Gabrielle Bachmeier

Key discussions included an update on the campus budget, noting an ongoing shortfall despite efforts by the Executive Cabinet to fine-tune projected expenditures and reliance on enrollment for mitigation. The Board of Trustees (BOT) holds $10 million in reserve. The council reviewed and evaluated Budget Planning Principles, leading to discussions on priorities. Concerns were raised regarding making face-to-face interaction a priority, with a suggestion to adopt a "hybrid/flex" approach instead. Employee capacity due to hiring/retention challenges and the need for improved customer service were noted, though data suggested retention rates at HC were stable. Campus safety was also cited as a priority. HCEA priorities included increasing enrollment, maintaining health benefits, moving employees to higher priority roles, respecting Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA), building an intentionally multi-modal institution, and protecting pay for lower-paid staff. A discussion on the lump sum recommendation for exempt professional staff and the exempt COLA recommendation was postponed to the next meeting.

This document outlines the Honors Program at Highline College, detailing its mission to prepare students for transfer to four-year universities or employment through advanced coursework and leadership development. It describes three distinct pathways: Transfer, Professional-Technical, and Bachelor of Applied Science, each with specific requirements including HONOR classes, Honors Projects, and participation in an Honors Poster Session. The guide also highlights program benefits such as becoming an Honors Scholar, transcript notations, scholarship eligibility, a supportive community, cultural capital, and dedicated academic and transfer advising.

The budget planning for FY2020-21 was challenging due to declining enrollment, the COVID-19 pandemic, financial crisis, impending state budget cuts, and lack of specific information from the State regarding the timing and amount of the budget cuts. The budget planning process began in March 2020, and Executive Cabinet adopted a set of budget planning principles in April 2020 to guide the process. The initial draft of the budget development showed a budget gap between revenue and expenditures of approximately $3.4M. With the announced state budget cuts of up to 15%, the College could lose another $4.8M in funding. A new Budget Advisory Council was activated to assist with the reduction planning process. In early August 2020, Executive Cabinet adopted a set of budget reduction planning per the recommendations of the Budget Advisory Council.

Highline College is projecting to fall short of our revenue target for the remainder of the FY2019-2020 due to the current economic environment and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. The College is proposing a revised Operating Budget to ensure a balanced budget by June 30, 2020. Total revised revenue for FY2019-20 is projected at $70.3M. This is a reduction of $4.9M from the earlier adopted revenue budget of $75.2M. Total revised expenditure budget for FY2019-20 is estimated to be at $69.4M. This is a reduction of approximately $2.8M from the earlier adopted expenditure budget of $72.3M.

The meeting included EC updates and discussions around budget planning principles for 22-23, institutional priorities, enrollment management, recruitment and retention of students and employees, CampusWorks recommendations, addressing budget shortfalls, and technology improvements. Concerns were raised regarding workload, employee burnout, potential program reductions, and the need for contingency plans. Recommendations for addressing budget shortfalls of approximately $3 - $3.5M next year were discussed, with a focus on maintaining current spending levels into the fall.