President Recasner and Student Leadership Advocate for Education Access in the Capitol
Olympia, WA — On January 30, students and administrators from Seattle Central College joined representatives from all 34 Washington community and technical colleges in Olympia for the annual Legislative Hill Climb and Advocacy Day, where they advocated for and voiced opinions on key issues impacting higher education access and funding.
Interim President Dr. Chantae Recasner described Hill Climb as an energetic, fast-paced day that enabled constituents to meet with their respective legislators by appointment. “Olympia is flooded with people and the halls of the Capitol roar with group chatter and chance encounters,” she said. “We hustled to make our 15-minute (maximum) time slots with legislators.”
In collaboration with representatives from across the Seattle Colleges district, Dr. Recasner advocated to keep the 34 colleges in the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) whole and urged the state to maintain their commitment to funding higher education.
We also need this community, our legislators, and all of our constituents to continue to believe in the value of a Seattle Central education.
“A major goal was to learn who my legislators were and listen to where their interests seem to lie,” she said. In addition to broadly advocating for SBCTC, Dr. Recasner tackled Central-specific needs, like maintaining a special earmark in the state budget to supplement Seattle Maritime’s expensive, yet essential training.
She also pointed to the importance of community alignment and investment in campus facilities, especially as Seattle Central approaches 60 years of service to the surrounding communities. “We have to be responsive to the community we have ... and to do this, we need capital reinforcement,” she said. “We also need this community, our legislators, and all of our constituents to continue to believe in the value of a Seattle Central education; that message must be bigger than the message of financial threat or political mayhem at the federal level.”
A student delegation of six traveled with Dr. Recasner, representing the college’s Student Leadership team.
Jean Cuevas, the Associated Student Council (ASC) Executive of Legislative Affairs, one of the two students leading the delegation, described how students split up to meet with various representatives from District 34. Ramirez and five fellow students met with Representative Nicole Macri, Representative Shaun Scott, and with one of Senator Jamie Pedersen’s assistants.
Truce Montoya, ASC Executive of Communications, explained that he and his peers advocated for three major student priorities: expanding tuition-free, two-year community and technical college (CTC) programs, textbook affordability, and housing support.
Montoya personally spoke with Representative Sean Scott about expanding free CTC programs, presenting both research and his personal story as a Seattle Promise student. “I didn’t go to the University of Washington because I didn’t have any money,” Montoya explained. “Seattle Promise helped me get through community college. It was a steppingstone that helped me figure out what I want to do — become a teacher.”
Montoya believes sharing personal stories is what makes advocacy effective. “I think Representative Scott really liked the personal story — that’s what he was most interested in,” he said.
Although Central already offers a free CTC program through Seattle Promise, Montoya stressed the importance of advocating for students outside of Seattle. “That’s what we were fighting for—so people outside of Seattle can have the same opportunity.”
Despite the tight timeframes and packed schedules, President Recasner and the delegation from Student Leadership engaged in thoughtful, productive conversations that serve as vital steps in advocating for the needs of both Seattle Central and community colleges across Washington.
Dr. Recasner emphasizes the importance of maintaining year-round relationships with lawmakers and that Hill Climb only scratches the surface.