History of Harper College
Harper College
As soon as 1950, discussion began about creating a college. An energetic committee what food was in work on the work in 1961, along with a community survey was over in 1962. In 1964, a location vocational school committee studied the feasibility of building a residential area college. The research committee’s report concluded with all the recommendation that “the citizens present in senior high school districts…take appropriate steps to create the voters from the four townships the proposal a vocational school be established.”
Early in 1966, the present 200-acre campus site in Palatine was selected, and also the College was named William Rainey Harper College, in honor of the initial President from the University of Chicago and also the originator of the community college concept. Early in the year, district voters approved a bond referendum by way of a four-to-one margin.
Harper College Map
In 1967, Harper’s first faculty members were hired, and classes for 1,725 students were begun in temporary facilities in September. In the same year, the College broke ground for the first six buildings on campus property.
The William Rainey Harper Educational Foundation was incorporated in 1973 to broaden and enrich the College program through support of these projects as scholarships and special project initiatives funded by private donations towards the College.
In September 1975, a successful funding referendum happened that allowed the College to proceed with completing the Palatine campus. Buildings G and H, housing vocational technology shops and laboratories, were finished in 1977. The Board of Trustees named an interim successor following your founding College President resigned. Harper’s second President assumed the position one year later.
In 1978, the school began a significant effort to build up a fresh master plan in concert with a thorough self-study effort. A referendum to improve operating revenue failed to gain voter approval that year. This resulted in major budget cuts so that you can match expenditures with income.
By 1980, the campus had increased to fifteen buildings with all the opening with the sports and physical eduction, athletics, and recreation facility (Building M) and business, social science, and vocational education housed in Buildings I and J.
In 1982, the faculty established a CAD/CAM training center in cooperation rich in technology firms in your community. The middle is built to provide instruction and resource materials relating to computer-aided design and manufacturing.
In February 1985, district residents approved a tax rate increase for operation from the College. It was the very first boost in tax support for the educational programs, services, and operating expenses of Harper College since the College was established.
In 1988, the College hired its third President after the retirement from the second President. The College began a comprehensive study in 1990 which triggered the vision statement “Our Preferred Future.” Greater than 1,000 College personnel and community residents worked together to build up this document to provide as a Harper College planning guide before year 2000. As a result of a growing industry need, the organization Services department, now called Harper College for Businesses, was established in 1991 because the College’s office of first contact representing all programs of curiosity to businesses and industry, including credit classes, continuing education, and customised training.
In 1992, a fresh Computer Division was formed. Harper created a new technology plan in 1994, following 2 yrs of extensive participation and input by administrators, faculty, and staff. In 1993, the College opened Building S to accommodate the Publications and Communication Services department. In spring 1994, the Liberal Arts building was opened. Building L included the Liberal Arts Division office,classrooms, faculty offices, and the College Bookstore. A studio (Black Box) theater and three-dimensional art studios occupy the first floor from the facility. The 2 buildings were part of a building phase that also included renovations to Building F which houses the educational Resources Center as well as the Academic Enrichment and Language Studies Division.
In 1994, the College purchased the Northeast Center (NEC). The Board of Trustees approved the foremost and second phases from the Technology Plan in 1995 and 1996. The campus computer network was finished in 1996, providing links between offices and classrooms and as a resource to position Harper for degree in the current century.
In 1997, Harper College received a 10-year re-accreditation from your North Central Association’s Commission on Advanced schooling.
In 1998, your fourth President was hired. The faculty implemented a fresh shared governance structure and published its first comprehensive strategic long term plan (SLRP). Groundbreaking for your new Performing Arts Center (PAC) and the Wojcik Conference Center occured on May 18, 2000. The new buildings were partially funded from the Illinois Capital Development Board. In 2002, the conference center opened and was named the Wojcik Conference Center in recognition of a $1.1 million member initiative grant directed at Harper by Illinois State Representative Kay Wojcik. In a special Board meeting on August
With a special Board meeting on August 16, 2000, the Trustees were given an extensive long-range Campus Master Plan. The master plan was intended to advice the College in to the future. On November 7, 2000, the Harper College district residents passed an $88.8 million referendum to construct a new facility to accommodate Harper’s growing science, technology, and healthcare programs. Construction of Avanté began in fall 2001.
On August 29, 2001, Harper College purchased a new facility in Schaumburg for that Technical Education and Consulting at Harper (TECH) program. The power, now known as the Harper Professional Center (HPC), will be the site for the new Steps for success degree option.
In 2004, Harper College served as many as 37,338 credit and noncredit students through the summer, fall, and spring terms, making Harper one of the largest vocational schools in the united states. In 2004, Harper College opened Avanté, Center for Science, Health Careers, and Emerging Technologies. In 2005, Avanté was selected like a Merit Award finalist by the Chicago Building Congress (CBC). The CBC praised Avanté for the distinctive design and outstanding construction, and it is positive impact on the nearby community. In 2006, Harper College received the country's Science Foundation Undergraduate Research grant.
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