“College’s culture needs overhaul, starting at the top”

In an editorial in the October 7, 2015 Cottonwood Journal Extra, written by Christopher Fox Graham, he suggests that the Wills’ Yavapai College Administration should go. 

Christopher Fox Graham

Mr. Graham wrote, in part, discussing the decision by the Northern Arizona Council of Governments to remove the College representative from the Work Force Development Board: 

“Part of the top-down culture at the college * * * has little to no understanding about community needs or understanding how projects or operations at the other government agencies might serve the community.  A community college should be an ally, not a hindrance, to other local governments.”

He concluded his editorial observing that:

“Under Wills, the culture of the college has become so myopic and unresponsive to the Verde Valley that session from the college taxing district and the establishment of our own college is gaining ground.  The other option might be removing the troublesome administration from the top down, and build a new college culture responsive to all taxpayers equally.”

The entire editorial can be read by clicking here. 

Vote 4-1 to remove Yavapai College Rep from Board

Yavapai County Supervisors voted 4-1, Monday, September 21  to remove Yavapai College Representative Alexandria Wright from the local Workforce Development Board.  According to Anita Payne, Development Board Chair, Ms. Wright demonstrated “an adverse and disruptive pattern of behavior that is considered to impede the efforts of the WDB”  while she was on the Board. She stated in a letter to the Supervisors that the Executive Committee saw “no contribution from the College that supports our mission, vision and structure.”

Supervisor Chip Davis

Supervisor Chip Davis expressed amazement at the College stating he could not understand how it allows “this culture to exist.  That Yavapai  College allowed their staff members to go out in the community and not be a productive member of a part of it.”:

Supervisor Davis also expressed frustration with Yavapai College stating to Governing Board member Al Filardo directly stating that “I beg of you, pass on to your board that we are waiting with open arms for a great relationship.  But the one that has been coming out of there for the last few years has been very disruptive and nonproductive.”

The lone dissenter was Prescott Valley Supervisor Jack Smith.

Stunning decision by County Workforce Executive Committee says YC representative must go

TThe Northern Arizona Council of Governments Workforce Development Board Executive Committee  has recommended to the Yavapai County supervisors that the representative of Yavapai College be formally removed.  In a letter from the Chair of the Committee, Anita Payne, the stunning reasons for the removal are plainly stated.  The letter is set out in full below:

“Phil Bourdon, Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, 1015 Fair Street,  Prescott, AZ   86305

“Dear Mr. Bourdon,

“After careful consideration the Yavapai County  Workforce Development Board (WDB) Executive Committee unanimously voted to remove Alexandria  Wright, of Yavapai  College, from the local Workforce Development Board.   By Ms. Wright’s own admission she does not represent a required  partner  of  WIOA. The Executive Committee believes Ms.  Wright  has demonstrated an adverse and disruptive pattern  of behavior  that  is considered  to  impede the efforts of the WDB.   The Executive Committee further sees no contribution from the College that supports our mission, vision and structure.

“Our recommendation  to the Board of Supervisors is to formally remove Ms. Wright effective immediately.

“Sincerely,

“Anita Payne Chairman”  (The red emphasis was added by the Blog.)

Misleading poll question sets up obvious answer

The local newspaper, the Verde Independent, has been under attack by various member of the Verde Valley Community College Citizen Advocates group for its failure to accurately report on information about Yavapai Community College and for withholding information that shows a disparity between the treatment of residents of the West County and those on the East County. The newspaper has stated that its readers are “becoming a bit burned-out over the `Prescott vs Verde Valley’ dynamic.”

IIn what some may see as retaliation, the newspaper began running a poll asking readers whether the Verde Valley Community College Citizen Advocates should be allowed to ban people from their meetings?  This is the result of the group asking one member of the public to leave the meeting who the group believed was not making positive contributions to its mission.

What is left out for obvious reasons was asking a proper question. For example, a proper question would read something like this:  “Should an independent, citizens group, not subject to state open meeting requirements, be allowed to bar persons who may publicly attack the group in newspaper editorials, at public gatherings where members are speaking, and or disrupt regularly scheduled group meeting?”  Should members of the Rotary, Kiwanis, or YMCA have to tolerate such persons at their meetings?  Or welcome them to their meetings after they are publicly attacked and disparaged?  Or called names at public meetings such as liars?

That, of course, would have been an honest poll question regarding this particular group. However, the newspaper, as you can see from below, was not interested in that type of question or response to it.