Area Report for Board of Trustees

Student Services staff have remained committed to providing strategic support, care, and service to Highline College students and community partners while aligning goals and celebrating successes.

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

• Running Start Eligibility: The State Legislature recently approved targeted expansions for summer eligibility for current Running Start students, including the 2023 graduating class.  Also, HB 1316 approved to begin Fall 2023, allows rising seniors and graduating seniors to take an additional 3 college credits fall, winter, spring, or summer quarter.
  • The intent of the new eligibility is to:
    • Increase students’ ability to access Running Start and complete and associate degree while in high school
    • Facilitate high school credit recovery for Running Start students
    • Increase flexibility in students’ course scheduling
    • Ensure students can take full advantage of Running Start through summer participation
  • Amazon Choice Program: Highline’s Enrollment Services Department is collaborating with Academic Affairs, Communication & Marketing and Fiscal Services to enroll students through Amazon’s Career Choice program.  This partnership with Amazon makes Highline a “choice partner institution” and pays tuition for qualified Amazon employees.
  • Outreach & Recruitment: Student Services is working with current Outreach & Recruitment staff to plan their transition from Institutional Advancement to Student Services.  Student Services and Academic Affairs are also engaging in some broader collaboration and alignment around the various outreach and recruitment initiatives across campus.
  • The WES Team & Entry Advising hosted 3 WES application peer support sessions for ELCAP students & ECE cohorts to apply for Summer quarter funding. These sessions were supported by peers in over 14 different languages.

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

• Retention and Advising Collaborative work. Deans in Student Services and Academic Affairs and the Director of Title III were charged with collaborating on unifying similar efforts around student retention and advising enhancement.  The group is developing strategies and structures for this work and will present them to Executive Cabinet mid-June.
• The Dean of Advising & Enrollment Services in collaboration with the Dean of Guided Pathways and Director of Faculty Advising recently held three Aviso training sessions for staff.
  • 55 staff attended one of three sessions
  • Training focused on accessing & navigating Watermark (formerly called AVISO), with an emphasis on notes, filtering, “following” students and creating academic plans

Core Theme 3: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, Create a more inclusive working environment and a more valued, visible relationship with communities we serve

• TRiO Student Support Services held their annual End of the Year Celebration titled “Reach for the Stars”, an event that has not been held in-person since 2019. The event brought together TRiO SSS students and families, Highline College staff and faculty, and local community members to recognize the achievement of our TRiO scholars.
• Veterans Services hosted a Veterans Resource Fair, inviting several local Veteran related organizations to campus to provide support to Highline’s Veteran students and gather in community.
• Four International Student Programs staff members attended AWISA-Association of Washington International Student Affairs. This conference is a one-day event that connects Washington’s International educators. This is an opportunity for professional development, networking and project collaboration.
• Center for Cultural & Inclusive Excellence is gearing up to host community events:
  • Bake Sale – June 5
    • Students will make and sell baked goods to support YouthCare
  • De-stress Dance Event – June 7
    • Students will destress through dance with a local organization, The Trap Lab
  • Retention and Completion Services, Financial Aid, TRiO SSS, and College Success Foundation coordinated with other campus departments to host the “Paying for College Night,” which provides students and families with direct assistance to apply for the FAFSA or WASFA and the completion of additional financial aid processes. The event took place on May 31^st 5:30-6:00pm in Building 7, and 6:00-8:00 in Building 30 Room 101 and 102.

Division Honors and Achievements

• The newly hired Associate Director of Career & Transfer, Karen Calles, will start work at HC on Monday, June 12.  Karen will lead the Career & Transfer Services Office and partner with other leads in student services and faculty advising to promote transfer and career opportunities for Highline students.
• International Student Programs is gearing up for an end-of-year celebration. The invitation to the event is extended to international students, including those who are graduating, receiving scholarship awards, etc. The event will also be streamed so agents and parents around the world can view the celebration.
• News from Athletics:
  • Tennis finished 2^nd in the NWAC Finals
  • Kinsey Lockhart (tennis) won both the Women’s Singles and the Women’s Doubles and was vote NWAC Women’s Player of the Year
  • Golf had three golfers in the NWAC Finals
  • Softball finished up their season
• Center for Leadership and Service welcomes new ASHC officers: DeVoni Young (President) & Clara Swart (Vice President)!
• Center for Leadership and Service hosted events aimed at honoring students!
  • Global Fest – Students visited booths created by other students to share their culture and experiences. Food trucks and cultural performances were available to students.
  • Student Legacy Awards – Highline College honored 40 student leaders across the campus community with an awards ceremony and reception.
• Jeff Kurnick, International Engagement Leadership Advisor, start in his new role at Highline on May 30.
• Jordon Hamill is the new Director of Operations at Campus View. He stepped into his role during the second week of May 2023.

Report submitted by Interim Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Jamilyn Penn