Hudson County Community College President, Dr. Chris Reber, has spent 40 years in higher education, mostly in western Pennsylvania at both two and four-year colleges and universities. He came to Hudson County Community College two years ago, intrigued by its diversity and inclusion.
During a conference call with the media on Thursday morning, Dr. Reber stated that HCCC serves 17,000 students annually, both in credit and non-credit courses, with 56 percent of the student population being Latino. 33 percent of the students were born outside of the United States. The majority of the student body represent the first person in their family to attend college.
The college has two main priorities which are shared by everyone within the HCCC community. The first is student success. The commitment by the community in supporting the college, so student success can be achieved, is a critical component of the college’s mission. Dr. Reber says, “the school is the most student-centered institution of higher education that I have ever known.”
The second priority is diversity, equity and inclusion. Dr. Reber wants the student body to experience all the opportunities the college has to offer. That’s why he appointed, within the past year, a President Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It is comprised of 30 or so members of the student body, faculty, staff and the community at large.
The group meets on a regular basis, with a focus on community engagement. Dr. Reber says the college is continually looking to partner with the community on projects and ideas, with the goal of bettering the community as a whole. One outgrowth of the community engagement has been the creation of a Latino Community Advisory Council.
With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the region, how has HCCC adjusted in order to meet its stated mission? Well, Dr. Reber says the school has two principle priorities. The first is making certain the college’s community, its students, faculty and staff, are safe. The second is making sure the student body continues the learning process. As with all other educational institutions, Hudson County Community College has been forced to shift all of its classes to online teaching. There is no limit on the number of students who may enroll in a course online at the college at the present time.
The school has purchased and loaned 650 lap top computers to students who did not have their own so they could continue their coursework. They transferred savings from cancelled events so this could be accomplished. Through corporate partnerships, Wi Fi access was provided to faculty and students, free of charge. Food pantries continue to operate at both the North Hudson and Journal Square campuses for people in need. Dr. Reber says phone books are also being given out at both locations.
The college even created a Coronavirus Task Force to monitor the situation.
The school is also addressing student anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic by offering a pass-fail grade, rather than a letter grade, for those students who feel uncomfortable with online instruction.
The HCCC Board of Trustees will be meeting on Tuesday to vote on a proposal that would keep next year’s tuition the same as it currently is…no increase.
Dr. Reber is also going to hold a virtual town meeting next Thursday, and he is proud to announce that, despite the pandemic, enrollment for the summer and fall semesters is up. Registration is encouraged online, but Dr. Reber says remote registration is also available over the telephone.
The school remains in constant communication with New Jersey’s Commissioner of Higher Education to assist in any way it can during the pandemic.
HCCC is also continuing to offer small business assistance to the local community online. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the school was partnered with the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, providing space, rent-free, at their North Hudson campus for workshops and seminars to educate small business owners on the support services they might qualify for through the state or county.
Dr. Reber says Hudson County Community College wants to work together with members of the Latino, and non-Latino communities, to share common goals for the betterment of Hudson County as a whole. “We’re here to be a community resource.”
This afternoon HCCC received $4 million as part of the CARES Act, the federal stimulus package which was recently announced by Congress. Half of the funds will specifically be earmarked for students. Dr. Reber believes HCCC’s allocation will be the largest of any of the 18 community colleges in the state.
For additional information on Hudson County Community College and the services it provides, including financial aid, visit www.hccc.edu . You can also send an email to enrollment@hccc.edu .