Seattle Community Colleges Arthur Siegal Administrative Center 1500 Harvard Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-3803 206.934.4100 www.seattlecolleges.edu
DIRECTIONS TO DISTRICT OFFICE
The Seattle Community College District is the flagship community college district in Washington state, educating more than 50,000 students annually at North Seattle, South Seattle, Seattle Central and Seattle Vocational Institute. Seattle Community Colleges send graduates to work in the top companies in the region and transfer more students to four-year colleges and universities than any other college district in the state.
The District Office represents the Seattle Community Colleges to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) for purposes of enrollment and budget allocations. The Chancellor’s senior leadership team includes a Vice Chancellor, a Vice Chancellor for Finance and Technology, and a Chief Human Resources Officer, who are responsible for leading and coordinating district-wide functions, activities and services.
The Chancellor’s Office is the focal point for policy and initiatives for the colleges. Chancellor Jill Wakefield represents the district to elected officials, the SBCTC, and to civic, business, community, state, regional and local leaders and organizations. The three college presidents, who are responsible for the operation and management of the three colleges, report to the chancellor. The Chancellor’s Office also includes the Office of Advancement, which coordinates district-wide fundraising; the Public Information Office, which handles district-wide communications, media, marketing and special events; International Programs; and the Seattle Community Colleges Television station (SCCtv).
The Office of Finance and Technology is responsible for the long-range financial vision of the colleges and for managing the district-wide budget development process, distributing state and local funds to the colleges, ensuring compliance with laws and policies of Washington state, and reporting to the SBCTC and to the District’s Board of Trustees. This office handles accounting, budget reporting and analysis, purchasing, library technical services, information technology, web services, and telecommunications for the district.
Employee Services serves approximately 2,500 employees and is responsible for district recruitment and employment, benefits, payroll, and professional development. These services include employment rules and statutes interpretation; salary adjustments; sabbatical programs; leave and unemployment compensation programs; and employee records. The district is committed to diversity, reflective of our diverse student body and community. Employee Services also coordinates labor negotiations.
The Vice Chancellor’s Office oversees strategic planning, eLearning, workforce education, faculty development, instructional initiatives, sustainability efforts and education research for the Seattle Community College District. The office facilitates curriculum redesign, process improvement, and high school to college transitions in support of student success, and teaching and learning across the colleges.
* Source: SCCD database. Profiles based on state-funded enrollment, unless otherwise noted.
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.