Demonstrated their commitment to high performance and extraordinary service to their students, their college and their communities

Two Yavapai College faculty members and a program analyst were among those honored for excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) conference in May in Austin, Texas.

Recognized, were Nursing Professor Dr. Selina Bliss, Spanish Professor Dr. Curtis Kleinman and Program Analyst Carl Moody. NISOD’s mission is to advance excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at community and technical colleges.

“Every year we wish to recognize individuals from our college for teaching innovation and leadership excellence. This year is no exception. While many do so much for YC, these three individuals have demonstrated their commitment to high performance and extraordinary service to their students, their college and their communities,” said Dr. Ron Liss, YC Vice President of Instruction and Student Development.

Bliss was nominated and earned the NISOD Excellence Award for her stellar contributions in and out of the classroom. Her students praise her passion for teaching, her fairness, organization and preparedness, while her colleagues extoll her generosity with the knowledge and skills she gains working at a local hospital, serving as the president of the Arizona Nurses Association, and organizing and participating in educational events at the college and in the community. Bliss also was applauded for the time she devotes to college initiatives like the Pathways Project, Quality Matters and the YC 50th anniversary committee.

“She puts learners first by improving course design and best practices in online education as evidenced by her earning Quality Matters certification for the online nursing leadership and management course,” stated the NISOD nomination submission for Bliss.

In her nomination submission for Moody, YC Arts and Humanities Dean Dr. Joan Fisher stated, “Carl is passionate about using data and research to help faculty, administrators, and staff streamline processes and give them information to enhance services.”

Moody, a member of the College’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness team of analysts, is credited with developing a number of valuable research tools for the college during his tenure. ”Carl truly cares about his colleagues and YC’s students and is always willing to go above and beyond to share his knowledge, critical insights, and create innovative solutions to problems and challenges,” Moody’s NISOD nomination states.

Kleinman was singled out for the NISOD award for teaching with “robust enthusiasm,” incorporating fun assignments in his classes, designing classes that help dual-enrollment and first-year students succeed in college, and “promoting a love of learning by challenging students and showing them that they can do hard things.”

One of multiple NISOD award nominations submitted by YC faculty on Kleinman’s behalf states, “He produces students who are more resilient, not just in his own classes, but in all of their classes.”

Source:  Yavapai Community College Press release.

Review of structure of faculty committees, faculty workload, faculty handbook also on Senate agenda for coming academic year

Dr. Matt Pearcy, Yavapai Community College Faculty Senate President, reported to the Governing Board at its August 8, 2017 meeting that the faculty has given an examination of  the “shared governance process” at the College its highest priority for 2017-18.  A survey is being developed and will be distributed to the faculty in the not too distant future.

He also said the faculty committee structure is the second priority for the faculty.  In addition, the faculty will review the faculty workload and the faculty handbook. 

Dr. Pearcy’s report to the faculty on the Faculty Senate priorities can be viewed below.

NISOD recognizes Associate Dean of Student Development Diana Dowling; Math Professor David Gorman and English and Humanities Professor Jason Whitesitt

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) recognized Yavapai Community College Associate Dean of Student Development Diana Dowling; Math Professor David Gorman and English and Humanities Professor Jason Whitesitt. The recognition came in May at NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, Texas. The three were nominated by Yavapai College for their their “commitment to high performance and extraordinary service to their students, their college and their communities,” said Dr. Ron Liss,  Vice President of Instruction and Student Development.

For additional information, please click here.

Dr. Joan Fisher obtains doctorate; Sheri Kinney Outstanding Staff Award; Henry Flurry premiers three new compositions; Cara Bryant awarded certificate; Jeri Hamilton serving on State DOE Committee; Dr. Amy Stein, Professor of History and Humanities, appointed to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Institutional Actions Council

The Blog salutes the following faculty for their outstanding recent achievements. The Blog selected these faculty for particular recognition out of the many faculty who are contributing in various outstanding ways to programs and community projects.

English professor Dr. Joan Fisher, has earned her doctorate degree in Instructional Design and Technology from Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Autograders and the Effect on Writing Anxiety in Community College Freshman Composition Students.”

Sheri Kinney, Library Manager for the Verde Valley Campus, won the Outstanding Staff Award at the Verde Valley campus.

Adjunct Music Instructor Henry Flurry, premiered three new compositions this year. Ragtime Dances for Marimba and Orchestra, a marimba concert inspired by ragtime influenced ballroom dances of the 1910’s, was commissioned by the Prescott Chamber Orchestra and premiered in April 2017. Hark! What Celestial Notes, a Christmas work for choir and vibraphone commissioned by Camerata Singers premiered December 2016. The Stray Tom, a duet for marimba and trombone, premiered in April 2017. Henry Flurry received a $5,000 grant by the Arizona Commission on the Arts to fund an orchestral concert of his music.

Dr. Amy Stein, Professor of History and Humanities, was appointed to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Institutional Actions Council (IAC). This council is the “second” stage of the accreditation process.

Cara Bryant, Adjunct Business Faculty, received a certificate of participation for her work with the Arizona Department of Education, Adult Education Division and GED Testing Alternative Pathways to High School Equivalency (HSE) taskforce.

Jeri Hamilton, Professor of Mathematics, is serving on an Arizona Department of Education committee of math educators around the state. The committee is comprised of high school math teachers, curriculum directors as well as community college and university professors. The purpose of the committee is to draft mathematics standards for the fourth year of mathematics courses required for graduation from high schools in Arizona.

Dr. Bliss lists several faculty projects for the coming year with emphasis on shared governance

Faculty representative Dr. Selina Bliss reported on a number of concerns/projects that faculty will focus on over the next year. She made  her report at the District Governing Board meeting May 9.  They included:

• In-depth examination of meaning of faculty governance.
• Faculty workload analysis.
• Focusing on quality of on-line courses.
• Faculty professional development.
• Changes in faculty governance organizational system.
• Adjusting time-line in peer review process.

Dr. Bliss’s three-minute presentation can be viewed below.

CTEC’s No. 1 Fan

Susie Check has been selected to receive the 2017 Yavapai Community College President’s Outstanding Alumna award. The award recognizes her advocacy on behalf of CTEC and its result – student scholarships and student success. Check is an instructional support specialist and a graduate of Yavapai Community College. She has worked at the Community College technical training center since it opened in 2007.

Paul Kirchgraber, Executive  Director of the Community College Foundation, said that Check “has helped the Career and Technical Education division gain prominence as the state’s premier tech education and training program and she has worked tirelessly with the Yavapai College Foundation to secure scholarship support for our students.”

For more information about the award, please click here.  

Susie Check with daughter Nikki Bagley. (YC Press release photo.)

Administration says it will proceed because the added weeks provide “flexibility”

In part 3 of the three-part series on the Blog about Yavapai Faculty concerns with adding two new weeks to the academic calendar, the Administration said it was moving ahead with the concept.  Although the Administration failed to produce any concrete studies showing that adding two weeks would improve academic performance, it was justified on the basis it gave the administration flexibility. The report was made to the Governing Board at its April 18 meeting.

During the discussion, it became clear that the survey revealed underlying problems that exist between the faculty and the Administration. The Administration indicated it would address these concerns in the future. 

A question about how adding the additional two weeks would impact part-time students who are employed outside the College went unanswered.

It may have surprised some that the College had not addressed the issue of whether faculty would receive additional compensation because of the change in the academic year.  That will be addressed, according to the Administration, sometime in the future.

There is no indication that the faculty suggestion that students be consulted about the impact of  the academic calendar was considered.

The video tape below omits comments from two Governing Board members that appeared of little relevance to the discussion.  The video provides the Administration officials complete response to the survey.