Yavapai Community College in Northern Arizona

Archive for Sedona Campus – Page 8

Prescott resident and Prescott faculty member to be Sedona Community liaison

By R. Oliphant

Friday, September 18th, 2015

College again refuses to find Verde Valley faculty for important post in the Verde Valley–Prescott faculty member appointed as Sedona Community liaison

The Prescott based College Administration continues its track record of appointing only West County faculty to posts in the Verde Valley. Dean James Perey, for example, lives in Chino Valley while heading the Verde Campus. The newest appointment is Dennis Garvey, a Prescott resident and long-time Yavapai College faculty member on the Prescott campus.

Carpet bagger 2 In his 60s, he is also Yavapai College’s Dean of Lifelong Learning. According to the press release from the College, he has accepted the added role as the College’s Sedona community liaison with the goal of “working with the Sedona community to develop plans and programs for the YC Sedona Center that meet the community’s needs and support the College’s mission.” The announcement said that Garvey has already begun spending 2-3 days a week at the Sedona Center.

The College stated that he is to work with local community members, civic leaders, students and other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for the Sedona Center that focuses on community educational needs while supporting the College’s mission.

Too bad no one on the Verde Valley faculty has the skill to undertake this important job.

Categories : Sedona Campus

Why didn’t president Wills treat Sedona like the rest of the Valley?

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, September 5th, 2015

Jessica Williamson says Sedona would have welcomed the same courtesy showed to other communities

Jessica Williamson, a member of the Sedona City Council speaking as a private individual, criticized president Wills at the September 1 Governing Board meeting for not keeping the Sedona Council and residents informed of her intent to encourage the Governing Board to increase property taxes on Verde Valley residents.

JESSICA WILLIAMSON In her two minute presentation to the Board, she urged support of the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee and expressed her annoyance at the failure of president Penelope Wills to provide the same information about the proposed tax increase that she had given to other communities in the Valley.

Ms. Williams stated that the Sedona City Council has “four meetings a month . . . and would certainly have welcomed the courtesy that President Wills showed to other communities.” She went on stating that “Yavapai College benefits from significant taxes paid by Sedona residents and I would think that part of president Wills job is to keep the taxpayers notified of important changes. She is, after all, a public official, and needs to show respect to the taxpayers, the owners of the college.”

The complete two minute speech may be seen by clicking here.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Politics, Sedona Campus

Is College snubbing meeting with Sedona Mayor Moriarty ?

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, August 20th, 2015

College sits on Mayor’s invitation to attend “critical” meeting without response – Filardo again extends invitation after 8 week wait

It’s tough for Verde Valley leaders to get an audience with President Penelope Wills. For example, at the June meeting of the District Governing Board, Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty extended an invitation to Dr. Penelope Wills, Board Chair Pat McCarver, and Representative Al Filardo to meet at her office in Sedona. She considered the meeting “critical.” (You may click here to view her invitation as a part of her 3 minute presentation to the Governing Board.) Here is Mayor Moriarty’s invitation made at the June meeting:

Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarity

“We would like to explore all possibilities to work with the district first (before deciding to try and get an independent administrative college). I am here today in person to let you know that this is a critical issue for me and for the citizens and taxpayers that I serve. I am asking for a meeting in Sedona with Dr. Wills, Board Chair McCarver, Board member Filardo, and anyone else that anyone would like to bring with them to discuss the issue of equity with me and my City Manager. We do not understand the reasoning behind your decisions and would appreciate a detailed explanation. We are reasonable people as we believe you are and I look forward to a meaningful discussion. I would appreciate your response at your earliest convenience. Thank you.”

Obviously, President Penelope Wills was too busy to respond by driving to Sedona for a “critical” meeting.

The Mayor once again made the request. This came at the August 10 District Governing Board meeting when Representative Al Filardo reported that the Sedona Mayor had called him. He said that she said “please emphasize (to the Board) that I have invited the Chair, the president, and you to come and see us and I haven’t got a response.” According to Filardo, the Mayor did say that “at some event Penny went to her and said, hey, I’d like to meet with you, let’s get together. She knows that we all know but she is anxious for a date.”

The Board did not select a date for the meeting. You may view the video regarding this discussion by clicking here.

Categories : Politics, Sedona Campus

College administration fights to keep individual campus costs from public view

By R. Oliphant

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

College says it can’t give financial information as requested because it doesn’t keep books so it can; reluctantly agrees to provide some estimates

For more than 20 years, the Yavapai Community College has functioned almost completely out of the public eye. Its administrators have been able to do whatever they chose to do with taxpayer funds with little or no question. Given this history, the administrators were no doubt shocked by the action of the Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the District Governing Board.

The Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the District Advisory Board has been trying to obtain the specific costs of operating the Sedona Center and the Verde Campus in Clarkdale with little success.

Hiding data When the Committee asked for the information from Vice President Clint Ewell, he refused to provide it. He claimed that the financial records are not kept by the College in such a way as to provide the information the Committee was seeking.

At the District Governing Board meeting on August 5, 3rd District Representative Al Filardo asked the Board if it would join him in asking Ewell for the information. During the discussion, which you can view by clicking here, Ewell again stated that he could not provide the details the Committee sought. However, he reluctantly agreed to provide some financial information based on “estimates” to the Committee.

The detailed financial data is viewed as operational and is kept closely guarded by the Administration. The budget it produces fails to provide any details regarding the costs of operating individual campuses. Ironically, it closed the Camp Verde facility in 2010 and tried to close and sell the Sedona Center in 2013 because of low enrollment and operating costs. Amazing how those costs seem to be at the fingertips of the administrators when they want to close something down in the Verde Valley.

Categories : Advisory Committees, Budget, Sedona Campus, Verde Campus

Prescott Film Festival returns to Yavapai Community College — Prescott Campus

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, July 18th, 2015

Prescott Film Festival returns to Yavapai College next week from Wednesday to Sunday, July 22-26

The Prescott Film Festival Founder and Executive Director, Helen Stephenson, said the Prescott festival has grown incrementally every year. She said she is hoping to fill the Community College’s performing arts center on the Prescott campus. She said that “the festival has something for everyone.” Prescott film festival

Recall that in 2014 the Community College shut down tight the Sedona Center’s internationally recognized film school. It had participated annually in the Sedona Internal Film Festival. The Sedona festival was founded in 1994. After closing the Sedona Center, Ms. Stephenson was put in charge of what was left of the Center by Dr. Penelope Wills. She remains in charge as of the writing of this note.

Categories : Sedona Campus, Underserving the Verde Valley

President Wills explains number of staff cut on Verde Campus

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, May 30th, 2015

Wills’ reports 13 staff cut; 2 positions created on Verde Campus and Sedona Center

President Penelope Wills reported that there were 13 staff cut at the Verde Campus and the Sedona Center from 2012 to 2015. She also said that 2 new positions (15% of total reduced) had been created.

Fired Total staff cuts since 2012 came to 46. A total of 14 new positions have been created since then. This means that about 12/46 or 26% have been restored on campuses on the West side of the County. Two new positions are slated for the Verde Valley in 2016. She did not say how many new positions are slated for the West side of the County om 2016.

You may view President Wills’ statement to the Governing Board on this issue by clicking here.

Categories : Budget, Sedona Campus, Verde Campus

Sedona Center formally removed from auction block

By R. Oliphant

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

McCasland effort brings about formal decision on not selling the Sedona Center

It has taken more than a year, but the College District Governing Board finally agreed to formally take the Yavapai Community College Sedona Center off the auction block as a part of the ten-year-development plan. That action was taken at the Governing Board meeting on Tuesday when it was removed from the ten-year-plan by a 5-0 vote.

The measure was formally brought before the Board for a decision because of the efforts of Board Representative Deb McCasland. Since she was elected to the Board, McCasland has consistently pushed to have the development plan reviewed including the selling of the Sedona Center.

Congratulations The formal Board decision was made possible only because of the tireless efforts of outraged Sedona citizens and others, who protested the action repeatedly to the Board over the past year, the Sedona City Council, the former and present Sedona Mayors, and the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.

Congratulations to everyone for saving post-secondary education for the Sedona area of the County!

Categories : Advisory Committees, Sedona Campus, Ten year plan

Sedona parking lot and road moving ahead

By R. Oliphant

Tuesday, January 13th, 2015

College moves ahead with Sedona parking lot and road per settlement with adjacent landowner

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Construction of the parking lot and road adjacent the Sedona Center is moving ahead. The road and parking lot became available after the College settled a ten-year-old access dispute with an adjoining landowner.

The parking lot will accommodate approximately 90 autos and is scheduled for completion by February 15, 2015. The road is a joint venture between the College and Sathcupa, LLC, which is the owner of the Cultural Center. The new road will connect the Sedona Center with the parking lot and property further to the west. It is scheduled to be complete in mid-February.

Categories : Construction, Sedona Campus, Sedona land settlement

Governing Board to consider Culinary Arts Certificate

By R. Oliphant

Saturday, January 10th, 2015

College Administration urges approval of culinary arts program to be located at Camp Verde High School

NEW 2 The Community College administration will propose approval of a Culinary Arts Fundamentals Certificate at next Tuesday’s meeting (January 13, 1 p.m., the Rock House) on the Prescott Campus.

In a statement urging the Governing Board to adopt the proposal, Vice President Stuart Blacklaw wrote: “The Certificate in Culinary Arts Fundamentals is designed to equip students with basic skills in culinary arts including: culinary concepts and terminology, kitchen safety and sanitation, use of equipment, nutritional guidelines, measurements, food costing, and culinary theory and practice. To make a culinary arts program feasible, Yavapai College can lease a teaching kitchen with 6 separate units at Camp Verde High School. Currently there are over 200 students enrolled in secondary culinary programs in Yavapai County, however there is not yet a pathway to postsecondary certificates or credentials.”

According to Verde Executive Dean James Perey, the “program provides instruction in culinary concepts and terminology, kitchen safety and sanitation, equipment usage, basic nutritional guidelines, standard and metric measurements, food costing, and theory and practice in the production of culinary products. Courses emphasize fundamental cooking techniques and preparation methods for hot foods, breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, dressings, breads and pastries.”

The College intends to lease space from Camp Verde High School for $5,000 a year to house the program. It also intends to pay faculty in the program about $2,800 for teaching a four credit course.

The recommendation comes from Dean Perey who wrote in the application to the Governing Board that “During the 2013-2014 I made three visits to culinary programs/institutes throughout the United States. Based on my findings it is not feasible to build new construction for a culinary arts program due to cost.”

The recommendation, which was not unexpected by those who carefully watch College activities, will no doubt disappoint many in Sedona who were under the impression the College might seriously consider the Sedona Center for a culinary arts program.

In describing the program in the January Agenda, the College states that once the program is set up, an advisory committee will meet up to twice a year. The full agenda for the January 13 meeting where the proposal was made may be found by clicking here.

Categories : Camp Verde, Culinary Arts, New Courses, Sedona Campus

Verde campus shows no decline in credit hours taught

By R. Oliphant

Monday, November 24th, 2014

Verde credit hours hold steady; Community College overall down 3.3% from a year earlier

Each semester Community College administrators measure the number of students who are enrolled and the total number of credits (called credit hours) the students cumulative take. Student credit hours on the Yavapai Community College as a whole has declined from last fall by 3.3%. Because students are taking a few more classes in fall 2014 than they did a year earlier, this explains the difference between the the 4.1 percent drop in unduplicated headcount and the 3.3 percent drop in student credit hours. (See the chart “Student Credit Hours” in story below.) The Verde campus student credit hours did not show a percentage decline.

The Prescott campus showed a drop of 1,167 student credit hours even though the Administration of Justice program was moved to that campus. Sedona shows a 96% drop, which was a result of the closing the digital film school. (See chart in story below entitled “Student Credit Hours.”)

Categories : Enrollment data, Prescott Valley Campus, Sedona Campus, Verde Campus