Area Report for Board of Trustees

IA has had a busy September, preparing and supporting the Opening Week committee and attending Convocation, working on social media campaigns to welcome students back, launching a Kent Des Moines Station Advertising Takeover, reviewing and awarding scholarships and emergency tuition awards, preparing for Foundation’s annual audit, representing Highline in the community at Seattle Southside State of the Region, at Port of Seattle Listening Sessions and Airport U celebration, working with Emergency Housing and Campus View to assist students moving into housing, and preparing for several legislative activities coming up this fall. 

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

• Communications and Marketing has launched the first Kent Des Moines Station Take-Over with large print ads placed throughout the station and additional 72 internal ads installed throughout the 1-Line. Additional advertising is continuing at the Commons Mall in Federal Way and on Metro’s Rapid Ride on Pac Hwy. 
• In addition to Fall Quarter emergency tuition support, Foundation has been working with college departments to award one-time CTE scholarships and tuition support from a $75,000 scholarship contribution from a private donor and also raising awareness of additional scholarships available through Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) made possible by the same donor with an October 15 deadline.
  

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

• IA Provided significant support for Opening Week activities from Foundation and Comm/Marketing to welcome faculty back and kick-off the academic year, including 
  • Support for website and materials for Opening Week
  • Foundation support for food for new faculty orientation 
  • Foundation worked with the OW committee on food logistics for all campus convocation and Strategic Planning sessions.
• Center for Global Business Education led the 6th annual Short Term Study Abroad to Vietnam to study the supply chain in early September
  

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

IA staff, including SBDC/StartZone and Center for Global Business Education represented Highline at the following activities (list may not be exhaustive)

• Attended Seattle Southside Annual Airport Luncheon and Soundside Alliance on 9/2
• Facilitated meeting with Interim President Penn and WSBDC Interim Director on 9/3, and King County Executive Staff on 9/24
• Attended King County Crisis Care Clinic Community Meeting on 9/11
• Attended the United Way of King County Leadership Planning Retreat on 9/15
• Along with Welcome Back Center, hosted reps from Port of Seattle South King County and Airport Impacted Community Fund for a grant visit on 9/18
• Volunteered for Des Moines Chamber Waterfront Program on 9/20
• Attended Highline Forum (airport impacted communities) and What’s Up Des Moines on 9/23
• Attended Port Jobs Airport University Celebration on 9/25 
• Attended Kent Aerospace Roundtable on 9/25
• Sponsored and spoke at Seattle Southside State of the Region on 10/1

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

• News release on Highline College’s 10th official Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 

Division Honors and Achievements

• IA is taking time to honor our dear colleague Melissa Sell, who passed from cancer on 9/21

Report submitted by Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Joshua Gerstman