The Seattle Community College District is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Washington State Governor and approved by the State Senate for sequential five-year terms. The primary responsibility of the Board of Trustees is to meet the changing educational needs of the community while reflecting the community’s values in fulfilling the college mission.
Trustees certify the consistency of college missions and goals, formulate policy, and ensure effective leadership and responsible use of resources. They are responsible for hiring the chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the Seattle Community College District and reports to the Board.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for hiring the chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the Seattle Community College District and reports to the Board. The chancellor is the district’s representative and advocate at local, regional, state and national organizations. The chancellor is responsible for district-wide administrative services and support, outlined on the following pages. These include Education, Planning, e-Learning and Workforce Development; Business and Finance; and Human Resources. Additionally, the chancellor is responsible for Seattle Community Colleges Television and web operations; district-wide international student programs; and institutional advancement.
The chancellor hires the individual college presidents, who are responsible for the operation and management of the three colleges. College presidents also serve as vice chancellors responsible for coordinating district-wide Instruction, Student Services and Advancement.
Contact the District Public Information Office regarding information present on this page.
The Board of Trustees meetings begin with a study session or reception at 2:00 p.m. followed by the regular meeting agenda sessions at 3:00 pm. Dates and locations of the meetings are noted below.
All meetings are on the second Thursday of the month, except February.
Meeting Schedule
Green for the 21st Century in Seattle
Innovations in curriculum and operations have earned the 2009 Green Washington Award for the Seattle Community Colleges – Central, North and South. All three colleges are active members of the Seattle Climate Partnership and North was an early signer of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. A district-wide Chancellor’s Sustainability Initiative provides energy, focus and a forum for emerging training and initiatives.
Sustainability is infused into programs ranging from urban agriculture at Central to environmental science, real estate and building management across the district. Students have funded a sustainability coordinator. Campus activities include reducing the carbon footprint and promoting recycling and energy conservation, which earned a “Recycler of the Year” award for South. Last year, the college culinary operations diverted 31 tons of materials to a regional composting facility – which returned the compost to “green” the college landscape.
For more information visit www.seattlecolleges.edu/green
Helping displaced workers to ‘Start Next Quarter’
During the economic downturn, thousands of displaced workers turned to the Seattle Community Colleges at the same time regional employers reported a need for skilled workers to fill jobs in the new economy. To help both potential workers and employers, the Seattle Community Colleges developed Start Next Quarter (SNQ), a two-part initiative designed to improve the success of dislocated workers who enroll in technical education programs. SNQ invites prospective students to assess their eligibility for workforce funding online and connects them to a comprehensive two-day college success workshop held at each campus. The workshops are based on a model developed at one of the district campuses. Students who complete the workshop are more likely to complete their training programs and to obtain jobs using their new skills. The project was developed in part through a grant from the League for Innovation, funded by the Walmart Foundation Bright Futures project to serve displaced workers.
Visit www.startnextquarter.org
A Model for the Region
The Opportunity Center for Employment and Education at North Seattle Community College is a regional resource and the first integrated service center of its kind in Washington state. Since the OCE&E opened its doors in spring 2011, more than 40,000 people have come for one-stop help in finding a new job, career retraining or to sign up for public assistance benefits. Founding partners were the state Departments of Social and Health Services and Employment Security, the college, and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The campus and the new LEED Gold Certified 45,000-square foot facility are in the heart of Seattle’s north end and close to a major transit hub. House Speaker Frank Chopp and Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (sponsor of the legislation and a former Seattle District trustee) championed the OCE&E in the state legislature. The center aims to provide streamlined services in a positive environment, helping clients succeed in the next stage of their lives.