Regner outlines post-secondary needs for the Verde Valley
Bill Regner, the vice chair of the Verde Valley Advisory Committee of the Yavapai College District Governing Board, outlined the post-secondary needs of the Verde Valley in his commentary in the Verde Independent of June 21, 2015. The full commentary can be ready by clicking here.
Mr. Bill Regner
According to Mr. Regner, the following are most the most important issues for the Verde Valley when considering how to improve post-secondary learning opportunities.
• Residents want affordable, relevant, and quality post-secondary education opportunities.
• Accessibility under the current Community College scheme for many Verde Valley residents is hindered if they are required to travel around or over a mountain range.
• The College must approach the delivery of post-secondary education in the eastern and western portions of the County differently.
• Career and technical education programs need to become more centralized in the Verde Valley.
• There must be increased recruitment and marketing both locally and outside of the region.
• If affordable housing for students does not exist in the Verde Valley through the local housing market, then it becomes in the interest of the College to explore providing it through dormitories or contracts with private providers.
Consider a new approach to Foundation fundraising if the current model is not working.
• The Verde Valley needs an advocate with a strong Verde Valley regional identity either home grown or adopted. This person must be able to advocate effectively with the College administration and/or the District Governing Board.
•Make certain that every motivated student in the Verde Valley has the opportunity to get their first two years of core subjects completed while still benefitting from the support system of family and community.
• The Valley needs state-of-the-art broadband capacity.
• The Valley needs a hybrid model of centralized campuses and remote learning centers.
The full Committee report can be found by clicking here.