McCasland consistently outvoted during workshop as she sought greater transparency and better understanding for citizens of the Governing Board process
The workshop held by the four Yavapai Community College Governing Board members on Monday, December 11 on the Prescott campus (Irwin was not present) was remarkable in the determination by President Penelope Wills and Governing Board members Pat McCarver and Ray Sigafoos to keep Governing Board reporting standards as vague and abstract as possible. Deb McCasland fought a losing battle as she argued that the reporting provisions should be more transparent and provide greater detail so citizens and Board members could better understand and apply them.
The consultant hired by the Community College had rewritten many board policy statements associated with the goals that applied to President Wills. If adopted, the consultant’s suggestions would have provided greater clarity and understanding to Board members and the public. Consistently, McCarver, Sigafoos, and Wills vigorously opposed providing greater clarity. Third District representative Connie Harris joined with the West County representatives in opposing most of the clarifying statements. She showed little willingness to support McCasland’s effort to bring greater transparency and understanding to the Governing Board process.
The following is an example of a kind of clarity McCasland wanted. The suggestion came from the consultant and the discussion about it involved the limitations on President Wills treatment of employees. The free speech provision read:
