Her action plan include racial, social equity. Meet the new leader of Pierce College
A local community college will have a new leader taking the reins. One of her plans includes continuing to work toward racial equity.
Beginning next year, Julie White will be the chancellor and CEO of Pierce College. White will replace Michele Johnson, who has served since 2005 and plans to retire. The Pierce College Board of Trustees made the announcement on Nov. 9.
“We believe Dr. White’s commitment and keen understanding of Pierce College’s mission, vision and values will lead us into a future where we’re able to ensure every student finds the support they need to succeed,” board chair Steve Smith said in a news release.
White, 59, has been the president of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom since 2019. Her new role will allow her to oversee all campuses, including Puyallup, Graham, Spanaway and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
“I love my current job,” White said, “but as a chancellor, there’s even more opportunity to help.”
Pierce College has made a commitment to racial and social justice, White said, which she plans to continue during her time as the chancellor and CEO.
“All of our efforts over the past several years are focused on eliminating the disparities in success rates among students of color, and specifically among Black and Brown students,” White said via email.
For example, she wrote that they offer “targeted services to BIPOC students and students with other marginalized identities,” and have changed how advising works in order “to focus on the holistic needs of students,” among other things. They also ask job candidates “how they see their role in building an antiracist institution,” White wrote.
White said she plans to make the college an anti-racist institution. She said she’s looking forward to helping the college define what that means as well as the steps they must take to get there.
“We need to work to identify policies that unintentionally negatively impact BIPOC students’ experiences and opportunities,” White wrote. “And we need to do the same for employees. Then we need to work to change those policies wherever possible and build new more inclusive policies.”
White said some colleges have strayed away from being an accessible source for post-secondary education, specifically for adults 25 and older. There’s a huge emphasis on running start programs for high school students, but not a huge push for adults trying to go back to school, she said.
Some adult students may be in a situation where they need to continue working to provide for their family but don’t know how to fit school into their life financially.
“We know that our economy is moving to a place where that kind of education is required,” White said. “We need to work more closely with our community organizations and stakeholders to make higher education more accessible to adults who maybe hit a ceiling at their current job.”
Before landing at Pierce College, White held multiple positions at eight community colleges and universities. She’s worked at departments such as student affairs and at schools such as Monroe Community College in New York.
White received a doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Rochester in New York, a master’s degree in education in counseling from Xavier University in Ohio and a bachelor’s degree in education in English literature from Miami University in Ohio. She was born in Indiana and spent most of her life on the east coast.
White’s 2021 salary as the Fort Steilacoom president was $196,600, according to fiscal.wa.gov, and the current chancellor’s salary is $282,100 this year.
This story was originally published November 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
