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Visit: Harper College

Dulce Hernandez, Ana Velasquez, Julia Hoelzer, Sarah Meyer
Agenda 

 HARPER DEI AND HARPER  STUDENT AFFAIRS

COLLEGE FAST AT HARPER
FACTS COLLEGE 
Harper College Mission Statement 

"Harper College enriches its diverse communities by providing

quality, affordable, and accessible education. Harper College, in
collaboration with its partners, inspires the transformation of
individual lives, the workforce, and society."

We value Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence 

 Institutional Type: Public Community College

Location: Palatine, IL 

Harper Enrollment: 22,623

College Fast
Facts  Faculty & Staff: 1,480

Degrees Offered: 7 associate degrees; 100+ transfer

partnerships; 40+ career programs; 100+ certificate programs

In-District Tuition: $133.50 per credit hour

Student Characteristics 
Race/Ethnicity: 13% Asian,
4% Black or African Residency Status: 85% In-
Gender: 56% Female, 44%
American, 29% Hispanic or district, 14% Out-of-district,
Male
Latino, 49% White, and 6% and <1% Out-of-state
Other

Students Awarded
Age Groups: 25% Age 18 & Financial Aid: 23% Pell
under, 47% Age 19-24, 27% Grants; 5% Federal Student
Over Age25  Loans, and 28% Other
Grants or Scholarships 
Race/Ethnicity 
Age Groups 
Enrollment Status
Harper College Academic
Profile 2020 
Degrees Awarded: 1,881
Certificates Awarded: 2,490 

Top Degree: Associates in Arts (48%)

Top Certificate: General Education (30%) 

Student Success: 34% graduation rate; 24%

transfer rate 
Types of Degrees Awarded 
Race/Ethnicity of Students Awarded
Degrees or Certificates 
Community
Relationship 
"Harper is forming new
relationships with grades
schools, high schools, four-year
universities and employers to
develop clear and affordable
career pathways for students." 
 Diversity 
HARPER
COLLEGE   Equity 
Inclusion 
"We're concerned about
making sure that
representation is present
within the institution."

Brittany Barber 
MANAGER OF THE CULTURAL CENTER 

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

  Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion...was not

History of really an office 

DEI at  Special assistants under the President were handed DEI

Harper projects for Harper since 2012 

College   The multicultural center was the hub of student traffic

before closure in 2014

"So why is it important to centralize DEI? To make sure that we're all aiming towards the same goal." 
- Brittany Barber -
Formal Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• VP Tamara Johnson 

The Cultural Center est. 2021 

• Brittany Barber hired Manager of Cultural Center in November  DEI in
Targeted programs and initiatives for minoritized student/staff
populations  the
• Diverse hiring practices 
• Diversity trainings 
• Community partnerships
Present 
• Meet the DEI Team 
• Scholarship receptions to highlight diverse student populations 

No additional specific racialized policies for current mandatory

ambiguous DEI policies
So how
does DEI
play into
education? 
 Educational equity means
Educational that each child receives what
they need to develop to their
Equity full academic and social
potential.
as defined by the
National Equity Project

https://www.nationalequityproject.org/education-equity-definition
 "So educational equity, it's about intentionally creating
educational spaces where all students are empowered with
great opportunities with caring and compassionate individuals
with the day-to-day practices that tend to make the biggest
difference to be academically successful." 

Educational "Part of educational equity that is so refreshing is when you see

institutions, when they own up that we have we have done
Equity  harm. Here's where we have done, here's where we have been
wrong. Here's how we're going to fix that wrong."
As defined within
Harper College
"It's never going to be all of the same, right? But of course,
where the most harm has been done, are they getting the best
opportunities that everyone else has been getting to make sure
that they are just as successful, or their odds of success are just
as likely as other students in the institution?" 
Student Affairs at
Harper College
 • "Student Development at Harper College wants every
Mission of student to achieve success in his/her college endeavor and
Student to have the opportunity to grow both in and out of the
classroom. A key part of this involves recognizing unique
Development talents and developing them into strengths. Our programs
and serices are designed toward this end.
Division
Organization
and Functional
Areas
Conflicting Missions? Supporting Missions?
 Roles of
Division
•  Academic

•  Scholarships/Financial Aid

•  Support 

•  Student Life
College Leadership 
Board of
Trustees
President – Dr. Avis Proctor