Professional Development Day

Grab coffee and connect with your colleagues!

Walk the track at the Foglia Foundation Health and Recreation Center, Building M.

The pickleball courts are open in the Health and Recreation Center gym from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Professional Development Day.

Kick off this year's Professional Development Day with morning trivia!  

See HIP for virtual link.

Dr. Jen Fry. Dr. Fry is a Sports Geographer, tech founder and sought-after speaker and educator. She owns JenFry Talks, a social justice education firm that explores the intersection of conflict and DEI.

See HIP for virtual link.

"Listen, Learn, Lead: Building our Toolbox for a More Inclusive Campus," the theme of this year's Professional Development Day, is a powerful phrase that speaks to the ongoing need for individuals and organizations to engage in meaningful dialogue and action to address the pervasive issue of systemic racism. However, listening, learning, and leading without action--hard, uncomfortable action--means we won't change the system in the ways we want and need to. If ending systemic racism matters to you, you must have the capacity and skill to manage conflict. Sweeping conflict and the hard stuff under the rug creates a culture that values niceness over kindness, silence over accountability and a fear over doing the right thing. It is important to recognize that the work of dismantling systemic racism is ongoing and requires a sustained effort. It can be uncomfortable and challenging, but it is necessary for creating a more just and equitable society and Harper College.

Read more about Dr. Fry: Dr. Jen Fry (she/her) is sports geographer, tech founder and sought-after speaker and educator. She owns JenFryTalks, a social justice education firm that explores the intersection of conflict and DEI. Jen facilitates conversation and skill-building with organizations, leadership and C-suite groups, small and large teams, affinity groups, and more. She advises on best practices that create more equitable organizations, communities, and teams, where each person feels a sense of belonging.
Jen is a veteran volleyball coach with over 15 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level. She received her PhD in Sports Geography from Michigan State University (GO GREEN!) and is currently moving her group travel app, Coordle, to market. Coordle creates a seamless, inclusive travel experience by providing a central app for you to manage all your group travel real time information, communication, logistics, and decision making. 

Following her keynote remarks, continue the conversation with Dr. Jen Fry. We’ll dig deeper into the skills needed to navigate the inevitable conflict that arises when doing DEI and anti-racism work.

Participants will learn about cultural characteristics of U.S. institutions of higher education and will reflect on ways in which Harper culture can become more inclusive.  
Presenter: Dr. Alina Pajtek

Harper College has taken the important step of collecting students' preferred names and pronouns. Now comes the important step of utilizing that information inside and outside of the classroom. SAFE (Staff, Administrators and Faculty for Equity) ERG members Sean Warren-Crouch and Joe Scrima will demonstrate how to access this information and explain how you can use this information in your role at Harper College.

Presenter: Joe Scrima and Sean Warren-Crouch

This course will provide information on the history of trauma and racism, trauma symptoms, triggers and how to care for yourself while dealing with these issues. Participants will explore the different sources and types of trauma. After attending this seminar, you will have the tools you need to set healthy boundaries in order to maintain optimal self-care.

Presenter: Workplace Solutions, Harper's employee assistance program

See HIP for virtual link.

Did you know PDFs can have often have text that can't be accessed by a screen reader, or can have sections that are read aloud in an illogical order? With potentially large file sizes and inflexible layouts, PDFs can also present other barriers for mobile users, those on limited data plans, or access to printers. We'll go through some of the challenges that PDFs pose to effective communication, how to resolve them, and what alternatives are available. 

Presenter: Patrick Kelly

See HIP for virtual link.

When we think about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion several examples spring to mind surrounding disparity treatment of marginalized groups, often focused on gender, race and socioeconomic status. But when we think about Disability often the mind goes to perceived lack: impairment, handicapped, defective, challenged, or abnormal to name a few. When considered through the lens of ableism, discrimination based on a person’s ability, Disability clearly becomes an issue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In this workshop we will examine captioning and interpreting services as a charge of DEI best practices instead of ADA compliance.

Presenter: Sara Lucas

What do the Brooklyn Dodgers have to do with creating a more accessible classroom environment for all students? In this session, we’ll begin by taking a look at what we as educators can learn from the life and legacy of legendary Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella. Campy’s work as a civil rights and disability rights advocate will serve as a starting point for a conversation about the effects of ableism on our students. What can we do as educators to follow the inclusive example of figures like Campanella and Jackie Robinson as we seek to support the diverse range of students we serve? Join Harper faculty, ADS staff, and ADS advisors as we discuss and reflect on case studies that address issues of class, race, and disability in the classroom.

Presenters: Dr. Brian Cremins, Karega Cooper, Katie Garcia, Maggie Geppert, Michael Harkins, Nellie Khalil, April Maman, Paul Peterson, Rebecca Ramirez-Malagon, Anita Rehberg

Dr. Ali will focus on the neoliberalization of higher education in recent times which is largely being debated globally. The impact is believed to be deep and long lasting as universities and colleges emphasize the efficiency of workers and performance-based outcomes. In the United States, government cuts on university/college funding, student debt, decreased raises in salary, fewer staff has been debated while administrative salaries, athletic spending and campus beautification projects are believed to have escalated. She will also discuss the reforms introduced in Pakistani universities and their impact. Drawing from her own research on gender in higher education, she will argue that this process of securitization has further marginalized women in higher education. Women encounter challenges at the time of selection and while striving for their promotions in universities. Women are also excluded from positions of power and those who can make it to leadership positions are unable to sustain on such positions due to dirty politics and harassment. Finally, Dr. Ali will highlight the inclusion of students and their role in university politics.

Presenter: Dr. Rabia Ali, Fulbright Scholar in Residence

Learn about terms, research and resources related to historical education debt and equity gaps in the Chicagoland area with David Stovall, a professor of Criminology, Law, and Justice from UIC who will share scholarship on the intersection of race, place, and school hosted by the Teaching for Equity Community of Practice.

Presenter: David Stovall

See HIP for virtual link.

This workshop will explore the intersecting themes of identity, equity, justice, trauma and resiliency. Rudy Bankston will share aspects of his experiences as a survivor of the school-to-prison pipeline and the ways it helps to shape his work today. He will also discuss how the restorative justice framework can help support healing spaces, healthy relationships, and just and equitable environments.

Presenter: Rudy Bankston, Educator, Author & Practitioner of Restorative Justice 

In today’s social and political climate, the principles of diversity and inclusion and freedom of expression often seem to conflict—especially on college campuses.  But do they have to?
 
This session will provide an in-depth look at the Constitutional framework governing speech and expression on campus, with a focus on examining ways in which colleges and their employees can reinforce campus values of diversity and inclusion while simultaneously recognizing and affirming individuals’ First Amendment right to free speech.  Through a series of hypothetical scenarios, the session will offer practical guidance on actions that colleges and their employees can take in response to conflicts involving expressive activity, both within and outside the classroom.  Finally, the session will conclude with a Q&A segment for attendees to solicit feedback regarding free speech issues they may experience in their particular roles.

Presenters: Emily Bothfeld and Frank Garrett

See HIP for virtual link.

It's time for you to complete the college's annual online courses:

• Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response for Employees in Illinois; this course is required each year. (English) (Spanish)
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Online Training (username is Harper email address)

Or use this time to check out LinkedIn Learning, TED Talks or anything else you've been wanting to work on!

The Equity Dialogues series is part of our broader Campus Conversations. The purpose of the series is to afford faculty and staff a space to have meaningful conversations regarding integrating equity into our work. The next session in the series is “Why is racial equity particularly important?” Lunch is included. 

Facilitated by Harper faculty and staff

If you are not attending the Campus Conversations: Equity Dialogues, grab a box lunch! 

There is no “one size fits all” for Self-Care. In this seminar, we look at the history and hurdles of Self-Care within the BIPOC communities from accessibility to vulnerability. We will speak toward the extra layers that BIPOC communities face that can deprive energy and focus on prioritizing yourself and your personal needs.

Presenter: Workplace Solutions

See HIP for virtual link.

This sessions will also be streaming in W201.

Did you know PDFs can have often have text that can't be accessed by a screen reader, or can have sections that are read aloud in an illogical order? With potentially large file sizes and inflexible layouts, PDFs can also present other barriers for mobile users, those on limited data plans, or access to printers. We'll go through some of the challenges that PDFs pose to effective communication, how to resolve them, and what alternatives are available. 

Presenter: Patrick Kelly

See HIP for virtual link.

This session will also be streaming in W219.

Learn how the Harper district is part of the relocation of refugees and immigrants responding to the geopolitical shifts and migration caused by war, violence, economic challenges, and political upheaval.  Learn what Harper College can provide and how you can get involved, as you welcome these heroic community newcomers to our campus.

Presenter: Andrea Fiebig

When we think about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion several examples spring to mind surrounding disparity treatment of marginalized groups, often focused on gender, race and socioeconomic status. But when we think about Disability often the mind goes to perceived lack: impairment, handicapped, defective, challenged, or abnormal to name a few. When considered through the lens of ableism, discrimination based on a person’s ability, Disability clearly becomes an issue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In this workshop we will examine captioning and interpreting services as a charge of DEI best practices instead of ADA compliance.

Presenter: Sara Lucas

What do the Brooklyn Dodgers have to do with creating a more accessible classroom environment for all students? In this session, we’ll begin by taking a look at what we as educators can learn from the life and legacy of legendary Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella. Campy’s work as a civil rights and disability rights advocate will serve as a starting point for a conversation about the effects of ableism on our students. What can we do as educators to follow the inclusive example of figures like Campanella and Jackie Robinson as we seek to support the diverse range of students we serve? Join Harper faculty, ADS staff, and ADS advisors as we discuss and reflect on case studies that address issues of class, race, and disability in the classroom.

Presenters: Presenters: Dr. Brian Cremins, Karega Cooper, Katie Garcia, Maggie Geppert, Michael Harkins, Nellie Khalil, April Maman, Paul Peterson, Rebecca Ramirez-Malagon, Anita Rehberg

Dr. Ali will focus on the neoliberalization of higher education in recent times which is largely being debated globally. The impact is believed to be deep and long lasting as universities and colleges emphasize the efficiency of workers and performance-based outcomes. In the United States, government cuts on university/college funding, student debt, decreased raises in salary, fewer staff has been debated while administrative salaries, athletic spending and campus beautification projects are believed to have escalated. She will also discuss the reforms introduced in Pakistani universities and their impact. Drawing from her own research on gender in higher education, she will argue that this process of securitization has further marginalized women in higher education. Women encounter challenges at the time of selection and while striving for their promotions in universities. Women are also excluded from positions of power and those who can make it to leadership positions are unable to sustain on such positions due to dirty politics and harassment. Finally, Dr. Ali will highlight the inclusion of students and their role in university politics.

Presenter: Dr. Rabia Ali, Fulbright Scholar in Residence

See HIP for virtual link.

The session will also be streaming in W216.

This workshop will explore the intersecting themes of identity, equity, justice, trauma and resiliency. Rudy Bankston will share aspects of his experiences as a survivor of the school-to-prison pipeline and the ways it helps to shape his work today. He will also discuss how the restorative justice framework can help support healing spaces, healthy relationships, and just and equitable environments. 

Presenter: Rudy Bankston, Educator, Author & Practitioner of Restorative Justice 

It's time for you to complete the college's annual online courses:

• Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response for Employees in Illinois; this course is required each year. (English) (Spanish)
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Online Training (username is Harper email address)

Or use this time to check out LinkedIn Learning, TED Talks or anything else you've been wanting to work on!

It's time for you to complete the college's annual online courses:

• Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response for Employees in Illinois; this course is required each year. (English) (Spanish)
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Online Training (username is Harper email address)

Or use this time to check out LinkedIn Learning, TED Talks or anything else you've been wanting to work on!

End the day by enjoying an ice cream treat with your colleagues. 

See HIP for virtual link.