Associate of Arts in Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Music is offered but virtually all classes taught in Prescott – Chorales, bands, Symphony Orchestra, jazz ensembles, individual instruction and more not offered in Sedona/Verde Valley with exception of two voice classes

OPINION: For over 50 years, Yavapai Community College leadership has focused its efforts on building an extensive music program exclusively on the Prescott Campus. Throughout this time, it has neglected to make similarly accessible music instruction reasonably available to students in other parts of Yavapai County. With the approval of the District Governing Board, this concentrated effort has resulted in a full range of music courses being offered solely in Prescott—such as music theory, piano classes, music appreciation, private lessons, and performance ensembles. This focus has also produced impressive student music groups, including the Master Chorale, Community Chorale, Women’s Chorale, Chamber Singers, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz ensembles, providing students with opportunities to develop their musical talents collaboratively. Additionally, the Community College now offers an Associate of Arts in Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Music—yet music instruction in person is provided only on the Prescott Campus.

The lack of reasonable opportunities for music education outside the Prescott Campus can be traced to several key failures: the logistical barriers posed by the county’s vast geography, the absence of public or college-provided transportation, frequently hazardous travel conditions between the county’s east and west sides, and a glaring disregard for the realities of Community College student life beyond Prescott. These factors collectively demonstrate a profound disconnect between college leadership and the needs of students outside Prescott.

The Expansive Reach of Yavapai County

It seems Yavapai College’s leadership is oblivious to the fact that its district spans all 8,125 square miles of Yavapai County—an area larger than several entire U.S. states. For context, this landmass exceeds Connecticut (5,543 square miles, with 12 colleges and universities), Delaware (1,982 square miles, with three), Rhode Island (1,214 square miles, with three), and nearly matches New Jersey (8,723 square miles, with 19). Even Israel, slightly larger at 8,550 square miles, supports ten universities and 53 colleges. Yet, despite this vast expanse, Yavapai College leadership and its Governing Board have concentrated the music program solely on the Prescott Campus, apparently because of its higher population density. This failure to consider the realities of the county’s geographic scale and the resulting accessibility issues for students outside Prescott is baffling. This centralized approach effectively excludes students from Sedona and the Verde Valley, denying them meaningful access to music instruction.

Geographic Barriers and Accessibility Challenges

Barriers to Student Success

Another major barrier to student access to music classes is the District Governing Board’s failure to account for the real-life circumstances of students across Yavapai County. Although the Board frequently claims its mission is to serve students and support their success, the lack of accessible music education for students in Sedona and the Verde Valley tells a different story. Many students juggle part- or full-time jobs and family obligations, making lengthy commutes to Prescott impossible. For some, transportation is an added hurdle, with no inter-campus transit options provided by the Community College. Rising fuel costs further compound the financial strain.

Moreover, Yavapai Community College has acknowledged that nearly 20% of its student body faces partial or complete homelessness, exacerbating these challenges. For these students, the lack of resources and stability makes regular travel to Prescott unfeasible, underscoring the inequity in the College’s centralized approach to its music program and its failure to recognize the diverse realities of its entire student body.

Conclusion:

Yavapai Community College’s centralized music program on the Prescott Campus starkly contrasts with its stated mission to serve all students and foster their success. By investing resources solely in Prescott, the College sends a message that educational opportunities in music—and perhaps other programs—are only for those who can access the West side of Yavapai County. This approach disregards the unique needs and challenges of students from Sedona and the Verde Valley, who must contend with long, costly, and sometimes dangerous commutes if they wish to participate.

Moreover, by neglecting these regions, Yavapai College risks leaving behind talented students who could enrich its music programs. Those in Sedona and the Verde Valley deserve a reasonably equal opportunity to pursue music education within their own communities.

It’s time for Yavapai College to live up to its responsibilities as a district-wide institution, investing in infrastructure and program accessibility across the county. Without meaningful steps toward inclusivity, the Community College’s promises to support every student’s success will remain unfulfilled, and the Sedona and Verde Valley communities will continue to shoulder the burden of being underserved. Only by broadening its approach to education can Yavapai Community College truly claim to represent and support all students within its reach.

Only community college admitted this year as well as being the first and only accredited NASM community college in the state of Arizona

Glendale Community College (GCC) was recently notified that they it has received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). GCC is the only community college admitted this year as well as being the first and only accredited NASM community college in the state of Arizona. Only the three state universities in Arizona are also accredited by NASM.

To earn this recognition, the music program at GCC wrote a comprehensive self-study that addressed numerous standards established by NASM. This was followed by a campus visit by NASM in 2022 to verify the information in the self-study, listen to performances, observe classroom instruction, interview faculty, staff, students and administration, as well as verify academic transcripts of recent graduates. New members of NASM must repeat this process five years after initial accreditation, then again in five years, and every ten years after that. 

Dr. Tiffany Hernandez, President of Glendale Community College, said that “our accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music reflects GCC’s commitment to our students and our community to prepare musicians at the collegiate level.  As the only NASM-accredited community college in the state of Arizona, GCC is proud to be a significant component of the performing arts and culture community in the West Valley and beyond.”

Prescott based Music Department has full slate of concerts and musical theatre performances scheduled for this fall; there is no music department on the Verde Campus or at Sedona Center

This fall Yavapai Community College will offer 58 music/voice courses on the Prescott Campus.  According to its registration data (see below), there are no similar courses being offered on the Verde Campus or at the Sedona Center.

For the last half century it appears that the Community College has shown little or no interest in seriously developing music education courses anywhere but on its Prescott Campus.  For students in the Sedona area, to participate means a round-trip drive of from 100 to 150 miles to take a course.   For most in the Verde Valley, the dangerous drive and the obstacles created by going over Mingus mountain on 89A mean their opportunity for music education is extremely limited, if not outright barred.

The Community College has never offered an explanation about why it does not create a music department and promote music education on either the Verde Campus or at the Sedona Center.

On the Prescott Campus, the Community College  Music Department has announced a  full slate of concerts and musical theater performances this fall that it says will serve two ends: “Showcasing students and entertaining the community” (mostly the Prescott community, no doubt).

The Music Department also announced it will have four choral, five instrumental and one musical theater group participating in  a wide range of performances, “from jazz to American classics and from symphonic instrumental music to musical productions of “It’s A Wonderful Life” and Handel’s “Messiah.””

The music department’s fall performance schedule is available on the YCPAC website, www.ycpac.com.  It appears there is at least one event scheduled on the Verde Valley Campus.

Of 57 music courses/tutorials offered this fall, 52 of them are exclusive to Prescott campus

The decades of unequal development of music courses in the County continues. For example, the College registration database shows that there are 52 face-to-face courses and tutorials offered on the Prescott Campus in fall 2017. However, there are only two face-to-face classes offered at the Sedona Center  and none on the Verde Campus (three online courses are available on the Verde Campus and District-wide).

This continues a decade or more of discrimination by the College  in developing music courses throughout the County. Clearly, it  has concentrated its effort and financial resources almost exclusively on the Prescott Campus. No one seems aware of its focus almost exclusively on the Prescott campus when it comes to music.

Click here and then go to search for classes, and find “music.”

Absence of music programs on East side of County shows years of neglect by College—5 classes offered

Over the past several years, the Prescott dominated administrators of Yavapai Community College have spent many thousands of dollars developing a fine music program on that side of the Mountain.  Meanwhile, music instruction on the East side of the County has been almost totally neglected.

The results of that neglect are evident in the number of courses offered on the West and East sides of the County.  On the Prescott side, College registration data shows 106 classes being offered with only 3 of them on-line.

Meanwhile, on the Verde Campus, there are 5 music classes offered with 3 of them being online.

The following is a list of musical groups listed on the Prescott campus.  The Verde campus has none.

The good news for East County residents is that newly hired Craig John Ralston, Dean of the Arts & Humanities Division, has recognized the huge disparity between the East and West sides of the County  and has begun to try and seriously address it.  

Over 100 music courses offered on Prescott campus; less than half dozen on Verde campus

The Spring Yavapai Community College Registration catalog lists over 100 music courses being offered on the Prescott campus.  It lists less than six on the Verde campus.

Many of the courses listed appear to be similar to tutorials with an enrollment of two students.  You may view the Spring, 2015 Registration Catalog by clicking here.