Area Report for Board of Trustees

Dear Board of Trustees, 

This point in the spring quarter is an especially dynamic and inspiring time on campus. Students are diligently completing final assignments and preparing for exams, faculty are concluding coursework and finalizing grades, and staff across the institution continue to provide critical support to our current students while also preparing to welcome new cohorts for the summer—and, remarkably, already for Fall Quarter 2026. While the pace never slows, the work remains deeply meaningful, as we support students in realizing their aspirations and positively transforming the course of their lives.

As I write this Board report, I am at SeaTac Airport preparing to travel to Sacramento, California, to attend Dr. Mosby’s funeral tomorrow. While I am saddened by his passing, I am equally proud to recognize the enduring legacy he leaves behind. Dr. Mosby was an exceptional individual whose impact will continue to be felt for years to come.

I am also pleased to share that I have been appointed to the Board of the Greater Federal Way Chamber. This appointment presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the college’s connections within the regional business community and further advance our mission. The appointment will be publicly announced in June, and I will begin my three-year term in July 2026. I am honored and enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

Thank you for your great leadership and on-going support. 

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

• Attended President’s Roundtable: Preserving Human Agency While Applying AI to Learning and Strategic Planning 
• Met with Dean’s Council to determine the purpose and workplan of this body moving forward 
• Attended Equity, Diversity, and Transformation (EDT) Day at Highline College. Made closing remarks to support EDT work and alignment with the college’s Strategic Plan
• Attended two-day 2026 ACT Spring Conference with Trustees Bowman and Chachere. 
• Attended Classified Quarterly meeting and WPEA Collective Bargaining training. 
• Met with regional and local leaders from Campus View housing to discuss overall operations of the facility, including occupancy, programming, safety and security
• Highline hosted ITC this spring. A primary focus of this meeting was the CANVAS Learning Management System (LMS) hack. Tim Wyre and his staff were also present. I welcomed the statewide participants and stayed for a while to hear the conversation 
• Collaborated on a video shoot with the Highline College marketing team. We made two videos; one congratulating student Legacy Award recipients and another encouraging all students to finish spring quarter strong and to attend Commencement to graduate and/or to celebrate graduates
• Had a monthly 1:1 meeting with Chair Sharmila Swenson 
• Attended the Young Educated Ladies Leading (Y.E.L.L.) Summit and introduced myself to all sponsors and teachers who were responsible for getting students to the event 
• Attended the Washington Board of Nursing (WABON) Business meeting 
• Attended the Highline College Foundation Board (HCFB) monthly meeting and provided an update on campus-related activities, including brief details about how well students present Services and Activities (S&A) budget proposal (still to be approved by BOT), Executive Cabinet’s (EC’s) decisions about the operating budget and related division allocations, which will be shared more fully in a campus-wide Budget Forum on June 2. 
• Attended the campus forum for the Dean of Workforce Pathways position (which is to be filled) 
• Attended the spring all-faculty meeting and updated faculty about the 2026-2027 Strategic Priorities. 
• Traveled to Sacramento, California for Dr. Mosby’s funeral 

If you have any related questions, please let me know.

Report submitted by Interim President, Dr. Jamilyn Penn