You may have read a Seattle Times’ article this weekend about a Shoreline international student being detained at the border. Here is additional information that can be shared with students or employees regarding the student’s situation:

• The student in the article was following a standard procedure for regaining valid F-1 status: Travel and re-entry. Many students at area colleges and universities choose to re-enter the US at the Canadian border because it is nearby and they can complete their re-entry process within a few hours and return to focusing on their academic pursuits quickly. Unfortunately, this student was unsuccessful in completing the re-entry process and was detained by Customs and Border Protection.
• This is a highly unusual turn of events. Current administrators at the College are aware of only one other instance of an F-1 international student being held in detention, however, that situation was under entirely different circumstances and happened years ago.
• The student was released over the weekend and is working with College staff to return to her studies as quickly as possible. College administration came together quickly to help advocate for this student and the International Education staff, with their decades of experience, will continue to provide appropriate support to her. The College is also working with our area SEVP representative to discuss how to best ensure students can avoid this situation in the future.

If you have any questions about F-1 immigration regulations, please contact Samira Pardanani, Executive Director for International Education (spardana@shoreline.edu, 206-546-4697). To learn more about campus and community immigration resources, please visit www.shoreline.edu/immigration-resources.

Shoreline’s Annual Commencement Ceremony date has been changed to Thursday, June 21, 2018. Previously, commencement was scheduled for June 10, 2018, which is the third to the last day of Spring quarter classes. The Joint Union/Management Committee recommended moving commencement to the day after finals. The Board of Trustees approved this change at its January 24^th, 2018 meeting. Additional information is forthcoming.

President Roberts will be off-campus Jan. 29 – Feb. 2. While President Roberts is off campus, the AIC (Administrator In Charge) for the College is Stuart Trippel, Senior Executive Director & CFO: Ext. 7859 or 4672.

Thank you.

With the recent passing of the state capital budget, the Foundation will begin a capital campaign to raise $3 million as our portion of the state funding for the new Allied Health, Sciences, and Advanced Manufacturing building construction.

Mary Brueggeman, VP for Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation, will shift her focus to allow her to concentrate on the capital campaign, beginning January 26. Mary will no longer be responsible for providing leadership to Communications and Marketing Services and the College Grants Director position. Mary will remain on the Executive Team as well as continue to sponsor the Communications, Marketing, and Community Engagement Steering Committee. She will continue to direct the Shoreline Community College Foundation and will assume responsibility for College External Relations and Community Engagement. She will also direct the new Washington Automotive Dealer Training Academy Foundation (formerly the PSADA Foundation).

Martha Lynn, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, will report directly to the President and will join the Executive Team. The new Grants Director, upon hire, will report directly to Bayta Maring, Executive Director, Institutional Assessment & Data Management.

Any questions surrounding these changes may be directed to President Cheryl Roberts or Vice President Mary Brueggeman.