Finally issued press release on June 29 knowing Blog had asked for accurate information in re her leaving on June 27 and 28 – but does not even have courtesy to send Blog the release

It is puzzling, isn’t it.  Why did Yavapai Community College withhold information from the Blog when it contacted it on June 27 and 28 asking for information confirming the status of Dr. Diane Ryan?  Was there some reason for the  delay?  For trying to hide the resignation?  Umm?

Then, on June 29 the College finally issued a press release. However, it did not have the courtesy to send  a copy to the Blog despite knowing the Blog had specifically asked for information.  What reason or reasons are behind this kind of behavior?  No one knows.

Here are the two emails sent by the Blog to the College asking for information that were not answered:

According to June 29 press release, Dr. Ryan’s resignation  “was a surprise and unexpected decision”

Yavapai Community College in a June 29 press release (not furnished the Blog by the College) says that it will seek a  Provost to replace Dr. Diane Ryan who resigned.  President Dr. Lisa Rhine said Dr. Ryan’s resignation “was a surprise and unexpected decision.”

The press release issued by the College to local press but not to the Blog despite Blog requests for information, in part, reads as follows:

Prescott, Arizona (June 29, 2023) – Yavapai College seeks Provost to lead the Division of Academic Affairs.  The transition is due to the decision by Dr. Diane Ryan to resign.

Dr. Janet Nix, Yavapai College Chief Human Resources Officer, will identify a firm that will conduct the national search, and a timeline of the process will be announced soon. In the interim, each member of the College’s executive leadership team will assume some of the duties and responsibilities of the Academic Affairs Division as the process is being defined and implemented.

“This was a surprise and unexpected decision. I respect Dr. Ryan’s decision to move on. I wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. I also see this as a timely opportunity for the College to continue moving forward in a positive direction as we search for a new leader for academic affairs,” said Dr. Lisa Rhine, President of Yavapai College.

Over the past five years, the Division of Academic Affairs has made significant changes, including expanding the use of Open Educational Resources, which provides free textbooks and resources to students, and launching the college’s first baccalaureate degree in Business.

Why continue blatantly disregarding simple questions from residents and the media so it can maintain a total veil of secrecy over operations?

Editor, Robert Oliphant

Opinion: Yavapai Community College faces significant challenges due to its persistent lack of transparency and willingness to share meaningful information about its operations with the Sedona/Verde Valley residents and the wider Yavapai County community. This behavior, coupled with the District Governing Board’s complicity, is causing a myriad of problems for the institution.

Numerous instances highlight the College’s reluctance to provide essential information. For instance, the former Third District representative, Paul Chevalier, had to resort to Arizona’s public records law to obtain information about a project in his own district. Moreover, the College has outright dismissed inquiries from media outlets and residents, opting to selectively respond to questions when it suits their interests.

The most recent example is the College’s refusal to address a straightforward request from residents regarding the employment status of Vice President Dr. Diane Ryan. Instead of promptly clarifying the situation when residents noticed her absence on the College’s website, the institution chose to ignore the query altogether, leading to confusion and frustration among the community.

This lack of transparency fosters a sense of widespread distrust among residents. Yavapai Community College plays a vital role in providing educational resources and opportunities to Yavapai County, and its failure to be transparent undermines the public’s trust and faith in the institution. By concealing information, the College inadvertently creates a breeding ground for misinformation, as residents seek answers from unreliable sources, leading to a distorted understanding of its activities and decisions.

As a taxpayer-supported institution, Yavapai Community College has a duty to prioritize the interests of its residents. A transparent approach, characterized by open communication and cooperation, is essential in demonstrating the College’s commitment to the community it serves. Residents have a right to be informed about the College’s inner workings, especially when it directly impacts their lives and educational opportunities.

To rebuild trust and foster a positive relationship with Sedona/Verde Valley and County residents, Yavapai Community College must embrace transparency. Addressing residents’ concerns promptly and providing accurate and detailed information will begin to restore faith in the institution’s operations. Transparent communication is not only vital for good governance but also a crucial step towards strengthening the bond between the college and its residents throughout Yavapai County.

The College must recognize that its current lack of openness generates a host of problems that can be detrimental to its own success. By adopting a more transparent and cooperative stance, the College can rectify the situation, dispel misinformation, and put an end to damaging rumors. Genuine engagement and open communication about its operations will enable the college to fulfill its purpose as a valuable educational institution, benefiting both the Sedona/Verde Valley community and the entire County.

Officials refuse to make any comment until June 29 as VP Ryan’s position is suddenly posted as “vacant”; Third District Governing Board Representative also has no comment

It appears that Yavapai Community College has lost one of its most esteemed members of the College’s leadership team, Dr. Diane Ryan. As the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Ryan played a pivotal role in spearheading various initiatives that significantly impacted the institution. Although making no official announcement until June 29, the College posted the following notice on its executive leadership website page (click here to see page.)

The residents of the County are left to wonder whether Dr. Ryan took a new job at another school, was demoted to another position, fired, or simply retired. Speculation and rumor abound as College keeps lid of secrecy over the posting of her position as “vacant” with no explanation.

Ryan, who was the Vice President of Academic Affairs, led the College’s enormously successful endeavor  to introduce and develop the educational resources (OER) textbook program. This innovative program has already saved students thousands of dollars in textbook costs. The positive impact of this initiative will continue to benefit students for years to come

Under Dr. Ryan’s adept guidance, the College also achieved a major milestone with the development and approval of a four-year online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program. This program opens up new opportunities for students seeking to pursue higher education and aligns with the institution’s commitment to meeting evolving educational needs.

In light of Dr. Ryan’s apparent sudden departure as Vice President, the Blog reached out to Yavapai Community College for comment. Unfortunately, the College Public Relations unit declined to provide any information regarding her departure, leaving the circumstances surrounding her exit unclear. The Blog also sought input from Toby Payne, the newly appointed Sedona/Verde Valley Representative on the Yavapai Community College Governing Board, however, he too declined any comment.

Dr. Diane Ryan’s contributions to Yavapai Community College from 2019 when she was hired to 2023 are significant. Her visionary leadership and dedication have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the educational landscape of Yavapai Community College. As the college moves forward, one hopes it will strive to build upon the strong foundation laid by Dr. Ryan and her tireless contributions. 

College says new  Division was created to respond to meet “the shifting needs of industries and to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to become a national leader in workforce and innovation”

Yavapai Community College announced in a June 13 press release that it is creating a new Division of Workforce and Innovation. To head the new division, it hired Dr. Kimberly A. Moore as its Chief Workforce Innovation Officer. Dr. Moore will officially join Yavapai on July 10, 2023.

In its press release, the College said that “the new division will encompass areas of the College that already have a strong presence across Yavapai County, such as the Regional Economic Development Center (REDC) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), with the expectation that operations will expand and additional areas will be added that support the development of a nimble workforce system.”

Dr. Moore is currently the Vice President for Workforce Innovation at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Florida. Before being hired by Tallahassee, Dr. Moore worked as  the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Workforce Plus, a local Tallahassee economic and workforce development board supporting businesses and job seekers alike, becoming the first woman, minority and youngest in Florida to hold this key position.

Dr. Moore has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for her service and commitment to excellence with accolades including: Tallahassee’s Top 26 Women in Business (2007), the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Leadership Pacesetter Award (2009), the Dr. Reginald Rolle Memorial Economic Development Champion of the Year Award (2010), Florida Diversity Council’s 2014 Florida’s Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award, Tallahassee Woman Magazine’s 2016 ‘Women Who Mean Business’ Innovator of the Year Award, 2017 inductee to the Tallahassee Community College’s Hall of Fame, 2019 Economic Innovator of the Year, Florida State University – Omicron Delta Kappa (Honoris Causa) – 2020,  2021 Idahlynn Karre Exemplary Leadership Award, 2021 TCC Eagle Award and 2022 Trailblazer Award.

You may read the entire Yavapai Community College press release announcing  this appointment by clicking here.  

Vice President Clint Ewell comments on moving funds during  June 2, 2023, interview with Sedona Red Rock News; question remains what was meant by the use of  “to other schools”

Due to its strict operational confidentiality policy, determining the exact allocation and utilization of the funds for the 10.6 adjunct positions that were removed from the budget of Yavapai Community College’s Verde Campus in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and purportedly reassigned to “other schools,” has posed significant challenges. However, the Blog has managed to uncover some information thus far.

Dr. Clint Ewell, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, addressed the issue of reduced teaching staff at the Verde Campus during an interview with the Sedona Red Rock News. The newspaper’s front-page article on June 2, 2023, which discussed the increase in property tax rates, featured Dr. Ewell’s explanation.

As a reminder, the Blog initially disclosed in its April 21, 2023, post the perception that a significant reduction of 10.6 teaching staff positions at the Verde Valley Campus was evident in the College’s 2023-2024 budget, based on a public discussion between Dr. Ewell and Community College Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos.

The issue was brought up during the April 11 Governing Board meeting in a discussion between Ewell and Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos. Sigafoos sought clarification regarding a reduction that seemed to be indicated by a chart provided by the College (refer to the chart below). Based on the discussion, many observers came to the consensus that it was reasonable to assume that 10.6 positions had been eliminated at the Verde Campus. (Click here to view that discussion.)

However, in response to the Blog story concerning the reduction, Dr. Lisa Rhine made an effort to address any potential misunderstandings. During the District Governing Board and Tax and Budget hearing on May 16, 2023, she provided a brief statement emphasizing that there had been no reduction in faculty at the Verde Campus. Dr. Rhine clarified that the funds were instead transferred to the budget allocated for the dean or deans. (Click here to see the video clip of Dr. Rhine making this statement.)

In a recent article published on June 2, 2023, in the Sedona Red Rock News, Dr. Ewell provided his explanation regarding the 10.6 adjunct faculty reductions. He is quoted as follows:

“We had budgeted  for some adjunct faculty  in the vice president of academic affairs, which also includes Verde Valley campus administration.  What we decided to do is move some of the adjunct faculty budget out to the different schools within the college, where the assets are actually being used.  When you look at that table and our budget, it looks like vice president of academic affairs, the number of positions went down 10.  But in reality, those 10 positions were simply moved to other schools within academic affairs.” 

Despite the provided explanations, some lingering questions remain. Firstly, it is unclear how many adjunct faculty were teaching on the Verde Campus in 2021 and 2022, and whether that number has decreased. Secondly, when Dr. Ewell mentions moving funds to “other schools,” it is uncertain whether he is referring to schools located specifically on the Verde Campus or elsewhere. Thirdly, upon careful examination of the table that supposedly demonstrates a reduction of 10.6 adjunct positions on the Verde Campus, it also indicates that 9.8 positions were added to the school of business, 2.4 to the school of health and wellness, and 1.3 to instructional support (resulting in a sum of 9.8 + 2.4 + 1.3 = 13.5). Furthermore, the table suggests an overall increase of 21.5 positions across various schools (10.6 + 8.6 + 1.5 + 0.7 + 0.1 = 21.5). However, this would seemingly leave a net reduction of eight positions overall (21.5 – 13.5 = 8). Please refer to the table below, highlighting the schools and Verde Campus in yellow.

Without a public records request and the College’s willingness to respond to it, it seems that residents of the County may never obtain the complete story behind this fund reallocation. The transparency and cooperation of the College are crucial factors in shedding light on the matter, but even then, the full details might not be readily accessible to the public.

Board member Sigafoos indicates her viewed work exemplary; other Board members do not explain their vote

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board met in a secret Executive session on Tuesday, May 23 and discussed two issues.  First, extending the contract of the current president, Dr. Lisa Rhine (Ph.D).  Second, to decide whether to increase her current base pay.

Following the secret meeting, the Board reconvened and announced that it was extending her contract to June 30, 2028.  This is somewhat unusual as these types of employment contracts are normally not extended beyond a three year period.

The Board provided very few details to support its unanimous decision.  Representative Ray Sigafoos, who brought the motion to extend the employment period, praised Dr. Rhine and made it clear he felt her work was exemplary. However, Mr. Sigafoos failed to offer any concrete details that led him to his overall conclusion.

None of the other Governing Board members provided any specific reasons, which they must have had, for voting to extend the contract for five years.  Following a second to the motion to extend the contract brought by Mr. Sigafoos, which then allowed Board discussion, none of the Board spoke up to explain why they thought the long extension was necessary.

The Board voted unanimously to approve the extension.

Please click here to view the short  videotape clip of the voting process followed by the Governing Board.

College says it needs about  $2.5 Million in new Primary County Property Taxes for it 2023-2024 budget and will not invade any of the millions in its cash reserves

The upcoming meeting of the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board on May 16 on the Prescott Campus is expected to result in the approval of a 5% county-wide tax rate increase. With a majority of the five-person Board living on the west side of the County,  the decision seems all but certain.

A further indication of the likelihood of the tax rate being approved is the lack of any serious opposition coming from Board members in previous meetings where the increase was proposed by the administration. Based on this lack of serious opposition, it appears that the Board is in agreement with the need for a tax rate increase to support the College’s initiatives.

Moreover, sparse public attendance at past rate hearings suggest that the public may not be particularly interested in the matter, making it likely that only a handful of taxpayers will appear at the May 16 public tax hearing and  voice opposition to the increase.

At prior meetings, the Community College justification for a tax rate increase has rested on arguments about inflation and the fact that it has not requested an increase in the past four years. The College argues that these justifications support its view that it is making a responsible decision to maintain its funding levels and continue providing quality education to its students.

In addition to the proposed tax rate increase, the Board will be tasked with approving over $18 million in new permanent construction, which is set to exclusively benefit the west side of the County. The largest allocation of funds, around $15.3 million, will be spent over a three-year period to renovate Building 19 on the Prescott Campus. Another portion of the funds, amounting to $3 million or more, will be allocated to build a small faculty village consisting of ten homes just outside Prescott Valley. These proposed projects represent a significant additional investment in the College’s infrastructure on the west side of Yavapai County.

The Administration has also indicated it is reluctant to invade millions of dollars it is holding in its reserve accounts as this may affect future capital construction plans.

Alert sent out by College late Friday afternoon, May 12 advising faculty to be aware of text  scam aimed at them

Yavapai Community College faculty were alerted Friday afternoon, May 12 that they were being sent a texting scam.  Faculty were advised not to open the scam message and if they did, to delete it from their computers.

The College did not explain in any detail the nature of the content of the texting scam sent to Faculty. It did say the scam message purported to be coming from the College leadership.