Under scheme established by Administration, OLLI director spends only 40% of time on OLLI, remainder of time now spent on administration of separate College life-long learning programs; Claim is that Sedona staff is “overworked, stretched thin, under stress” and doing two jobs
Dr. Paul Friedman addressing Sedona City Council
One of the most respected voices in the Sedona/Verde Valley OLLI program, Dr. Paul Friedman, asked the Yavapai Community College Prescott-based executives at the Sedona Council meeting Tuesday, April 26 to return to the previous OLLI model where Sedona/Verde Valley OLLI had a full-time director.
Three years ago both sides of Mingus Mountain had a full-time OLLI Director. However, the Community College changed that model for the east side, as explained below. It kept a full-time OLLI Director in Prescott, Tricia Berlowe, while changing the Director’s responsibilities dramatically in Sedona.
Mr. Friedman is a 15 year volunteer who has facilitated well over 100 OLLI programs. He claimed in his presentation to the Sedona Council that the College made a big adverse administrative change three years ago involving the Sedona operation. That change, according to Dr. Friedman, has seriously damaged the growth and fundraising ability of Sedona/Verde Valley OLLI. He also claimed that the change is now interfering with plans the local Sedona OLLI group has for expansion and recruitment following a large loss of members and funds because of the pandemic.
Dr. Friedman explained that three years ago the full-time Sedona/Verde Valley OLLI Director resigned and the Yavapai Community College Dean of its Life-long learning program, Dennis Garvey, was about to retire. When Garvey retired, instead of replacing him with another full-time dean, the administration combined Gavey’s duties with those of the Sedona/Verde OLLI Director.
The result of the College’s decision to combine meant that Linda Shook, the current Sedona/Verde OLLI Director, initially spent at least 40% of her time on College administration for its Life-long learning program and only 60% of her time on OLLI. After a year or so, her administrative duties were increased so she now spends around 60% of her time on College administration and an estimated 40% on OLLI. The conclusion reached by Dr. Friedman was that the current Sedona/Verde Valley OLLI director simply does not have the time or opportunity to focus on developing the OLLI program in the Sedona/Verde Valley area.
Dr. Friedman also said that the entire OLLI staff has been working at “two jobs” and they are ““overworked, stretched thin and under stress.” He asked that the College give back the full-time position of OLLI Director, a position that existed for 15 years prior to the dramatic change.
The College administrators appeared somewhat perplexed and unprepared to respond to Dr. Friedman. President Dr. Lisa Rhine claimed the College has to “fight for that grant.” (See video clip) Vice President Clint Ewell gently corrected Dr. Rhine by explaining the College has an endowment from OSHA that is permanent and the interest from that investment is what is used to support OLLI on an annual basis. (He did not provide any details such as the amount of the endowment, which is said to be $2 million or how much it annually generates in revenue for OLLI.) President Rhine said OLLI is not totally supported by the endowment and tuition it charges for its programs. The College supplements it. (No estimates of amount of supplement provided.)
Vice President Diane Ryan seemed to place blame, if there is blame, on former Verde Valley Dean James Perey. She did not know whether the Sedona/Verde Valley program had fully recovered from the pandemic but promised to look into the matter. She also said that OLLI Sedona/Verde Valley now had a full-time administrative assistant to help Dr. Shook and that arrangement appeared satisfactory. Shook had not complained to Ryan, according to Ryan.
Shook was hired in February 2019. The following is a portion of the Community College press release announcing her hiring issued February 2, 2019:
“The associate dean/OLLI direction position is a wonderful opportunity for me,” said Shook. “It is just the right marriage of my skillset, combining university outreach and continuing education with my first love, lifelong learning.
“I am well acquainted with the best lifelong learning programs in our country,” Shook continued. “Yavapai College and Sedona are at the top of the list. The opportunity to move to the beautiful Southwest and Arizona is the chance of a lifetime. My passion for nature and outdoor activities is perfectly suited for life here in Sedona and the Verde Valley.”
During her time as a director at Auburn, the university’s OLLI membership more than doubled, its financial growth and public profile both improved and its educational programming stretched out in a variety of new and creative directions. Most recently, Shook served as Summer Programs Director at the University of Montana. There, she worked with the provost to grow and strengthen course offerings. Summer enrollment grew by 17% during her tenure. She also led an employee committee that assisted the university’s student retention and mentoring efforts.
In addition to her duties as Sedona OLLI Director, Shook will supervise the coordinator of the College’s Community Education program in the Verde Valley and work with community members to develop appropriate higher education and economic development programming for the area.
A video clip of Dr. Friedman’s speech to the Sedona Council and the College’s response can be seen by clicking here. The entire hour and five minute presentation and discussion can be seen by going to the Sedona City Council website.