aggressively pursued into the future.  Therefore, at a minimum,  the need to have the Verde Campus/Sedona Center at the forefront to the College’s administrative reporting structure.

Finally, to remove at least the perception of continued total control by Prescott over  the Verde Campus and Sedona Center, one hopes the new  President will  consider the following:  (1) Move the Verde Campus and Sedona Center Dean into her  Executive Leadership Team.  (2) Move the reporting line of the Verde Campus and Sedona Dean to the same level as all Vice Presidents who report directly to the President.   (3)  Create a position of Career and Technical Education Director for the Verde Valley and use this position to replace Dean John Morgan, whose Community College hands appear more than full with a host of CTE projects on the west side of the County.

These structural administrative changes would be a welcome improvement that is needed in  the long struggle ahead on  the east side of the County to make up for decades of overlooking the residents and their need for Community College educational development. Even greater opportunity for the future would occur if the current outstanding President were elevated to chancellor status and the east and west sides of the County would each be operated as Administrative Colleges.  However,  until that happens, at least a change in the current administrative reporting structure would certainly be welcomed.

Robert Oliphant

The Blog welcomes a response to its opinion columns from any current administrator, current faculty member, or current Governing Board member  of Yavapai Community College. 

Categories : OPINIONS

LONGTIME STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES TRIO COORDINATOR LINDA EVANS RETIRING MARCH 3

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

Worked with thousands of students on Verde Campus since  1997 when she became the first Verde Valley Campus  TRIO advisor

Linda Evans, longtime Student Support Services TRIO Coordinator for the Yavapai Community College  Verde Valley Campus, announced her retirement  effective March 3.  Evans  is credited with helping thousands of students to successfully matriculate Yavapai Community College since the beginning of the TRIO program  on the Verde Campus in 1997.

In an interview with reporter  J.J. McCormack, Evans said that her leaving was  a bitter-sweet departure from the “addictive quality of higher education.” It  has been like working in a butterfly aviary, she told McCormack: “You’re working with all these men and women who are becoming – they’re growing and changing. It’s a neat thing to be able to watch.”

She also said that “I fell in love with the [TRIO advising] position. It involved tutoring, mentoring and working with students in a little more personal way.” Because  TRIO advisors have a lighter advising load, it enables  them to “delve a little deeper” into each student’s preferences and needs. “Some people are told all their lives that they can’t do math. Our college shows them that they can. Not only that, but that they can do it well.”

The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs.

Most recently, August 2020, Yavapai Community College received  a U.S. Department of Education TRIO grant in the amount of $2,417,615.00. The  five-year award allowed the College to continue with  the  TRIO Student Support Services Program, which supports more than 300 students annually.   

To read Yavapai Community College reporter J.J. McCormack’s great story about Ms. Evans, please go to https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2021/02/linda-evans.html . Or, click here.

Categories : Faculty, Grants

ANDRE LUCIANO NEW HEAD COACH OF THE MEN’S SOCCER PROGRAM; UNTIL 2018 SPENT 18 YEARS AS NAU WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, February 28th, 2021

Alumnus of Yavapai Community College, class of 1991

Yavapai Community College has announced the hiring of  Andre Luciano as the  new head coach of the men’s soccer program.

Coach Luciano (Photo NAUathletics.com)

Mr. Luciano is an alumnus of the 1991 class at Yavapai Community College. He was an athlete on the Men’s Soccer team from 1989 – 91 and was a member of N-J-C-A-A National Championship team of 1990 being named I-S-A-A / Adidas Goalkeeper of the Year and the N-J-C-A-A Tournament Most Valuable Goalkeeper.  After Yavapai Community College, Mr. Luciano attended Indiana University where he earned the distinction as one of the top goalkeepers in the country. He is credited with leading his team to two Big Ten titles and two trips to the N-J-C-A-A National Tournament.

After graduating from Indiana University, Mr.  Luciano spent two seasons as an assistant for the University of Arizona soccer program. He has also worked with Washington, Arizona and Nevada Olympic Development Programs (ODP), and was an assistant coach for the Utah State women’s program in 1998.

In 2018 Mr. Luciano resigned from Northern Arizona University where he had been the soccer coach for eighteen seasons.  Mr. Lucian speaks seven languages. He calls his  U.S. hometown  Las Vegas, Nevada although he will quickly tell you that his  actual hometown is São Paulo, Brazil.

In an interview regarding the appointment to Yavapai Community College,  Mr. Luciano said that  “[i]t has been a dream of mine for 30 years to return to a place that I have called home and spoken so fondly of throughout my career as a player and coach. I owe [former Yavapai College Men’s Soccer Head Coach] Mike Pantalione an incredible amount of gratitude for believing in me as a 19-year-old from Las Vegas and changing my life by creating a program that has been synonymous with success in the classroom and on the field. I also would like to thank Athletic Director Brad Clifford for entrusting me with the responsibility of not only being the coach but a mentor for the young men that wear the uniform for Yavapai College Soccer.”

The first game for the Community College soccer team in the Covid-19 delayed season  will be Thursday, April 1 against the College of Southern Nevada.

Sources: University of Northern Arizona; February 11 article by staff of signals.  You may read the signals article online by clicking here. https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/yavapai-college-alumni-andre-luciano-named-new-mens-soccer-coach/#:~:text=Yavapai%20College%20Athletics%20is%20pleased,of%20the%20men’s%20soccer%20program.
Categories : Athletics, Soccer team

MIKE PANTALIONE RETIRES IN MID-JANUARY AFTER A 32-YEAR CAREER AS HEAD SOCCER COACH AT YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, February 28th, 2021

Nation’s Winningest Soccer Coach with .900 winning percentage and an average of 20 wins a season

Yavapai Community College’s Mike Pantalione retired in mid-January after a 32-year career as head soccer coach at Yavapai Community College.  He started as head soccer coach in 1988.

Mr. Pantalione received his decree from the University of Montana. According to an article in the February 25, 2021 QUADCITIES by Mr. Ray Newton, “prior to that, Pantalione had been coaching and directing soccer programs in England and then the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Kenyon College in Ohio, Jesuit High School in Portland, and Archbishop Wood High School in Philadelphia. In all, he has been active in soccer for 40 years.”

Pantalione is considered an “ icon in the Quad Cities and even more so in the collegiate soccer world,” wrote Mr. Newton.  He also wrote that: “No men’s soccer coach in the nation has a record that even comes close to Pantalione’s .900 winning percentage. He is the only coach in intercollegiate soccer to average more than 20 wins a season.”

“A Hall of Fame recipient, he coached the Roughriders to several National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championships. His team won its first national championship in 1990 – two years after he founded the team. The Roughriders won national championships again in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2009.”

You may read the entire in-depth great article on Mr. Panalione’s life and contributions to soccer locally and nationally in Mr. Newton’s story in the QUADCITES.  You can read the program on line by clicking here or going to  https://www.quadcitiesbusinessnews.com/nations-winningest-soccer-coach-retires/?fbclid=IwAR0yOArsW9H9q-8olKamXY9Hnb2GqRGrshQYisaJTMMQAMxqtMPTL3ydkig.

Categories : Soccer team, Sports in General

PRESCOTT BASED JOHN MORGAN, ‎DEAN OF SCHOOL OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, EXPLAINS FUTURE PLANS FOR VERDE CAMPUS CTE FACILITY

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, February 28th, 2021

Morgan currently oversees programs at 109,00 square foot CTE facility at Prescott airport and has added the  new 10,000 square foot facility under construction on the Verde Campus to his list of responsibilities

Yavapai Community College Dean of Career and Technical Education, John Morgan, gave an interview to News Director, Mr. Philip Catalfamo,  on Yavapai Broadcasting’s “County Wide” Verde Valley television program  a couple weeks ago about the future of the new CTE facility on the Verde Campus.  In  the program, Dean Morgan  briefly outlined the origin of the new CTE facility and extensively explained how the facility will function. 

Dean Morgan has been successfully overseeing CTE  development since about 2007 at  the 109,000 square foot Community College facility located at the Prescott airport.  Rather than provide direct leadership from someone in the Verde Valley to develop the CTE programs there, the Community College has initially chosen  to  add oversight of the 10,000 square foot CTE building that is now being constructed on the Verde Campus to Dean Morgan’s responsibilities.

Morgan said that the Verde Valley has been asking for a CTE facility for years and that with “new leadership” the first steps in bringing CTE to the East side of the County were taken. The programs being installed in the new facility are the result of a Blue Ribbon Verde Valley  panel that made a series of recommendations to the College. It appears the College is responding to most, if not all of those recommendations.

The facility will be ready for occupancy by the fall, 2021. 

There was no mention of the large  CTE program that was planned for the Verde Campus back in 2000 that was begun with great hope but failed miserably.

A small portion of the thirty-minute interview with Dean Morgan appears below.  Go to  https://myradioplace.com/, for the full interview and search for the Yavapai Community College CTE program.

Categories : Career and Technical Education

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE MAY BE ALLOWED TO OFFER SOME 4-YEAR DEGREE PROGRAMS

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, February 25th, 2021

A bill that would allow community colleges to offer some four-year degree programs recently passed in the Arizona House with a 57-3 vote; agreement struck with Arizona Board of Regents not to oppose it

A bill is winding its way through the Arizona Legislature that if finally approved will allow Community Colleges in the State to offer some 4-year degree programs.  It recently passed  in the Arizona House by a 57-3 vote.

This year proponents of the bill, which is sponsored by conservative Republican Representative  Becky Nutt,  met with representatives from the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s public universities.  Compromises were  made on the proposal  so  the Board  of Regents would  stay neutral on the bill, rather than oppose it.

If this bill passes, it is possible that Yavapai Community College  could create four-year programs in areas with high workforce demand such as health care, applied technology and education. It is  estimated that  the cost to convert some of the two-year degree programs would be minimal since faculty and other infrastructure is already in place.

Categories : Politics

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, February 25th, 2021

Dr. Luis Cruz will replace Dr. Rita Cheng who announced in 2020 she would not renew her contract, which will expire in 2022

Dr. Luis Cruz

Northern Arizona University has selected Dr. Luis Cruz to replace Dr. Rita Cheng as its next president.  Last year Dr. Chen announced she would not renew her contract, which expires in 2022.

Dr. Cruz currently serves as the Vice Chancellor and Provost at The City University of New York. He has  worked for universities in California and Puerto Rico, and served at the Education Trust in Washington D.C. Cruz.  He will be the 17th president of Northern Arizona University.

Categories : Northern Arizona University
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