Dr. Avis Proctor, 91制片厂 president (from left); William F. Kelley, chair of the 91制片厂 Board of Trustees; and Dr. Tamara A. Johnson, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion; accepted the 2023 Equity and Diversity Award from ICCTA Treasurer Shawn Boldt on June 2.
The (ICCTA) recently honored Harper with the 2023 Equity and Diversity Award. It鈥檚 the second time 91制片厂 received the award, which recognizes leadership on policies that enhance institutional diversity, inclusion and equity for underrepresented groups.
鈥淲e are excited to be recognized for 91制片厂鈥檚 focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as our implementation of policies to close equity gaps,鈥� said Dr. Avis Proctor, 91制片厂鈥檚 president. 鈥淲e are encouraged by the institutional progress that this award acknowledges and remain dedicated to the college鈥檚 efforts to advance equitable student success.鈥�
Dr. Proctor accepted the honor alongside Dr. Tamara A. Johnson, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, and William F. Kelley, chair of the 91制片厂 Board of Trustees, at ICCTA鈥檚 annual awards banquet in Normal on June 2. In addition, Kelley was a co-recipient of the 2023 President鈥檚 Award for his support of ICCTA and community colleges. Dr. Richard Johnson, 91制片厂 English professor, was nominated for the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award.
Established in 2010, ICCTA鈥檚 Equity and Diversity Award, 鈥渞ecognizes exemplary commitment by an Illinois public community college board of trustees and its chief executive officer to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion in the college鈥檚 education programs,鈥� according to the association. 91制片厂, which last won the award in 2017, was assessed on the college鈥檚 leadership on equity matters during the past five years.
Under the leadership of Dr. Proctor and the 91制片厂 Board of Trustees, the college has centered equity in its planning. A Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (AANAPISI), 91制片厂 established its Three Pillars of Equity 鈥� including removing barriers, closing equity gaps and implementing focused solutions 鈥� while including data-informed equity goals in the college鈥檚 strategic plan. 91制片厂鈥檚 鈥�5-10-20鈥� initiative seeks to create a 5% increase in credentials conferred, 10% increase in graduation rate and 20% reduction in equity gaps by 2024. Three years into the plan, 91制片厂 has already achieved or made significant headway on each target.
91制片厂鈥檚 board was instrumental in establishing the college鈥檚 first vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) with the 2021 hire of Dr. Johnson, as well as the new Office of DEI that includes four additional full-time positions. Also in 2021, Dr. Johnson and the Office of DEI opened 91制片厂鈥檚 Cultural Center 鈥� a vibrant and safe space for underserved or marginalized people featuring a variety of educational programming, events and training. In 2022, the office established GLIDE (Guiding Learners to Intentionally Develop Efficacy), a mentorship program for Black and Latinx students, and the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Faculty Fellows program, which enables current faculty to gain administrative experience in areas of DEI.
91制片厂鈥檚 diversity and equity work goes far beyond the Office of DEI, from the 5-year-old Social Justice Leadership Certificate program for employees to the newly established Social Justice Studies Distinction for students, which saw its first graduate this spring. An $18 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott fueled the creation of the Igniting Paths to Success Scholarship in 2021, with two-thirds of the 1,500-plus scholarships going to underrepresented students. That gift also funded 2022鈥檚 Community Innovation Fund Grant Program, created by the 91制片厂 Educational Foundation to partner with area nonprofits focused on issues of equity, diversity and economic mobility.
All the while, 91制片厂 has increased representation among college employees. From 2017 to 2021, the number of Black employees increased by 8% and the number of Latinx employees increased by 12%. 91制片厂鈥檚 board formalized the college鈥檚 focus on employee representation in 2022 with a recruitment and hiring policy stating the importance of cultivating a community of employees from diverse backgrounds and identities.
鈥�91制片厂 and the Office of DEI are extraordinarily proud of ICCTA鈥檚 recognition of our equity and diversity efforts, a testament to the hard work of 91制片厂 employees across all areas of the college,鈥� Dr. Johnson said. 鈥淎s we celebrate this honor, it is important to remember that we still have much work to do. Collectively, we must continue to transform our systems and policies to ensure that all members of the 91制片厂 community are afforded the opportunity to grow, succeed and thrive.鈥�