Dear Colleagues,

We are now less than two weeks away from going live with LionsLink powered by ctcLink. I can’t emphasize enough how grateful I am for all the work so many of you are putting in toward our conversion to LionsLink. Please continue to look for important updates from your colleagues around the college. With that, I’m going to keep this Update brief. Here’s the latest news from around the college.

External Engagement

ctcLink Steering Committee Readiness Meeting

Yesterday afternoon, I virtually attended the ctcLink Readiness meeting with the State Board for Community and Technical College (SBCTC) ctcLink team along with Chris McLain, Dr. Ruby Hayden, and Lauren Heller. This meeting was to give final approval for our college to Go-Live with LionsLink on the 28th.  Lauren did an outstanding job outlining the years of work across the campus that got us to this point. Thank you again to our project management team and all of our colleagues for all of your work to get us to this important milestone. I am happy to report that we are approved to go live on February 28!  Please join us next week for the All-Staff meeting to learn more about Go-Live and what it means for the college community.

Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) Board Meeting

Tomorrow, I’m participating in the WTIA board meeting. This is my third year serving as a board member.

State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) Legislative Updates

Each Friday during the Legislative session, I will be participating in the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC) Legislative Conference Call. The SBCTC will be updating the most recent information in their weekly blog which is updated on Fridays.

College Community

The Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) Spotlight Week: MFG 1, 2, and 3

As part of DSJ Spotlight Week, I attended several of the DSJ-focused special sessions. Thank you to Dr. Sharon Raz and the faculty and staff who helped plan and lead the events and discussions this week. I am humbled and inspired by the faculty and staff presentations.

Executive Cabinet LionsLink Project Meeting

Monday, Executive Cabinet and I met with members of the LionsLink project team to discuss upcoming activities. Cabinet meets with the team weekly.

Cabinet Connection: MFG: 1, 2, and 3

Executive Cabinet (Cabinet) met Tuesday where we discussed the LionsLink transition, scheduling for Winter and Spring quarters, the budget process for fiscal year 2023, and the EDI strategic planning process. Cabinet members also provided updates from their departments.

Cabinet is comprised of our senior leadership that represents each area of the college and, in addition to me, includes: Dr. Suzanne Ames, Robert Britten, Cathy Copeland, Dr. Ruby Hayden, Chris McLain, Leslie Shattuck, Elisabeth Sorensen, Bruce Riveland, and Meena Park.

Black History Month: Brick by Brick Workshop and Panel Discussion: MFG 1

I’m looking forward to the Brick by Brick Workshop and Panel Discussion, tomorrow. Thank you to our Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team for putting this event together.

Student Services Department Meeting

I’m looking forward to dropping into the Student Services department meeting on Friday morning.

LionsLink powered by ctcLink Updates

Updates to the LionsLink Webpage

As folks from around the college are sending out important information about our preparation for our conversion to LionsLink be sure to please visit the website for the latest information on trainings and our timeline.

Upcoming Events

Black History Month: Brick by Brick Workshop and Panel Discussion: MFG 1, 2, and 3

Tomorrow, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be hosting, in honor of Black History Month, the “Brick by Brick Workshop and Panel Discussion” from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. They will screen a short 15-minute film called “Brick By Brick” by Tina Chapman DaCosta, Program Developer, Educator, Film and Theatre Director, and Myles Ross, a local film maker and director. Registration is available online.

Good News to Share

Happy 80^th Birthday, Selma (Sam) Saunders

Letty Barnes brought to my attention that it was adjunct faculty member Sam Saunders 80^th birthday last Sunday. Happy belated birthday, Sam!

Thank You Karen Lee

Sally Heilstedt would like to share the following: “Thank you to Karen Lee for her testimony and its impact not just on our students and college, but on the whole system.” Karen shared that she testified in support of SB5771 before the Senate helped pass it unanimously off the Senate floor. She has been invited to testify again before the House Committee for the same bill. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday from 10-12. You can learn more about SB5771 (with mention of Karen’s testimony) online.

Student Services Team Recognition

Dr. Ruby Hayden would like to recognize the following team members:

• Darcy Kipnis, Kim Geer and I would like to thank Sandra Cuevas, Xieng Lim, Toya Willingham, and Andrea Breen. It’s been a flurry of activity recently, and each of them responded promptly, worked patiently with the financial aid office to navigate complicated transactions, and shown grace when we had to revise requests to get it right. We are grateful to work with all of you! Thank you so much for working with us this week to get last minute entries done. We so appreciate the cooperative effort you show each and every day, and your dedication to excellence and student success.

If you have information that you would like me to share in Amy’s Update, please send your information to me by Monday mornings.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me, any time.

Stay well and take care of yourselves.

Amy

 

College Strategic Vision, Mission, Vision, Core Values and Core Themes

Strategic Vision

• In partnership with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) is guided by SBCTC’s strategic vision: Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities.

Mission

• Grounded in equity and the need for resilience, the mission guides our overall direction as a college: To prepare students for today’s careers and tomorrow’s opportunities

• Mission Fulfillment Goals:
  • MFG 1: Address and Dismantle Structural Racism
  • MFG 2: Continue Implementation of Guided Pathways
  • MFG 3: Position the College as a Leader in Workforce Training for the State’s Short-Term and Long-Term Economic Recovery

Vision

• Grounded in equity and the need for resilience, the vision inspires how we see ourselves in the future: To be the college of choice for workforce education

Core Values

• Grounded in equity and the need for resilience, the values give us the tools to implement our mission and vision:
  • Inclusive: We intentionally create a welcoming environment where all feel a sense of belonging.
  • Innovative: We are leaders in maximizing opportunities to create a thriving college community.
  • Collaborative: We are open to change and work together to achieve success for all.
  • Respectful: We engage others with acceptance, open-mindedness, courtesy, and care.

Core Themes

• Grounded in equity and the need for resilience, the core themes are the pillars supporting the mission and provide long term objectives (7 years aligned with accreditation review cycles) for the college:

• LWTech is accessible to the community by providing multiple entrance points and educational pathways. The college is a conduit for students to upgrade their skills, transition into new careers, or further their education and training.

• Pathways: LWTech is accessible to the community by providing multiple entrance points and educational pathways. The college is a conduit for students to upgrade their skills, transition into new careers, or further their education and training.
• Student Achievement: At LWTech, students gain the skills and knowledge needed to achieve their educational goals and to participate in the workforce.
• External Engagement: LWTech forms partnerships with governmental and community organizations, educational institutions, business, and labor in order to effectively support the Institution’s mission.
• College Community: LWTech provides a safe, supported, and engaging learning environment for students and work environment for faculty and staff.