Board of Trustees Meeting

Location and Time

Highline College
District 9
2400 South 240th Street
Des Moines, WA 98198

Study Session (Building 25, Room 411): 8 a.m.
General Session (Building 25, Boardroom): 10 a.m.

Attendees

Board of Trustees: Chair Bob Roegner, Vice Chair Fred Mendoza, Dan Altmayer, Debrena Jackson Gandy and Sili Savusa present.

Executive Staff: Dr. Sy Ear, Josh Gerstman, Dr. John Mosby, Michael Pham, Danielle Slota, Dr. Jeff Wagnitz and Sue Williamson present.

Bruce Marvin (AAG) present.

Minutes

Study Session call to order – 8:11 a.m.

The Board, as and when deemed necessary, may call an Executive Session for appropriate purposes under the Open Meetings Act.

University initiative: VP Jeff Wagnitz and President John Mosby

• Referenced Federal Way Initiative (see Jan. 24 Academic Affairs Area Report).
  • Updated letter predicts class offerings in Spring quarter, acknowledged that this is optimistic but is still the goal.
• Grand Meeting of all Federal Way University stake holders on February 22, 2019 at Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Avenue South Federal Way, WA, 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m.

Campus housing: VP Michael Pham

• Role of President / LLC / Board of Trustees.
• The Campus View student housing project is managed by the Highline College Foundation, LLC, a wholly owned entity of the HC Foundation. NOTE: Trustee Altmayer is on the Foundation Board of Directors and Trustee Mendoza is the ex officio BoT representative on the Foundation board.
• Action item: President Mosby noted that Campus Housing should be a standing item on the Study Session agenda to aid in regular updates. Updates can include policy, student stories, etc.
• Follow-up item: VP Gerstman to create a half sheet synopsis of Campus View.
• Follow-up item: VP Pham to create a list of suggestions for the HC BoT policy involvement. Additional request from President Mosby for all BoT and VPs to spend the next month developing a list of specific involvement requests that can be discussed at February Study Session.
• Follow-up item: Board report on campus housing, potentially spring quarter.

Budget: VP Michael Pham

• Official report to be delivered in Feb. meeting.
• Draft budget circulated.
• Trustee Altmayer noted significant drops in bookstore profit.
• Trustees Roegner and Jackson Gandy asked about bringing in home goods to bookstore, VP Pham clarified that this is something his bookstore manager is looking into this but it is not currently a priority. VP Gerstman mentioned Green River’s success with a milkshake machine. Trustee Savusa suggested asking the students what they need/want to see in the bookstore looking at potential uptick in evening and weekends students down the line with public transportation improvements occurring. President Mosby noted that we should strongly consider keeping the ‘convenient store’ model in mind.
• Follow-up item: VP Pham to meet with Trustees Savusa and Jackson Gandy for deep dive prior to Feb BoT meeting.

2019 NLS: President John Mosby

• Community College National Legislative Summit, 02/10-13. Trustees Altmayer and Savusa, President Mosby, VP Gerstman and Ms. Shakira Erickson are attending.
• Trustee Altmayer noted that these are unprecedented times, that historically speaking there were many funding opportunities that were available during these visits. He acknowledged that this year may be different with the current shutdown. Stressed that the State Board and ACT coordinate groups meetings but that our process has been to schedule individual meetings to request funding for more specific items. Asked that this process continues so that the voice of HC is heard.
• Follow-up item: VP Gerstman’s office is taking lead on Trustee Altmayer’s request above.

Trustee recommendation discussions / review of process: VP Jeff Wagnitz

• VP Wagnitz offered review of tenure process. Detailed process can be accessed at Tenure Review Committee.

Discussion

• Feedback provided on Olympia Legislative Session.
• Follow-up item: VP Gerstman’s team asked to outline the process and document it with the President’s Office for future reference.

Study Session adjournment – 9:50 a.m.

General Session call to order – 10:07 a.m.

Approval of minutes

Trustee Mendoza motioned to approve the minutes from the December 13, 2018, meeting. Trustee Savusa seconded the motion. Hearing no objections the minutes were approved.

Opportunity for public comment

Persons wishing to testify must sign up and limit testimony to three minutes.
No requests for recognition.

The BoT took this opportunity to recognize student Ms. Cynthia Wambui and present her with a $500.00 Transforming Lives scholarship provided by the BoT in partnership with the HC Foundation.

Correspondence

President Mosby recognized a story shared by Ms. Kari Coglon Cantey in Institutional Advancement and recognized the HC Library staff:

On Dec. 21, the daughter of a Highline alumnus emailed our library staff, looking for help locating information on her father, who had run track in the early 1970s. She wrote, “My father is in poor health. He asked me to try to find some photos and stories from his college years. … The track team did well and went to State.”

One of our reference librarians took quick action and combed through archives of our college newspaper, the Thunderword, which is a time-consuming process. The librarian responded to the request within two hours with good news and copies of articles. Here is part of that message:

“I was able to locate your father in a handful of cross country and track and field articles in the Highline College newspaper, Thunderword. There are even a couple photos of him running! … On a personal note, this was a heartwarming activity. I feel for you and your family and I am very sorry your father is in poor health. I wish you both could have seen my face when I realized I was looking at a 1970s picture of him after searching hundreds of newspaper pages. I hope these pages from the past bring him joy.”

Standing reports

Associated Students of HC: Max Brown

• MLK week – outlined different programs scheduled throughout the week. The 2019 program can be accessed by visiting Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week 2019.

Washington Public Employees’ Association: No representation
No report provided.

Highline College Education Association: Dr. James Peyton

• Recognized the strength in the MLK week program as it is representative of the strength in student/faculty/staff relationships.
• Faculty are currently engaged in discussions about student enrollment, faculty advising. Noted that this is representative of the inclusive decision making that occurs at Highline College.
• Noted the Undoing Institutional Racism Workshop and the faculty involvement. Those that participated have voiced the power of that workshop and appreciation of being included.
• Offered gratitude for continued investment in community colleges.

Faculty Senate: Erik Scott

• Senate continues to gather information about the first week no attendance policy particularly as it is in regards to online classes.
• Mr. Marc Lentini provided education on verbiage in CANVAS that currently exists which addresses the current requirement that online courses have one activity during the first week of instruction.
• Equity Taskforce submitted recommendation that HC engage in participation with National Center for Transformation and Equity.
• VPAA hiring process – Role of VPAA across campus, faculty are reflecting on the ways that they contribute to that process.

HC Foundation: VP Josh Gerstman

• Recognized that the daily business of the College and our Faculty Senate have a daily impact on our community.
• Foundation has raised approximately $500k this year – recognized Asha Bhaga for her contributions to his team.
• Annual Gala announcement: April 27, 2019 at Cedarbrook Lodge. Solicited feedback from past events to be sent to him via email.

Action items

There were no action items.

Area reports

General Administration: VP Michael Pham

• 2019 is a year of capital projects.
  • Campus View housing is developing.
  • Building 26 – Life and Health Sciences: On track and on budget to be completed by summer quarter.
  • Building 6 – Canopy project has begun, major construction to take place spring quarter.

Academic Affairs: VP Jeff Wagnitz

• Campus long term commitment to improve accessibility to all campus related documents – recognized the Accessibility Committee and the newly hired Bobby Dutreix Accessibility Program Manager. Jenni Sandler provided introduction.
• Working through approval process of sixth BAS degree to be offered at HC.
• Teacher Education program:
  • 15 senior year residencies in effect at local schools.
  • 60 students admitted in junior work.
  • 150 students participating in Saturday courses.

Student Services: Interim VP Sy Ear

• Veterans Affairs: Veteran Program Specialist, Mr. Kendall Evans, took three students to the Student Veterans of America national conference, NADCOM. One of the attendees commented that “the information and networking that NADCOM provided was immeasurable. It brought back the feeling of comradery and being part of something bigger.”
• Advising in high school programs: HC hosted an annual high school appreciation event giving advisors an opportunity to connect with high school counselors and high school career specialists and look at how we can better prepare high school students to come to HC regarding entry applications and onboarding processes.
• Re-Entry Education and Transitional Pathways: successful in obtaining funding for a Re-Entry Specialist position at HC.
• Emergency fund committee: more online accessible applications are under way, currently only available for in-person application.
• The first International Student Forum is underway. The purpose is to learn what resources are needed to further connect our international students to our campus.

Institutional Advancement: VP Josh Gerstman

• SBDC worked with 89 unique clients representative of $787k in funding for those clients in the last quarter.
• Legislative session is here – thanked the BoT and recognized Renton Tech and Green River for their partnerships.
  • Trustee Altmayer asked about student engagement surveys and their relation to accreditation process. He requested an update at February’s meeting.
  • Trustee Mendoza requested a one pager be provided to Trustees Savusa, Altmayer and President Mosby in regards to the importance of the SBDC to take with them to Washington DC in February.

Discussion

• Undoing Institutional Racism (UIR) Workshop – Trustee Savusa asked about the origination of this training, VP Wagnitz noted that it was at the request of several community groups on campus including the Equity Taskforce, Whites on Whites, and several other individuals on campus. Trustee Savusa encouraged Exec Staff to lean on their community members that have previously been through the training when discussing the ‘unpacking’ of the information that emerged from the training.

President’s remarks

• Continued discussion of UIR – relayed that he has received many positive comments from campus community members. “What’s next” is being discussed. There is a heavy intent that this workshop was the beginning step, not a single step.
• Transforming Lives Reception in Olympia on Monday, January 21 – Thanks the BoT for attending and offered further recognition of Ms. Cynthia Wambui, the HC nominee. Thanked Trustee Jackson Gandy for her presentation at the reception and noted that he was extremely proud of our institution.
• Dr. Mosby attended the January Faculty Senate meeting and wanted to recognize his gratitude for that invitation. He noted that we continue to experience significant change across campus and noted that we will continue to build upon the legacies of our past as we move forward into the future.
• HC hosted Governor Inslee as he announced his commitment to early childhood education at the Children’s Home Society of Washington and Early Learning Center located on HC’s campus.
• HC was invited to participate at UW Tacoma when Governor Inslee addressed the College Promise Program earlier this month.
• Recognized the reception hosted at the Waterstreet Café with Renton Technical and Green River College, thanked VP Gerstman and the Institutional Advancement office.
• Shared experience of a recent car accident that occurred outside HC and his observation of the employees who assisted the family members of the injured individual through their experience. He offered gratitude to the staff member’s commitment to community and recognized its ties to Dr. Martin Luther King’s message.

Unscheduled business

There was no unscheduled business.

New business

Trustee Roegner offered further recognition of Trustee Jackson Gandy’s remarks at the Transforming Lives Dinner.

General Session adjournment – 11:15 a.m.

Minutes Signed and Approved

The meeting minutes from January 24, 2019, were approved and signed into record by Chair Bob Roegner and President John R. Mosby on February 21, 2019, at 11:15 a.m.

Mission Statement: As a public institution of higher education serving a diverse community in a multicultural world and global economy, Highline College promotes student engagement, learning, and achievement, integrates diversity and globalism throughout the college, sustains relationships within its communities, and practices sustainability in human resources, operations, and teaching and learning.