ByRepresentatives Slatter, Hansen, Wicks, Ryu, Paul, Morgan, Leavitt, Santos, Chopp, Simmons, and Chambers

WHEREAS, Jan Yoshiwara is retiring as executive director of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges on July 31, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Jan's retirement caps an honorable and impactful 44-year career serving Washington's community and technical college students and the 34 local colleges that serve them; and

WHEREAS, Jan is dedicated to providing higher education opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds for whom a college credential can make the greatest change in the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families; and

WHEREAS, Jan attended high school and college in California during a time of excitement, change, and social activism in the 1960s and early 1970s; and

WHEREAS, Jan was influenced by the civil rights movement and decided to work at the intersection of civil rights and higher education by serving students who may not have the same opportunities as others because of financial hardships, language barriers, race, or ethnicity; and

WHEREAS, Under Jan's leadership, Washington's community and technical college system put racial equity at the front and center of its mission; and

WHEREAS, Due to Jan's leadership, Washington's community and technical colleges are part of a national reform movement called "Guided Pathways" to increase retention and completion rates for all students, especially students of color; and

WHEREAS, Under Jan's visionary direction, Washington became one of the first states in the nation to offer applied bachelor's degrees, allowing students to build on 2-year professional degrees and earn bachelor's degrees close to home; and

WHEREAS, Jan was at the forefront of the community and technical college system's adoption of a performance-based funding model that awards colleges funds when students reach key momentum points leading to a credential; and

WHEREAS, Jan established a research division within the State Board to ensure the community and technical college system is transparent, accountable, and data-driven; and

WHEREAS, Jan's reforms are helping to move more students from K-12, through college, and into careers and universities, thereby uplifting the lives of the people who live, work, and innovate in Washington; and

WHEREAS, Jan has shepherded the community and technical college system through sweeping changes with a mix of grace, expertise, and collaboration that has won the affection and respect of all those who work with her;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives express its deepest gratitude to Jan Yoshiwara for a life-long career serving students, colleges, employers, and communities in Washington state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted to Jan Yoshiwara and members of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.