Area Report for Board of Trustees

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

•  TRiO Talent Search received letters from principals and school administrators from the following schools and will begin to extend services to these locations: Highline College High School Re-engagement, Foster High School, Showalter Middle School, Echo Glen Children’s Center, and the Why Not You Academy. To date, TRiO TS has 227 students enrolled in the program. The team is conducting numerous recruitment and student engagement activities throughout the next two months, including a campus college tour at Lewis and Clark College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Highline College, Digipen, and STEM Day at iFly. 
• The Highline College Achievement Program (HCAP) is a pilot program modeling the evidence-based TRiO SSS program. HCAP provides holistic services to assist students with re-enrollment. Spring quarter was the beginning of the pilot effort of HCAP, where the program served 46 students, of which 20% have re-enrolled for summer or fall quarter, compared to 10% re-enrollment rate for stopped out students who were not served by HCAP. The Highline College Foundation provided funding to assist students in the program. 
• The CARE Team has worked diligently with students, staff and faculty to respond to an ever growing need to support students’ mental health and well-being. Reports to the CARE Team have increased by over 60%, compared to prior years.
• International program staff conduct weekly Zoom session with prospective students and agents to answer FAQ’s. In the last two months, staff have served 33 agents and 26 prospective students. Twelve agency applications were submitted for immediate review and consideration. ISP staff focusing on digital interactions and social media platforms, as part of a marketing plan. An outcome of this work has been several students from Myanmar and Uzbekistan submitting applications to Highline College. ISP will launch a new student scholarship in fall 2023. The department is also leveraging the assistance of alumni to help recruit students to the HC ISP program. 
• Mariela Barriga will lead the application process for the Free/Reduce-Price Meal Pilot Program. Allowable expenses can include, but are not limited to free or reduced-price food vouchers, pre-paid meal cards, access to free or reduced-price food or similar good, and staffing for program. The application is due in July 2023. 
• Spring quarter 2023 was the first quarter the college phased in the reimplementation of our college Academic Standards Policy. Approximately 120 students participated in the process to seek support and to have their Academic Suspension status lifted. Students who are on Academic Standards reported the top three factors attributing to their coursework: 
  • 55%: Challenges with Time Management
  • 52%: Mental Health Struggles, Depression, Anxiety, Being Overwhelmed
  • 42%: Challenges with Study Skills, Exam and Test Preparation 
• In addition, students reported the top three strategies to increase their academic success:
  • 49%: Visit their instructor during office hours
  • 44%: Meet with a Pathway Advisor
  • 44%: Meet with a Counselor
• Lastly, students stated the following resources, programming and activities would benefit their academic success:
  • 63%: Workshop on Time Management
  • 55%: Workshop on Study and Academic Skill Development 
  • 36% Meeting with a Retention Coach 
• The Academic Standards Policy team plans to utilize this data to build more effective and responsive interventions, services and supports and collaborate with the soon to be formed committee, currently known as the Retention Task Force
  • Running Start office has been reaching out to current RS students to inform them about the new summer eligibility opportunities (detailed in this OSPI bulletin) and working with local High schools to help facilitate summer enrollment for eligible students.
  • The Watermark (Aviso) CRM (Customer Relationship Management) implementation team is partnering with staff and faculty to pilot CRM tools in support of specific programmatic recruitment goals (BAS, Running Start, Paralegal, STEM, business and cybersecurity).

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

• Conduct and Academic Integrity is hot topic, given the rise in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, locally and nationally. CARE plans to put forward more information, adjusting language, and further educating the community on ethical uses of AI.
• Retention Task Force (Dean for Student Support & Funding Services, Dean of Advising & Enrollment Services, Dean of Guided Pathways, Dean of Academic Transfer Pathway & Partnerships & Director of Title III) presented initial plans for the new Retention Task Force to the Title III Steering Committee and is currently incorporating their feedback and planning a presentation to Executive Cabinet ahead of a fall quarter initiative launch.

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

• Women’s Programs, WorkFirst Services, Support Center, and Institutional Advancement collaboration to pursue grant funding opportunities, including applying for relevant grant(s) opportunities with Seattle’s King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCHRA) to support housing-related costs (rent backpay, deposit, first/last month’s), and expand current housing accommodations and services at Highline College.  The organization Soroptimist has pledged to donate to our Women’s Programs office $19,700 to support emergency funding and domestic violence support services.
• Nou Lee met with Green River, Renton Tech and Auburn WorkSource to restart the Paying for College workshops at Auburn Worksource. Session will begin again in fall quarter. 
• Veteran’s Services Organized a screening of the film: Buffalo Soldiers – Fighting on Two Fronts in collaboration with the History Seminar Series.  The film was open to campus and community and explores the contradictory role played by these soldiers throughout American History, with a particular emphasis on the settling of the American West.
• During ISP Orientation Week (June 20-23), staff greeted international students at SeaTac Airport and at Campus View. ISP also conducted orientation events to include campus tours and an ice cream social for new and current students. Students were also introduced to a variety of departments and campus resources. 
• The Clubs Consultant supported two major club events; Vietnamese Club Prom provided a free prom opportunity for college students who may not have had a traditional prom experience due to COVID and/or growing up in another country. The prom was meant for all Highline College students to have fun and practice cultural exchange. Members from Vietnamese Club got to practice their event planning skills, which included organization, collaboration, multitasking, and decoration design, and foraging partnerships across the college. Arabic Club’s Fundraiser held a fundraiser which raised awareness about the Magnitude 7.8 earthquake that killed more than 47,000 people in Turkey and Syria. The Arabic Club raised almost $800 to be sent as support in Turkey and Syri by collecting donations and providing free falafel sandwiches.
• The Center hosted the annual Student Legacy Awards where 35 students were honored with plaques for their contribution, leadership, and academic achievements at Highline College. The students were celebrated with their families, friends, and HC community. Click here to learn about each student and why they deserve the Student Legacy Award. 
• The ASHC hosted a Graduation Cap Decorating event as part of Grad Fair. The intention for the event is to provide space for the graduating class of 2023 to celebrate their big achievement while decorating their cap in community. It was a great time for students to showcase their identities through their creative cap decorations.

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

• Dean Knappenberger & Dr. Penn held an Outreach & Recruitment retreat on June 21, 2023 to help plan and increase coordination and collaboration between various departments that play a key role in recruitment. 
• Dean Knappenberger presented at the Faculty Advisor of the Year Award event, providing updates to faculty on Entry Advising, Pathway Advising and Career & Transfer Services.  Here is some data from this academic year
  • Entry Advising (4 full-time staff and 3 peer connectors)
    • Met with over 5,000 students at the Welcome Desk since January 2023 (not including email & phone support)
    • Held 15 orientations this academic year with over 2,000 students declaring a pathway
    • Held orientation sessions at the HUB and Spanish language orientations
  • Pathway Advising (6 full-time staff and two student workers)
    • Held over 3,700 individual advising sessions (drop in and scheduled appointments) since Summer 2022
    • Over 3,000 interactions with students at the front desk
    • Over 3,000 advising follow up support interactions (email, phone, etc.)
    • Every student who attend an orientation also received a “Welcome to Pathway Advising” email
  • Career & Transfer Services (1 full-time staff and 2 student workers for most of this academic year)
    • 472 interactions supporting student new hires and returning hires
    • 240 drop in/walk in interactions
    • 192 appointments related to finding a job
    • 115 interactions related to transfer assistance
• The Inter-Cultural Center in collaboration with Umoja hosted the Ubuntu After Party which was a part-two event to a discussion on the African Experience, this event followed the Umoja Symposium that created an opportunity for college students, staff and faculty to engage in the 18 practices of Umoja Program. 
• The Service and Mentorship Engagement (SaME) team partnered with YouthCare (a local non-profit that support unhoused youth) by providing an on-campus bake sale. The SaME team raised $322 on June 5, all proceeds have been donated to the organization to support youth receiving basic needs and job training for future sustainability, we believe this connects to Core Theme 1: ACCESS, Reduce Barriers and close equity gaps to access for all community members
• On May 31, The Service and Mentorship Engagement team in collaboration with Running Start hosted a discussion centering the needs and goals of Running Starts. This event created a space for students to provide peer-support for current and incoming students, they closed the event with a letter to running starts that we feel embody CORE Theme 2:  STUDENT LEARNING, increase educational success, collaborate to improve in addition to Core Theme 3: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, create a more inclusive working environment and a more valued, visible relationship with communities we serve

Division Honors and Achievements

• Dean Juliette Kern and Director Edwina Fui lead efforts to host Highline College’s 2023 Commencement. The event was wonderful. Juliette and Edwina will have data about Commencement from diverse stakeholders to share with Executive Cabinet and the Board of Trustees soon. 
• TRiO SSS hosted an in-person End of the Year Celebration and Awards Ceremony last month, bringing together over 100 students and families to recognize the accomplishments of our students and the TRiO SSS community.
• During the summer, TRiO SSS will host Jemimah Kamau, a Highline College alumni and current attorney at Northwest Immigrants’ Rights Project, to present a “Know Your Rights” workshop on Saturday, July 29, 10:30 – 1:00 p.m. at Highline College. 
• Mariela Barriga, Director of Student Success, was invited to participate in The Exploring Postsecondary Subsidized Housing Partnerships webinar which was hosted in partnership with the Washington Student Achievement Council and the HOPE center. Mariela provided a short presentation on the Highline Support Center partnership program with King County Housing Authority, WISH (While In-School Housing). Afterwards she hosted a zoom breakout room and fielded two Q&A sessions with attendees.
• The Career & Transfer Services department welcomed a new Associate Director, Káren Calles.  Káren came to Highline from Seattle Colleges where she served as a Retention Specialist for the Seattle Promise Program.
• Resident Assistants for the 2023-2024 academic year have been identified and will begin training August 8. Jordan Hamill was hired as the Director of Operations at Campus View. He has been working with partners from across campus to learn about our students and the systems that we use to serve them. He is happy to join the team and looks forward to working with more campus partners as he gets settled into the position.
• The Center hired 20 student leaders for the 2023-2024 academic year. Students who participated in the annual Core recruitment came from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Being a core member at The Center provides opportunities for students to hone their skills, create meaningful community, learn and affirm intersecting identities, and cultivate leadership authentically. Core student leaders will begin their training on August 8. 
• August will be the start of the season for volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, tennis, and golf.

Report submitted by Interim Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Jamilyn Penn