Area Report for Board of Trustees

The Equity, Diversity, and Transformation (EDT) Division is charged with embedding equity in everything we do at Highline College. Below are updates of the ongoing work.

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

• EDT leaders including VP Jimenez, Director Rickitia Reid, and Associate Dean Mariela Barriga are supporting the Financial Aid Advocacy Committee that is charged with reducing barriers to accessing financial aid.

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

• EDT Dean Justin Dampeer continues to collaborate with multiple faculty members to ensure the contribution and alignment of the work of the EDT division with faculty including development of professional development.
• Highline College Promise Program Navigators Anthony Grant and Sudon DeSuze have led Highline College to meet the requirement of recruiting 200+ students into the program. Their hard work and efforts are helping foster a deeper relationship with our external partners at Highline Public Schools.

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

• Under the leadership of Director Rickita Reid, the EDT division continues to work with Highline Public Schools, Federal Way Public Schools, Tukwila School District and the Puget Sound ESD to reduce barriers including the development of a data dashboard that can help all students from all of the feeder schools to matriculate into Highline College. 
• EDT has partnered with Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington to host the first ever Policy Camp on March 4, 2026. Under the leadership of Dr. Diego Luna and Faculty Jennifer Richey, the policy camp will be a great opportunity for students to learn about policy making and impactful careers in the policy space.
  

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

• EDT Leaders are working in partnership to plan the next iteration of the legislated Campus Climate Survey. The last time Highline College surveyed the college community was in 2022. Director Emily Coates is working with SBCTC to ensure the roll out of the next campus climate survey. Director Rickita Reid is working directly with the Equity Task Force to develop the roll out of the survey. 
• EDT, in collaboration with VP of Human Resources Lawson, coordinated a campus wide opportunity for all supervisors to receive Leadership Development training. This was the first of more opportunities to come.

Report submitted by Vice President of Equity, Diversity and Transformation, Drá. Maribel Jimenez