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Will effort fail like Film School because of lack of affordable student housing in the Verde Valley?

Yavapai Community College has an official name for its culinary program: The Sedona Culinary Institute of Yavapai College. It has enrolled 70 students in its first semester.

In an interview with Sedona Redrock News reporter Zachary Jernigan of 10 October, 2017 Institute instructor and acting director Jennifer Jackson said that the name was “deliberate.” She said she was “emphasizing regional identity and encouraging destination travelers.” She told Jernigan that ““We want people from out-of-state.”

Those of us who have watched the College for the past decade heard a similar message coming from the Internationally acclaimed Zaki Gordon Film school, which later became the Yavapai Film School. 

However, repeated pleas over a ten-year period from students and staff to find affordable housing for the film school students fell on deaf Prescott based Yavapai Community College Administrators. The obvious need for residence facilities was ignored by the three-member West County voting bloc on the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board. (Recall in December 2013 the West County voting bloc members said in a 4-1 vote that they were willing to close and sell the Sedona Center.)

Unless the Culinary Institute is to suffer the same fate as the Film school, the Community College must locate a residence hall on the Verde Campus or on land adjacent the Sedona Center.  Without it, ten years from now the College will once again be readying the Center for the auction block, just as it did back in 2013.

You may read all of Mr. Jernigan’s interview with Jennifer Johnson by clicking here.

Celebrating the saving and remodeling of Sedona Center

Yavapai College has extended an invitation to members of the public to attend a special event at the College’s Sedona Center located at 4215 Arts Village Drive, Sedona.  The College describes the event  as the “re-launch” of the school’s Culinary Arts program. It will be held Tuesday, September 12 starting at 3:45 p.m.

Verde Valley Advocates who work tirelessly for improving post-secondary education will celebrate the saving of the Center and installation of significant learning opportunity programs for the Verde Valley.

Recall a majority of the College District Governing Board was happy to close down and sell the Center as a part of the ten-year Master Plan, which was adopted by the District Governing Board in a 4-1 vote (Oliphant dissenting) in December, 2013 .  However, vigorous advocacy by residents of Sedona and the Verde Valley plus strong vocal support opposing the closing of the Center from the former and present Sedona mayor and City Council were instrumental in bringing to a halt the closing and sale.

Advocacy also was necessary in order to persuade the College to renovate and construct the facilities for a culinary program. It came from many quarters including the now shuttered Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee, former Verde Valley representative Al Filardo, and  Verde Valley District #2 representative Deb McCasland.

For those who question whether the College was contemplating possibly selling the Sedona Center, the Blog has included below the development chart presented to the Governing Board and approved 4-1.   The red arrow points to the statement reading, “Sell Existing Sedona Center.”    Also note that there were no funds allocated to the Sedona Center in the chart for renovation of any kind as a part of the College’s ten-year-plan for County Community College development.  However, the chart shows an estimated $44 million allocated to various West County projects during this phase of development.

Verde Valley Campus Executive Dean Dr. James Perey will make opening remarks, after which he will introduce special guest speakers, including Yavapai College District Governing Board member Dr. Connie Harris, Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty, and Yavapai College President Dr. Penny Wills, who will all speak about the occasion.

To read the College press release regarding this event, please click here.