Only College bookstore on Prescott campus
Students enrolling in courses on the Verde Campus or Sedona Center must use the only College bookstore, which is, you guessed it, located on the Prescott Campus. Oh, well. 
Archive for Verde Campus – Page 9
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.
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.
More information about possible grant of DK Ranch surfaces
Thanks to an article by Mark Lineberger of the Larson newspapers, a great deal of new information has surfaced regarding the possible gift of the DK Ranch in Cornville. It has about 1,500 feet on Oak Creek on 45 acres of land. The ranch is located in Cornville and has been listed for sale for as much as $4.5 million dollars. The College will submit its proposal for the property by June 1. There is a home and a barn, which President Penelope Wills describes as in “excellent condition.”
According to the article, the ranch is now owned by the Steele Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Phoenix The Steele Foundation has awarded more than $75 million in grants to over 300 organizations within the state of Arizona. Apparently, this is not a Charitable Remainder trust, as was originally thought. It now appears that if the College is successful, it will receive the property free and clear—although those details have yet to be publicly confirmed by the College.
In the interview with President Penelope Wills, she told Mr. Lineberger that the College was “invited to submit a proposal” to the Steele Foundation. She said that the property cannot be “flipped” for resale and must be used for educational purposes. . She also said that the property could be used for classrooms. Wills said it would likely take at least a year to develop a plan for the property should the college acquire it.
Stuart Blacklaw was also interviewed by Mr. Lineberger. He said that the ranch could potentially be used for agricultural instruction and the teaching of animal sciences. “That’s the primary focus that we envision,” he told the reporter.
The property has water rights going back to 1919. Other uses of the property discussed in the interviews were: (a) Use the ranch to teach conservation and environmental science. (b) Partner with the Universality of Arizona’s veterinary medicine program. For some, it was odd that a discussion of expanding the viticulture program to that site was not discussed.
The article by Mr. Lineberger appeared in the May 13, 2015 issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
Dean Perey reports enrollment on Verde Campus remains about flat
Enrollment for the Fall, 2015 semester remains about flat, according to Executive Dean Dr. James Perey. There are about 15 more students enrolled than a year ago, although the exact enrollment number will not be established until July 15, when tuition payments for the semester are due. Dean Perey shared this information with the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee at its May 6 meeting.
College to be considered among others for possible land gift
Turns out the District Governing Board did not call the Wednesday, May 6 meeting to discuss a specific land purchase in the Verde Valley. Rather, it was to consider whether it might accept a gift of land if it was offered.
In a press release, the College said that the Board unanimously agreed in principle to accept a potential donation of real property located in the Verde Valley should the donor decide to give the property to Yavapai College. The 45-acre property was described in the press release as “located on the banks of Oak Creek in the Verde Valley and is owned by The Steele Foundation of Phoenix. This Foundation approached the Yavapai College Foundation in April to ask if the college would be interested in submitting a competitive proposal for educational/agricultural use of the property if it were to be donated to the college. A vote on its willingness to accept the donation was a prerequisite of submitting a proposal.”
The Yavapai College Foundation, not the College, will now prepare and submit a proposal that will include a wide range of academic, agricultural, educational, and community programs that fit the property, are consistent with the college’s mission and would serve the Verde Valley and the rest of Yavapai County.
According to President Penelope Wills, The Steele Foundation is soliciting proposals from other potential recipients. She said that the donated property, known as the DK Ranch on Oak Creek, will be used for educational and agricultural purposes. Proposals are due later this month, and The Steele Foundation is expected to review proposals on June 1. No date has been announced for a decision on the recipient of the donation.
While unclear from the College announcement, this type of deal usually involves a Charitable Remainder Trust. The donor receives a tax break by donating it to a nonprofit plus an annual stipend. The bidding process usually looks at which nonprofit will provide the largest annual stipend.
If an annul stipend is to be paid on this property, it is also not clear whether the independent 501(c)(3) College Foundation would be responsible for it or the College, which would use taxpayer funds and student tuition to pay the stipend.
You may read the entire College press release by clicking here.
Reville 3 trio performs in wind-whipped conditions to small audience
The wind whipped through the Mabery pavilion causing the performers to hang on to their skirts and some in the audience to huddle in corners protected from the gusts. And the dust from the gravel floor kicked up in the faces of the audience sitting on steel backed chairs. But in true show business style, the show “went on.” For the audience of about 50 patrons, most quite elderly, who braved the wind, threatening skies, and hard seats, it was a delightful evening with the Reville 3.
Reville 3
The trio brought cool nostalgic sounds and charming choreography to the small but appreciative audience. They sang with precision harmonies and swinging vocal rhythms, incorporating many of the songs made popular by the Andrews Sisters. They told the story of three ladies living during WWII, woven with letters inspired by actual correspondence during the war.
The College continues to bring fine performances to the Verde Campus with little advertising about them. One also wonders at the wisdom of the selection of this particular program for the Verde Campus. This is more a niche presentation aimed at veterans groups and national patriotic celebrations. Without substantial advertising, a regular spring program to provide adequate notice of the concert, the turn-out for such a program is predictably small in the Verde Valley.
Continued inadequate notice to the Community about cultural events puzzling
A great, “fun” community oriented program was offered Monday night on the Verde Campus at the Mabery outdoor Pavilion. The problem is that so few in the Community knew about it. Or if they knew about the program, had time to rearrange their schedule to attend the event. The result was an audience of about 40 (excluding the musicians).
The concert was given by the Mingus Union High School Jazz band, the Yavapai College Roughriders Jazz band, and the Yavapai College Trailblazers Jazz band. Those in the audience thoroughly enjoyed the concert.
However, notice about the event once again came very late. Whether it was an ad hoc decision made in Prescott to hold the concert or was an event planned earlier in the Spring is not clear. Anyway, until the Prescott run College gets it act together on how to give notice of cultural events to folks in the Verde Valley about these great programs so they can plan to attend them, they will continue to draw tiny a audience; or no one.
The lack of management and resources from the Prescott run College for cultural events on the Verde Campus is glaring
A total of 2 persons took in the National Theatre production of The Hard Problem on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at room M-137 on the Verde Campus. Only three persons attended the Bolshoi Ballet: Ivan the Terrible, which was shown in the same room Sunday, April 26.
These terrific programs had been recorded earlier and were replayed for the audience on a hard drive Saturday and Sunday.
“The Hard Problem” actress Olivia Vinall
It is not clear why the College is offering these productions on the Verde Campus with little or almost no notice to the public. The turn-out for these wonderful productions is virtually nonexistence. Why?
Is it the absence of an organized, well publicized advanced spring program? Is it the absence of a setting such as that enjoyed on the Prescott campus at the Performing Arts Theatre? Is it the 40 year history of not bringing these types of programs to the Verde Campus? Is it the ad hoc manner in which the programs suddenly appear? Or is it simply a lack of adequate resources and management by the Prescott run College?
April-May sees a number of events coming to the Verde Campus
A number of programs have been scheduled for the months of April and May on the Verde Campus. They are included in the flyer reproduced below. The ticket prices are noted beside the event.
“Terrific” Ahn Trio live shortened performance draws audience of only 19; absence of local advertising continues to haunt Verde Campus special events; M-137 poor music venue
The Ahn Trio performed live in at a shortened classical music concert on the Verde Campus in room M-137 Friday evening (tickets $15 & $20). The tiny audience thoroughly enjoyed the concert, which was lively and “fun.” They were invited to attend the full concert in Prescott scheduled for Saturday.
This was the fourth college cultural event held in the last two months where there was little or no adequate notice about it. The result has been a turnout of an audience of 2, 2, 7 and now 19 respectively for the four shows.
The drawbacks to how the College is trying to provide these events to the community is obvious. The setting for them is dreadful. There is, for example, neither a stage nor tiered seating. This makes it impossible for most of an audience to see the performers. If there had been a large turnout for the Ahn concert, the view of the players would have been blocked by persons sitting in front of them.
Ahn Trio
Acoustics are poor as the music must be amplified. M—137 is clearly not suitable for serious indoor concerts.
On the Prescott side of the mountain, the College prints, distributes, and mails a 20 page 4-color professionally designed booklet that contains the entire 2014-15 concert season. This information goes out well before the season begins. No similar effort is made in the Verde Valley. The Verde events are held with minimal notice and appear to be selected on an ad hoc basis.
Millions of dollars have been spent on the College theatre on the Prescott campus, which now rivals a New York theatre. Recently, the seating was replaced and the inside renovated at a cost to taxpayers of hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve site lines. The total renovation cost to the Prescott dinner theatre is at least $5 million dollars. There is nothing remotely like the Prescott theatre on the Verde campus and no effort is being made by the College to provide one for the Verde Valley.
All in all, the College is presenting a series of cultural programs on an ad hoc basis in a setting that discourages most residents from attending; even if they knew about them.