For the first time since the mid-1990s, Shoreline’s automotive program forges a new automotive manufacturer-sponsored partnership. Read about it here.

Dear Colleague,

Congratulations on completing another successful academic year at Shoreline. I am so appreciative of your dedicated efforts to impact our students in such positive ways. Our shared planning, diligent work, and supportive care of students and each other is evident all around the campus. As we wind down the year and prepare for summer quarter and the next academic year, I would like to share some important updates with you about the College’s successes and upcoming changes.

STRATEGIC GOAL: STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

ENROLLMENT SUCCESSES

This year, we experienced very real evidence of our continued campus-wide efforts to ensure that more students have access to the Shoreline experience. In our state-supported enrollment, we saw quarter-to-quarter increases every quarter this academic year (3.9% in summer, 1.0% in fall, 4.8% in winter, and 5.3% in spring), resulting in a 3.6% increase in our overall annual FTE, from 3,746 to 3,882. Although we saw decreases in international enrollment overall, the gap between this year and last year narrowed each quarter; by Spring 2017 we were only 4.7% lower than last spring, compared to 12.8% in Summer of 2016. Overall, we’ve had five consecutive quarters of increased state-supported enrollment because of your focus on providing students with a more seamless college experience.

There were also significant enrollment increases in Basic Education for Adults (94 annual FTE in Spring 2016 to 124 annual FTE in Spring 2017, a 31% increase), and Running Start (59 annual FTE in Spring 2016 to 73 annual FTE in Spring 2017, a 23% increase). We are also seeing encouraging data around retention. In 2016-2017 we saw the highest fall-to-winter retention rate (77%) that we have seen in at least five years.

For the third consecutive quarter, staff in Student Learning and Success have worked collaboratively to establish a final class cancellation date at least one week before classes begin. Please note no sections of Summer 2017 classes will be canceled after June 16.

PERSONNEL UPDATES

As the academic year changes, there are a few staffing-related changes to share.

• This spring, departments and divisions provided qualitative data and observations to assist in academic program planning, which will help us determine early on what areas we will strategically prioritize as we move to fill tenure line vacancies in the coming year. The Dean Team will seek additional feedback in fall term to begin recruiting within the academic recruitment cycle.
• The Parent Child Center is now part of Auxiliary Services (along with the bookstore, shipping and receiving, printing, mailing, and facility rentals). This division is supervised by Leah Pearce, whose title is now Director of Auxiliary Services.
• The Honors College at Shoreline is now aligned with Amy Kinsel, Dean of Social Sciences. Dean Kinsel will also supervise Larry Fuell, Director of the Global Affairs Center.
• The Shoreline Threat Assessment Team (STAT) has been converted to the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). This change reflects the need to focus our efforts on student success, with a cross-functional team dedicated to addressing students who are in apparent or actual distress. That team will be providing information in the coming weeks regarding what you can do to assist these students by referring them to BIT.

FALL CONVOCATION, OPENING WEEK, AND THE BEGINNING OF FALL TERM

This year marks a new approach to extend our learning together throughout the year. Beginning this fall, we will start on Thursday, September 21 with division and department meetings. Fall Convocation will take place on Friday, September 22 with a full schedule of professional learning and engagement continuing Monday and Tuesday, September 25 and 26. Fall quarter classes begin on Wednesday, September 27. We will also plan for an additional Day of Learning on Friday, April 27, 2018.

This year’s theme is building community for ourselves and our students. We know when we strengthen our sense of belonging, our students benefit from the community we have created across the college. Please watch for more information about Fall Convocation and Opening Week as we get closer to September.

SHARED VALUES AND CORE THEMES

As part of our ongoing conversations about our shared values and core themes, I invite you to comment on a possible framework for aligning our behavior with our values. If you haven’t already, please take the values survey today (it takes just 5-10 minutes of your time).

STRATEGIC GOAL: DISCIPLINED EXCELLENCE

STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRESS

This year of planning has resulted in tremendous development of actions for our five-year strategic plan. In our second Spring Campus Update on Friday, June 2, we heard from each of the steering committees and had an opportunity to share feedback about their draft actions. (In case you missed the Campus Update, you may watch the video here.)

The steering committees’ draft actions will be reviewed and prioritized by the Executive Team over the summer. The committees and councils will then resume their work in the fall, when we’ll focus on completing the remaining years of the plan and establishing metrics to mark our progress. You are invited to apply to serve on a Strategic Planning Steering Committee or Council. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 6.

BUDGET UPDATE AND ABBREVIATED STRATEGIC ACTION PLANS (aSAPs)

The Washington State Legislature is currently in its second special session and has not yet produced either an operating or a capital budget, and is not expected to do so prior to the June 28 meeting of our Board of Trustees. If the Legislature does not pass a budget prior to July 1, some government agencies are likely to shut down. As we have said in previous communications, the College is committed to operating on tuition revenues only, without a clear state appropriation, for a limited time. At this time, we are committed to operating through summer quarter, in service to our diverse students and communities.

In the likely absence of a state operating budget, I will recommend that our Board of Trustees pass a “continuing resolution” at its June 28 regular meeting. A continuing resolution will allow the College to expend funds necessary to continue operations until a state operating budget is enacted, and the College’s operating budget can be adopted.

At the same time, I realize that many of you are asking about the status of Abbreviated Strategic Action Plans (aSAPs) that were submitted earlier in the year. After the June 28 board meeting, we will release to the campus community the Executive Team’s aSAP funding recommendations to the Board. I think it’s important to be aware that the actual funding of aSAPs could differ from these recommendations, depending on the operating budget ultimately passed by the Legislature.

REFLECTIONS ON OVERALL SUCCESSES

When I arrived at Shoreline three years ago, I saw that great things were happening here. There was a strong foundation of engagement and student success. In just three years, I have also seen us build upon that foundation to ensure the College’s future growth and success. We have come together to determine our community’s needs, purposefully build a plan, and align our work and resources under a common direction. This unified vision and purpose is giving us what we need to sustain the College for the long term, and this in turn ensures greater success for our students. We could not have achieved this progress without each one of you. It’s because of everyone’s engagement that we are able to strengthen our outlook for the future.

It’s definitely been a busy and successful year and I thank each of you for bringing your best to Shoreline each and every day! We also weathered some difficult patches that required us to step back, pause, and discuss the issues in order to move forward. As we turn our attention toward summer and the next academic year, I look forward to continuing to build on this positive momentum we’ve generated together and focus our attention on creating even more community and belonging among each other. When we are all for each other and have time to know each other in meaningful ways, we can do great work for our diverse students and the communities we serve.

Thank you for another year filled with what makes Shoreline so special – you!

With a heart full of gratitude,

Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.

President