Payne argued that he asked that a Board issue be placed on the agenda pursuant to Board Policy 308 but the Chair refused to do so – he sought to have official minutes to reflect that refusal
At the March 26 Yavapai Community College District Governing Board meeting, Third District Representative Toby Payne requested that the formal minutes from the February 18 Board meeting be amended to reflect a concern he originally raised in January. Specifically, Payne asked that the minutes document his January 19 letter to Board Chair Deb McCasland, in which he formally requested that an agenda item be added to discuss potential conflicts between Higher Learning Commission (HLC) requirements and existing Board policy. The HLC accredits the Community College.
Payne’s proposed addition to the minutes read:
“Mr. Payne reported that on January 19 he sent Chair McCasland (Tape 14:42:44) a letter requesting that an agenda item be added to the next Board agenda pursuant to existing Governing Board policy. He also listed proposed actions. He was asking for a discussion regarding HLC alignment, delegation of authority, and overall governance and policy alignment with Board policies. The goal was to see that there is perfect alignment with the various Board policies and the Higher Learning Commission.”
In an interview, Payne explained that his effort stemmed from concerns that current Board policies may be out of step with HLC standards. He asserted that Chair McCasland’s refusal to place the item on the agenda violated Board Policy 308, which he interprets as requiring the Chair to honor such requests.
His motion to amend the minutes was denied in a 3-2 vote. Chair Deb McCasland, Patrick Kuykendall, and Steve Bracety voted against the amendment, while Payne and William Kiel voted in favor.
