Campus Facilities

With the completion of the initial buildings, the Harper campus was opened to approximately approximately 5400 students in September, 1969. Additional facilities were needed in order to keep up with the increasing enrollment which eventually led to a complex of 18 informal contemporary buildings totaling 833,130 square feet nestled in the rolling terrain of 200 rural acres. On-time delivery of the buildings marked Harper as the first Illinois public community college to complete its entire Phase I project, which was formally dedicated on May 3, 1970.

Campus structures include a comprehensive library and Learning Resources Center; a science and technology laboratory and classroom complex; a lecture-demonstration center; a fine and applied arts complex; a vocational-technical center; a park management and greenhouse facility; a College Center for student-related activities; an administrative and data processing center; and a central utility facility serving the entire campus.

Since the first phase of the campus was completed, additions to the science complex, fine arts wing, and central utility facility have been made. Buildings G and H were completed in 1977, and the physical education building M plus two other classroom-specialized career program buildings (I and J) were opened in 1980.

In 1990, a 784 square foot observatory was completed. Privately funded, the observatory houses a 12" diameter Newtonian reflecting telescope and can be used by school and community organizations.

The two most recent facilities, Buildings S and L were completed in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Building S is the campus publication building, and Building L houses the bookstore and Liberal Arts Division. Of special note in the Liberal Arts Center are the theatre and applied arts.

In 1998, campus buildings were renamed to reflect the functions housed within.

Groundbreaking for two new facilities occurred in the year 2000. The Performing Arts Center and Conference Center are scheduled to be turned over to the campus in June, 2002. The approval of a referendum in 2001 has allowed the design to begin on a Multi-Instructional Center which will include the Sciences, Health Careers and Technology.

The hub of the campus, the Student and Administration Center, provides a natural meeting place for students and faculty — and includes a lounge, food service facilities, various student activity offices and student services offices, community meeting rooms and provisions for almost any activity the multi-purpose design might embrace.

The informal layout of the campus was designed to have a "village street" atmosphere. The architectural concept uses scale and placement of buildings, multi-level plazas, picturesque pedestrian streets, "earthtone" building materials (brick, wood and concrete), and glass window walls to give a variety of interior and exterior views, producing a stimulating and pleasing environment for learning and working.

The structures are built into the natural contours of the land, with entrances on several levels. Panoramic vistas from several buildings embrace a small scenic lake to the north of the buildings, with a foot bridge connecting the campus to the parking lot on a hill across the lake.

The Harper campus is an exciting environment for learning, complete with the latest educational tools. Students, alumni and community residents find pride in a local campus which provides educational and cultural opportunities as well as a conference center for clubs and civic organizations.