Dear Faculty and Staff,

With the 2024 presidential election now concluded, we understand that this time may bring a range of emotions, questions, and uncertainties about what the outcome means for our college, state, and nation. Executive Cabinet is committed to supporting our community as we move forward and is closely following developments from Washington, D.C. that may impact our students and our work.

Executive Cabinet meets regularly on Tuesdays and is dedicating time each week to discuss ongoing concerns, emerging issues, and updates related to the election’s impact. We are paying particular attention to our most vulnerable and historically marginalized student and employee populations, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ community members, and undocumented students. As Acting President, I attend and engage in weekly meetings with the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC), where fellow system-wide chancellors and presidents are actively discussing potential effects on program funding and policies affecting our schools. Topics such as funding for specific programs and immigration matters, including deportation policies, are among the areas we are monitoring closely.

To help us all stay informed, Executive Cabinet is gathering resources from trusted sources, including the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). With the help of our Resource Librarians, these resources will be organized in a central, easily accessible location for you to review at your convenience. We hope to be able to share this resource link by early next week. Our commitment to advocating for and supporting all students remains strong, especially to those who may be the most vulnerable in this new landscape.

I encourage you to stay engaged and utilize the resources available to protect the rights and well-being of all students. By working together, we can ensure that Highline College remains a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for learning, regardless of the challenges ahead.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and one another. Please reach out to president@highline.edu if you have specific questions or have ideas on additional resources that would be helpful to our campus community.

Warm regards,

Jamilyn Penn, Ed.D.
Acting President