Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access

Minutes

Attendees

Board of Trustees: Chair Exstrom, Vice Chair Johnson, Trustee Bowman, Trustee Swenson 

Executive Cabinet: President Mosby, Danielle Slota, Emily Lardner, Steve Sloniker

Assistant Attorney General: Bruce Marvin 

Study Session call to order: 8:39 a.m.

Discussion Topics

• Performance of a public employee in Executive Session*
• Tenure recommendation in Executive Session*

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

(g) To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

Executive Session called to order at 8:40 a.m., adjourned at 10:40 a.m.

Meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access

General Session called to order at 10:57 a.m.

General Session Minutes

Roll Call

Board of Trustees: Chair Exstrom, Vice Chair Johnson, Trustee Bowman, Trustee Swenson 

Executive Cabinet: President Mosby, Danielle Slota, Emily Lardner, Jamilyn Penn, Josh Gerstman, Maribel Jimenez, Michael Pham, Steve Sloniker, Tim Wrye 

Assistant Attorney General: Bruce Marvin 

General Session called to order: 11:05 a.m.

Approve minutes

Approve minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of March 7, 2024

Trustee Bowman motioned to approve, Trustee Swenson seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Opportunity for public comment

Public comment was received by the following community members in support of the continuation of the tenure probationary period for Dr. Erich Elwin: Doug Avella, Lauren Wugalter, Lydia Garas, Natalie Bjorge, Stephani Ojeda Ponce, George Lopez, Ronda Durano, Diego Luna, Erich Elwin.

Standing reports

• Associated Students of Highline College – Devoni Young
  • Second week of the quarter. S&A budget is almost complete. WIll be brought to the board in May. Deadline for selecting the next student government has been pushed to a Sunday deadline. Thunderweek was last week. Commencement planning is underway. ASHC will host their annual cap decorating event.
• Highline College Education Association – No report
• Faculty Senate – No report today
• Highline College Foundation – Sharron Vail
  • Closing reception of the St. Anne Hospital, looking for other ways to support Highline’s programs following this closure. Scholarship deadlines for next year approaching on May 12. Also seeking distinguished alumni nominations. Shoutout to Tanisha Williams continued support of YELL. Still looking for volunteers for May 18th.

Action items

• Action item a: tenure recommendation

Trustee Swenson Moved that second year probationer Dr. Erich Elwin’s probationary contract not be renewed for a third year. Trustee Johnson Seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Area reports

• Administrative Services: VP Dr. Michael Pham
• Written report stands
• Academic Affairs: VP Dr. Emily Lardner 
• Written report stands
• Student Services: VP Dr. Jamilyn Penn
• Asked for questions on the FAFSA process. Corinne spoke to the data retrieval tool previously used to verify potential errors. This year they will be using that form very sparingly as a way of reducing barriers for the upcoming year. Closing on Wednesdays to allow for more time in processing applications and mandating overtime for financial aid staff to speed along processing. Also have identified additional funding options through WES and are focusing on making sure students that are eligible know that this money is there.
• Institutional Advancement: VP Josh Gerstman
• Written report stands
• Equity, Diversity and Transformation: VP Dra. Maribel Jimenez
• Written report stands
   

Discussion

None

President’s remarks

Shared the announcement of ED Sloniker’s departure. Thanked him for his service to Highline.

General Session was adjourned: 11:42 a.m.

Minutes Signed and Approved

The meeting minutes from April 11, 2024, were approved and signed into record by Chair Exstrom and Acting Co-Presidents Jamilyn Penn, Ph.D. and Emily Lardner, Ph.D. on May 9, 2024.

Mission Statement: As a South King County college striving for social justice, Highline College partners with global students as they envision, plan and achieve their educational and professional goals.