Area Report for Board of Trustees

Celebrating ELCAP Achievements

Our November report  highlights significant developments in our ELCAP program–the largest department on campus, serving over 5000 students and their families. The ELCAP team of faculty and staff are among our unsung heroes on campus!

ELCAP Course Template Project

Our ELCAP program has a new set of Canvas courses spanning Literacy through Level 5. Designed for teachers, the courses include lesson plans, materials, Canvas activities for students and more. The Canvas courses are mapped to new student learning outcomes (to be adopted in W25) and incorporate themes from our Pathways Program Learning Objectives. Four full-time faculty developed the courses over the summer with support from curriculum designer Katie Fiorello. They are now available to all ELCAP faculty in Canvas Commons.

The project as originally conceived had 3 goals:

1. Support new teachers and teachers switching to new levels;
2. Embed Pathways PLOs across levels, mapped to SLOs;
3. Provide consistent student experience across levels with different instructors (incorporating similar templates, TILTed assignment instructions, etc.)

We quickly realized the courses can support ALL instructors, should they want new ideas or inspiration for their courses. Assignments and lesson plans are available to adopt, adapt, and share ensuring accessibility for diverse teaching needs.

New Student Orientation redesign and Welcome Week

After many years of planning, discussion, and piloting, ELCAP has redesigned how new students join the program. In the new orientation system, students:

1. Attend intake session to fill out registration paperwork
2. Attend a 3-day Welcome Week course

Why the redesign? State requirements for initial testing and intake procedures still exist, but the primary goals for redesign include:

• Develop affinity to Highline College;
• Identify personal educational and career goals;
• Build a cohort with other new students;
• Prepare students to use technology (computer lab, login credentials, introduction to Canvas)

We have experienced a surge of new students as waves of asylee-seekers and refugees have come to the area. Other schools are closed; the word is out to come to Highline. This has resulted in a very large waiting list situation for new students. Therefore, a NEW goal has been added:

• Help students begin studying independently until they are placed in class.

How does this new orientation work? We offer an afternoon and evening Intake session for 30 students. They attend either afternoon or evening Welcome Week classes the following week.  Curriculum is designed to cover Highline Pathways and goal setting; opportunities to talk with other students and build connections; writing and reading placement testing, speaking/listening time with instructors, and technology lessons. We also include a campus tour and the opportunity to choose a preferred time for class. Students find out their level by the end of the week and then wait to hear from the ELCAP Office when there is an opening at their selected time and level.

Receiving teachers have shared good news. They report new students are better prepared and eager for class. Students know their Highline username and password and have familiarity with the computer lab process. We have a wonderful collection of student goals on the wall of Building 19 to see!

New IBEST Program

ELCAP has been expanding our IBEST programs into new degree pathways. Our newest IBEST is in Business and started this fall designed to support students who place below college level successfully complete college-level coursework. The ELCAP and Business instructors are team teaching BUSN 101 and we are pleased that they have 22 IBEST students enrolled.

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

Prof-Tech Information Sessions

Sinai Espinoza Hernandez, Workforce Outreach and Recruitment Specialist, in collaboration with Deborah Tugaga, Program Manager in the Transition Success Center, have been coordinating information sessions for our Prof Tech programs this quarter. This is the second quarter they have been conducting these recruitment sessions.  The target audience is ELCAP students, with the goal to help them transition into a prof tech program, however the invitation is also extended to community members and HC Staff and faculty. This quarter, we are highlighting the following programs over zoom/ hybrid models:

• Business and Accounting
• HOST
• Education programs
• Legal Studies
• Criminal Justice
• Medical Assistant
• Business Technology
• Respiratory Care
• CIS

So far we are noticing that more students are interested in sessions offered on zoom/ receiving recordings of the sessions so they can view on their own time. Some faculty and staff have also requested the recordings so they can share with their students. The plan is for these information sessions to be offered quarterly.

UW-T/Highline Engineering Student Mentorship Program

The Physics and Engineering Departments have launched the second cohort of the engineering student mentorship program. In this program, Highline alums from UW-T are matched with current Highline students to get personalized help and support in the transfer process. The program incorporates professional development around preparation for engineering careers and transfer success, as well as providing a strong sense of community for our students. In addition, student mentors and mentees take multiple trips to visit UW-T research labs, career events, and research showcases. This year the cohort consists of 18 Highline students which is twice the number as last year. Many of our mentees last year who successfully transferred are now mentoring Highline students. Please see below for a photo of last year’s cohort.

Enrollment Growth at The Hub: Federal Way Higher Education Center

The Hub has seen significant growth over the last year!  Comparing Fall ’23 to Fall ’24, The Hub’s enrollment saw a 10% increase.  This fall, we have 427 student seats filled, and 21 classes are offered.  Thirteen different courses across three divisions, ESOL classes to support Levels 1-3, as well as a Para-Educator Cohort are all supported at The Hub, from 9am-8:30pm.

Winter quarter 2025 is also on track to be our largest winter yet.  We have 18 classes on the schedule (twice as many as last year), maintaining ESOL support, as well as an I-Best cohort.  Our late afternoon and evening courses continue to offer flexibility to neo-traditional students and have been consistently enrolled since we began scheduling last year.

In addition to our varied course offerings and alternative class times, the direct staff support available to students and the extended entry advising appointments available at The Hub have received positive feedback from incoming students and their families alike.

We look forward to seeing how The Hub continues to expand!

Achieve Update

• Achieve has 52 students enrolled this year
• 20% are Hispanic identifying students
• Achieve is working with 11 school districts this year in King and Pierce Counties
• Connected with the Muckleshoot tribe to bring in a student
• Students are 55% male, 42% female, 2% non-binary

Disability Justice Events 2024: Cross-Disability Solidarity

“Recognizing our diverse experiences and working together in shared advocacy for equity, justice, accessibility, and inclusion.”

The goal of Highline’s Disability Justice programming is to shift beyond a basic awareness or medical model approach toward a more intersectional, justice-centered framework. Disability Justice, developed by disabled BIPOC activists, emphasizes that disability rights must be understood alongside other forms of oppression and liberation.

Cross Disability Solidarity is a core principle of Disability Justice that recognizes all disabilities as valid, while acknowledging their differences. During Fall Quarter 2024 Accessibility Resources will be offering multiple ways for the campus community to explore disability justice principles, celebrate disability culture and pride, and reflect on how we can collectively create a more accessible and inclusive campus environment where all forms of disability are recognized and supported.

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

Peer Navigator Update

The Peer Navigator project launched this fall 2024 quarter is making significant strides. As of today, we are seeing a positive trend, with Peer Navigators receiving more emails from students seeking assistance. HSER 101 students have particularly embraced face-to-face meetings, contributing to improved contact. Students in DRAFT 186 are also requesting face-to-face meetings as well. Our HEAL peer navigator is working with HEAL 212 and 214. This assignment has been a great collaboration with Cory Martin and Diana Cacho (HEAL faculty). Additionally, faculty interest in the program has been encouraging. To enhance visibility, PNs have been directed to work from Building 8 and Building 6, and their assignments now include COL 101 and COL 105, adding 20 more students to their caseloads. As a result, Peer Navigators are increasingly fielding requests related to navigating Canvas, understanding assignment submissions, and accessing tutoring services. Our HOST 100 Peer Navigator is also an adjunct faculty. She’s working with all sections of the course and plays a role in supporting our HOST 100 students from Ukraine to navigate journeys as well. She’ll partner with the PSC to assist with conversational English and confidence building. All Peer Navigators now have calendars and booking pages, which will help streamline data tracking as we approach the end of the quarter.

Digital Literacy update

Since the start of the fall quarter, we’ve seen substantial engagement with our digital literacy support services. This report highlights data from September 24 – October 29, 2024, and provides data on the number of students who have accessed 1:1 digital literacy support through tech tutoring, the number of in-class and campus outreach events led by Kelly Aiken, and an overview of Northstar Digital Literacy usage to date.

Digital Literacy student support/tech tutoring

To date, there have been one on one interactions with over 100 students through:

• 14 scheduled appointments
• 91 drop-ins
• 6 phone/email support

Digital Literacy campus outreach

To date, Kelly Aiken (Library Learning Specialist aka “tech tutor”) has attended the following classes and events to share information about digital literacy support and resources available on campus:

• Academic Success Center Resource Fair
• 4 Entry Advising Lobby Spotlights
• 2 In-class trainings for students on Canvas/Google Docs
• 7 COL 101 classes (intro to digital literacy), 1 COL 101 (digital literacy lesson)
  • Digital Literacy video introduction has been included in a self-reflection/quiz in the COLL 101 course template, connecting students to our digital literacy resources
• Introduction to digital literacy provided in the following classes: MMD 110, BUS 101, DGS 120/FS 112, HSER 270
• Weekly ABE 51 in-class digital literacy support and connection to more resources outside of class

Northstar Digital Literacy Update

Northstar Digital Literacy is our online learning platform featuring lessons and self-directed assessments on basic technology skills. Northstar is accessible to all Highline students, staff, and faculty via Canvas and through the Digital Literacy website.

As of 10/29, there are:

• 356 unique users
• 108 learning hours logged
• 83 assessment hours logged
• 109/327 assessments passed

Program pathway mapper

Check out this news story about the implementation of this powerful, visually engaging tool: New App Makes Navigating Degree Pathways Easier » Highline College

Department news

• The Fall AMATYC (American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges) contest was held in Building 2 on Thursday, October 31st. The top five scorers receive a gift card.  At the end of the year, prizes and scholarships are awarded to the top teams and individuals in the nation.  About twelve Washington schools participate, along with more than 140 schools around the country.  Highline traditionally has very strong participation. Terry Meerdink (Mathematics faculty) coordinated the contest with support from many math and other Pure and Applied Science instructors on campus.
• Faculty in the CIS program, particularly Aaron Hayden and part-time faculty, have been extensively revising the Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity curricula in response to the DACUM from last year. They have revised the content and structure of 6 core courses that make up the AAS and BAS degrees. Aaron Hayden (CIS/Cybersecurity faculty) will host a hackathon on Nov. 8 for interested students on scripted interactions with websites and the security models of web browser runtimes. The Cybersecurity Club currently has a team participating in the National Cyber League (NCL) competition. The team, including coach Michael Myers (CIS faculty), will be traveling to Illinois on Nov 7th to participate in the Department of Energy’s Cyberforce Competition. Two members of the Computer Science Club attended the NASA Spaceapps Challenge on Oct. 5.
• The Legal Studies Program had two successfully graduated students featured in an article in the Washington State Bar News in October. It’s exciting to read about the success of our students.
• Natalie Bjorge and Laura Sposato (Chemistry faculty) attended the Washington College Chemistry Teachers Association Annual Meeting in Leavenworth, Washington. The theme of the meeting was “Collaborations” and highlighted the power of teamwork and collective efforts …within Chemistry departments, across disciplines, across campuses, between colleges and universities, with industry partners and with community stakeholders.

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

• Through the relationship with Catholic Community Services, we have our first cohort of students in the Case Management Certificate here at Highline. Check out what the students have to say about their experiences in this video.
• The Engineering Department will be hosting an Engineering Transfer Fair on Nov on Wednesday, Nov 6^th from 1-3pm in Building 8 (Mt Constance/ Mt Olympus). Among the schools that will be present are UW-Tacoma, UW-Seattle, UW-Bothell, Central Washington, SPU, Seattle U, St. Martin’s, WSU-Pullman and WSU-Everett.  They will share resources, provide guidance on transfer applications, help with scholarships and answer financial aid questions.  Melissa Moehlig, Chemistry faculty, is organizing this exceptional opportunity for Highline’s hundreds of engineering students.
• The “Bring Your Kids to College STEAM Workshops Team” of Stephaney Puchalski (Pure and Applied Sciences) and Mariola Kulaweic (LOGS), had a Bring Your Kids to College STEAM workshop Saturday, October 19th from 11 am to 1 pm in the ThunderLab Makerspace (16-106). This month’s theme was “Materials Science.” There were fun hands-on activities for kids of all ages.

• Woody Moses (LOGS faculty) is the co-Director of the Washington Chapter of the Northwest Association of Marine Educators (NAME). NAME serves as a nexus of marine and aquatic education in the Pacific Northwest, fosters an organizational culture that represents and respects the diversity of the Pacific Northwest, including but not limited to Indigenous and other BIPOC communities, and works to engage and respect all members and holds their interest in a meaningful way. As co-director of WA- NAME, Woody organizes several different events for educators and their families throughout the year.

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

ADA Title II Updates

• Title II of the ADA was recently updated to clarify guidelines and requirements for digital accessibility at public entities (including colleges).
• The ruling covers all web content, electronic documents, and web and mobile applications.
  • College websites, Canvas courses, and web content.
  • Electronic documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Google Docs/Slides/Sheets, PDFs, etc.)
  • Digital textbooks and electronic course content.
  • Third-party content and mobile applications.
  • Social media.
• Prior to the update, Title II said that material should be accessible, but did not establish a standard. The update establishes WCAG 2.1 AA as the standard to be met.
  • This is in line with already established policies at the state (Washington’s Policy 188, now USER-01, and SBCTC accessibility policy) and college (Highline’s accessible technology policy) level.
• Timeline: The compliance date for Highline is April 24, 2026, two years after the publication date of the Title II update.
  • The ruling specifies two timelines based on the size of the population served: three years for populations less than 50,000 people and two years for populations of 50,000 or above.
  • Consultation with SBCTC legal guidance clarified that the size cutoff is based on the greater population and community of the census area that the college draws from, not the enrollment level of the college. This is why we, along with all other SBCTC schools, are subject to the two-year compliance deadline.
• What we have done:
  • Highline’s accessible technology policy and existing encouragement of a culture of accessibility give us an advantage over many other institutions.
  • Our current faculty contract specifies that course materials should be created with accessibility in mind.
  • Past and ongoing accessibility awareness, information, and training opportunities have been helping keep employees informed of accessibility basics.
• What we are doing:
  • Highline’s Accessible Technology Committee is leading the charge on campus.
    • The ATC leadership is Michael Hanscom (Accessible Technology Program Manager), Jenni Sandler (Associate Dean, Accessibility Resources), Marc Lentini (Director of Educational Technology), and Tim Wrye (ITS CIO).
    • The ATC has given presentations to the Highline Executive Board and the most recent all-faculty meeting.
    • Meetings are scheduled with the ATC and individual members of the Executive Board to discuss specific initiatives relevant to their areas of responsibility.
    • An overview of the Title II updates and accessibility basics was one of this year’s Professional Development Day sessions and has been posted online.
  • The primary focus is on making sure new content is created with accessibility in mind and actively used existing content meets requirements.
• What we need support with:
  • Support and commitment from college leadership to help set expectations.
  • Awareness that this is a collective effort: The ATC or the Accessible Technology office alone cannot be expected to have sole responsibility for ensuring that all college materials meet accessibility requirements.
  • Tools and training for all staff and faculty relevant to their roles and responsibilities.
    • Administrative/staff: email, Microsoft Office, Google suite, Acrobat PDFs.
    • Faculty: Canvas and document accessibility, third-party textbooks and software.
    • Website: Publishing accessible web content using the tools available in the website management software.

Division Honors and Awards

• The Business/Accounting Department and the Business Club will be sponsoring 4-5 students to compete at Russell Investments International Case Competition on Saturday, November 16th at UW Seattle. It is led by Mary Kajoka, Kelly Converse, and the Business Club. The faculty team is meeting with the selected students to go over the rules and regulations, and to prepare the students to be ready for the competition.

Report submitted by Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Emily Lardner