Welcome to my personal corner as a new member of the Yavapai college governing board. This is where I will share my thoughts and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing our institution. I would like to make it clear that these are my personal opinions and I am NOT speaking for the College Board. As a board member, I value open dialogue and believe in fostering transparency and collaboration. Through this platform, I hope to provide insight into my decision-making process and the priorities I advocate for. Your voice matters, and I invite you to share your questions, comments, and ideas, you can reach me at bill@vote4bill.com. Together, we can strengthen and enrich our college community. Just found a very prophetic video from Paul Harvey on taxation which was produced in 1965. It’s amazing how relevant it is today and the types of outcomes that can result in unchecked taxation. Please watch this video, its only about 12 minutes long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FF13u13WE The college board has seen fit to increase our property taxes 8.4% over the last two years and increase their budget from $82,146,900 to $126,792,000 over that same period of time. There is a footnote in the proposed FY 25 budget on page 108 which is shown in quotes below, here is a link to that budget: https://www.yc.edu/v6/budget/fy2024-25-adopted-budget-college-format.pdf “The college is able to maintain financial sustainability with modest 3% enrollment growth and 5% tuition increases—a price which we believe will allow us to maintain our Affordability Index. Please note that this model assumes 2% growth in property taxes from new construction, and an average levy increase of 1% per year. These revenues are offset by 4% labor and 5% non-labor increases, which still require a relatively small amount of Fund Balance consumption to balance the budget.” (Red font added for emphasis) I believe we’re taxed enough, I believe the administration should explore ways to cut our taxes and more importantly their budget instead of planning to levy an annual 1% tax increase from us. IF ANYONE WISHES TO CONTACT ME IN CONFIDENCE REGARDING ANY COLLEGE ISSUE, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT: BILL@VOTE4BILL.COM

The views expressed on this page are my own and are provided in my capacity as an individual member of the Yavapai College Governing Board to support open communication with the community. They do not represent the official position of the Board or the College. Board actions and decisions occur only through the formal public meeting process.

Setting the Record Straight on Yavapai College’s Accreditation Status

At a recent Governing Board meeting, the Board received a presentation from a representative of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), during which it was stated that Yavapai College is currently in the strongest accreditation standing available within the Commission’s framework. I believe it is important for the community to be aware of that information. Subsequent public reporting in the Daily Courier suggested that the College’s accreditation might be at risk; that was not the information presented to the Board during that meeting.

I have also been informed that concerns have been shared with faculty and staff suggesting that recent Board actions could place accreditation at risk, and that a complaint was submitted to the Higher Learning Commission regarding Board involvement in matters related to the President’s responsibilities. While individuals have the right to raise concerns through appropriate channels, it is my personal view that actions which may create confusion about the College’s accreditation status can themselves contribute to uncertainty within the campus community. I remain committed to supporting governance practices that strengthen institutional stability and maintain Yavapai College’s strong accreditation standing.

I was also concerned to learn that a complaint was submitted to the Higher Learning Center Commission regarding Board involvement in matters related to the President’s responsibilities. In my view, issues of this significance are best addressed through the Governing Board’s established processed first, so that they can be addressed transparently and in a way that supports continued confidence in the college’s governance and accreditation standing.

Clarification Regarding Budget Discussions

Some recent communications have suggested that my comments about reviewing the College’s budget could negatively affect faculty positions or salaries. That is not my position. My goal has always been to ensure that Yavapai College’s financial resources are used as effectively as possible in support of students, instruction, and the long-term stability of the institution. When I refer to reducing spending, I am referring specifically to identifying and eliminating wasteful or non-essential expenditures, not reducing instructional quality, faculty positions, or compensation.

Strong academic programs and the people who deliver them are the core of the College’s mission. Any discussion of fiscal responsibility must begin with protecting student learning and the faculty and staff who support it. My intent is to strengthen the College’s financial foundation by improving efficiency, transparency, and prioritization—not by weakening the instructional workforce. Responsible stewardship of taxpayer and student resources is fully compatible with supporting faculty and maintaining a strong academic environment, and that remains my guiding principle.

This page is a place where I share my individual thoughts and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing our institution and our community. The views expressed here are my own and do not represent official positions of the Yavapai College Governing Board or the College.

As a board member, I believe strongly in open dialogue, transparency, and thoughtful collaboration. My goal in sharing these updates is to provide insight into the issues I am studying, the questions I am asking, and the priorities I believe can help strengthen Yavapai College while supporting students, faculty, staff, and taxpayers.

I also believe community input is essential to good governance. Your voice matters, and I welcome your questions, comments, and ideas.

You can reach me at bill@vote4bill.com.

Together, we can continue working to strengthen and enrich the Yavapai College community.

— William Kiel

Yavapai College Governing Board, District 1

IF ANYONE WISHES TO CONTACT ME IN CONFIDENCE REGARDING ANY COLLEGE ISSUE, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT: BILL@VOTE4BILL.COM