Area Report for Board of Trustees
It’s my pleasure to provide this report for November and showcase some of the amazing events, recognitions and excellence that represent the best of Highline College. This quarter has been a busy one for the entire college community with no signs of slowing down.
We had an exciting LGBTQIA week with powerful and poignant programming and a resource fair that showcased the resources and advocacy for our community. This was an impressive slate of activities and many thanks to the planning committee for the hard work and service to the college. I’m looking forward to next year.
I had an opportunity to speak in a few honors classes about the admission and transfer process to 4-year institutions. The students in these courses asked great questions and was such an engaging group. A special thank you to our faculty member, Jennifer Heckler for making the time and inviting me to speak. I had a great time and always appreciate learning from our students.
I attended Professional Development Day and was impressed by the collection and number of workshops for the campus community. It was refreshing to see so many staff and faculty attending and taking advantage of the activities. The planning committee did a fantastic job organizing a busy but informative day. I will say that in all my years working in higher education, I have never seen such a robust event and dedicated college community participating in a professional development day. Nice work Highline College!
Nationally, one of our own board members, Dan Altmayer has been elected to the board of directors of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). The board election was held during the 49th annual Leadership Congress in New York last month. This is one of many recognitions Trustee Altmayer has received over the years, including receiving the 2017 Trustee Leadership Award from ACCT which recognizes excellence and service among trustees at over 1,100 two-year post-secondary institutions. I attended the Leadership Congress and was impressed at the amount of respect given to Trustee Altmayer and Highline College. Thank you, Dan. In addition, many thanks to Trustees Bob Roegner and Debrena Jackson Gandy for representing Highline College at the Association of College Trustees (ACT) fall conference in SeaTac.
As I mentioned to the campus previously, I attended the 23rd Annual Faculty and Staff of Color Conference in Blaine, WA. The college had staff and faculty who organized the event, provided presentations and even won a faculty member of the year award – Congratulations Dr. Darryl Brice! Great event, thought-provoking discussions and a beautiful gathering and sharing of community. In addition, our own Trustee Jackson Gandy participated in their first-ever Trustee panel. Also, Trustee Jackson Gandy led a very popular workshop at the conference.
The College was also honored at the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce Gala, receiving the Impact Award, selected for commitment to enhancing the economic prosperity of the region. Highline College remains a powerful force in our community, providing significant income and employment opportunities to King County. There were staff, faculty and our Trustee Bob Roegner representing the college when accepting the award. In addition, Highline College was recognized at the Port Jobs 25th Anniversary celebration for being an outstanding partner providing opportunities for students to build skills and earn college credit toward certificates and degrees through their Airport University program.
As I conclude my update, I want to again welcome our new Vice President, Institutional Advancement, Josh Gerstman to Highline College. In a few weeks on the job, Josh has already made a great impact on the college and with such a student-centered approach to his position, I look forward to his leadership and presence in our community.
Report submitted Nov. 7, 2018, by President John R. Mosby, Ph.D.