Archive for Residence halls

DISTRICT 3 REP PAUL CHEVALIER KEPT IN THE DARK BY YAVAPAI COLLEGE REGARDING MEETING OVER POSSIBLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AFFECTING VERDE CAMPUS AND SEDONA CENTER

He received no notice ‘that this meeting was taking place and have been given no information about what was said at it. I would have liked to have been included as I represent District 3” where the Sedona Center and Verde Campus are located

Yavapai Community College Third District Representative Paul Chevalier is being  kept in the dark about the recent meeting held in Clarkdale, Arizona that apparently involved  a possible future housing development on or near the Yavapai Community College Verde Campus, which is located in his District.

In a brief statement to the Blog, Mr. Chevalier said that “ I had no knowledge that this meeting was taking place and have been given no information about what was said at it. I would have liked to have been included as I represent District 3.”

Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine, Yavapai Community College Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development, Rodney Jenkins; Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland; Richard Hernandez, Director of the Regional Economic Development Center;  representation from the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization; and representation  from the Clayton Company were all in attendance. 

Mr. Chevalier represents the Third District on the Community College Governing Board, which includes the Sedona Center and the Verde Campus in Clarkdale.  He has been an outspoken proponent of developing affordable student housing on the East side of the County so that Yavapai College’s Sedona Center and the Verde Campus can begin serious development. He is also often in a minority on the Governing Board that is dominated by Prescott/Prescott Valley representatives.   

The only information supplied the public regarding the Clarkdale gathering came from Board Chair Deb McCasland at the October Governing Board meeting.  She stated that  she discussed with the Clayton Company, which is a housing developer, and the assembled group about the “need for student housing, and the need for accessible housing for faculty and staff in the Verde Valley.”  She said that “they took the information and will get back to us.”

Also absent from this meeting was the Verde Campus Dean, Dr. Tina Redd.  It is not clear why the College often does not include her in important public events involving the Verde Valley Campus and the Sedona Center. 

 Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine did not include any comment on this meeting when she gave her President’s report to the Governing Board on Tuesday, October 19. Mr. Chevalier did not receive a further briefing from College officials about the meeting.

One of the more obvious barriers to development of the Sedona Center and the Verde Campus  for years has been the lack of student housing. Student residence halls for the past 50 years have only been considered and constructed on the Prescott Campus in Prescott.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE DRAGS ITS FEET DESPITE RECOGNIZING 20-YEAR PROBLEM PLAGUING DEVELOPMENT OF SEDONA CENTER, WHICH IS NO ADEQUATE STUDENT HOUSING

Has yet to  even set up a committee to work on finding private/public partnership suggested in  2020 despite  Dr.  Rhine acknowledging possible student east County residential need in September 2021

Yavapai Community College continues to drag its feet on working on a solution to the serious lack of student housing that has plagued the  Yavapai Community College’s  Sedona Center since it opened in 2000. While it drags its feet, the Center struggles to survive.

Why is the College  so slow to react? Is it because  the Sedona Center is so far from the Community College’s executives  based in Prescott that actual  development will never be a priority in the lens of the administration? Maybe, in the far reaches  of their minds, the Community College executives are  still contemplating what the former president  tried to do in 2013-14, that is, shutter the Center for good.

Does the College  really care that low enrollment forced it to  close down the Restaurant and Hotel Management program at the Sedona Center for this year? Is it seriously concerned that  in the fall 2021 Culinary Institute registration was low? Or that for 20 years, the lack of student housing has been a constant, obvious problem?

In an  interview with Sedona Red Rock News reporter Ron Eland in the October 13, 2021 newspaper, Vice President of Community Relations & Student Development for Yavapai College, Rodney Jenkins, lamented the lack of student housing for the Center. However, he seemed to imply that added housing would not help draw students from outside Sedona to the program. He is quoted in the newspaper article as saying:

“The problem with that is housing. We have to somehow address the housing issue if we want to expand the destination piece of it. On top of that, there is a tremendous amount of competition across the country. So, what’s the draw to bring someone from, say Ohio, to Sedona to take the course when there are like, 1,500 to 1,600 programs in between the two? We have to be very realistic. We are looking under every rock to breathe more life into the program.”

The lack of housing history for students is checkered, at best. Recall that back in 2001-2002, when enrollment was at an all-time high, the Community College considered purchasing land to expand the Center. But that effort went nowhere.

Also recall that in a letter to the District Governing Board in March 2018 Vice President of Finance Dr. Clint Ewell  recommended the following:

“We recommend working with a consulting firm to develop a Public-Private Partnership (3P). In this arrangement, we would issue an RFP for a private company to find capital to build a residence hall (location TBD), and would strive to structure the deal in a way which eliminated College capital and minimized operational costs. ($7.6M, 30k sq ft).” 

The recommendation was accepted by the District Governing Board at its April 2018 meeting.

Furthermore, at its March 2020 Board meeting, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board members were presented with a detailed study commissioned by the College to determine the efficacy of purchasing land and locating a hotel on property adjacent the Sedona Center. The Board appeared most interested in purchasing an additional five acres adjacent the Center. If a purchase were made, the Board would then decide its best use.

The study claimed that “Market justification exists for development of a hotel adjacent to Yavapai College’s Sedona Center.”  But so far, nothing has come of this study.

Finally, recall that as late as September 2021 Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine suggested  during a Governing Board meeting the possibility of an affordable residence hall on the east side of the County for Community College students. However, to many,  Dr. Rhine appeared less than enthusiastic about the idea.

At a public meeting, a couple of weeks ago, a  check by the Blog with Dr. Tina Redd, Verde Valley Community College Dean, indicated no committee had been created to look into the possibility of a public/private residence hall partnership on the east side of the County.

In other words, the Community College is “all talk” when it comes to establishing a residence hall anywhere in the Sedona/Verde Valley area. But “no action.”

While the Community College has built three residence halls on the west side (one was recently torn down), it has never seriously considered construction of a single one of the east side. Will that change? Very doubtful.

COLLEGE LOOKING FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD RESIDENCE HALL

Location of residence hall undecided

The Yavapai Community College Governing Board has accepted the recommendation that the College work with a consulting firm to develop a public-private partnership for a residence hall.  In this arrangement, the College will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to a private company to find capital to build a residence hall.  According to the College, it would attempt to structure the arrangement with a private company in a way that eliminated College capital and minimized operational cost.

Website Reference, click here.

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Residence Halls renovation cost at $7 million

Newly renovated Residence Halls opened on Prescott campus – 220 students with $7 million dollar upgrade ($31,800 per bed)

The two newly renovated residence halls on the Prescott campus were officially opened Thursday, August 21. Officials at Yavapai College celebrated the opening with speeches, tours, food and a ribbon-cutting.

ESTIMATED COST: Haley Construction oversaw the $7 million renovation of Kachina and Marapai Residence Halls.  This amounts to about $31,800 per bed. Click here for full story written by Patrick Whitehurst in the Prescott Daily Courier.

RESIDENCE HALL RENOVATION

Architect’s rendering found on Facilities Management web site.

Renovations to Marapai Hall were completed earlier this month; Kachina Hall renovations were completed last year.

Kachina hall houses about 90 YC students, and Marapai hall houses 130 students. There were a number of upgraded safety and energy-saving features, new kitchen areas, common areas, laundry facilities and security features. There was also new furniture, landscaping, paint and a new roof. Residents are given a number of amenities, such as parking, pool tables, movie nights, outdoor volleyball courts and more.

REPAYMENT OF $7 MILLION: According to the Prescott Daily Courier, “monthly rent for the renovated lodgings will be $620 per month.” The College told the Courier in a news release that: “Revenue from the monthly rental cost will cover the renovation’s associated costs.” Plans are also underway to rent the housing units in the summer months for additional revenue. 

Governing Board Chair Sigafoos and Prescott Mayor Pro-tem Jim Lamerson.

Governing Board Chair Sigafoos and Prescott Mayor Pro-tem Jim Lamerson.

Prescott Mayor Pro-tem Jim Lamerson, Governing Board Chair Ray Sigafoos, President Penelope Wills, and students addressed the gathering at the dedication.  Click here for photos taken at dedication that appear on YCC’s facebook.