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May 14, 2020: Administrative Services

Home/Area Reports, Division: Administrative Services, Meeting 05-14-20/May 14, 2020: Administrative Services
2020-05-07T19:24:34+00:00 Print Page

May 14, 2020: Administrative Services

Area Report for Administrative Services

Vice President for Administration

  • With most of our personnel deemed essential to support the continuity operations of Highline College, all of the Administrative Services departments are operating on site on a limited basis.
  • The campus budget planning process has begun, although not under the best of the financial circumstances. The ongoing covid-19 pandemic is expected to significantly affect both the state tax revenue and our local finances.
  • For the May 2020 Board meeting, we are submitting a revised college budget for the remainder of the current FY2019-20. The revised budget projects a decrease in our revenue sources and a reduction in expenditures to ensure a balance budget.

Facilities

  • After 35 years of service, Maintenance Supervisor Gus Nyquist has retired from Highline College effective April 15, 2020. We wish Gus all the best in his next phase of life’s adventure.
  • Jason Huff will serve as interim supervisor until the recruitment of a permanent Maintenance Supervisor.
  • Phuoc Dinh has been promoted to Custodian 3 as one of our new Custodian Leads for the evening shift.
  • We have successfully completed the submission of 2021-23 biennium capital budget request to the State Board.
  • Emergency Fire Alarm Repair/Replacement Project has been approved to repair the outdated communications and panels throughout campus. The existing copper network system is being replaced with new fiber optic system as well as replacing outdated fire panels in individual buildings. Approximately ½ of campus buildings have been updated currently. The expected completion date is June 2020.

Finance & Budget

  • Despite the challenges present by the switch to mostly on-line operations, the Finance team has continued to be able to provide services to students and employees, including disbursing funds to students through BankMobile as needed, processing tuition payments, purchasing essential items, paying bills and facilitating student payments online.
  • As part of the Federal stimulus package, Highline College has received student aid funding from the CARES Act for $1,759,869. We have submitted the grant applicant for the second half of the CARES Act funding (designated as institutional relief funding) and is awaiting for award confirmation.

Public Safety and Emergency Management

Public Safety continues to manage the college’s response to COVID-19 by coordinating response units through our Incident Command System. These units communicate with each other and report to the Executive Cabinet. The ICS members meet virtually every Monday to discuss completed actions, on-going projects, vulnerabilities, and creating plans for various scenarios.

The college has been able to take an immense response effort and continue to work towards the following incident objectives:

  • Conduct training and technical support for faculty adapting to a remote learning environment. Continually analyze student needs and increase our ability to provide quality remote learning;
  • Provide guidance and assistance to vulnerable student populations and groups impacted by limited or no access to technology and the internet. Continually assess response decisions for equity and inclusion;
  • Develop and disseminate messages and materials for the college community including students, employees, and our partner agencies through the Joint Information Center;
  • Implement current safety and social distancing precautions as recommended by Public health and CDC to prevent the potential spread and exposure to our campus community;
  • Develop a phased approach to returning services and employees to campus, which directly addresses challenges and risk with several mitigation efforts;
  • Ensure the health and wellness of students and employees through resources, programs and telephone check-ins; Ensure all emergency related financial records are maintained and reported to federal and state entities through appropriate portals.

Public Safety and Campus Housing Staff in partnership with Continuing Education will attend a Naloxone (Opioid reversal medication) training via Zoom on May 6th. This training will maintain compliance with House Bill 1039. This bill requires all public institutions of higher education with a residence hall that houses at least 100 students to develop a plan to maintain and administer opioid overdose medication and train designated personnel.

Auxiliary Services

  • Since April 1st, the Bookstore has shipped over 2,000 online orders, plus 330 instant delivery eBooks, in support of the switch to on-line instruction during spring quarter.
  • In addition, the Bookstore has also shipped 250 student orders placed through the library reserve program.
  • We are also implementing an online textbook buyback option on our website.
  • Conference and Event Services is lending support to the Bookstore, as well as taking on the new role of managing and scheduling webinars/virtual conferences for the camp