Discussion during visit with staff may result in raising serious accreditation issues
Newly elected Yavapai Community College Governing Board member Bill Kiel raised a question during the Governing Board’s January 14, 2025 workshop about the meaning of a provision found in section A(1) of Arizona Statute 14-1444. This statute directs a District Governing Board to visit and examine the management, conditions, and needs of each campus under its jurisdiction. Representative Kiel queried whether, during such a visit, a Yavapai Community College District Board member could ask questions of any of the 500 to 1,000 persons now employed by the College.
The statute reads as follows:
The Community College Board attorney indicated that Mr. Kiel could not. Rather, any question he might have must go to the president of Yavapai Community College. Moreover, a Board member could never, for example, attend a class alone and discuss a matter with a member of the staff.
The Board lawyer intimated in a somewhat confusing fashion that discussion with a staff member during a visit, or otherwise, could well raise serious accreditation questions.
Thus, the Board attorney’s opinion, as best the Blog can understand it, appears to tie the hands of any Board member learning or asking anything directly from any member of the staff during a Board visit or otherwise. One could argue that the 500 to 1,000 part-time and full-time employees and the District Governing Board are effectively muzzled when it comes to any interaction between them at any time.
Please view the following video clip of the attorney providing a short response to Mr. Kiel’s question during the January 14, 2025 workshop for verification.