Area Report for Board of Trustees

Welcome to the Fall quarter 2024! The weather is fantastic, and so is our enrollment. I’m pleased to share that we’ve had a strong start to the quarter, with continued positive enrollment trends. As of today, our State FTEs have increased by 8% compared to the same time last year, marking significant improvement and reflecting our ongoing progress. Additionally, Running Start has seen an 11% rise in FTEs and a 13% increase in headcount. Overall, our total FTEs are up by 9.2%. While we’ve made great strides, it remains essential to stay focused on ensuring students start the quarter successfully. Our goal is to minimize any potential losses due to non-payment, no-shows, and students dropping before the census.

Key Enrollment Highlights:

• General Admission Applications
  • Fall 2024: 4702
  • Fall 2023: 2286
• RN applications
  • Fall 2024: 121
  • Fall 2023: 62
• Residency request:
  • Fall 2024: 407 received
  • Fall 2023: 321 received
• Program/Plan updates
  • Fall 2024: 1769 requests received (4/1/2024 to 9/26/2024)
  • Fall 2023: 1220 requests received (4/1/2023 to 9/26/2023)

Our success in enrollment growth is a direct result of our campus-wide commitment to student-centered practices. By working collaboratively and putting student’s needs first, we have achieved remarkable results. Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work. Let’s maintain this momentum and keep delivering an exceptional education to our students.

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

• The Financial Aid office processed a record number of applications in ctcLink over the last few months. We awarded 2042 students financial aid for Fall 2024, over 500 more than in Fall 2023. We’ve disbursed Fall 2024 aid to 1533 students, roughly 600 more students than in Fall 2023. Total disbursement of financial aid funds for Fall 2024 is currently $4,581,263, around $600,000 more than the same time Fall 2023.
• Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, the Business Office, and Workforce Funding are working diligently to support students facing financial challenges. Our approach has shifted towards understanding students’ financial capabilities and providing resources to bridge gaps.
• Fall ThunderWeek was held the first week of classes this quarter (9/23 – 9/26) and we had just over 700 students attend 6 events. Overall, students seemed very excited for the quarter and were very engaged at the events.
• ASHC had a Voter registration event on 10/2 before their first meeting. Over 60 students participated by registering to vote, and learning more about the voting process
  • The ASHC Fall meeting went well, with 4 new clubs recognized, and students reviewed the new Title IX changes
  • The ASHC executive board will be attending the American Student Government Association National Student Government Summit in Washington DC from October 9-13. This includes opportunities to lobby in congress, visit representatives, and learn from Student Governments across the country.

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

• Academic Pathway Advisors totaled 1135 advising appointments and drop-ins to support students enrolling for Fall Quarter 2024. During advising sessions, Academic Pathway Advisors helped students register for classes, understand math and English course placement, conduct unofficial transcript reviews, explore degree/program options, and create academic plans required for funding purposes in Financial Aid and Workforce Education Services.
• Káren Calles (Director of Advising, Career and Transfer Services) leads the reorganization of Career and Transfer services by hiring a new Career and Transfer services team which will consist of a Career and Transfer Program Manager (vacant) and Career and Transfer Program Specialist (recently filled by Teresa Riches). In the coming year, this team will design and offer services in alignment with Guided Pathways to support students with career exploration, job readiness, and transfer preparation.

• The ISP department has been busy from admissions to recruitment. ISP welcomed around 90 new international students for fall 2024. This is the highest intake since fall 2017. Our ISP admissions has seen 608 international student applications (both completed and incomplete applications), with 180 being completed applications. The top 5 countries were: 1. Vietnam 2. Kenya 3. Canada 4. Myanmar 5. Japan
• With the influx of both domestic and international students this fall quarter, there has been a concern that classes that our international students need are full. International students have a requirement to have a certain number of credits be in-person, and they should have their credits counted towards their program of study. If classes are full, or they can only take classes that don’t count towards their program, they will go to another school, and we lose those students. We are currently working with Academic Affairs to forecast how many international students we expect for the upcoming quarter(s). One solution to this would be to bring back pre-registration for new international students allowing us to register these students before they arrive to give them the classes they need, and also to give Academic Affairs a heads up on which classes are filling up.
• Running Start enrollment has increased by 140 FTE (11% increase) and 182 in headcount (13% increase) compared to the same time last year (as of 9/27/2024). With increasing staffing by 1 FTE (hiring one additional advisor) earlier in 2024, the department has increased services to support the enrollment and advising of Running Start students. By the start of Fall Quarter 2024, Running Start advisors have totaled 957 advising appointments (a 31% increase compared to Fall 2023) and have created 496 educational plans with new Running Start students (a 64% increase compared to Fall 2023). Additionally, the department doubled the number of in-person new student orientation sessions compared to Fall 2023. Staff will continue supporting the success and retention of Running Start students throughout the year providing advising and retention support.

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

• We have received initial news from the King County Regional Homeless Authority (KCRHA) regarding the grant worked on by Women’s Programs/WorkFirst Services, The Student Support Center, and our Grants office. KCRHA will be submitting the proposal forward to the United Stated Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for request for funding. This doesn’t guarantee funding, but serves as a key next step in the process.
• To further align our primary funding related departments, the Veterans Resource Center, which is managed by Kendall Evans, will now be reporting to Loyal Allen, Associate Dean of Student Funding Services.

Core Theme 4: CULTURE & CAPACITY: Promote a campus culture which fosters equity and inclusivity supporting employee growth and development, and institutional capacity for transformation

• TRiO is hosting the TRiO Kick Off Event in October 15^th with the theme “Changes Brings Growth”. The event will bring together TRiO staff, new and continuing TRiO students to build community around what it means to be a first-generation college student.
• The Highline Support Center (WISH, SHoRe, Benefits Hub, Community Pantry) has been moved to the Diversity, Equity and Transformation Division.

Division Honors and Achievements

• Fall sports have begun and both our Men’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball teams are in first place. Women’s Volleyball is currently 20-1.

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