Area Report for Board of Trustees

The Equity, Diversity, and Transformation (EDT) Division is charged with embedding equity in everything we do at Highline College. Below are updates of the ongoing work.

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

• Under the leadership of Krystal Welch, Director of Learning Communities, the Highline Promise learning community will begin Phase 2. Highline College is partnered with the Highline Public Schools and PSCCN to engage Black and Brown male-identifed students. 
• Work has begun through the Limitless Network in partnership with Federal Way Public Schools, Highline Public Schools, and we will now be joined by Tukwila Public Schools, and PSCCN in order to stay aligned with future work. The goal is to increase Financial Aid completion for Latinx students to support enrollment at Highline College, with the goal of Highline College becoming a HSI (25% of student population).

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

• Dr Jimenez partnered with Associate Dean Kern, the Center for Cultural and Inclusive Excellence and the Center for Leadership and Service to provide bias literacy training to the S and A budget committee. 

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

• Dr. Jimenez attended the Guided Pathways Executive Leaders Retreat with CIO Tim Wrye, Dean Liz Word, and Dean Jesse Knappenburger as representatives of the leadership of Highline College. There was an opportunity to collaborate with other colleges and leaders from across the state.

Core Theme 4: CULTURE & CAPACITY: Promote a campus culture which fosters equity and inclusivity supporting employee growth and development, and institutional capacity for transformation.

• The Office of EDT is working closely with the Institutional Effectiveness Committee to help crosswalk the mission full-fillment report to the strategic framework of the college. This work has been ongoing and in partnership with Dr. Penn, Rickitia Reid, Lisa Bernhagen, and Emily Coates.