Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Virtual Zoom meeting: 8:00 a.m.

Minutes

Attendees

Board of Trustees: Chair Sili Savusa, Vice Chair Sharmila Swenson, Dan Altmayer, Joe Bowman, Fred Mendoza

Executive Cabinet: Josh Gerstman, Summer Korst, Emily Lardner, John Mosby, Michael Pham, Aaron Reader, Danielle Slota, Tim Wrye present.

Bruce Marvin (AAG) present.

Study Session call to order: 8:05 a.m.

Discussion Topics

System legislative review, VP Josh Gerstman

• Working to schedule an on-site legislative breakfast this year but also speaking with student leaders to schedule an alternate event that could occur virtually if needed.
• Waterstreet Cafe event is tentative due to pandemic – working with legislators and their aids to determine comfort level.  May need to proceed with virtual opportunities instead.
• Optimistic about opportunities to be creative to work with the legislative team in DC either virtually or in person.

FY2020-21 Year-end financial review, VP Michael Pham

• Reviewed the 2020-21 year-end financial report
• Federal money saved the budget

FY2021-22 Operating budget, VP Michael Pham

• Reviewed the 2021-22 operating budget
• As of Sep 8, 1,858 students have applied for Fall Quarter COVID-19 Funding. We are definitely on track to our 2,000 student application target. I project we’ll have around 2,000-2,300 applicants by December. This should result in meeting our target expenditure of $3 million we budgeted for the quarter.

Review of Action Items to be voted on in General Session

• Action item a: approval of the President’s contact
  • Bowman
• Action item b: approval of the FY2021-22 Operating Budget
  • Altmayer
• Action item c: Resolution 170-2021 pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Bowman
• Action item d: Resolution 171-2021 pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Savusa
• Action item e: Resolution 172-2021 Pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Mendoza
• Action item f: Approval of the September 9, 2021 updated version of the Board of Trustees’ policies and practices
  • Savusa

Executive Session pertaining to the performance of a public employee

The Board, as and when deemed necessary, may call an Executive Session for appropriate purposes under the Open Meetings Act.

• Trustees moved to Executive Session at 8:59 a.m. to discuss the performance of a public employee
• Executive Session concluded at 9:38 a.m.

Meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Virtual Zoom meeting: 10 a.m.

General Session Minutes

Roll Call

Board of Trustees: Chair Sili Savusa, Vice Chair Sharmila Swenson, Dan Altmayer, Fred Mendoza, Joe Bowman present

Executive Cabinet: Danielle Slota, Josh Gerstman, Aaron Reader, Emily Lardner, John R. Mosby, Michael Pham, Summer Korst, Tim Wrye present

Bruce Marvin (AAG) present

General Session called to order at 10:02 a.m.

Approval of minutes

Approve minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of June 10, 2021 and August 26, 2021

• Trustee Mendoza moved to approve the minutes from June 10, 2021 and August 26, 2021.  Trustee Altmayer seconded the motion.  Potion passed unanimously.

Opportunity for public comment

• No comment

Standing reports

• Associated Students of Highline College: Anita Ambuy and Mya Leonhard
  • Student Leadership Core Team in training, will kick off school year with Thunderweek
• Washington Public Employees Association: Tessa Bowen
  • Currently in negotiations on impacts of the vaccine requirement implications
  • Bargaining in place regarding safety impacts of the return to campus 
  • Offering two staff trainings during Opening Week (time and project management review and self-care & self-advocacy)
• Highline College Education Association: No report
• Faculty Senate: No report
• Highline College Foundation: Sheri Keller
  • Completed annual audit
  • Launching a modified scholarship process to awards some new scholarships that were created over the summer as well as to award some funds that were not awarded in the last academic year
  • Recognition of Trustee Altmayer’s service on the Foundation Board

Action items

• Action item a: approval of the President’s contact
  • Trustee Mendoza moved, Trustee Altmayer seconded with the below amendments and language. Motions passed unanimously.
    • The last sentence of Article II as amended by the 2020 Addendum is amended to read: “This appointment shall run from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024.
    • Article IV of the Contract as amended is stricken and replaced with the following: Effective September 16, 2021 through the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter during the term of this Agreement, the President shall receive an annual salary of Two Hundred Sixty-Two Thousand and Five Hundred Dollars ($262,500).  The salary shall be paid semi-monthly on the College’s regularly scheduled payroll dates.   Any increase in the salary of the President shall be implemented by resolution or motion duly adopted by the Board at an open public meeting and shall be evidenced by written addendum to this contract.
  • Additionally, Trustee Mendoza moved that given the unique circumstances and demands presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, that the Board authorize Dr. Mosby to be paid out ten days of accrued vacation pay no later than the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year.”
• Action item b: approval of the FY2021-22 Operating Budget
  • Trustee Altmayer moved, Trustee Bowman seconded with the below amendment. Motion passed unanimously.
• Action item c: Resolution 170-2021 pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Trustee Bowman moved, Trustee Savusa seconded with the below amendment. Motion passed unanimously.
• Action item d: Resolution 171-2021 pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Trustee Savusa moved, Trustee Altmayer seconded with the below amendment. Motion passed unanimously.
• Action item e: Resolution 172-2021 Pertaining to StartZone Microenterprise Program
  • Trustee Mendoza moved, Trustee Bowman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
• Action item f: Approval of the September 9, 2021 updated version of the Board of Trustees’ policies and practices
  • Trustee Savusa moved, Trustee Mendoza seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Area reports

• Administrative Services: VP Michael Pham
  • Written report as submitted 
• Academic Affairs: VP Emily Lardner
  • Welcomed our new Dean of Academic Transfer Pathways and Partnerships, Maribel Jimenez
• Student Services: VP Aaron Reader
  • Preparing for Thunderweek, excited to be serving students on campus again, continue to accept applications for emergency funding
  • Written report as submitted
• Institutional Advancement: VP Josh Gerstman
  • Shared current marketing approaches including targeted demographics, social media platforms
  • Provided updates on grant office staffing and the Startzone Microenterprise 

President’s remarks

• Expressed gratitude to Dr. Pham and Executive Cabinet for their support during his medical leave
• Welcomed the new generation of student leaders to Highline College
• Encouraged participation in Opening Week
• Recognized the efforts in place by the Public Health and Hybrid Operations Leadership Teams 

Unscheduled business

• Recognition of Trustee Mendoza and his lasting commitment to Highline College from the Board of Trustees, President Mosby, and Executive Cabinet.

General Session was adjourned at 11:16 a.m.

Minutes Signed and Approved

The meeting minutes from September 09, 2021, were approved and signed into record by Chair Sharmila Swenson and President John R. Mosby on October 7, 2021.

Mission Statement: As a public institution of higher education serving a diverse community in a multicultural world and global economy, Highline College promotes student engagement, learning, and achievement, integrates diversity and globalism throughout the college, sustains relationships within its communities, and practices sustainability in human resources, operations, and teaching and learning.