Board has added 10% to president’s salary for three consecutive years. Recall that in November 2022  the Board also altered president’s contract regarding ability to fire her for cause and set three achievement goals, however, the Board has refused to divulge the goals so the public could hold the president and the Board’s decision making process  accountable for the past year’s performance

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board decided in a secret executive session to increase the base pay of Yavapai Community College President, Dr. Lisa Rhine, by ten percent at the Board Workshop held Tuesday, May 23, 2023.  It also agreed during the same secret meeting to increase all of her additional benefits by 10%. Among those benefits are apparently a car, travel, and living allowance and possibly more.  

Recall that six years ago,  July 18, 2017, a Yavapai County wage study was published  by the Verde Valley Newspapers, Inc. The highest-paid County official at the time was found to be Yavapai College President Penelope Wills. Her annual salary was reported at $277,811. According to the study, this salary exceeded the “second highest paying government job in the region,” which was held by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner. Dr. Wills’ salary exceeded the Medical Examiner by $63,611.

If one uses as a rough gauge the the 2017 study as a base, and knowing that Dr. Rhine’s salary has experienced a cumulative increase of 30% since her arrival in February 2019, one can calculate a minimum salary of sorts now being paid. This speculative calculation, using the aforementioned data, suggests a minimum estimated salary increase of $83,100 since 2019 [0% * $277,000 = (30/100) * $277,000 = $83,100]. This would put the salary around $360,000. It could be much more. Or, less.

There are obvious problems with the speculative amount stated above.  For example, it remains uncertain whether Dr. Rhine was hired at a lower or higher salary than her predecessor, Dr. Wills.

It is regrettably that County residents are left unaware of the accuracy of the aforementioned salary calculations, even though they were derived from the announced percentage increases in Dr. Rhine’s salary since her appointment in February 2019 and the wage study conducted by the Verde Independent in 2017. Additionally, the undisclosed list of benefits associated with her position further contribute to the opaqueness surrounding the compensation she receives.

Considering the rural nature of Yavapai  County, with a population of less than a quarter million, it is concerning that such a substantial sum is being allocated to a community college president without greater accountability to the public. The significant amount being paid, if the above calculations are anywhere near correct,  raise natural concerns about the appropriateness of the compensation within the context of Yavapai County’s  resources. The Governing Board members should with data allay these concerns.

The Blog has requested the College to disclose the comprehensive information regarding Dr. Rhine’s total base pay following the increase, as well as a comprehensive list of the benefits included in her new contract with the District. This would  avoid speculation.  Unfortunately, the College has not yet responded to this inquiry, leaving the residents of the County uninformed.

It is worth noting that during a confidential session held in November 2022, the District Governing Board established three specific goals for Dr. Rhine to accomplish. However, despite requests, the Governing Board declined to disclose those goals to the public, making it impossible for the citizens of Yavapai County to hold either Dr. Rhine or the Governing Board members accountable for her performance because they lack knowledge of the goals and whether they were successfully achieved. The general lack of transparency hinders the ability of the public to assess Dr. Rhine’s work and the effectiveness of the Governing Board’s decision-making process.

It is also worth noting that at the same November 2022 meeting the Governing Board agreed to insert an unusually odd  new provision into her contract. This provision declared that if Dr. Rhine is fired for poor performance, she will receive at least two years severance in salary.  This means that  the College would dish out hundreds of thousands of dollars if it was decided her performance was poor and fired her. 

It’s a guaranteed golden parachute should she ever be fired for poor performance.

You may view in a short video clip the announcement  of the wage increase made at the May hearing following the secret executive meeting by clicking here.

Board Lauds Dr. Rhine for an outstanding performance over the past year | Adds additional year to five-year contract | Dr. Rhine  highest paid Yavapai County official

Dr. Lisa Rhine

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board voted to increase the base pay of Dr. Lisa Rhine by ten percent at the Board Workshop held May 24.   It also added an extra year to her five-year contract.  The pay-raise of 10% and contract extension vote was identical to the raise and extension awarded in 2021.

This was a generous base-pay increase when compared to how faculty and staff increases were treated just a week earlier.  Recall that at the May 17 General Board meeting the Board approved a  4% across-the-board salary increase, .45% one-time bonus, and 1.3% for market adjustments, etc. for all staff and faculty.

The Governing Board did not provide any indication of Dr. Rhine’s current base salary.  Most observers believe it is nearing $300,000 annually.  Dr. Rhine is the highest paid Yavapai County officer.

The Board provided only a few details to the public supporting the pay increase other than to laud her for doing an exceptional job.  It was suggested that she provide  a list of her accomplishments so the public would have a better understanding of the exceptional job she was doing. 

Ray Sigafoos

In making the motions to extend her existing five-year contract an additional year and increase her base salary by ten percent, Representative Ray Sigafoos said that during his career he had evaluated five or six college presidents and that evaluating Dr. Rhine was “without exception, remarkable. Across the board, her performance was exceptional.”  He also indicated that her future goals were “right on” in terms of where the Board saw the Community College going.  “She is a gem,” he said. (See video clip.)

You may view the video  clip and brief discussion and motions made in this matter by clicking here.  A complete video of the Work Session will be posted sometime in the future by the College on the District Governing Board web site, most likely in September after the Board approves the minutes of this meeting.  But check sooner if interested in case they are posted earlier.

Workshop begins at 9:00 a.m. and will end around 4:00 p.m.  President Rhine’s annual salary is rumored to be  nearing  $300,000 with benefits and  to be reviewed  in executive session

The Yavapai Community College will hold a workshop on Tuesday May 24 beginning at 9:00 am. and ending at 4:00 p.m.  The posted Agenda  https://www.yc.edu/v6/district-governing-board/sub/2022/05/2022-05-24-workshop-agenda.pdf says the workshop will be held at the Rock house on the Prescott Campus.   The last-minute change to the Prescott location from the Chino Valley Center was made necessary because of air conditioning issues.  

The one major item of business at the workshop will be the annual review of President Lisa Rhine’s compensation.  It is anticipated that the Board will increase it.  Although the exact amount of Rhine’s compensation is unknown, it rumored to be in the neighborhood of $300,000 with benefits, etc. The Community College President is the highest paid publicly supported executive in Yavapai County.  County Supervisors make from $63,000 to $83,000.  (See https://www.azleg.gov/ars/11/00419.htm.)

Under Arizona law, the public has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the call to the public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001. (There is no call to the public listed at the May 24 Workshop. agenda)

This is most likely the last meeting the Board will hold until September  2022.

Residents may attend the meeting in-person or stream it online at www.youtube.com/user/YavapaiCollege.

Overall increase puts base salary at 10% more on December 1 than it was just one year ago; while Board released no information regarding actual salary amount, based on previous President’s salary, total may be nearing $300,000

In May 2020, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board increased College president Lisa Rhine’s base salary by six percent.  At the time, the vote was 4-1 (Chevalier dissenting) with the majority explaining the large increase was deserved because Dr. Rhine did not have a salary increase in her first year. (See video clip below for verification.) 

At the November 2020 meeting held this week, the Governing Board unanimously approved an additional four percent increase to her base salary effective December 1 of this year.  In effect, the Board has increased Dr. Rhine’s base salary a hefty ten percent this year.

Board members at the November meeting lauded Dr. Rhine for her communication and outstanding handling of the Community College during the pandemic.  Board Chair McCasland explained that in May the Governing Board was uncertain about the financial impact of COVID-19 on the College finances and “at the time we were discussing a ten percent increase.”  She said that because of the financial concern the Board  awarded Dr. Rhine a “six percent increase.”  However,  because of the current financial situation,  she was now recommending an additional “four percent increase.”

Pat McCarver took the position at the November meeting that because the Board did not give Dr. Rhine a raise in her first year, and awarded only a six percent increase, the Board was now trying to “catch up a little bit.”  She also lauded Rhine for her handling of the “COVID-19 situation.”

Paul Chevalier said the increase was merited because of her “exceptional job.” As noted above, he dissented from giving her a six percent increase in May 2020.

New Board member Mitch Padilla said that Dr. Rhine was “truly a leader on this campus” and that the handling of the pandemic was “appropriate.” He also said she has done “exceptionally well” in her “means of communication.”

It is noted that there was no mention of the almost ten percent decline in the 2020 fall enrollment by the Board.  There was also no mention at the time the six percent increase was announced in May that the Board would consider an additional increase during the year if the financial picture improved. (See video clip for verification.)

The Board carefully avoided providing the amount of President Rhine’s base salary when it made the salary increase announcement.  The Blog along with County taxpayers are left to speculate on the amount.

The last information about the Community College president’s salary came in 2017  in an article in the Verde Independent newspaper,  written by Dan Engler and published July 18, 2017. According to that three-year-old story, a wage study conducted by the Verde Valley Newspapers, Inc. showed that at the time the highest-paid County official was Yavapai Community College President Penelope Wills. The story reported her annual salary was at $277,811. According to the study, the  salary at the timed exceeded  the “second highest paying government job in the region,” which is held by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner, by $63,611.

The Blog speculates that if Dr. Rhine was hired at near the same salary as Dr. Wills was reportedly receiving, the total base salary for the Community College president is now nearing $300,000. 

You may view the brief discussion regarding the salary increase in May and the salary increase in November in the video clips below.

Only McCasland says the extra money is not needed

At its May 2018 meeting, the Governing Board gave President Wills a $3,000 bonus to be added to her estimated annual salary of at least $277,811.  The motion was made by Pat McCarver and seconded by Connie Harris. 

Deb McCasland voted against the bonus stating she did not think it was necessary.

 An article in the Verde Independent newspaper,  written by Dan Engler and published July 18, 2017, contains a wage study conducted by the Verde Valley Newspapers, Inc. The highest-paid County official was found to be Yavapai College President Penelope Wills. Her annual salary was reported at $277,811. According to the study, this salary exceeds the “second highest paying government job in the region,” which is held by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner, by $63,611.

The Yavapai College Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services receives $173,877. The College Vice President of Instruction and Student Development receives $164,800. The top 10 salaries at Yavapai College average $141,865 a year.

The report notes that the median household income in Cottonwood is $43,323 while the median income in the Verde Village is $42,987.

You may read Mr. Engler’s article by clicking here.

You may view the four-minute Board discussion below.

Top 10 Yavapai College employees annual average salary at $141,865

An article in the Verde Independent newspaper,  written by Dan Engler and published July 18, 2017, contain a wage study conducted by the Verde Valley Newspapers, Inc. The highest-paid County official was found to be Yavapai College President Penelope Wills. Her annual salary was reported at $277,811. According to the study, this salary exceeds the “second highest paying government job in the region,” which is held by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner, by $63,611.

The Yavapai College Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services receives $173,877. The College Vice President of Instruction and Student Development receives $164,800. The top 10 salaries at Yavapai College average $141,865 a year.

The report notes that the median household income in Cottonwood is $43,323 while the median income in the Verde Village is $42,987.

You may read the entire article in the Verde Independent by clicking here.

Board out-of-step with most College’s and Universities

The District Governing Board extended Community College president Penelope Wills contract by one-year at the May 9, 2017 Board meeting and gave her a $5,000 wage increase.  However, the Board set no goals for her to achieve during the coming year.

This is in sharp contrast to contracts given to most college and university presidents.  For example, at Northern Arizona University the Arizona Board of Regents set out eight multi-year performance incentives (goals) for President Rita Cheng  to accomplish by 2017  in her 2014 contract. They included retaining at least 75 percent of NAU’s freshmen class in 2016-17, spending at least $39.2 million on research, awarding at least 4,625 bachelor’s degrees and having at least 3,200 community college transfer students enroll at NAU. Dr. Chenge was eligible for a  $10,000 bonus  if more than 43.2 percent of graduating seniors rate their entire educational experience at NAU as “excellent” on their senior surveys.  The statewide ABOR and university audit structure will measure Cheng’s progress on all those goals on June 30, 2017.

Penelope Wills is pretty much free to do as she pleases.  The absence of goal setting is the result of the archaic use of what is called the Carver Governance process promoted by the majority West County voting bloc.  Because it sets no specific goals for the College president, it easily makes that person minimally accountable to the citizens who pay the estimated $278,000 annual salary.

SALARY NOW ESTIMATED AT $278,811—Highest paid bureaucrat in Yavapai County

Yavapai Community College President Penelope Wills received a $5,000 increase on her salary at the May 9, 2017 Governing Board meeting.  The Board voted 4-1 to extend her contract for one year and raised her existing salary by $5,000. Board Representative Deb McCasland voted against the extension and the $5,000 raise.

If press reports regarding her salary are correct, her annual salary is now almost $278,000. She is believed to be the highest paid bureaucrat in Yavapai County. The increase came despite her less than stellar record. That record includes the following:

(1) Lost over $1 million in tuition revenue in the last two years because of the continuing slide in student enrollment.

(2) Allowed the aviation program to essentially collapse.  

(3) Presided over an estimated 4% drop in overall student credit enrollment in each of the last two years.

(4) Failed to settle multi-million-dollar lawsuit with whistle blower who headed the aviation program before he was fired and now alleges the College failed to comply with VA regulations.

(5) Opposed giving the Verde Valley a semblance of independence via an Administrative College at the March, 2016 Board meeting.  

(6) Apparently took a three-week vacation during the school year in March-April to New Zealand (staff refuse to disclose where she went but sources now say this is where she disappeared to).

(7)  Imposed a fee on dual enrollment classes taught in high schools by high school teachers despite opposition from all superintendents in the Verde Valley, the Valley representatives in office at that time, and the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.  They argued it would adversely impact the poor in the Valley—their plea fell on deaf ears.

(8) Failed to properly involve the faculty or students at the outset of consideration of extending the semester by a week.

The following is a video of the Board report on the salary increase.