Area Report for Board of Trustees

Due to the winter break, with most of our employees taking some time off to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, this Area Report from Administrative Services for January 2025 will be brief.  Happy New Year 2025!  May the new year bring peace, health, and happiness to all of the Trustees!  It must also be noted that the Lunar New Year will also fall in January of this year (January 29^th to be exact).  In celebration with our diverse student and employee community, I also wish “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới,” “Gong Xi Fa Cai,” and “Saehan bog manh-i bad-euseyo.”

Core Theme 1: ACCESS, Reduce Barriers and close equity gaps to access for all community members;  Core Theme 2: STUDENT LEARNING, Increase educational success, collaborate to improve & Core Theme 2: STUDENT LEARNING, Increase educational success, collaborate to improve

• After several years of hiatus, Highline College has rejoined the Washington State Community College Consortium for Study Abroad (WCCCSA). This consortium consists of 17 Washington State community colleges joining together to provide quality study abroad programs for community college students.  By rejoining WCCCSA, we are expanding opportunities for Highline College students beyond our two short-term study abroad programs (Vietnam and Indonesia).

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

• As part of our on-going campus infrastructure planning, the Welcome Center Planning Committee and the Student Activity Center Planning Committee will be meeting regularly between January and June 2025 to develop more concrete plans for our two major future capital projects.
• I helped facilitate a mid-year retreat for our International Student Programs on December 13^th. This was an opportunity to bring a couple new employees up to speed with the department’s “institutional effectiveness” reporting, but also to start developing our new team effectively to serve students.

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

• In celebration of our community, Administrative Services hosted our annual holiday potluck on December 19^th. Over 40 employees participated in the celebration with “excessively” ample amount of food and goodies. In addition, I also hosted a separate appreciation dinner for our evening custodial crew (most of whom typically would not be able to attend day-time activities due to their work schedules).
• It is my great pleasure to announce the Grand Opening of Jumping Jambalaya on January 6^th – serving as our campus food service provider. Jumping Jambalaya brings the delicious flavors of Cajun cuisine to our campus community, in addition to other typical fast-food fares.

FISCAL & BUDGET

• The new Safety Management Fee, implemented on July 1^st, is bringing some financial stability to the Public Safety Department. The department is expected to generate approximately 80% more in revenue through the first half of the fiscal year compared to last year. The revenue will allow Public Safety to continue investing in safety measures and initiatives throughout the campus.
• As provided by SBCTC Resolution 24-08-50, an athletic waiver request is being submitted to the Board of Trustees for review. The waiver request, once adopted, will waive 50% of tuition for eligible student-athletes, effective beginning Fall Quarter 2025.  The College has been waiving approximately 30% of tuition for student athletes under the current statutory authority.  The new waiver is estimated to reduce tuition revenue by approximately $48K in the next fiscal year but expected to attract additional student athletes to enroll at Highline College.  The College will be asking for the Board to adopt and approve this waiver in the February 2025 meeting.
• The Student Fee Schedule (FY2025-26) is also being submitted for the Board to review. There is only one new fee being requested for the next fiscal year.  Several fees, charged by a third party, have been changed to “Pass through” fee to appropriately reflect actual charges. All other fees are being carried forward at the same amounts.  The College will be asking for the Board to adopt and approve this Student Fee Schedule in the February 2025 meeting.

Report submitted by Vice President of Administrative Services, Dr. Michael Pham