Dear Highline College,

As we reach the end of another academic year, I want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the hard work, dedication, and commitment that each of you has contributed to our students and our institution. Spring quarter is an especially meaningful time, as we reflect on our accomplishments and look ahead to new opportunities. Over the past several months, Executive Cabinet has been actively advancing a number of important initiatives, including thoughtful follow-up to the concerns and priorities raised during our listening sessions. We remain deeply appreciative of the engagement and partnership that continue to guide this work.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the winter listening sessions and continued engagement opportunities this spring. Your feedback has been essential in helping guide priorities and actions across the college. We are committed to ongoing transparency and to making meaningful progress on the issues you raised.

To support that commitment, below is a summary of the actions Executive Cabinet has completed to date, along with key efforts that will be underway soon, in response to your feedback.

Communication and Engagement

Executive Cabinet has taken several steps to strengthen communication and create more consistent opportunities for dialogue:

• Quarterly employee meetings have been launched for both exempt and classified staff to increase transparency, share updates, and provide regular opportunities for engagement.
• Additional listening sessions were held this spring to further explore key themes and validate priorities identified in the winter.
• A student forum was facilitated in partnership with Associated Students of Highline College (ASHC) to ensure student voices are included and aligned with employee feedback.
• A new virtual feedback form is now available to allow community members to share input at any time:
  https://forms.gle/sk5LJifiNHp9TQKA6

These efforts are helping us move from one-time feedback collection to sustained engagement.

Facilities and Accessibility

Accessibility remains a key priority, and progress is being made in multiple areas:

• Members of Executive Cabinet re-engaged with the Accessibility Taskforce to review prior recommendations, assess current practices, and identify gaps.
• Work is underway to develop a clear, centralized set of guidelines for accessible meetings and events, with an initial focus on employee-facing spaces.
• Executive Cabinet is compiling existing practices across campus to ensure alignment between student-facing and employee-facing environments.
• Next steps include developing draft guidelines and bringing recommendations forward for review.

OCR Compliance Work

• Following a state compliance review in November 2025, a Voluntary Compliance Plan was developed and approved in March 2026.
• The plan includes both minor and major facility improvements, with a phased implementation timeline of up to six years due to scope and cost.
• All corrective actions scheduled for FY2026 have been completed.
• Implementation will continue into FY2027 as funding is approved.

Compensation and Workload

Multiple efforts are in progress to improve clarity, consistency, and support for employees:

• A new job description template has been developed, including accessibility requirements, essential functions, and competencies.
• A centralized repository for job descriptions is now available, with a standardized approval process currently in development.
• New onboarding templates (30/60/90-day plans) are being created to support supervisors and new employees.
• Initial steps have begun to centralize Academic Affairs procedures and resources for easier access.
• A proposal for a dedicated Standards of Procedure (SOP) position remains under consideration for future funding.
• Quarterly vacation balance reports will be shared with supervisors to encourage leave use.
• Planning has started for employee engagement “pulse” surveys to monitor progress.
• Work is in progress to define an emergency assistance funding process aligned with the new WPEA contract.
• A compensation review project has been completed, with next steps under Executive Cabinet review.
• A matrix for employee concerns and process alignment has been completed to improve clarity and response pathways.

Student Operations

We are strengthening how we communicate with and provide support for students:

• Collaboration with student leadership is in progress to develop a student communication survey, with plans for launch in Fall.
• Initial efforts to map student communication channels revealed the need for a more inclusive and accurate inventory of staff involved in student communications.
• Next steps include refining this approach to ensure we capture all key contributors and improve coordination.

Moving Forward

Executive Cabinet has completed these initial actions in response to your feedback and remains committed to continuing this work. Many of these efforts represent foundational changes that will take time to fully implement, and we will make a more concerted effort to provide regular updates on progress.

Your input continues to be critical. We encourage you to stay engaged through upcoming meetings, forums, and the virtual feedback form.

Together, we are advancing key priorities, strengthening our systems, and fostering clearer communication across the college. These efforts are moving us forward in meaningful ways—creating a better experience for faculty, staff, and especially our students.

Please let any member of Executive Cabinet know if you have any follow up questions or comments. We continue to welcome your insight. Thank you!

Kind regards,

Dr. Jamilyn Penn

Interim President