Our History
- 2001-2002 Need for Diversity Institutionalized
- 2003-2005 Diversity Advances
- 2006-2009 Losses
- 2009 Birth of DREAM
- 2010 Birth of the DREAM Mentoring Program
- Spring 2011 Successful Completion of Pilot Faculty/Administrators Mentoring Program
- Fall 2011 DREAM Website and Pilot of Adjunct Mentoring Program
- 2012 DREAM Ally Program and Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce
- 2013 DREAM Mentoring, Professional Development, and Allies
- 2014 DREAM Mentoring, Professional Development, Senate Elections, Fellows Program, and HLC Leadership
2001-2002 Need for Diversity Institutionalized
Since 2001 members of the Harper College community have worked to increase the diversity of faculty and staff. In 2001 an Institutional Diversity Plan was created and approved by the Board of Trustees and the Diversity Committee, and since then efforts to match the level of the diversity of district have continued. DREAM has become increasingly important over the past two years because the demographics of the wider district have also become more diverse. In 1996, the minority population of the district was 18% and by the 2000 Census that number had jumped to 24%. The college student demographics have shifted in response. In fall 2002, 32% of the credit students were minority students with a growing presence of Hispanic and Asian students; currently, these are the two largest minority groups of students which attend Harper College. Since 2002, the percentage of minority students at Harper has remained relatively consistent, hovering between 29% and 34% in 2008.
2003-2005 Diversity Advances
Harper is responsive to these demographic trends and in 2003 several programs were established including the Summer R.E.A.C.H. Bridge Program which helps students transition from high school to college; the Center for Multicultural Learning; The Diversity Workshop which offers training to hiring committees; the World Culture and Diversity Graduation Requirement, and the implementation of a Diverse Employee Recruitment Program.
2006-2009 Losses
Despite these efforts, however, the diversity of the faculty does not match the level of diversity of the student body. In June 2006, students of color represented 33% of all Harper students, while only 11.1% of the full-time faculty came from underrepresented groups. Unfortunately, while 70% of Harper faculty were hired in the last decade, the faculty diversity was not increased and opportunities to diversify were lost. ((HLC))
Leadership with regard to the oversight of issues involving diversity on Harper's campus was lost when the Associate Vice President of Diversity and Organizational Development position was eliminated from the new organizational chart for the institution.
2009 Birth of DREAM (Diverse Relationships Engaged in Affirming Multiculturalism)
In Spring 2009, the DREAM Affinity Group is born from a series of Faculty/Administrator Networking Lunches which occurred since 2002. It is a grass root effort with the goal of addressing the disparity of the lack of diverse faculty and leadership. The DREAM organization strives to influence the recruitment of faculty/administrators of color and their retention.
2010 Birth of the DREAM Mentoring Program
In Spring 2010, DREAM and the Diversity Committee, led by Judi Zaplatynsky and LaVonya Williams, as approved by the College Assembly and President Ender pilot the DREAM Mentoring program for Faculty/Administrators of color. In June 2010, the first group of mentees and mentors meet in a three-hour orientation workshop which established the commitments and guidelines for the mentoring program.
Spring 2011 Successful Completion of Pilot Faculty/Administrators Mentoring Program
In April 2011, the participants in the mentoring program made a college-wide presentation to describe their experiences. Out of this fruitful exchange, the Harper College community learned that mentoring programs for faculty of color helped to alleviate cultural isolation and create communication venues for all faculty regardless of color. It also gave the mentees opportunities to seek counsel from seasoned faculty of color.
Fall 2011 DREAM Website and Pilot of Adjunct Mentoring Program
In Fall 2011, DREAM continues to expand its vision with the growing financial support of President Kenneth Ender. A constitution is approved and a formal structure has been created and officers selected. A website has been created and a Pilot Adjunct Mentoring Program was launched. DREAM continues to strive to create for students, faculty, and staff an environment made richer by cultural and racial understanding and harmony.
2012 DREAM Ally Workshop and Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce
In late January, the first DREAM New Year Celebration is held to reconnect after the winter break. For the first time theSpring 2012 Senate election candidates are coordinated. Five Senate seats are won. To help invite others in the Harper campus community on our journey the First DREAM Ally Workshop is offered.
The Second Mentoring Program is completed. In May, the DREAM Executive Board attends NCORE (National Conference on Race and Ethnicity) in New York City to learn about how to help Harper College increase employee diversity and help Harper be a welcoming place for all.
7/5/12-President Ken Ender announces the creation a Presidential Task Force on Employee Diversity and Inclusion Co-chaired by Professor Tryg Thorenson and Dean Kenya Ayers. “The Taskforce will work throughout the coming year to recommend the desired goal for the Institutional Effectiveness Measure on Employee Diversity, as well as a plan, time-line and budget to achieve that goal.”
7/12/12-2012-2013 DREAM 3rd Mentoring Program Orientation held mentoring for Faculty and Supervisor/Managerial (Super/Man).
10/19/12-DREAM Professional Development: Harper Organizational Structure and Shared Governance.
2013 DREAM Mentoring, Professional Development, Allies
- 1/21/13: Daily Herald, “Speakers, music honor the life of Dr. King,” a Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast in Hoffman Estates featuring Harper Assistant Professor DuBoi McCarty as the lead speaker.
- 2/15/13, Professional Development. A Harper student panel addressing the concerns that impact their academic goals and ways that we can help them to feel welcomed and supported. A roundtable of tenured faculty discussing the promotion and tenure processes
- DREAM Networking event held in Student Activities Center and allies joined us.
- 4/4/13, Cultural Lunch held during DREAM membership meeting.
- 4/26/13, 3rd DREAM Mentoring Celebration and Diversity Symposium.
- 5/13, NCORE Professional Development Award Winners
Lidia Omori (Academic Enrichment and Engagement Faculty) and Jose Vital (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Faculty) awarded the first Professional Development award to attend the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. - 8/19/13-2013-2014 DREAM 4th Mentoring Program Orientation held with three Faculty mentoring pairs.
- 8/13, Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce recommended Diversity IEM Approved.
- 10/18/13 DREAM Professional Development Session, Opportunities to Leverage Campus Resources: Fellowships, Grants and Awards, Courses for You to Grow, Curriculum Enhancements, & Committees. Roundtable discussion about tenure and promotion was held.
2014 DREAM Mentoring, Professional Development, Senate Elections, Fellows Program, and HLC Leadership
- 1/24/14, The Third DREAM New Year Celebration was well attended.
- 2/21/14, Professional Development & Networking. First hour spent discussing Successful Teaching Strategies and the second hour spent discussing Tenure, Promotion, and other relevant topics in a roundtable format.
- 3/14, Faculty Senate elections coordinated. DREAM member elected as Grievance Officer and two allies, as Vice President and as Secretary.
- 4/3/14, Cultural Lunch held during DREAM membership meeting.
- 4/25/14, DREAM Mentoring Celebration and Diversity Symposium.
- 5/14, NCORE Professional Development funds were awarded to two DREAM members and three allies to attend the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity.
- 8/14, Inaugural cohort (English and Math faculty) of Harper’s Faculty Fellows Program, a new initiative aimed at having a workforce that more closely resembles the racial and ethnic makeup of our community is launched. The program is the result of the recommendations that came out of the diversity and inclusion taskforce.
- 8/14 Three of the Five Criterion used for HLC Reaccreditation led by DREAM members.