Erosion of openness and accountability is a dangerous precedent for a public (tax supported $100 million dollar) educational institution

Editor: Robert Oliphant

OPINION. The phrase “democracy dies in darkness” is a powerful reminder of the vital role transparency plays in maintaining a healthy democratic system. In the context of the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board, this saying takes on a particularly poignant meaning. By shrouding their actions in secrecy and limiting public access to information, the Board is not just deviating from its previous commitment to transparency but is also demonstrating a troubling disregard for the principles of democracy.

Democracy thrives on informed citizenry, where decisions are made in the light of public scrutiny and with the involvement of those affected by these decisions. When a governing body like the Yavapai Community College’s District Governing Board starts to limit access to information, such as meeting minutes or video recordings, it impedes the community’s ability to stay informed and hold their leaders accountable. This lack of transparency can lead to a lack of trust in the institution, as residents may start to suspect that decisions are being made without their best interests in mind or in a manner that is not reflective of their collective will.

Furthermore, the Board’s actions could be seen as setting a dangerous precedent. If a public educational institution, which ideally should stand as a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment, starts to operate as an autocracy, it encourages similar practices in other public bodies. This erosion of openness and accountability can have a cascading effect, weakening the very foundations of democratic governance.

In Yavapai County, where the residents rely on their elected officials and public institutions to act in their best interest, the Board’s shift away from transparency is particularly alarming. It not only affects the immediate functioning of the College but also reflects on the broader health of democratic practices in the region. The residents of Yavapai County are thus being shown, perhaps unwillingly, the truth of the statement that “democracy dies in darkness,” as they witness the diminishing transparency of Yavapai Community College. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the constant vigilance required to safeguard democratic values and processes against the encroaching shadows of secrecy and unaccountability.

Free and open to the public

 🙂 Yavapai Community College has announced an open house recruiting and familiarization day will be held on Saturday, April 22 at Yavapai Community College’s Verde Valley Campus (601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale) from 9 to 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The press release containing the announcement from the College reads as follows:

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the campus and learn what it’s like to be a Yavapai College Roughrider. Meet the people who will help you learn more about the programs that YC has to offer. Participants may secure assistance in completing an application to Yavapai College, and can learn more about scholarships, financial aid, and how to pay for college.

Visit www.yc.edu/openhouse for more information.

“We’re excited to be able to provide members of the community the opportunity to see for themselves the wide variety of academic offerings and top-flight facilities at YC,” said Dr. Diane Ryan, Yavapai College Vice President of Academic Affairs.

The campus features well-equipped classrooms, computer labs, a modern library, a new student union, an art gallery and arts center, learning center, fitness center, veterans’ program, the iconic Mabery Pavilion and other community gathering places, a robust data center, and state-of-the-art labs.

The Verde Valley Campus is home to a state-of-the-art 10,000 sq. ft. Skilled Trades Center. This facility is used to train students in career and technical education programs. These programs include Residential Trades/Construction, Residential Electrical, Residential HVAC and Residential Plumbing.

Yavapai College operates six campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, a baccalaureate degree, student and community services, and cultural events and activities.

To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.

Inflation, additional sports programs, significant increase in employee salaries, no increase in four years, will be argued as driving forces that need  increase in primary tax money from County residents

Yavapai Community College indicated at the March 2023 District Governing Board meeting that it will be seeking a 5% primary property tax rate increase in May of 2023.  It will most likely argue that it needs more operating revenue, and the only available source appears at present to be Yavapai County residents’ primary property taxes. 

The anticipated arguments that the Prescott-based executives will make to the Governing Board are along these lines:  First, the College will note to the Governing Board that it has not asked for a primary tax rate increase for four years.  Typically, it will argue, it asks for an increase every three years. Second, it will argue that each year, when the College does not increase the property tax as allowed by law, the amount not used  is carried forward.  Thus, at present the College could ask  for an 18 percent increase, which the College will tell the Board it would never use. Thus, citizens implicitly should be grateful the increase is only 5%. Finally, it will emphasize that inflation is a main cause of the need for more funds.

It will not consider any major budget cuts, such as reducing or eliminating a sports program.   

State law provides the Governing Board with exclusive power to increase the County primary tax rate. The increase needs only a majority of the five member Governing Board to vote in favor of it.  While citizens will be given an opportunity to express their opinion about the tax rate increase at the May public meeting, there is no history of citizen opposition affecting whatever increase the College has requested.

Fund provides scholarships for student veterans and their families pursuing life-lifting education and career training at Yavapai Community College

The Prescott Regulators & Their Shady Ladies nonprofit organization recently donated $10,000 to the Yavapai Community College Foundation in support of the Foundation’s Veterans, Military and Family Fund. This is a scholarship fund created for student veterans and their families pursuing life-lifting education and career training at Yavapai Community College.  The contribution is the largest to date deposited in the Veterans, Military and Family Fund.

The Prescott Regulators & Their Shady Ladies established the scholarship for veteran students in 2016. “Several of the members of our group themselves are veterans. That’s why we chose to support veterans at Yavapai College,” said Monty Packard, the group’s sergeant of arms.

Scholarship recipient thank-you letters and success stories, which are shared at meetings and functions, are all the reward and inspiration members need, said Paige Phares, the organization’s president. “I know that helps our fundraising.”

Photo from website.

The Prescott Regulators & Their Shady Ladies, Inc.  are an award winning 501(c)(3) re-enactment group.  They  are the “Official Old West Ambassadors of Prescott” and for over 12 years have represented Prescott in parades, re-enactments and events around the State of Arizona. 

They were chosen by the State of Arizona as one of only three Western re-enactment groups to perform at the State’s Centennial Celebration “BestFest,” both in Prescott and in Phoenix.  The organization has been honored by “True West Magazine” as the “Best In The West” re-enactment group twice in the last five years and hosted the “Western Area” of the City’s Sesquicentennial Celebration.

No explanation offered for sudden need to modify existing contract

Dr. Lisa Rhine

Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine renegotiated a portion of her existing five-year contract with the College District Governing Board at a secret executive meeting held during a “workshop” Monday, November 14.  Despite everyone on the Board being “satisfied with her performance,” the President, and apparently at her lawyer’s advice (who was not present), persuaded the Board to insert a new severance provision.

The severance provision would ensure that she receives hundreds of thousands of dollars if she is fired for poor performance.  No reason was offered by anyone regarding a need for this unusual and substantial severance provision. Recall she is already by far the highest paid executive in Yavapai County and only last May received a 10% increase in her salary.  It is surmised that she is earning somewhere around  $300,000 a year in salary and benefits.

Because the executive session regarding the contract was held in secret, little is known by the public about either the reason for the severance or the actual dollar amount of the severance package.  What is clear is that if Dr. Rhine is fired for poor performance, this provision ensures she will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in severance.

The final motion agreed upon by the Governing Board 4-1 reads that “there would be a two-year severance payout with cause only for poor performance or 50% of the President’s remaining obligation by the College, whichever is greater.”

You may view the brief nine-minute discussion following the secret executive meeting regarding Dr. Rhine ‘s salary by clicking here.

Assistant coach Miles Kizer also announced his resignation

The Yavapai College Athletics Department is scrambling to replace its head Baseball Coach and one of his assistants, both of whom resigned earlier this month (July).  Ryan Cougill has been with the Community College for 14 years and has been head coach of its baseball team for ten years.

Director of Athletics Brad Clifford thanked Ryan for his years of service.  “He oversaw the baseball program with integrity, uprightness and success,” said Mr. Clifford. “I’m sorry to see Ryan leave Yavapai but wish him and his family the best of luck in his new endeavor.”

Ryan will become the eighth head coach of the Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. “We are excited to have Coach Cougill and his family join the Reiver Family!” said Dr. Dan Kinney, President of Iowa Western. “He has a strong winning background that will take the Reiver Baseball program to the next level with his previous coaching positions. We wanted a winner and that is what we got with Coach Cougill!”

There was no information available on the future plans of Miles Kirtzer, who spent three seasons with the Roughriders as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

Third District Yavapai  Community College Representative Paul Chevalier to speak on his vision of the future of the Community College in the Verde Valley | Must register to attend

Another free  OLLI Community Brown Bag program will be held on the Verde Valley Campus, room G-106, on Wednesday, March 2 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.  The speaker will be Paul Chevalier.

Representative Paul Chevalier

Mr. Chevalier is the Third District Yavapai Community College Representative.  He brings more than seven years of experience as a Verde Valley leader in community college development in Sedona and the Verde Valley.  He was chair of the Verde Valley Governing Board Advisory Committee in 2016 that worked on encouraging the College Administration to spend more time and money investing in the Verde Valley.  He was elected to his current position on the Governing Board in 2018.

He will speak on his vision of  the future of the Community College in the Verde Valley.

Although the program is free, registration is required.

Meeting to be held at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus  | Starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.

District Governing Board

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold its February Budget Workshop and General meeting on Tuesday, February 22  from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. 

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 if the Community College places a call to the public on its agenda.    See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.  It does not appear from the Sunday posting of the agendas that there will be a call to the public.  But, the agendas could change.  The meeting as posted Sunday, February 20, can be viewed by clicking here for the morning budget workshop meeting and here for the afternoon general meeting.

The Community College has changed its decade-long policy of providing the attachments to the agenda when it posts  an agenda for a  Governing Board  meeting on its web site.  While there are a handful of attachments to the February Agenda, most attachments were not posted. This reduces the amount of information relevant to the agenda that the citizens of Yavapai County  might find useful prior to deciding whether to make a 150-200 mile round-trip drive to attend a meeting. Or, useful in deciding whether to speak when a call to the public is allowed.

This process also does not treat internet viewers equally with those citizens who attend in person.  If you attend in person the Community College has a number of bound booklets containing the Agenda attachments on a table available for citizens to pick-up.  However, those persons with disabilities, in particular, who are interested in the Community College but cannot attend a meeting in person and will view it on the internet, are not treated fairly when it comes to  the Agenda because the attachments are not posted.

Moreover, the Community College likes to boast about being open and transparent.  That is hardly the case when it comes to attachments to the Agenda when posted on the Governing Board website.

Note that The Yavapai Community College  District covers all of Yavapai County consisting of 8,125 square miles. The size of the County  is comparable  to states such as Connecticut (5,543 sq. miles — 12 community colleges and universities), Delaware (1,982 sq. miles — three community colleges and universities), Rhode Island (1,214 sq. miles— one public and two private community colleges)  and New Jersey (8,723 sq. miles — 19 community colleges and universities). The state of Israel encompasses  8,550 square miles (ten universities and 53 colleges). Moreover, there is no public transportation from the east  and west sides of Mingus Mountain and the roads from the east to the west are few.

All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear surgical  or higher-grade  masks such as a KN95 in indoor spaces at all campus locations where continuous physical distancing cannot be maintained; cloth masks do not meet requirements

The University of Arizona has updated its COVID-19 protocols for the spring semester in response to the omicron variant that is spreading throughout the state of Arizona.  A major change to its mitigation protocol plan is that all students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear surgical — or higher-grade — masks such as a KN95 in indoor spaces at all campus locations where continuous physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Cloth masks will no longer meet the university’s requirement, according to a statement issued January 6 by University  President Robert Robbins.  President Robbins is also encouraging students and employees to get tested for COVID weekly and get vaccinated.

The University will use Campus signage to indicate spaces where masks are required.

The University will provide surgical masks for free at classroom and building entrances, or through building managers.

Dorm residents are now required to get tested before they return or when they first arrive back to campus. The university offers a variety of free testing options.

Source:   https://covid19.arizona.edu/face-coverings

Continuing accreditation announced in letter that also commended the program faculty and others for their flexibility, courage, and resiliency demonstrated during the pandemic

Every eight years the nursing program at Yavapai Community College is evaluated for reaccreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)  The ACEN is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) as a specialized accrediting agency. It is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The ACEN announced the reaccreditation in a formal letter sent to the Community College, and also commended the Community College nursing program faculty and leaders, and other institutional colleagues for their flexibility, courage, and resiliency demonstrated during the global pandemic. 

Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine announced to the Governing Board the reaccreditation of the nursing program at its October 19, 2021, meeting.  You may hear Dr. Rhine’s brief announcement on the one-minute video below.