President’s Message: Welcoming Students Sept. 22

Dear Bellevue College colleagues, 

Whether you’re returning from being off contract, a summer adventure, or you have been on campus during the summer months, welcome to fall. As we step into the new academic year, I’m thankful to begin it alongside all of you.

This past Saturday, I joined more than 300 Bellevue College Night at the Mariners ticket holders to watch the team take on the Los Angeles Angels. The evening was a meaningful chance to connect with alumni, community members, and my own family who joined me. I’m grateful to everyone who made it such a memorable event.

Thank you as well to everyone who participated in Opening Day yesterday. Your engagement set a strong foundation for the year ahead. For those who were unable to attend or who would like to revisit the remarks and presentations, the video of the morning session is now available on the Opening Day SharePoint page.

As of this week, we plan to welcome nearly 14,000 students enrolled in classes. Seeing our students arrive on campus, many for the very first time, reminds us of the importance of our work. Staff and faculty can check enrollment data in our online dashboard [BC employee log-in required].

I hope you’ll join me in warmly welcoming our students on Monday, Sept. 22. Special thanks to our wayfinding volunteers who will spend time showing students where classes are and helping them get familiar with campus.

This year brings important milestones: completing and launching our new Strategic Plan, preparing for our accreditation visit this spring, celebrating BellevueCollege’s 60th anniversary, and working together to ensure a sustainable budget for the future. These efforts will require focus, creativity, and collaboration, but I’m confident in our ability to rise to the challenge as one community.

As we move forward, I also want to highlight three important topics for our campus community:

Immigration Enforcement
Bellevue College is committed to fostering a campus environment that is inclusive, welcoming, and safe for all students, employees, and visitors—regardless of immigration status. Policy 1510: Immigration Enforcement Protections, along with its procedures, formally reflects our long-standing practices and aligns with the Keep Washington Working Act. These policies protect privacy, limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and uphold access to education for all.

For more information, please review the Immigration Enforcement FAQ or review the  recording of last spring’s town hall on this topic. These provide guidance on what to do if immigration officials come to campus.

Free Speech and Expressive Activity
As a public institution, Bellevue College must provide access to campus for First Amendment and other expressive activities. Free expression is vital to both our democracy and our educational mission, and it is protected under the law. At the same time, these activities cannot disrupt college operations, create unsafe environments, or cross into harassment, bullying, or threats.

We encourage you to review the college’s policy on use of facilities for expressive activity, which sets reasonable, viewpoint-neutral expectations for how and when these activities may occur. Please also remember that there is no obligation to interact with advocacy groups or individuals on campus. You have the right to engage or to walk away.

We recognize that protests or other expressive activities can sometimes feel upsetting or disruptive. Students may access the Counseling Center for support, and faculty and staff may use the Employee Assistance Program.

First Amendment Audits
Recently, community and technical colleges across the state have been the targets of “First Amendment Audits,” in which individuals videotape interactions with public employees and request public records. Please familiarize yourself with the ways in which public records can be requested through Bellevue College’s Public Records office, and if approached with such requests, direct them to the Public Records office. The college also maintains a Public Records Index with commonly requested documents.

By protecting the right to free expression, supporting a safe and inclusive environment, and ensuring transparency in our public processes, we can live out our mission and values even in moments that test us.

This year, we have a lot ahead of us. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together. Thank you for the commitment and care you bring to our students and to Bellevue College.

Happy fall. 

Sincerely,

Dr. David May