Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 44

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PHI THETA KAPPA HONOR SOCIETY CHAPTER PLACES FOURTH OUT OF 1,290 CHAPTERS IN NATION; RECEIVES UNPRECEDENTED RECOGNITION AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 16th, 2022

Becomes the most awarded Phi Theta Kappa Chapter in Community College history

Yavapai Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Chapter received a fourth-place ranking out of 1,290 other national and international chapters for the award of the Most Distinguished Chapter at  the national convention in Denver earlier this month.

Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the academic achievement of college students and provides opportunities for its members to grow as scholars and leaders. Established in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa has a presence on almost 1,300 community college campuses in 11 nations. The American Association of Community Colleges has recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges since  1929. More than 3.5 million students have been inducted since 1918, with approximately 250,000 active members in the nation’s community colleges.

Denise Woolsey, the lead advisor for the 25-year-old chapter,  described the fourth place ranking as “unprecedented” as she requested the Community College purchase a trophy case for the cache of awards the chapter has earned this academic year at the regional and national levels.

“I expected we would do well, but we knocked it out of the park,” Woolsey said of the  chapter’s ranking, which is based on the scores earned for projects Chapter members created, researched, and reported to regional and international officials. “It was really cool to see this little, tiny chapter from Arizona compete well with the big schools,” she said.

The Community College chapter also picked up a Distinguished College Project award at the international conference, winning for a collaboration with Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine aimed at making available mental health resources easier to discover and access via the college website. “The goal of the college projects is to produce something that really helps students on our campuses. This will definitely help them. It’s so needed,” Woolsey said.

The members also earned a Distinguished Honors In Action (HIA) project award at the international conference. The chapter’s HIA project team researched the positive effects of reading to children at a very young age. An actionable result of the project – literacy partnerships with area schools – is in development and expected to roll out next fall.

In addition to the fourth-place ranking and the two Distinguished Project awards delivered at the international conference, the Chapter also received a Distinguished Chapter Award and a Distinguished Officer Award – one of only 20 – for Chapter Vice President Chasity Bryant. A nursing student, Bryant previously was named the top chapter officer in the region.

The Community College chapter captured multiple awards during the regional conference hosted by Yavapai Community College in March. All of the regional and international awards combined to make the 2021-2022 chapter the most rewarded ever.

Categories : Academic awards

REPRESENTATIVE CHEVALIER FINDS IT CHALLENGING TO GET AN ITEM ON THE APRIL GOVERNING BOARD AGENDA

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, April 14th, 2022

Board Chair says items Chevalier wanted discussed based on March open call public comments were not appropriate Board matters but issues for President;  Chevalier asks that those matters not within President’s ambit be discussed at May  Board meeting

It’s sometimes tough, if not impossible,  to get an agenda item placed on the Governing Board agenda for discussion.  It’s even tougher to find a public way of getting a response from the Administration to concerns raised by citizens at various Board meetings if they are not discussed at a Board meeting.  Citizens are left pretty much in the dark without a public response from anyone.

Third District Representative Paul Chevalier

The difficulty of getting a particular item publicly discussed by the Community College Governing Board was illustrated  by the recent actions of Third District Community College Representative Paul Chevalier.

At the March 2022 Governing Board meeting in Sedona several citizens raised  a number of issues during the Open Call to the public. There was, of course, no response from the Governing Board to them at that time because they weren’t on an agenda.

Also at the March meeting, immediately following the citizen comments, Mr. Chevalier specifically requested that an agenda item be added to the April agenda so several of the citizen comments, 27 of them,  could be addressed by the Board. (Click here to view a video clip of Mr. Chevalier making the March request.)

Prior to  the April meeting, Mr. Chevalier spoke with the Governing Board Chair. She explained that “our agenda was full with Board matters. I had a conversation with you that we only discuss Board business and that is why it’s not on this agenda.” When Chevalier asked if the Chair would put the item on the next agenda, the Chair replied: “I think I told you that a lot of your request was not Board business.”  Chevalier then responded that he once again was formally requested that those items that were raised by the public at the March meeting that are Board matters be placed on the May agenda.  (Click here to view a video clip of Mr. Chevalier making the April request.)  

The Board meeting then moved on without further discussion. 

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

COMMUNITY COLLEGE SELECTS DR. KAREN REED AS INTERIM DEAN FOR VERDE CAMPUS/SEDONA CENTER

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 13th, 2022

Duties include part-time at Verde/Sedona facilities while overseeing College-wide departments of English, Humanities and Social Sciences

Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Diane Ryan announced to the District Governing Board at its April 12 meeting the appointment of Dr. Karen Reed as interim Dean for the Verde Valley Campus and Sedona Center effective April 11.  Dr. Reed reports directly to Vice President Ryan in the Community College’s chain of command.

Dr. Reed will spend a portion of her time at the east side facilities as Dean (Verde/Sedona) while also having responsibility community-college wide of the departments of English, Humanities & Social Sciences. This is the same heavy workload that critics claim diffuses focus on the educational needs of east side residents. Dr. Reed’s assignment is identical to that of Dr. Tina Redd, who resigned earlier this year. The duties assigned by the College that took her away from the Verde Valley each week may well have been a factor in Dr. Redd’s decision to leave.

The Community College describes Dr. Reed as a “retired community college professional who served in a variety of roles in her 31-year career in higher education. She was a business faculty member, division head, dean, and Vice President of Academic & Student Services.”

She has listed herself as an “educational consultant” on Linkin.com.  Her most recent position appears to be that of Vice President of Academic and Student Services at North Central State College, Mansfield, Ohio. That community college served about 4,400 students as of October 2018.

You may view a clip of the introduction of Dr. Reed to the Governing Board below.

Sources:  April 12, 2022, Governing Board announcement; Linkin.com.; Yavapai Community College news release of April 8, 2022.

Dr. Reed’s personal resume of a year or two ago appears below.

 

Categories : ADMINISTRATION

CHEVALIER ASKS THAT VARIOUS PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE AT SEDONA MEETING BE PLACED ON APRIL AGENDA AND DISCUSSED; AGENDA PUBLISHED FOR APRIL MEETING DOES NOT APPEAR TO INCLUDE AN ITEM FOR SUCH A DISCUSSION

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, April 9th, 2022

Exercising his right under Board policy, Chevalier asked Board Chair to place on the agenda for the next meeting discussion and possible action regarding statements and requests made by the public at the March 22 meeting | Published agenda for April does not clearly show such an item was placed there and will be discussed

Third District Paul Chevalier made an unusual request at the March 22 Governing Board meeting in Sedona.  He asked that the Governing Board Chair, Deb McCasland, pursuant to Board policy 34.33, place on the “next” agenda an item for discussion and possible action that focuses on the statements and requests made by the public during open call at the Sedona meeting. (See video clip below.)

Chevalier commented that “when members of the public come to speak to the Governing Board during open call, that the Board members should carefully consider what they said. After all,” he continued, “the public took the time” to attend the Board meeting and “what they say should not be ignored” by the Board.

An examination of the summary agenda posted by the Governing Board for the April meeting does not appear to include this item.  Possibly, it will be raised at a later time, or the agenda will be altered prior to Tuesday’s meeting to allow discussion and possible action on Mr. Chevalier’s request.

A short video clip of Mr. Chevalier’s request appears below.

Categories : GOVERNING BOARD

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD TO MEET AT 1:00 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022, AT 1 P.M. AT THE ROCK HOUSE ON THE PRESCOTT CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, April 7th, 2022

Rock House is located at 1100 E. Sheldon Drive, Prescott, Az. 86301

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold its monthly General Open Public Meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at one P.M.   The meeting will be held at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. The address is 1100 E. Sheldon Drive, Prescott, Az. 86301.

There is an Open Call to the public, which is scheduled for the opening minutes of the meeting.

 Members of the Governing Board are not supposed to discuss or take legal action on matters raised during an Open Call to the public unless the matters are properly noticed for discussion and legal action.

A citizen wishing to address the Board should complete a “Request to Speak” form, and give it to the Recording Secretary. The speaker should be prepared to limit his or her remarks to the designated time (usually three minutes).

Under Arizona law, the public has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the call to the public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

The Governing Board no longer publishes a “full agenda”  for the afternoon  meeting. Rather, it posts what is calls an “Agenda Summary.”  For your convenience, the Blog has posted the “Agenda Summary” that was posted earlier this week.  

It is also usually possible to view the meeting live via YouTube.

AGENDA

[BLOG NOTE.  REFERENCE TO ATTACHED DOCUMENTS IS IN ERROR.  THE COLLEGE DOES NOT ATTACH DOCUMENTS ANY MORE WHEN IT PUBLISHES ITS ON-LINE AGENDA. APPARENTLY PREFERS THAT ON-LINE READERS GUESS AT WHAT IS IN THEM.]

1. General Functions: Procedural

a. Call to Order {Time: 1}

b. Pledge of Allegiance {Time: 1}

c. Adoption of Agenda -DECISION {Time: 1}

2. Study Session

a. Open Call – INFORMATION {Time: 10}

b. Arizona Auditor General Report- INFORMATION -Mr. Frank D’Angelo, Director of Business Services & Controller (Attached) {Time:10}
David Glennon, Financial Audit Manager
Donna Miller, Director, Financial Audit Division Lindsey Perry, Auditor General

c. President’s Reports – Dr. Lisa Rhine – INFORMATION {Time: 60}

i. Presidents Report on Board Policy 101 College Priorities -Dr. Diane Ryan, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Rodney Jenkins, Vice President of Student Development and Community Affairs. (Attached) {Time: 30}
ii. College Council – Dr. Diane Ryan, Dr. Emily Weinacker, and Mr. Rodney Jenkins

1. Faculty Senate -Dr. Karen Palmer (Attached)

2. Staff Association -Katherine Anderson (Attached)
3. Student Government Association -Jamie Oltersdorf, YCSGA Online Senator (Attached)

iii. Yavapai College Legislative Report -Mr. Rodney Jenkins (Attached)
iv. Budget to Actual Monthly Report and Cash Reserves Monthly Report
(Attached)

d. 2022-2023 Yavapai College Preliminary Budget -Dr. Clint Ewell, Vice President of Finance, INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (Attached) {Time:120}

3. Board Business

a. Consent Agenda – DECISION {Time: 5}

i. Board Regular Meeting Minutes -Tuesday, March 22, 2022 (Attached)
ii. Receipt of Report on Revenues and Expenditures for February 2022
(Attached) \
iii. Intergovernmental Agreement with Charter Schools for 2022-2024 Academic Year (Attached)
iv. Intergovernmental Agreement with School District for 2022-2024 Academic School Year (Attached)
v. Intergovernmental Agreement with School District with Computer Network Technologies 2022-2024 Academic Year (Attached)
vi. Acceptance of President’s Report on Board Policy 101 College Priorities

b. Report on Board Self-Assessment- Board Chair McCasland, INFORMATION, DISCUSSION, AND DECISION {Time: lO}

c. 2022-2023 Yavapai College District Governing Board Schedule, Board Chair McCasland, INFORMATION, DISCUSSION, AND DECISION {Time 10}

i. 2022-2023 Board Policy Review/Edit Schedule (Attached)
ii. 2022-2023 District Governing Board Calendar Meeting Dates (Attached)

4. Study Session- Continued

a. Board Liaisons’ Reports – INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION {Time: lO} 

i. Board Spokesperson -Board Chair McCasland
ii. Arizona Association of Community College Trustee (AACCT) -Board Chair McCasland
iii. Yavapai College Foundation -Board Chair McCasland

b. Dates and Time of Future Meetings and Events – INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION {Time: 5}

i. 2021-2022 Dates, Times, and Places of Future Board Meetings, Workshops, and Retreats (Attached)
ii. 2021-2022 Dates, Times, and Places of Future College Events (Attached)
iii. 2021-2022 Dates, Times, and Places of Future National, State, and Local Conferences (Attached)

5. Adjournment of Board Regular Meeting: Procedural – DECISION {Time: 1}

Categories : Meeting Notice

COLLEGE TO HOLD SPECIAL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION RECRUITMENT CLASSES ON THE VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS APRIL 30

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

Offering three 30-minute classes in a variety of CTE areas; attendees encouraged to register for sessions prior to arriving on campus

Yavapai Community College will hold a special Career and Technical Education recruitment program on the Verde Valley Campus April 30.  It will feature an opportunity for prospective students to sign up for as many as three 30-minute sessions in CTE training offered on campus. Prospective students can experience different programs and take a class that may help them decide whether to seek a CTE future that could lead to a career in two years or less.

In a press release from the Community College that announced the recruiting effort, John Morgan, Yavapai Community College Dean of Career and Technology Education, said:  “This is a great opportunity for people to get a sense of not only what YC has to offer in terms of CTE programs, but also to get an idea of the amazing facilities and instructors we have.”

Attendees can take tours of CTEC, apply to Yavapai Community College, talk with a financial aid representative, and schedule to meet with an enrollment advisor to register for classes.

Those who wish to attend may register online at www.yc.edu/testdrive (click here to go to the registration site).

Additional recruiting efforts will take place at CTEC at the Prescott airport, the Prescott Campus, Prescott Valley Center,  and Chino Valley Center.

Categories : Career and Technical Education

COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM PARTNERS WITH YAVAPAI SOCCER CLUB FOR FREE CLINIC

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

Program apparently only for members of the private Yavapai Soccer Club

Members of the Yavapai Community College Women’s Soccer team put on a free soccer clinic Tuesday, April 5 at Ken Lindley Park in Prescott.  The event was limited to “Yavapai Soccer Club players born from 2008 to 2013.”

The Blog could find no similar program being currently offered in the Sedona/Verde Valley area by the Community College in partnership with a local private soccer organization. 

Categories : Athletics

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE LAUNCHES COLLEGE FOR KIDS – PRESCOTT SUMMER PROGRAM WITH CLASSES, CAMPS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, April 3rd, 2022

Great summer courses and athletic camps for kids of all ages

Yavapai Community College has announced the “College for Kids – Prescott” summer program.  It includes classes, camps and scholarships for children of all ages.  

Categories : College for Kids

SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY CITIZENS GIVE THANKS BUT URGE EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY

By R. Oliphant
Friday, April 1st, 2022

Citizens expressed concerns and appreciation at March 22 Board meeting while encouraging the Community  College to spend more time over here while enhancing facilities and training opportunities | There was an undercurrent of concern about closing the Center

East side citizens expressed a number of concerns about what the College is not doing while also expressing appreciation for what the College has begun to do  on the east side of the County during the March 22, 2022 Board meeting.  There appeared a concern among some that the future for the Sedona Center was not bright and that the Community College might consider closing it. What follows is a letter from a concerned Verde Valley resident, Ruth Wicks, a list of citizen concerns expressed during the March 22 Governing Board meeting in Sedona, and a collection of video clips from the March 22 meeting of citizens expressing their views on facilities, courses, the past treatment and future of the Sedona Center.

 

Citizens speak out: A list of concerns expressed to the March 22 Governing Board by Sedona/Verde Valley citizens appear below:

    1. Budget: Better balance resources available with the needs in Sedona/Verde Valley.
    2. Budget: Online budget is extremely hard to read and understand.  Simplify and rewrite it.
    3. Budget: Accounting data needs to show precisely how the funds collected from various sources of revenue obtained via primary and secondary taxes, construction taxes, gifts, grants, etc. are redistributed in Verde Valley by College. (Strong sentiment for this.)
    4. Budget: Greater budget transparency (Strong sentiment for this)
    5. Budget: More equity in funding (strong sentiment for this)
    6. Budget: Verde Valley Governing Board Advisory Committee made up of all groups and interests in Sedona/Verde Valley area recommended years ago full disclosure of finances and expenditures but that has not occurred.
    7. Classes: See also culinary and CTEC below.
    8. Classes: Classes once offered at Sedona Center were “wonderful” and have not been replaced.
    9. Classes: More variety and far greater number of classes should be offered on the east side.
    10. Classes: Offer classes and certificate in acupuncture, etc.
    11. Classes: Original plan for the culinary institute with four kitchens should be followed through on by College. (Was citizen committee not listened to?
    12. Classes: Performing Arts: There is a particular need for performing arts facilities and course on the east side of the County.
    13. Closing concern: There was a concern expressed over possibly closing the Sedona Center.
    14. Courses: There are very few course offerings on the east side of the County when compared with the Prescott area offerings.
    15. CTEC: College should teach electric car mechanics at new Skills Center.
    16. CTEC: Skills Center on Verde Campus should be expanded.
    17. Culinary: College should follow through on recommendations made for the culinary program about four years ago.
    18. Culinary: Enhance (expand) the culinary program so that “chefs” could be taught here. Not just short-order cooks.
    19. Government: There is a concern about  how former Sedona/Verde Valley Dean Tina Redd was treated including her work assignments.
    20. Government: There is a need for a committee to work specifically in the Sedona/Verde Valley on what classes, programs, and new facilities are most needed.
    21. Government: Governing Board voting appears to continue vote 4-1 in favor of west side of County.
    22. Government: Irreconcilable differences between east and west County can be solved only by east side becoming independent autonomous campus.
    23. Housing: Use land on Verde Campus for building housing for students/faculty.
    24. Important to keep Community educationally “vital” and “alive.”.
    25. Meetings: More meetings by Governing Board on this side of Mingus Mountain.
    26. Meetings: More meetings in Sedona
    27. Programming: Hospitality and culinary are vital and important needs in this community. Must be protected and enhanced.
Categories : Sedona Campus

EMERGING WINEMAKERS COMPETITION & SYMPOSIUM IN ITS FOURTH YEAR

By R. Oliphant
Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

Wines must be submitted by March 31 |  Events on Verde Campus April 23

Yavapai Community College in Clarkdale, Arizona is hosting the 4th Annual Emerging Winemakers Competition & Symposium. Wines from emerging (home) winemakers should be submitted by March 31st. Great on-line and in-person lectures on wild yeast fermentation, cork technologies and wine profiles will be held at the College on Saturday, April 23, 2022. 

The event will run from 9:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. MST (PDT) and will be held in person at the College and  streamed live online.

The event has been organized by the Grand Crew, a Yavapai College Viticulture and Enology student/alumni organization. The event will feature educational seminars during the Symposium, an awards ceremony and a roundtable discussion with the competition’s seven judges.

“We’re looking forward to being both in-person and online this year to celebrate our state’s emerging winemakers,” said the Competition Organizer Bill Anderson. “This is a great opportunity to learn from industry leaders and winemakers.”

An “emerging” winemaker is anyone at least twenty-one (21) years of age whose wine is not available commercially. Wine submissions are being accepted for the competition until March 31, 2022. For entry forms and submission details, visit www.emergingwinemakers.com.

The Symposium agenda is:

9:30 — 10 a.m.: Check-in 

10 – 10:15 a.m.:  Introductions + Tribute to Mitch Levy

10:15 – 11 a.m.: Keynote Speaker: James Callahan of Rune Wines

Title: “Controlled Chaos: Wild Yeast in Winemaking”

11 – 11:15 a.m.: Break

11:15 – 12 p.m.: Speaker II: Michael Stump of Lafitte Cork & Capsule: Title: “Cork Technologies”

12 – 12:45 p.m.: Lunch

12:45 – 1:30 p.m.:  Speaker III: Randy Caparoso, Editor-at-Large, The SOMM Journal:  Title: “”Redefining the Definition of Balance”

1:30 – 1:45 p.m.:  Break

1:45 – 2:15 p.m.:  Awards Ceremony

2:15 – 3 p.m.:  Roundtable Discussions

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.:  Farewell + Announcement of next year’s event

Tickets for the Symposium costs $35 per person for either online or in-person attendance and is open to the public. Those attending in-person will receive lunch and a glass of wine from the Southwest Wine Center, the teaching winery of Yavapai College.

 For tickets and more information on the event, the full rules of the wine competition and entry forms, visit www.emergingwinemakers.com.

Categories : Event, Viticulture
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