Why continue blatantly disregarding simple questions from residents and the media so it can maintain a total veil of secrecy over operations?
Editor, Robert Oliphant
Archive for ADMINISTRATION – Page 3
Numerous instances highlight the College’s reluctance to provide essential information. For instance, the
former Third District representative, Paul Chevalier, had to resort to Arizona’s public records law to obtain information about a project in his own district. Moreover, the College has outright dismissed inquiries from media outlets and residents, opting to selectively respond to questions when it suits their interests.Officials refuse to make any comment until June 29 as VP Ryan’s position is suddenly posted as “vacant”; Third District Governing Board Representative also had no comment
It appears that Yavapai Community College has lost one of its most esteemed members of the College’s leadership team, Dr. Diane Ryan. As the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Ryan played a pivotal role in spearheading various initiatives that significantly impacted the institution. Although making no official announcement prior to June 29 when a press release was issued, the College posted the following notice on its executive leadership website page (click here to see page.)
The residents of Yavapai County are left to wonder whether Dr. Ryan took a new job at another school, was demoted to another position, fired, or simply retired. Speculation and rumor abound as College keeps lid of secrecy over the posting of her position as “vacant” with no explanation to the public.
Ryan, who was the Vice President of Academic Affairs, led the College’s enormously successful endeavor to introduce and develop the educational resources (OER) textbook program. This innovative program has already saved students thousands of dollars in textbook costs. The positive impact of this initiative will continue to benefit students for years to come
Under Dr. Ryan’s adept guidance, the College also achieved a major milestone with the development and approval of a four-year online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program. This program opens up new opportunities for students seeking to pursue higher education and aligns with the institution’s commitment to meeting evolving educational needs.
In light of Dr. Ryan’s apparent sudden departure as Vice President, the Blog reached out to Yavapai Community College for comment. Unfortunately, the College Public Relations unit declined to provide any information regarding her departure, leaving the circumstances surrounding her exit unclear. The Blog also sought input from Toby Payne, the newly appointed Sedona/Verde Valley Representative on the Yavapai Community College Governing Board, however, he too declined any comment.
Dr. Diane Ryan’s contributions to Yavapai Community College from 2019 when she was hired to 2023 are significant. Her visionary leadership and dedication have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the educational landscape of Yavapai Community College. As the college moves forward, one hopes it will strive to build upon the strong foundation laid by Dr. Ryan and her tireless contributions.
College says new Division was created to respond to meet “the shifting needs of industries and to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to become a national leader in workforce and innovation”
Yavapai Community College announced in a June 13 press release that it is creating a new Division of Workforce and Innovation. To head the new division, it hired Dr. Kimberly A. Moore as its Chief Workforce Innovation Officer. Dr. Moore will officially join Yavapai on July 10, 2023.
In its press release, the College said that “the new division will encompass areas of the College that already have a strong presence across Yavapai County, such as the Regional Economic Development Center (REDC) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), with the expectation that operations will expand and additional areas will be added that support the development of a nimble workforce system.”
Dr. Moore is currently the Vice President for Workforce Innovation at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Florida. Before being hired by Tallahassee, Dr. Moore worked as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Workforce Plus, a local Tallahassee economic and workforce development board supporting businesses and job seekers alike, becoming the first woman, minority and youngest in Florida to hold this key position.
Dr. Moore has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for her service and commitment to excellence with accolades including: Tallahassee’s Top 26 Women in Business (2007), the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Leadership Pacesetter Award (2009), the Dr. Reginald Rolle Memorial Economic Development Champion of the Year Award (2010), Florida Diversity Council’s 2014 Florida’s Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award, Tallahassee Woman Magazine’s 2016 ‘Women Who Mean Business’ Innovator of the Year Award, 2017 inductee to the Tallahassee Community College’s Hall of Fame, 2019 Economic Innovator of the Year, Florida State University – Omicron Delta Kappa (Honoris Causa) – 2020, 2021 Idahlynn Karre Exemplary Leadership Award, 2021 TCC Eagle Award and 2022 Trailblazer Award.
You may read the entire Yavapai Community College press release announcing this appointment by clicking here.
Blog believes one parcel of land located “west” of the Prescott airport is for CTEC expansion; Board says second parcel of land is for “student” housing project; recall Board had previously approved construction of faculty housing village of 10 units in Prescott Valley
On June 8, 2023, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board met in secret executive session to approve more land purchases on the west side of Mingus mountain. The additional land will continue the expansion of the footprint of the College on that side of the County. An excerpt from the formal June 8 agenda, which appears below, shows both pieces of land as located in Prescott.
At the conclusion of the confidential executive session, two motions were presented. The first motion involved the acquisition of property located in Prescott to the “west of the airport.” Following a second to the motion, no further discussion took place that could have enlightened residents about the expenditure. The Board unanimously voted in favor of approving the motion. (See video clip by clicking here.)
It is suspected that the aforementioned motion pertains to the expansion of the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) at the Prescott airport. It is worth recalling that executives from the Community College discreetly included a last-minute request for ten million dollars in the 2023-24 budget for a vaguely worded project at CTEC. Despite the substantial nature of this request, it proceeded through the budget process in May with minimal public discussion or explanation. Remarkably, the Board members failed to pose any meaningful public questions regarding it.
The second motion on June 8, presented after the secret meeting closed and the Board returned to the public, was focused on pursuing the purchase of property designated for “student housing,” according to a comment by Board Chair Deb McCasland made just before adjourning.. Once again, after a second to the motion, no discussion occurred among the Governing Board, and the vote on the motion was unanimous. (See video clip by clicking here.)
Unfortunately, during the public portion of the June 8 meeting, no questions were raised, depriving the public of the opportunity to gain insight and clarification about the purchases from their elected representatives. Consequently, community members are left to engage in speculation concerning the amount of taxpayer funds being allocated to these projects and whether there exists any substantiating data to support such expenditures. The lack of transparency in this regard leaves the public in a state of uncertainty and unable to make informed judgments regarding the use of their tax dollars.
A notable observation is that these land acquisitions were not clearly deliberated upon during the public budget hearing held in May. This omission raises concerns about the transparency and inclusiveness of the budgetary process. The absence of any discussion or mention of these specific purchases during the public forum further fuels the public’s curiosity and skepticism regarding the decision-making behind these expenditures. It highlights the need for greater accountability and disclosure to ensure that the public’s voice is heard and that their concerns are adequately addressed in matters of budget allocation.
Vice President Clint Ewell comments on moving funds during June 2, 2023, interview with Sedona Red Rock News; question remains what was meant by the use of “to other schools”
Due to its strict operational confidentiality policy, determining the exact allocation and utilization of the funds for the 10.6 adjunct positions that were removed from the budget of Yavapai Community College’s Verde Campus in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and purportedly reassigned to “other schools,” has posed significant challenges. However, the Blog has managed to uncover some information thus far.
Dr. Clint Ewell, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, addressed the issue of reduced teaching staff at the Verde Campus during an interview with the Sedona Red Rock News. The newspaper’s front-page article on June 2, 2023, which discussed the increase in property tax rates, featured Dr. Ewell’s explanation.
As a reminder, the Blog initially disclosed in its April 21, 2023, post the perception that a significant reduction of 10.6 teaching staff positions at the Verde Valley Campus was evident in the College’s 2023-2024 budget, based on a public discussion between Dr. Ewell and Community College Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos.
The issue was brought up during the April 11 Governing Board meeting in a discussion between Ewell and Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos. Sigafoos sought clarification regarding a reduction that seemed to be indicated by a chart provided by the College (refer to the chart below). Based on the discussion, many observers came to the consensus that it was reasonable to assume that 10.6 positions had been eliminated at the Verde Campus. (Click here to view that discussion.)
However, in response to the Blog story concerning the reduction, Dr. Lisa Rhine made an effort to address any potential misunderstandings. During the District Governing Board and Tax and Budget hearing on May 16, 2023, she provided a brief statement emphasizing that there had been no reduction in faculty at the Verde Campus. Dr. Rhine clarified that the funds were instead transferred to the budget allocated for the dean or deans. (Click here to see the video clip of Dr. Rhine making this statement.)
In a recent article published on June 2, 2023, in the Sedona Red Rock News, Dr. Ewell provided his explanation regarding the 10.6 adjunct faculty reductions. He is quoted as follows:
“We had budgeted for some adjunct faculty in the vice president of academic affairs, which also includes Verde Valley campus administration. What we decided to do is move some of the adjunct faculty budget out to the different schools within the college, where the assets are actually being used. When you look at that table and our budget, it looks like vice president of academic affairs, the number of positions went down 10. But in reality, those 10 positions were simply moved to other schools within academic affairs.”
Despite the provided explanations, some lingering questions remain. Firstly, it is unclear how many adjunct faculty were teaching on the Verde Campus in 2021 and 2022, and whether that number has decreased. Secondly, when Dr. Ewell mentions moving funds to “other schools,” it is uncertain whether he is referring to schools located specifically on the Verde Campus or elsewhere. Thirdly, upon careful examination of the table that supposedly demonstrates a reduction of 10.6 adjunct positions on the Verde Campus, it also indicates that 9.8 positions were added to the school of business, 2.4 to the school of health and wellness, and 1.3 to instructional support (resulting in a sum of 9.8 + 2.4 + 1.3 = 13.5). Furthermore, the table suggests an overall reduction of 21.5 positions across various schools (10.6 + 8.6 + 1.5 + 0.7 + 0.1 = 21.5). However, with the increase in some schools and reduction in others, this would seemingly leave a net reduction of eight positions overall (21.5 – 13.5 = 8). Please refer to the table below, highlighting the schools and Verde Campus in yellow.
It seems doubtful that residents of the County will ever obtain the complete story behind this fund reallocation.
Board has added 10% to president’s salary for three consecutive years. Recall that in November 2022 the Board also altered president’s contract regarding ability to fire her for cause and set three achievement goals, however, the Board has refused to divulge the goals so the public could hold the president and the Board’s decision making process accountable for the past year’s performance
The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board decided in a secret executive session to increase the base pay of Yavapai Community College President, Dr. Lisa Rhine, by ten percent at the Board Workshop held Tuesday, May 23, 2023. It also agreed during the same secret meeting to increase all of her additional benefits by 10%. Among those benefits are apparently a car, travel, and living allowance and possibly more.
Recall that six years ago, July 18, 2017, a Yavapai County wage study was published by the Verde Valley Newspapers, Inc. The highest-paid County official at the time was found to be Yavapai College President Penelope Wills. Her annual salary was reported at $277,811. According to the study, this salary exceeded the “second highest paying government job in the region,” which was held by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner. Dr. Wills’ salary exceeded the Medical Examiner by $63,611.
If one uses as a rough gauge the the 2017 study as a base, and knowing that Dr. Rhine’s salary has experienced a cumulative increase of 30% since her arrival in February 2019, one can calculate a minimum salary of sorts now being paid. This speculative calculation, using the aforementioned data, suggests a minimum estimated salary increase of $83,100 since 2019 [0% * $277,000 = (30/100) * $277,000 = $83,100]. This would put the salary around $360,000. It could be much more. Or, less.
There are obvious problems with the speculative amount stated above. For example, it remains uncertain whether Dr. Rhine was hired at a lower or higher salary than her predecessor, Dr. Wills.
It is regrettably that County residents are left unaware of the accuracy of the aforementioned salary calculations, even though they were derived from the announced percentage increases in Dr. Rhine’s salary since her appointment in February 2019 and the wage study conducted by the Verde Independent in 2017. Additionally, the undisclosed list of benefits associated with her position further contribute to the opaqueness surrounding the compensation she receives.
Considering the rural nature of Yavapai County, with a population of less than a quarter million, it is concerning that such a substantial sum is being allocated to a community college president without greater accountability to the public. The significant amount being paid, if the above calculations are anywhere near correct, raise natural concerns about the appropriateness of the compensation within the context of Yavapai County’s resources. The Governing Board members should with data allay these concerns.
The Blog has requested the College to disclose the comprehensive information regarding Dr. Rhine’s total base pay following the increase, as well as a comprehensive list of the benefits included in her new contract with the District. This would avoid speculation. Unfortunately, the College has not yet responded to this inquiry, leaving the residents of the County uninformed.
It is worth noting that during a confidential session held in November 2022, the District Governing Board established three specific goals for Dr. Rhine to accomplish. However, despite requests, the Governing Board declined to disclose those goals to the public, making it impossible for the citizens of Yavapai County to hold either Dr. Rhine or the Governing Board members accountable for her performance because they lack knowledge of the goals and whether they were successfully achieved. The general lack of transparency hinders the ability of the public to assess Dr. Rhine’s work and the effectiveness of the Governing Board’s decision-making process.
It is also worth noting that at the same November 2022 meeting the Governing Board agreed to insert an unusually odd new provision into her contract. This provision declared that if Dr. Rhine is fired for poor performance, she will receive at least two years severance in salary. This means that the College would dish out hundreds of thousands of dollars if it was decided her performance was poor and fired her.
It’s a guaranteed golden parachute should she ever be fired for poor performance.
You may view in a short video clip the announcement of the wage increase made at the May hearing following the secret executive meeting by clicking here.
Board member Sigafoos indicates her viewed work exemplary; other Board members do not explain their vote
The Yavapai Community College Governing Board met in a secret Executive session on Tuesday, May 23 and discussed two issues. First, extending the contract of the current president, Dr. Lisa Rhine (Ph.D). Second, to decide whether to increase her current base pay.
Following the secret meeting, the Board reconvened and announced that it was extending her contract to June 30, 2028. This is somewhat unusual as these types of employment contracts are normally not extended beyond a three year period.
The Board provided very few details to support its unanimous decision. Representative Ray Sigafoos, who brought the motion to extend the employment period, praised Dr. Rhine and made it clear he felt her work was exemplary. However, Mr. Sigafoos failed to offer any concrete details that led him to his overall conclusion.
None of the other Governing Board members provided any specific reasons, which they must have had, for voting to extend the contract for five years. Following a second to the motion to extend the contract brought by Mr. Sigafoos, which then allowed Board discussion, none of the Board spoke up to explain why they thought the long extension was necessary.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the extension.
Please click here to view the short videotape clip of the voting process followed by the Governing Board.
Statement by Board member Sigafoos that “we’re dropping ten positions in the Verde Valley” apparently did not literally mean there was a reduction in faculty positions (Blog has provided links to video clips of April exchange in re positions and President Rhine’s statement on May 16)
Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine stated at the District Governing Board Tax and Budget hearing on May 16 that there will be no reduction in faculty positions on the Verde Valley Campus. This was in response to the discussion at the April Governing Board meeting where Vice President Ewell presented a table and Board member Ray Sigafoos initially interpreted it as “dropping ten positions in the Verde Valley.”
After listening to the video clip, the Blog interpreted the brief discussion as involving a reduction of ten faculty positions on the Verde Campus. Dr. Rhine says that interpretation is not correct.
Click here to view and hear Dr. Rhine’s statement at the May 16 Governing Board meeting.
Click here to view and hear the exchange at the April Governing Board meeting regarding lower head count and “positions” plus Mr. Sigafoos’ initial interpretation of the table presented by the C0llege to the Board.
You can see the possible confusion that was caused by the table, which is reproduced below. The table was presented by the College to the Governing Board at the April 2023 meeting and used by Vice President Clint Ewell. Note the use of words such as “positions,” and phrases such as “lower heard count” and “ten positions” during the discussion on the video clip where the table was being used. Also note that the Verde Valley is specifically identified on the table by red arrows put there by the Blog.
Dr. Rhine did not offer any data at the May 16 meeting showing the current number of part-time and full-time faculty now on the Verde Campus. The Blog has asked for that information.
Alert sent out by College late Friday afternoon, May 12 advising faculty to be aware of text scam aimed at them
Yavapai Community College faculty were alerted Friday afternoon, May 12 that they were being sent a texting scam. Faculty were advised not to open the scam message and if they did, to delete it from their computers.
The College did not explain in any detail the nature of the content of the texting scam sent to Faculty. It did say the scam message purported to be coming from the College leadership.
