Board of Trustees Meeting
Location
Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access
Minutes
Attendees
Board of Trustees: Chair Johnson, Vice Chair Swenson, Chair Exstrom, Trustee Bowman
Executive Cabinet: President John Mosby, Jamilyn Penn, Ay Saechao, Danielle Slota, Rolita Ezeonu, Josh Gerstman, Maribel Jimenez, Melanie Lawson, Michael Pham, Tim Wrye
Assistant Attorney General: Bruce Marvin
Absent:
Study Session call to order: 9:03 a.m.
Discussion Topics
- Commencement updates – Izzy Wroblewski
- 2025-26 Board Policy Review – Danielle Slota
Danielle addressed the need for a board policy review. Trustees Swenson and Exstrom offered to partner with her. Danielle will circulate a list of proposed approaches ranging from a half day retreat with a deep dive into all board policies to a monthly review of two to three policies at a time.
- 3rd Quarter Financial Report – Michael Pham
Following his report a recommendation was made by Dr. Pham for the board to consider a future change in board policy to increase the board reserves from 10% to 15%.
Discussion of Action items for May 28, 2025
- Approval of the 2025-26 S&A Budget
Unscheduled Business
Question from Trustee Bowman regarding money to be returned to state due to OFM error. VP Pham confirmed that it will not need to be returned during the 2024-25 academic year.
Meeting adjourned at 9:53 a.m.
Board of Trustees Meeting
Location
Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access
General Session Minutes
Roll Call
Attendees
Board of Trustees: Chair Johnson, Vice Chair Swenson, Chair Exstrom, Trustee Bowman
Executive Cabinet: President John Mosby, Jamilyn Penn, Ay Saechao, Danielle Slota, Rolita Ezeonu, Josh Gerstman, Maribel Jimenez, Melanie Lawson, Michael Pham, Tim Wrye
Assistant Attorney General: Bruce Marvin
General Session called to order: 10:30 a.m.
Approve minutes
Approve minutes of the regularly scheduled meetings of April 30, 2025 and special meetings of May 21, 2025.
Trustee Swenson motioned to approve, Trustee Bowman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Opportunity for public comment
Kristyn Joy, spoke as elected Adjunct Representative for HCEA on the topic of adjunct pay parity. Adjuncts have three priorities this year which address percentages increases, and additional pay for advanced degrees.
Jodi Ritter, spoke on behalf of adjunct faculty in ELCAP on the topic of adjunct pay parity. Expanded on the administrative rolls adjunct faculty participate in both at the local college level and for state board.
Zalema Kuedituka, spoke on behalf of adjunct faculty in ELCAP on the topic of adjunct pay parity. Spoke to the opportunity that adjuncts teach to, the examples they set for the community, and the increased number of hours needed to complete their work.
Julie Pollard, Extended an invitation to the Achieve Capstone event on June 3, 2025
Standing reports
- Highline College Education Association: Kevin Stanley
Spoke to stressors for employees and students due to federal administration and an increasingly uncertain economic future. Spoke to the federal assault on Highline’s values. Spoke to the topic of adjunct pay parity and connected it to Highline’s mission and values. HCEA is currently negotiating their contract and asked that the board and administration keep this in mind during negotiations.
- Washington Public Employees Association: Richard Cannefax
Celebrated Tara Woods for joining the WPEA stewards team. Voices are united. Frustrations continue with the Washington State Office of Fiscal Management (OFM). Spoke to WPEA not being included in the state budget. Spoke to labor law. The state failed to fund the agreement including their annual COLA. Thanked the board and administration for their support of the classified staff and asked that they use their voices and power to continue supporting WPEA.
- Faculty Senate: Sangeeta Sangha
Spoke about recommendations to proposed changes to the direct transfer agreement within the Instruction Commission. Highline voted in alignment with the Senate’s recommendations. Senate also recently voted in support of removing student access to self-enroll in courses after the start of the quarter.
- Associated Students of Highline College: Hussein Al-Badri
No report
- Highline College Foundation: Sharon Vail
300 student applications in process for the Foundations annual scholarship review. Welcomed new members to the board this past month. Next week a While In School Housing (WISH) program will celebrate their great work. Spoke to BoT being highlighted at the recent HSI Conference and the conversations our trustees are having during board meetings.
Action items
- Action item a. Approval of the 2025-26 S&A Budget
Trustee Bowman motioned to approve the Student and Activities Budget for academic year 2025-26 in the amount of $2,475,163.26. Trustee Swenson seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Area reports
- Academic Affairs: Dean Bachmeier for VP Dr. Rolita Ezeonu
Report stands as submitted
- Administrative Services: VP Dr. Michael Pham
Retiree reception on Monday June 9 at 2 p.m.
- Equity, Diversity and Transformation: Emily Coates for VP Dra. Maribel Jimenez
Report stands as submitted
- Human Resources: VP Melanie Lawson
Report stands as submitted
- Institutional Advancement: VP Josh Gerstman
Highline College plays a critical role in community based organizations. Spoke to several upcoming events where Highline will be present in supporting labor needs in the community.
Trustee Bowman asked about the Federal Way HUB. VP Gerstman spoke to our increase from two classes in 2020 to 16 classes in 2024. Also spoke to the one-stop-shop services available as well as study spaces, community space, and Running Start. Dean Bachmeier spoke to the Enrollment Lab hosted on May 20th that served 27 students through registration and enrollment. Over 50% of the students that day were from Federal Way followed by Auburn and Tacoma. The HUB is meeting its intended purpose and continues to grow its fall quarter enrollment.
- Student Services: VP Dr. Jamilyn Penn
In conversation with Financial Aid about policy review to ensure equitable access to financial aid.
Highlighted the upcoming celebration for the Tukwila Promise.
Discussion
None
President’s remarks
Report stands as submitted
Unscheduled business
None
New business
None
Adjournment
General Session was adjourned: 11:21 a.m.
Minutes Signed and Approved
The meeting minutes from May 28, 2025, were approved and signed into record by Chair Johnson and President John R. Mosby on June 18, 2025.
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.