Yavapai Community College Governing Board allowed nine residents supporting Howard to address it for only one minute each; two speakers in wheelchairs, others weeping, and still others urging reconsideration and possible reconciliation

Around 75 visibly upset citizens and members of the Prescott tennis community packed the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board meeting wall-to-wall at its  April 11 meeting. They were all there to support Mr. Chris Howard, who managed its tennis complex nine years but was fired by the College in March.

Some expressed disdain and shock at the perceived heartlessness of the College’s  decision to fire 68 year-old Chris Howard. Some wept. Still others  asked the College for reconsideration and reconciliation. Two citizen speakers were in wheelchairs.

Mr. Andrew Bogdonov (Photo attributable to Mr. Chris Howard.)

Howard is considered an icon in the Prescott tennis community. He has long list of accomplishments and contributions to tennis that cover at least 40 years. 

Howard is one of several tennis coaches employed by the College to teach tennis. He managed the College’s tennis facility for the past nine years, up to the day he was fired. Prior to 2014, when the new tennis complex was built, he was a leading volunteer who kept the old, run down tennis courts going for the Community College. As an employee in charge of the new tennis complex,  Howard received an outstanding performance award and plaque from the College for his dedication and commitment to the institution and tennis.

Mr. Howard was dismissed from his job as the Community College Tennis manager, adjunct and independent contractor because he allegedly broke  the  policy regarding snow days, which the College calls a “Closed Campus” day. No one is allowed on campus on a snow closed campus day other than authorized personnel. He was not on the list of authorized employees.

Howard says that he was at the tennis courts on a closed snow day to determine whether the courts would be playable the next day.  He had done this hundreds of times before. If he thought the courts could be opened the next day after inspecting them, he would then contact the facilities department and try and persuade them to finish getting the shaded areas of the courts cleaned off so classes could be held the next day.

Because of what most would agree were his efforts to care for the tennis complex and its students, he was fired.  In addition, he received a “no trespass” ticket, which apparently bars him from the Community College tennis courts for a full year.

Neither the Community College leadership nor any members of the Community College Governing Board will provide citizens with an explanation about firing the 68 year old employee. Requests for information from the Community College’s Public Relations department were likewise stonewalled with a statement that the College does not comment on employment related matters.

Many believe the real reason behind his firing was retaliation going back eleven months because of  his opposition to potentially turning a portion of the Community College’s tennis complex into pickleball courts.  According to Mr. Howard, about eleven months ago the college dean had a meeting with him and explained it had been decided the two upper courts on the tennis complex would be changed into pickleball courts. Moreover, Mr. Howard was told that the decision was a “done deal.” 

Howard explained to the Dean that he disagreed with the pickleball idea and passed the information on to the Prescott Area Tennis Association (PATA). PATA  asked for a meeting with the College where its members would be allowed to discuss what was perceived as a poor decision and suggest alternatives to the plan. The PATA meeting request  was denied.

PATA members, apparently frustrated at the roadblock thrown up to simply have their views effectively heard in person by the College,  initiated an email campaign where they expressed their opinions about the pickleball decision while  suggesting several alternatives. The emails arrived on the desk of the College President with copies going to the District Governing Board members.  It is suspected that the strong outpouring of opposition from the Prescott tennis community ruffled the feathers of the College’s executives who were apparently less than open-minded about a member of the staff, Chris Howard, disagreeing with them over  adding pickleball and then informing PATA of the decision.  (It appears that the College prefers to operate without ever informing citizens about decisions like this until after the fact because it fears citizen input and open discussion.) The College then, according to Mr. Howard, began watching him closely, which eventually led to the firing.

In what some view as an effort to minimize the citizen impact at the April 11 Governing Board meeting, only nine of Mr. Howard’s supporters were allowed to speak and each was restricted to addressing the Board for one minute.

Among speakers supporting Mr. Howard were:  Eric Mitchell, the CEO of the United States Tennis Association, Southwest section. Fay Matsumoto, a former 35 year employee of the College. Dr. Paul Sadick, former Head of Surgery for the Veterans Administration and Embry Riddle Professor.  Ms. Elaine Wolff, Ms. Pam Lee, Mr. Bob Florine, plus wheelchair players Ms. Nannette Johnson and Mr. Andrew Bogdanov. Mr. Howard was also given one minute to address the Board and was cut off before he finished his speech.  (Video clip of speeches can be found by clicking here.  Note College audio is at times poor.)

Tennis enthusiast Andrew Bogdanov, who is the 38^th ranked quad wheelchair player in the world and will be representing the United States in May in Portugal, spoke lovingly of his relationship with Howard.  He said that Mr. Howard “gave me the opportunity to be active, healthy, and competitive” and had a “tremendous impact” on his life.   He attributed his current success to Howard. “He doesn’t just teach tennis, he changes lives,” said Bogdanov.  “He teaches for all of us in chairs,” he said.

Bogdanov also explained that there are no other accessible options to play tennis in the Prescott area.  “If you take away Chris being able to teach, you’re taking away our ability to play tennis in wheelchairs here,” he said.

He went on to say that he was not there to “beg” the Board and College to give Mr. Howard his job back.  He asked that Mr. Howard be at least allowed to use the court so “he can teach tennis as an independent contractor instructor.”

You may view the video of the efforts to address the Governing Board by the nine speakers by clicking here. (The Community College’s audio, unfortunately, is poor.)

About 75,000 in County workforce could benefit from more education

According to data gathered and reported to the District Governing Board in November by Tom Hughes, Yavapai Community College Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Yavapai County is “overwhelmingly white,” with a population that is older on average than Arizona and the United States, and not as well educated in terms of attaining a Bachelor’s Degree as Arizona or the United States.

COUNTY OVERWHELMING WHITE

The overwhelming majority (80%) of Yavapai County residents are White, Non-Hispanic with a median age of 55. Hispanics make up the next largest group at 15% with a median age (28) that is 50% younger then the majority race.

COUNTY OLDER THAN  STATE AND NATION

Yavapai County’s share of the population age 65 and older is near twice that of the Arizona and the U.S. as a whole. The over 65 populations are consistent over the three sub-county areas. Less than half of the county’s population is workforce age (25-64). The west subcounty area has the largest proportion of traditional-age college students (18-24).

is “overwhelming white,” older than other counties in Arizona and the United States, and not as well educated in terms of attaining a Bachelor’s Degree as areas in Arizona or the United States.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT 

The environmental scan examined the educational attainment for the workforce population (25-64). Yavapai County’s bachelor’s degree  attainment rate is about 1.5 times lower than the U.S. level and 1.3 times lower than the Arizona level. However, the County’s rate of workers with some college or an associate degree outperforms both state and national percentages.

The College estimates that there are roughly 75,000 Yavapai County  residents who are in the workforce. Most could benefit from additional education.

You may view Tom Hughes short report to the Governing Board on the video below.