President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

 

The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PACDEI) provides leadership, support, and counsel in fostering a welcoming, diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that embraces our shared values among all HCCC constituencies. PACDEI contributes to the achievement and continuous improvement of policies, procedures, programs, services, and outcomes in support of a college culture that values, respects, and celebrates diversity in all of its forms.

We are happy to share The 2021-2024 Hudson County Community College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan with our community. This Action Plan was made possible by the dedicated members of the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PACDEI), and other key stakeholders. Please CLICK HERE to access.

  • Untold Story image highlighting Dr. David Clark
  • Untold Story image highlighting Raffaella Pernice
  • Untold Story image highlighting Veronica Gerosimo
  • PACDEI Committee Meeting in the President's Conference Room on the 4th floor of 70 Sip Ave
  • Untold Story image highlighting Nakiya Santos
  • PACDEI Committee Meeting in the President's Conference Room on the 4th floor of 70 Sip Ave
  • Koral Booth at a lecture
  • Students at a lecture
  • Faculty with Dr. Reber in the Culinary Building

Find Out More About Us!

HCCC is proud of its diversity, including having one of the most diverse student bodies in the United States.  The College is committed to the value and principle that all members of the HCCC community should be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness.  Our community celebrates diversity and unity, and welcomes all people onto our campus and into our community.  We believe that celebrating diversity benefits everyone. 

The HCCC community encourages:

  • culturally aware curricula;
  • Recruitment of – and opportunities for – diverse populations, including administration, faculty, staff, and students; 
  • diversity training and education that is available to everyone;
  • mediation of differences that may arise among our community to derive the best possible solutions and compromises available;
  • encouragement of diverse conversations and philosophical discussions without censure or hostility;
  • treating all community members with respect, and encouraging their voices to be heard.
  • Review data periodically pertaining to employee, student, and regional demographics; student and employee recruitment and retention; campus climate; and other metrics to inform the work of the Council. Develop assessment tools in order to better understand issues and efforts related to DEI.
  • Advise the President and College leadership on all matters pertaining to DEI, including recruitment and hiring, employee success, student retention and student success, services, programming, climate, partnerships with community agencies, and others.
  • Advise College leadership regarding ongoing and new initiatives that have the potential to create a more diverse and inclusive campus community.
  • Provide advice and counsel to College leadership, and support college-wide efforts to recruit, retain, and promote faculty and staff from diverse and underrepresented populations so that employee diversity reflects the diversity of students; and, similarly, support efforts to ensure that student diversity reflects the diversity of Hudson County.
  • Listen to and engage the College community, and its participatory governance groups, in fostering an environment of shared responsibility and accountability for the development and implementation of the Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and subsequent DEI action plans.
  • Lead and support efforts to assess the campus climate on issues pertaining to DEI, and offer suggestions and proposals to address climate concerns.
  • Actively promote and celebrate a culture that values DEI. Support the ongoing professional development of College employees, and educational opportunities for students, pertaining to DEI.
  • Support college-wide efforts to promote student success with a particular focus on achievement and equity gaps within specific student communities.
  • Support college-wide initiatives to address issues of food insecurity, homelessness, and specific issues of concern to student, faculty, and staff immigrants.
  • Foster cultural competency, intercultural and personal development that is best supported in a climate that respects differences and provides a sense of belonging and inclusion throughout the College community.
  • Plan, implement, and support activities and events that heighten awareness of issues related to diversity, and provide greater opportunities for individuals to interact around issues of diversity.
  • Formally and publicly recognize students, faculty, staff, and community members who contribute to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion at Hudson County Community College.
  • Support and bring visibility to successful efforts to promote the academic and life success of a diverse student body.
  • Consider the efficacy of creating an HCCC Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and make recommendations to College leadership.

PACDEI is broadly representative of the HCCC community and reflective of the diversity of its students. Membership includes students, faculty, staff, Trusteed, Foundation board members, and community representatives.  Council members and officers are appointed by the President in consultation with the Board of Trustees, All College Council, President’s Executive Council, Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa, and other community members.  The President will invite nominations, including self-nominations, for membership. Council members will serve three-year terms that are renewable with the exception of All College Council and student representatives, who will serve one-year terms.

The All College Council (ACC) will appoint two ACC representatives to serve as standing members of PACDEI.  These ACC representatives will report to the ACC on the activities of the Council and serve as ACC liaisons for integrating the work of both organizations as appropriate, including the research and proposal of ACC governance recommendations pertaining to the College’s DEI action plan and annual goals and initiatives. The Board of Trustees will appoint a trustee representative, and the Student Government Association and HCCC Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa will each appoint one student representative.

Current PACDEI Members:

Antonio Acevedo, Assistant Professor, History
Eric Adamson, Instructor, English
Archana Bhandari, Executive Director, Online Learning 
Dr. David Clark, Dean of Student Affairs 
Salvador Cuellar, Associate Professor, Social Sciences 
Sharon Daughtry, Lecturer, Business 
Claudia Delgado, Associate Professor, Academic Foundations Math 
Reverend Bolivar Flores, Vice President, NJ Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers
Karen Galli, Instructor, English 
Pamela Gardner, HCCC Trustee 
Veronica Gerosimo, Assistant Dean, Student Life and Leadership 
Floyd Jeter, Field Officer, Department of Administration, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Roger Jones, President, Jones and Associates Communications, Inc. 
Dr. Darryl Jones, Vice President for Academic Affairs 
Bakari G. Lee, Esq., Vice Chair, HCCC Board of Trustees  
Dr. Clive Li, Instructor, STEM 
Jose Lowe, Director, Educational Opportunity Fund Program 
Raffi Manjikian, Adjunct Instructor, STEM 
Victoria Marino, Director of Career Services 
Sylvia Mendoza, Associate Dean, Financial Aid 
Reverend Thania Nunez, Human Resources Supervisor, North Hudson Community Action Corp-Health Center
Amaalah Ogburn, Coordinator of the North Hudson Campus 
Dr. Angela Pack, Assistant Professor, Education 
Tejal Parekh, Counselor, Educational Opportunity Fund Program 
Jennie Pu, Dean of College Libraries 
Yeurys Pujols, Executive Director of the North Hudson Campus 
Dr. Christopher M. Reber, President 
Alexa Riano, Executive Administrative Assistant 
Michelle Richardson, Executive Director, Hudson County Economic Development Corporation 
Warren Rigby, HCCC Alumnus, ACCT Student Trustee Advisory Committee Member 
Jeff Roberson, Director of Contract and Procurement, Finance 
Dr. Paula Roberson, Director, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation 
Mirta Sanchez, Assistant to the Vice President for Planning and Development 
Natalia Vazquez-Bodkin, North Hudson Campus Head Tutor 
Michelle Vitale, Director, Cultural Affairs 
Lilisa Williams, Director of Faculty and Staff Development 
Elana Winslow, Assistant Professor, Business 
Kyle Woolley, Interim Coordinator, Honors Program and Head Tutor 
Dr. Burl Yearwood, Associate Dean, STEM

Goal # 1 – Supporting an inclusive culture of care at HCCC: Creating DEI infrastructure and developing training, programs, and initiatives across the College.

Task Statement: This subcommittee is tasked with recommending infrastructure; developing and coordinating DEI programs and training opportunities in order to promote diversity, equity and inclusion across the College.

 

Goal # 2 – Weaving diversity, equity and inclusion guidelines and practices into: recruitment and hiring practices, screening committee policies, promotions considerations, and succession planning.

Task Statement: This subcommittee is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on recruitment and hiring policies, screening committee policies, promotions guidelines, and succession planning in order to promote a culture that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion principles and best practices.

 

Goal # 3 – Create clear and transparent processes for safety, security, and incident reporting that are free of intimidation and respectful of confidentiality.

Task Statement: This subcommittee is tasked with reviewing safety and security services and processes from the perspective of making improvements to incident reporting that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. It will review and advise on current practices of incident reporting to make continuous improvements in creating an equitable system.

 

Goal # 4 – Promote and support efforts that create fairness, community, and sense of belonging for students by advancing their academic development, professional growth, and personal transformation.

Task Statement: This subcommittee is tasked with reviewing the student experience inside and outside of the classroom to promote their development and growth by recommending and making improvements to the student life cycle in a way that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. It will review and advise on current practices of the student experience to make continuous improvements in creating an equitable system.  

 

 

Contact Information

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
71 Sip Avenue - L606
Jersey City, NJ 07306
DEIFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE