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Listening Sessions

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Listening Sessions 2019-03-19T12:50:20+00:00

2019 Winter Listening Sessions with Dr. Mosby

Opening slide of Dr. Mosby's Winter 2019 Listening Session Presentation

Below is a summary of the text presented to faculty and staff at the 2019 Winter Listening Sessions with Dr. Mosby. The sessions were hosted on February 20, 22 and March 7, 2019.

New Chapter at Highline College

Getting to Know Highline

Top 10 Comments I’ve Heard from Students, Staff, Faculty and Community

  1. Highline is a place of opportunity and hope
  2. Faculty and staff are caring, respectful of one another
  3. Faculty and staff are deeply committed to serving students
  4. Campus community welcomes everyone
  5. Highline is a special place with special people
  6. Faculty and staff have genuine concern for students’ well being
  7. People feel at home at Highline
  8. Highline changes lives
  9. Faculty and staff do great work, but see areas in which to improve
  10. Highline has a reputation for excellence

Where We Are Today

  • 57+ years of serving our community
  • 1st choice for many, 2nd chance for some
  • 2 years of significant change

How We Will Move Forward

  • We will build on the strengths that make Highline great
  • We will encourage communitywide participation, planning and action
  • We will work together to create Highline’s next chapter

How to Create the Next Chapter: 6 Themes

  1. Strengthen communication and create transparency
  2. Practice equity, inclusion and opportunity in all areas of the college
  3. Redefine the student experience from application to graduation, certification and transfer
  4. Reinforce the presence of the president on campus
  5. Clarify hiring practices and procedures
  6. Demystify the budgetary process

How We Get There: 4 College Goals

Goal 1: Strengthen a culture of collegewide planning, accountability and evaluation

5 activities to achieve Goal 1:

  1. Create master strategic plan
  2. Ensure accreditation standards are met
  3. Reimagine Office of International Student Programs
  4. Establish Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (working title)
  5. Review college-identified core themes

Goal 2: Establish a structure for improved communication

4 activities to achieve Goal 2:

  1. Create an electronic employee newsletter
  2. Hold regular meetings with various campus groups
  3. Create President’s Advisory Committee (PAC)
  4. Document policy and process procedures

Goal 3: Redefine organizational structure and evaluate outcomes

7 activities to achieve Goal 3:

  1. Review current structure and identify areas for restructuring
  2. Redefine personnel categories
  3. Match job descriptions with current staff
  4. Clarify reporting lines
  5. Evaluate vacant positions
  6. Restructure hiring process
  7. Administer faculty/staff climate study

Goal 4: Enhance and operationalize opportunities for student success

5 activities to achieve Goal 4:

  1. Improve collaboration between divisions
  2. Create guided pathways plan model
  3. Engage student groups/learning communities
  4. Review data and identify strategies/initiatives to impact underperforming student groups
  5. Revisit enrollment and financial aid processes

Summary

Together, our collective efforts will make Highline the very best for all of us: students, staff, faculty and community.

Session Feedback

The following is a summary of feedback that was shared by faculty and staff during the four sessions. The feedback that was submitted confidentially in writing is not accounted for below.

  • Request for timelines on achieving the outlined goals
  • Desire to build community with Central Washington University in Building 29
  • Appreciation for our grounds crew and public safety team was voiced
  • Request for further support and increased equity of ABE/ESL faculty
  • Need for a Dreamers Center
  • Request to consider increasing space in place of reallocating space
  • Request for professional development and mentorship in support of employee growth and retention
    • Suggestion for session on how to document processes
    • Suggestion for session on how to become comfortable with change
    • Concerns voiced about a lack of promotion and advancement opportunities among classified staff
  • Concerns about evening campus access
    • Public safety
    • Facility access
    • Class offerings
    • Student services
  • Desire for employee blog in place of an intranet
  • Need for cross training to support coverage and prevent silos
  • Desire for more transparency and communication around Highline College milestones
  • Need for equity among hiring committees
  • Need for adjunct employment model
  • Comments on Highline College’s flat organizational structure