Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access

Minutes

Attendees

Board of Trustees: Chair Swenson, Vice Chair Chachere, Joe Bowman, Travis Exstrom, Jesse Johnson

Executive Cabinet: Interim President Penn, Danielle Slota, Steve Washburn for Rolita Ezeonu, Josh Gerstman, Maribel Jimenez, Melanie Lawson, Michael Pham, Tim Wrye, Tony Garcia 

Assistant Attorney General: Justin Kjolseth

Absent: 

Study Session call to order: 9:08 a.m.

Discussion Topics

Preliminary Fiscal Year Budget Review – Michael Pham (30 minutes)

Executive Sessions called to order: 10:15 a.m. for 30 minutes, extended by 30 minutes. Executive Session adjourned at 11:11 a.m.

Executive Session One*

*The Board, as and when deemed necessary, may call an Executive Session for appropriate purposes under the Open Meetings Act.

(b) To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price;

Executive Session Two**

**Collective bargaining is exempt from the Open Meetings Act under RCW 42.30.140.

Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting

Location

Hybrid Meeting Format: offering both in-person and virtual meeting access

General Session called to order at 11:15 a.m.

General Session Minutes

Roll Call

Board of Trustees: Chair Swenson, Vice Chair Chachere, Joe Bowman, Travis Exstrom, Jesse Johnson

Executive Cabinet: Interim President Penn, Tony Johnson, Danielle Slota, Steve Washburn for Rolita Ezeonu, Josh Gerstman, Maribel Jimenez, Melanie Lawson, Michael Pham, Tim Wrye 

Assistant Attorney General: Justin Kjolseth

Approve minutes

Approve minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of June 11, 2026

Trustee Bowman motioned to approve, Trustee Johnson seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Opportunity for public comment

None

Action Items

None

Standing Reports

• Highline College Education Association: None
• Washington Public Employees Association: None
• Faculty Senate: None
• Associated Students of Highline College: None
• Highline College Foundation: Sharon Vail – Continue to increase opportunities and access to student scholarships including but not limited to our veteran students. Shark in the Park was a successful event in partnership with the City of Des Moines and departments across campus. Excited to be supporting in kind the Waterland Parade this coming weekend.

Area reports

• Academic Affairs: Steve Washburn for Dr. Rolita Ezeonu – Welcomes the new Dean of Workforce Pathways, Jodi Novotny
• Administrative Services: Dr. Michael Pham – Written reports stands
• Equity, Diversity and Transformation: No representative
• Human Resources: Melanie Lawson – Actively working with WPEA on collective bargaining. Provided updates on vacancies in HR. Reported on recent conflict management training that was offered as professional development for leaders on campus. Welcomed two summer student interns who are assisting with a new Highline College uniform job description template. 
• Information Technology Services: Tim Wrye – Written report stands
• Institutional Advancement: Joshua Gerstman – Received notice on two NSF grants that are receiving funding. Southside Leadership Conference was successful, thanked Dr. Penn for her participation in both this and other community facing projects. Gov. Ferguson made a policy announcement at Highline on Monday, celebrated the level of attention this brings to the college and thanked Dr. Penn again for making this possible. 
• Student Services: Tony Garcia – Thanked all commencement participants, efforts for commencement 2027 are underway!

Interim President’s Remarks

Expressed pride in the work that the executive cabinet is doing. Reported on four new topics outside her board report. 

FTE – what is important is that our students are here, they are being onboarded appropriately with clarity and intention. FTE drives funding and is an important piece of data that all employees need to be aware of. Dr. Penn will begin including more FTE data in her weekly campus reports. 

WACTC representation – will be serving on the budget and finance committee for the coming academic year

Unscheduled Business

Adjournment

General Session was adjourned: 11:45 a.m.

Minutes Signed and Approved

The meeting minutes from July 16, 2026, were approved and signed into record by Chair Swenson and Interim President Jamilyn Penn on Sep. 17, 2026

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.