Area Report for Board of Trustees

Dear Board of Trustees,

Welcome to the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. Following a quieter summer period, Student Services is preparing for the start of Fall Quarter with a strong focus on enrollment, student onboarding, advising, and creating a welcoming environment for new and returning students.

As we move into September, departments across the division are supporting students through registration and orientation while preparing programs and services for the upcoming academic year. Below are a few highlights from across Student Services.

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

• Fall 2026 enrollment continues to develop as we approach the beginning of the quarter. At 83 days into enrollment, Highline has generated 4,145 FTE and a total headcount of 5,586. Bachelor of Applied Science enrollment continues to show year-over-year growth, while Running Start and International Student Programs remain areas we are closely monitoring.
• Outreach & Recruitment launched its “Tap In” initiative, supporting more than 100 students with registration and other academic needs. Approximately 50 of those students successfully registered for Fall Quarter.
• New Student Orientation continues through September 26. During the 2025-2026 cycle, 2,402 students participated in 45 orientation sessions, including two pilot high school enrollment sessions.

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

• Since the beginning of summer, Pathway Advising has met with 1,180 students, including 877 through drop-in advising and 303 through scheduled appointments.
• Pathway Advising launched a caseload advising pilot on September 2, beginning the process of assigning new students to individual advisors. The pilot will move toward approximately 150 students per advisor and is intended to create more intentional and ongoing advising relationships.
• Student completion remains a positive highlight. 1,154 students applied for Spring 2026 graduation, an increase from 989 in Spring 2025. Summer graduation applications also increased from 335 to 362.

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

• We recognize the outstanding work of our TRIO Talent Search staff and TRIO Grant Writing Team, whose federal Talent Search grant application received a perfect score of 100 out of 100 points from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Despite the perfect score, Highline’s Talent Search grant remains pending within the federal funding band during an unusually competitive national grant cycle. The program currently serves more than 450 students at local middle and high schools, and we remain hopeful that funding will be provided to programs within the established funding band.
• International Student Programs is preparing students for federal regulatory changes affecting F-1 international students beginning September 15. ISP continues providing advising and communication to ensure students understand how these changes may affect their educational plans.

Core Theme 4: CULTURE & CAPACITY, Become an anti-racist college through intentional development of employees, facilities, and systems that support student success and close equity gaps

• 28 CORE Student Leaders began a comprehensive three-week training program on September 2 in preparation for their leadership roles during the 2026-2027 academic year. Training emphasizes Highline’s mission, values, servant leadership, campus resources, and community building.
• Student Life is preparing for ThunderWeek 2026, Highline’s Fall Welcome Week, featuring a resource fair, club fair, and Carnival Craze designed to help new and returning students connect with campus resources and the Highline community.

Division Honors and Achievements

• Pathway Advising served 1,180 students during the summer enrollment period while preparing to launch its new caseload advising model.
• Graduation applications increased for both Spring and Summer 2026, providing a positive indicator of student progress toward completion.

Report submitted by Interim Vice President of Student Services, Jose “Tony” Garcia