BUDGET
The main focus of today’s letter is the next section, but because I heard some concerns about the budget in the last 24 hours, I decided to make a small note as to the state of the budget for 24-25. As of this last Tuesday, we have affirmed that our budget next year looks balanced with some reliance on the reserves. There will be no need to pause on new hires, pause on replacement hires, further reduce goods & services, or eliminate the planned investments in professional development, travel, or the transfer of funds to student government. The Budget Council will get fully updated next week, but please have a restful weekend knowing we’re in good shape.
RESPECTFUL DISCOURSE
Many of you know that Cascadia’s public board meetings run smoothly with the occasional public comment and a sense of comradery around our shared purpose. Our colleagues at City Council and local School Boards routinely face more challenging situations. Navigating those tough meetings is a part of their role as elected officials and our society embraces everyone’s right to be heard.
This week, we experienced some of that challenge in the 1st Legislative District Town Hall. Cascadia and UWB have hosted this event in Mobius for more than a decade and I have been the moderator. The format is always the same: attendees come, hear opening remarks by the legislators, have the opportunity to submit written questions that are brought to me by the legislative staff, and listen as the questions are presented and addressed by the legislators. About 100 people attended on Tuesday and this process was explained at the beginning of the event.
This year, a handful of the attendees thought the Town Hall meant something different. They believed that they would have a chance to verbally address the legislators in front of an audience. They expected a dialogue. The legislators and I made multiple attempts to review the process and explain the difference between this event and a “public meeting” and stressed that we would pass along all written materials. This group of individuals still wanted to verbally engage throughout the forum. Engagement came in the form of interrupting the legislators, standing up and addressing the audience on their own, jeering and heckling, and other disruptive behaviors. The majority of the crowd even tried to help control the behavior, to no avail. At the halfway point of our event, I invited the leader of this group to leave Mobius. He complied and, from that point on, the event ran as intended. Afterwards, our city council and school board colleagues who attended came to us and said “that’s normal” for their meetings. They also understood that this was supposed to be different and commended our efforts to be patient yet follow the rules.
The thought for today’s Friday Letter echoes the sentiments I shared at the Town Hall. As an institution of higher education, we value multiple, diverse perspectives. People do have a right to be heard. Yet, we also follow a code. There is a time and place and format for everything. The legislators offered alternatives to hear their constituents (including over a Zoom meeting or at a coffee) but it seems these folks wanted to be seen in front of others making their points. No ground rules or expectation setting would have changed the belief that they had a right to be heard at that moment and in that forum.
I hope at Cascadia, both inside and outside the classroom, we create opportunities to listen to others’ perspectives and respect the format for that engagement. Whether it’s establishing and following the guidelines for a particular exchange (e.g. Town Hall, Debate, Poster Presentation, Protest, college council, etc.) or assuring that we do not attack a person in the process, we firmly believe that discourse should be respectful and uphold all individuals.
As an example of a way to use public comment effectively, Trustee Ponto reported to me this week:
“Quick note to say that I attended the NSD board meeting on Monday of this week. Another packed house for public comments with parents, teachers, and students opposing the loss of deans and the 5th grade music program due to budget cuts. When a music teacher came to the mic during public comments and said, “music is a universal language” and then proceeded to play a stunning piece on her violin, I can’t imagine that there was a dry eye in the boardroom.”
The right forum, the right method, with respect. Respectful discourse must guide all of our interactions. This will certainly be valuable as we approach the upcoming election season. And, as tensions continue in the Middle East and protests abound throughout the nation, we want to reiterate that we support peaceful protest. We support sending messages to those in power for and against their actions so long as we maintain respect at the core to learning and expressive action. The Diversity and Equity Center is an available resource for those wishing to learn more about effective engagement. They are happy to help assure that all perspectives are heard.
SHOUT OUTS
From the IN Box:
I am writing to express my deep appreciation for the exemplary actions of Anthony Gonzales. On Wednesday, April 24th, at approximately 11:30 AM, Anthony’s swift response played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and security of our campus community.
At approximately 11:15 AM that day, two students were assaulted at the bus stop. Following the campus-wide alert detailing the assault, including the description of the suspect and their direction of travel, Anthony remained vigilant. Around 11:45 AM, Anthony observed an individual matching the description of the assault suspect and promptly activated the panic button to alert Campus Safety. This decisive action enabled Campus Safety to swiftly coordinate with Bothell Police to respond to CC2.
Upon arrival at the location, Bothell Police conducted a field show-up with the victims which did not yield positive identification of the assault suspect. However, through routine checks via WACIC and NCIC, it was discovered that the individual had an outstanding felony warrant issued by the US Marshal. The individual was subsequently arrested and taken into custody. The individual was not affiliated with the University or College.
On behalf of the Campus Safety team and Bothell Police, please extend our sincere gratitude to Anthony for his exceptional vigilance, quick response, and unwavering commitment to safety.
AND
A well-deserved shout-out to Samantha Martin and Ysi Ramos. Both played a big part in drafting a Basic Needs Strategic plan that was due to SBCTC this week. As students struggle with obtaining basic needs such as access to food, housing, transportation, etc., Cascadia is implementing different ways to connect students with resources. Samantha and Ysi’s dedication to supporting students is invaluable and their contributions are crucial as needs of students continue to increase. Thank you both!
AND
On behalf of the Equity & Inclusion and Outreach & Admissions teams, we want to send a huge thank you to all of the volunteers for participating in the NWESD My Dream My Journey Conference on 4/19 and the Riverview & Snoqualmie Valley School Districts Conference on 4/25! They all helped make these events possible and created a welcoming space for the hundreds of students who came to campus.
Thank you to the volunteers: Zuzana Regan, Mauli Patel, Vickie Ashe, Erika Miller, Emujin Agar, Michael Horn, Kareen Kanjo, Kelly Leahy, Stephan Classen, David Tinto, Rachel Druck, Robert Cole, Husanjot Kaur, Erin Blakeney, Bryan Martinez Escobar; Jaspreet Grewal, Miles Alexander and Shawna Pitts from Facilities; and Luke Bulosan and Fisher Brown from IT.
If you’re interested in joining the LWSD Students of Color Conference on 5/17, please sign up by 5/8!
Shout Outs can be sent to FLShoutout@cascadia.edu
Have a great weekend.
Integrate It! 