Area Report for Board of Trustees

As we move into the start of Spring Quarter 2026, Academic Affairs continues to move forward in meaningful ways advancing our goals to expand access, enhance student learning, and strengthen our culture and capacity as a college. This time of year, carries both momentum and reflection. It is a time to honor and celebrate the incredible work and achievements of our students, faculty, and staff as we approach commencement, while also thoughtfully preparing for what’s ahead in the summer and fall. 

Lastly, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our Division Chairs, Faculty Coordinators, and Academic Affairs Deans, Associate Deans, and Directors/Associate Directors/Managers. Their steady leadership and care have been instrumental throughout the academic year, shaping all that we have accomplished together.

Core Theme 1: ACCESS, Reduce Barriers and close equity gaps to access for all community members

• Highline College’s Continuing Education was recently awarded a 2-year contract, in collaboration with The Port of Seattle, to provide Introduction to Aviation Security Training at Seattle Tacoma International Airport by transforming entry-level airport roles into sustainable career ladders for near-Port communities. This intentional design coupled with specialized security curriculum with personalized navigation services effectively closes equity gaps by ensuring underrepresented workers have the specific tools, credentials, and employer connections required to transition into higher-compensated aviation careers.

Core Theme 2: STUDENT LEARNING, Increase educational success, collaborate to improve

• At the end of winter quarter, paleontology students from GEO 103 (taught by MB Barboza) completed a dinosaur dig where they practiced excavating a full dinosaur skeleton that was 3D printed in the ThunderLab MakerSpace by Stephaney Puchalski (Pure & Applied Sciences lab technician manager).

Core Theme 4: CULTURE & CAPACITY: Become an anti-racist college through intentional development of employees, facilities, and systems that support student success and close equity gaps

• The Teaching Innovation Development Lab (TIDL) is hosting its third annual AI Symposium during the month of April. This year’s Symposium offers featured sessions with speakers from around the world:
  • Anger, Sadness, & Existential Crisis: Teaching in the Gen-AI Era, with Stephanie Ojeda Ponce (English faculty)
  • Exploring the AI Grief Cycle: Finding a Path Forward for Faculty, Chris Ostro 
  • Teaching AI Ethics, Leon Furze
  • AI That Takes Action: Countering Student Misuse and Exploring Educator Uses of Agentic AI, Anna Mills

• TIDL will also be hosting ‘Watch Parties’ for sessions offered by other groups, including the SBCTC Assessment Teaching and Learning + WA Canvas Conference, in the Faculty Center (9-109).

Report submitted by Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Rolita Ezeonu