Board of Trustees Meeting
Location
Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access
Minutes
Attendees
Board of Trustees: Chair Sharmila Swenson, Vice Chair Joe Bowman, and Trustee Exstrom, and Trustee Savusa present
Executive Cabinet: Josh Gerstman, Summer Korst, Emily Lardner, Jamilyn Penn, John Mosby, Michael Pham,Danielle Slota, Tim Wrye present.
Bruce Marvin (AAG) present.
Study Session call to order: 8:14 a.m.
Discussion Topics
8 a.m. Presentation of revised Mission, Vision, Values draft by Equityfirst Strategic Planning Tri-Chairs – Dr. Diego Luna, Jenn Ritchey and Dra. Paulette Lopez
Shared document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y2cd0zJzwlkHRTe0A2bfQfIMBzMsneCq5t2tvlCtRWI/edit?usp=sharing
Trustee Bowman asked the presenters to elaborate on the changes that were made since feedback was last collected from the BoT
Trustee Savusa noted that education and completion isn’t mentioned in the statements.
Trustee Swenson noted that if you were looking at the vision statement as a stand alone you wouldn’t be able to identify the institution.
Trustee Exstom expressed appreciation for the work. Noted the importance of academic achievement and the purpose of academic achievement being to prepare students for their defined success in education, community engagement, etc. Asked that the team find ways to highlight that more.
Review of action items to be voted on in General Session:
- Action item a: Approval of the 2022-23 Student and Activities Budget, Travis
- Action item b: Election of board officers and committee assignments for the 2022-23 academic year, Sili
- Action item c: Resolution 171-2022 Authorization to Expend Funds, Joe
- Action item d: Approval to file permanent rule changes to Highline College Student Code of Conduct, Travis
Executive Session to discuss:
- Highline College labor relations
- 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 RCW 42.30.110.
Executive Session called to order at 9:00 a.m. for 30 min, Executive Session extended to 9:40 a.m, Executive Session extended to 9:45 a.m, Executive Session extended to 9:50 a.m.
Meeting adjourned at 9:54 a.m.
Board of Trustees Meeting
Location
Virtual Zoom meeting: 10 a.m.
General Session Minutes
Roll Call
Board of Trustees: Chair Sharmila Swenson, Vice Chair Joe Bowman, Dan Altmayer, present
Executive Cabinet: Danielle Slota, Jamilyn Penn, Josh Gerstman, Emily Lardner, John R. Mosby, Marco Lopez for Dr. Pham, Summer Korst, Tim Wrye present
Bruce Marvin (AAG) present
General Session called to order at 10:04 a.m.
Approve minutes of the regularly scheduled meetings of April 14, 2022 and May 12, 2022
Trustee Exstrom motioned, Trustee Savusa seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Opportunity for public comment
Kenna Winston read letter in support of 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty
Eliana Lobo spoke in support of 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty and shared personal experience
Angela Hyland spoke in support 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty and shared personal experience
Robin Martin spoke in support 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty and shared personal experience
Aaron Otinger spoke in support 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty and shared quotes from others and experience of self
Katie Baker spoke in support 80% pay parity for adjunct faculty and shared quotes from others and experience of self
Standing reports
- Associated Students of Highline College, Mya Leonhard
2022-23 student body president, vice president, and speaker of the caucus elected. Happy to be part of the virtual commencement ceremony.
- Washington Public Employees Association, None
- Highline College Education Association, James Peyton
Acknowledged adjunct faculty – their dedication and the challenges they experience in relation to pay equity. Suggested we ask how we landed on a system that is reliant on an underpaid workforce. Faculty working hard to wrap up spring quarter via advising, final projects with students, and cementing learning outcomes. Looking forward to graduation, acknowledged the staff involved in leading the event. Thanked those working to get students enrolled for summer quarter. Recognized the quality education that students in community college get and the experience of direct relationship building due to smaller class size. Expressed gratitude to those dedicating time to HCEA negotiations. Offered personal reflection on the past academic year – difficult year, we are all reprioritizing masking again, mentioned how this raises the question of appropriate course modalities for the coming years, challenges related to enrollment, and budget budget.
- Faculty Senate, Stephanie Ojeda Ponce
Highlighted academic year for Faculty Senate – submitted written list –
NEW BAS program: Input and approval of a new BAS degree in Elementary Education (formerly the BAS in Teaching and Early Learning housed this degree which caused barriers for staff, faculty, and students); Policies; Faith & Conscience Policy: Senators and faculty provide input which led to the approval of state-required language and the creation of a detailed internal procedure; Staff teaching policy; Course repeat policy; Academic Advising & Timely Support and Standards – encouraged continuing discussion, continuing satisfactory academic progress monitory (such as financial aid’s rules); Responsive to needs of the faculty; Canceling meetings at high-demand times such as when we need to attend other meetings happening at the same time. This supports our focus on instruction and serving students; Increased participation in senate leadership: Sangeeta Sangha is serving on FACTC this year rather than the senate chair; We approved the College 101 requirement pilot; We wrote down procedures as a move toward increase.
Asked the BoT to consider the knowledge that exists across campus as they proceed with budget considerations in the coming month. Urged the institution to be leaders in rectifying systemic barriers.
- Highline College Foundation
Shared 60th anniversary video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwjl9UfEBTc
Action items
- Action item a: Approval of the 2022-23 Student and Activities Budget
Trustee Exstrom motioned, Trustee Savusa seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
- Action item b: Election of board officers and committee assignments for the 2022-23 academic year
Trustee Savusa motioned, Trustee Exstrom seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
- Action item c: Resolution 171-2022 Authorization to Expend Funds
Trustee Bowman motioned, Trustee Savusa seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
- Action item d: Approval to file permanent rule changes to Highline College Student Code of Conduct
Trustee Exstrom motioned, Trustee Savusa seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Area reports
Administrative Services: Marco Lopez for VP Dr. Michael Pham
Continue the current expenditures until the end of the 2021-22 year. Remainder of the report stands as submitted.
Academic Affairs: VP Dr. Emily Lardner
Acknowledged that we are looking forward to imagining new ways to lobby effectively at the state level that our system deserves and needs more support and can’t solely rely on our local budgets. Mentioned that the community is exhausted and the language of recovery needs to be adopted.
First annual advisor awards were given this week to faculty for equitable advising. ACHIEVE program rawarded faculty for excellence in inclusion.
Student Services: Interim VP Dr. Jamilyn Penn
Drew attention to King County Promise. Focusing on developing intentional pathways for black and brown males. Acknowledged Krystal Welch will be a strong partner in the development of this program. Promis will not be isolated to the cohort group. Intent is for the two year grant to become a 15 yr program.
Cabinet members attended NCORE with a number of faculty and staff last week. They are currently looking for some time to come back together to share their learning experiences.
Institutional Advancement: VP Josh Gerstman
Brought attention to this week’s edition of the Thunderword and the graduate profiles included. Mentioned 3 bus ads on HWY 99 routes, 2 stationary billboards, ads in movie theaters and targeted ads on streaming services.
Commencement next week with a heavy push on enrollment and recruitment. Mentioned the Juneteenth celebration at Integrity Life Church in Federal Way that the outreach team is staffing.
Trustee Exstrom asked for a future conversation on marketing within the local high schools to further reach the district student audience.
Discussion
None
President’s remarks
Introduced Marco Lopez, Director of Budgets and Grants and thanked him for speaking on behalf of Dr. Pham in today’s general session. Excited to participate in the Juneteenth event at Integrity Life Church. Offered thanks and gratitude to the institution.
Students – without them we wouldn’t have an institution.
Staff – thanked community members in all positions on our campus. Thank you for the amazing amounts of service provided to students.
Faculty – Thank you for the exceptional instruction provided to students.
Executive Cabinet – A role that is not without challenges, always met by individuals that agree and individuals that do not. Proud to stand alongside his colleagues in that room. Proud and humbled to be surrounded by an executive cabinet that serves the institution. Thank you Administrative Services for helping us to understand the budget. Thank you Academic Affairs for making sure our students receive wonderful education. Thank you Human Resources, without HR we couldn’t have employees or students at our institution. Acknowledged the heavy lifting required by this team and the heavy leg work required by this team to make sure that our community is safe. Student Services a lot of change for the division and college. Thank you for elevating staff, honoring them, and creating space for them to shine. Institutional Advancement thank you for the events, the reimagining, and the challenging of our colleagues, alums, foundation, and campus. ITS thank you for keeping the campus relevant and safe, for continuing to be a pillar in our community, our system, and our state. AAG Bruce Marvin, thank you for your partnership and attention to compliance and communication. Board of Trustees it is a privilege and an honor to serve this institution and to serve the Trustees.
Congratulations Highline on a good year, in the midst of chaos and noise there is beauty to be embraced.
Unscheduled business
Trustee Savusa asked that our communities be attentive to the families in next week’s commencement ceremonies and congratulate the parents and the children as well when acknowledging the student’s success.
New business
None
General Session was adjourned at 11:38 a.m.
Minutes Signed and Approved
The meeting minutes from June 9, 2022, were approved and signed into record by Chair Bowman and President John R. Mosby on July 28, 2022.
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.