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Archive for Verde Campus – Page 11
University of Arizona to develop future veterinary extension campus in Verde Valley adjacent Wildlife Park
Yvonne Gonzales, of the Verde Independent, reported on December 2, 2014 that the University of Arizona is planning a future Arizona veterinary extension campus on a piece of land along SR 260 in Camp Verde. The College intends to locate the facility adjacent the wildlife animal park on land donated by Verde Valley rancher Andy Groseta.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Shane Burgess told Ms. Gonzales that the University needed “to work out curriculum details, but we absolutely know it’ll be a home base area for the medical education program in that part of the state.”
Facility a decade away: Although the new facility is at least a decade down the road, Burgess said the program will be fully implemented by August 2016. Burgess also said that students can start looking into enrolling in January 2015 with the program operating out of existing facilities in the first year, with students likely be up at the Verde campus in August of 2018.
Burgess told Ms. Gonzales that the University will work with schools such as Yavapai Community College and, in Yuma, Arizona Western Community College to either directly offer programming, or share resources. Douglas, Yuma and Pinal County will also host extension programs. A class of about 100 students, will cycle through the facilities at the various locations during their course of study.
Community College role: Burgess also said that: “We’ll work with the community college to help the state’s wine industry grow.” He wants to help winegrowers from soil to retail. According to Burgess, Yavapai Community College could also provide the bridge for students to go from a two-year degree and into undergraduate programs that expand on their field of study.
Yavapai Community College Verde campus Dean James Perey told Ms. Gonzales that the college wants to align curriculum to whatever programming ends up coming from the University of Arizona. He said the university’s programming will also allow the college to work toward creating a pipeline from Mingus Union High Schools agriculture curriculum, which includes large animals, greenhouse and wine grape vineyard.
Perey also told Ms. Gonzales that “. . . as we look at high school curriculum, [we will look at] how that feeds into the agriculture curriculum here at the college, and ultimately what the University of Arizona wants to do.” The complete article written by Ms. Gonzales may be accessed by clicking here.
Verde campus Executive Dean tells Advisory Committee nursing will not move “at this time”
Verde Executive Dean James Perey told the Yavapai College Advisory Committee to the Governing Board that “we still have a two-year nursing program” in the Verde Valley. Perey said that there are “no immediate plans to remove it at this time.” He also indicated in response to a question from the Chair of the Committee that the entire two-years of training could be completed in the Verde Valley.
Listeners were aware of the Dean cautiously using the phrases “no immediate plans” and “at this time.”
Perey explained that if something would happen in the future, the college would have to finish out the students on the Verde campus.
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.”)
Holiday ceramics sale on Verde campus December 4th and 5th
There will be a holiday ceramics sale on the Verde campus on Thursday and Friday, December 4th and 5th. The sale will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day in room 106. The Verde campus is located at 601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale.
New booklet with ideas for developing Verde campus published
A new booklet containing ideas about the future development of the Verde campus has been created. It contains ideas gathered over a period of years from persons familiar with community college education and possess knowledge of the Verde campus. The Blog, which authored the booklet, is continuing to seek other ideas. If you have ideas about future development of the Verde campus, please let us know about them so they can be considered for the next edition of this booklet.
You may read the booklet by clicking on the following: VISIONS FOR THE VERDE CAMPUS
Great concert; small audience mark Thursday’s Choral Collage on Verde campus
Two of the six Yavapai Community College choral groups performed Thursday evening, October 30 at M-137 on the Verde campus. The Camerata Singers, directed by Dennis L. Houser, were followed by the YC Gospel choir, directed by Christoper Eubank, in the 80 minute program. It was an enjoyable evening with the singers and songs enthusiastically and appreciatively received by the audience. (The lighting should have followed the same scheme used at the Performing Arts Center for similar concerts; it did not.)
Unfortunately, the audience numbered only about two dozen, which didn’t quite equal the sum of the membership of the two choral groups. The reasons for the disappointing turn-out are fairly obvious. First, the concert was not widely advertised—few who did not pick up a flyer on the Verde campus were aware of it. Second, the concert was not a part of an announced fall program, which would have allowed persons to plan their schedules in advance so they could attend the event. The concert announcement also sort of “just appeared” only a week or ten days before it was to be held.
Third, most, if not all members of the groups, are from the Prescott area. That meant that local word of mouth from friends and families in the Verde Valley about the event was absent, which made it even harder to draw a first-time audience to a first-time event. Finally, it drew no one outside the Verde Valley such as from Prescott. It’s too far to drive at night.
The College is to be commended for trying to revive the Verde campus and open itself to the community with concerts and small shows after a decade of doing little. However, that revival will not come overnight. It will take time to get the word out to the community about the outstanding programs and renewed interest of the college in the communities it serves in the Verde Valley. To be successful, these events will require much better planning and far better advertising.
Verde Student expresses concern with so few students on Verde campus; shifting programs to Prescott; disconnect between College and citizens
Yavapai College student Judy Jaaskelainen expressed her concern with the absence of students on the Verde campus and an absence of local citizens connecting with the College in a letter to the editor on October 17 in the Verde Independent.
Ms. Jaaskelainen wrote that she attended the Art and Craft Fair held last Saturday on the Verde campus where there were many artists and crafts-person booths inside and outside at the Mabery Pavilion. They included booths showing fine jewelry, sachets, pottery, candles, books, scarves, paintings, glass art, beaded jewelry, fabric items, and more. There was also a booth set up for children to decorate items using potato stamps and also a face painting booth.
Adding to the event were onstage local musicians, Wendy Harford and Jo Agostinelli, who sang original songs and Dave Rentz. In her words:
I am sad to say, the attendance to this event was very poor. I was the ONLY person sitting in the rows and rows of chairs arranged for the anticipated audience. And there were very few people shopping at the art and craft booths.
I have been a student at this campus for about 13 years, taking various computer classes and art classes each semester. I remember when there were so many people attending classes at this Clarkdale campus of Yavapai College that we had to stand in line for 10-15 minutes to grab a sandwich or a snack from the campus snack bar.
I attend a class now on Wed. afternoons. I am amazed at how few people are walking around campus.
I plan to contact Ruth Wicks and others who are attempting to “fix” whatever is wrong with our campus to see how I can help with their endeavor. With the nursing program and other pertinent programs having been shifted over the mountain, we need to focus on getting them back.The money invested by the residents of our community should be used to further the education of the young people graduating from our local high schools, including those who want to be nurses.
Something is not right when people in the community do not attend a free, fun event at their Community College.Apathy is unacceptable but understandable when the people do not feel a connection nor commitment to their local college.
Ms. Jaaskelainen’s letter to the editor in full can be found by clicking here, which will take you to the Verde Independent.
Verde Valley campus Foundation Coordinator hired
In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Yavapai Community College Foundation hired a new coordinator for the Verde Valley last spring. She is Jill Gioello. She works with the Friends of Southwest Wine Center auxiliary, which supports both the auxiliary and Foundation at the Verde Valley campus.
Jill’s past professional experience includes coordinating the Physical Therapy Program at NAU, College of Nursing at University of Arizona, the Elderhostel program at NAU, and event planning with Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Her community activities include volunteering with Veterans Upward Bound and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Yavapai College, and the Veterans History Project at Sedona Library. She is the mother of two and grandmother of four. She and husband, Nick, make their home in Clarkdale, where she enjoys, hiking, reading and gardening. She is located at the Verde Valley Campus, Building G, Room 126; (928) 717-7895.
D.R.E.A.M. job fair on Verde campus October 8
The Verde Valley D.R.E.A.M. Job Fair will be held Wednesday, October 8th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., on the Yavapai Community College Verde Campus in Clarkdale in building M, Room 137. The event provides a free job and networking opportunity for people with disabilities, veterans, and the under-employed in the Verde Valley.
If you are an employer searching for a valuable and a mostly untapped resource, you are asked to sign-up to take part in the Fair. You may contact Melissa Kramer at [email protected] or call 928.634.1397 or visit the D.R.E.A.M. facebook.com/VerdeValleyDreamFair. For additional information, please click here.