Wills blames block scheduling, full-time students, and absence of dual enrollment for closing Film School; absolves herself of any blame as though Film School was under control of an alien power rather than her administration
Sometimes listening to Dr. Penelope Wills and her associates explanations about their decisions causes one to wonder if someone is not in Alice in Wonderland. That was surely the case when Wills appeared before the Sedona City Council October 27 and the issue of closing the Sedona Film School came up.
For example, Wills’teamed with Executive Dean James Perey to explain the closing of the nationally recognized Sedona Film School and its claimed resurrection on the Verde Campus. Perey claimed that “the film school is back, it’s on the Verde Valley Campus.” Perey was apparently hoping that no one listening knew how a real film school curriculum looked when compared to the Fall offerings on the Verde Campus.
For those folks from Missouri who say “show me,” the Blog has set out below the fall Scottsdale Film School curriculum, which can be compared with the fall “Film School” curriculum on the Verde Campus. The difference is so stark that Dean Perey’s remarks fall into the category of administrative prattle.
Only 12 credits of face-to-face training are offered on the Verde Campus while about 80 credits are offered at the Scottsdale Community College.
Dean Perey also said that one “of the real issues with the Film School program was that it was full-time. “Unless you were a full-time student you could not enroll in that program,” he said. He was joined by Wills’ who criticized the Film School program she was running at the time as a failure because of block scheduling, having full-time students, and not allowing dual enrollment. It’s a though Wills’ saw the Sedona Film School as in the control of some alien power rather than in control of her administration. Odd, very odd, to say the least. You may view the video of Dean Perey’s remarks on this issue by clicking here.
Both Wills’ and Perey ignore the College rosy press releases issued just 9 months before the announced closing of the Film School—hoping, no doubt, that memories in Sedona are extremely short.
For example, Yavapai College Director of Marketing and Communications Mike Lange, was quoted on August 9, 2012 in the Sedona RedRock News as stating:
“The Yavapai College film program is continuing and is being enhanced. It is not being dissolved.”
On December 11, 2012 the College issued a press release praising the Sedona Film School. This was just nine months before announcing it was being closed. In that College press release one source was quoted as saying
“The Sedona Film School . . . contributes so much to this community and to Yavapai College. Sedona can be proud to have a world-class film school with personalized one-on-one attention to its students by a staff that is dedicated to giving the next generation of filmmakers’ unparalleled education and training.”
In the December, 2012 College press release the College stated that the Film School was
“expanding [its] relationship with the renowned Sedona International Film Festival (SIFF) and .planning for a special series of technical workshops during the 2013 Festival.” It also stated that it had “launched a significant recruiting campaign and doubled its enrollment this year! In these tough economic times, that is a significant achievement. . . . The community truly banded together this past year to show support for the Film School and make a unanimous statement that ‘We love our film school’ and want to keep it in Sedona.’”
It turns out that all those press releases were Community College twaddle, if not outright deceptive.
According to the College, this year’s event “features Arizona wines and fine foods with a total of over 30 winemakers, restaurant owners and chefs providing tastings of their favorite edibles and drinkables.” 
Deb McCasland is most outspoken in opposition to the tax increase; Al Filardo seems to be sitting on the fence, and Steve Irwin is quiet about his intentions. The Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee has unanimous said it opposes a tax increase at this time.
Sources who the Blog believes are reliable tell it that the College will receive an additional $300,000 from the State of Arizona this coming year. That should be good news for Yavapai County taxpayers.
The executive dean of the Community College Verde Valley Campus, James Perey, reported at the March District Governing Board meeting that a modified film & media arts program is being developed for the fall 2015 semester. This program along with culinary, hospitality and enology certificate programs, will be based at the Verde Valley Campus. He also said that he is seeking to find a way to offer welding and/or automotive programs “in conjunction with Verde Valley academic partners.”
The College has submitted four new certificate courses to be offered in the Verde Valley for Faculty Curriculum Review. They are: Digital Media and Film, Culinary, Hospitality and Enology. If approved, they will go to the District Governing Board for review. If all goes well, the new programs will be offered in the fall of 2015.