President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PACDEI)

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.

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• 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.

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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

Eric Adamson, Assistant Professor, English
Aun Ali, HCCC Alumna
Anita Belle, Director, Workforce Pathways
Lisa Bogart, Director, North Hudson Campus Library
Jonathan Cabrera, Instructor, Criminal Justice
Joseph Caniglia, Executive Director, North Hudson Campus
Cesar Castillo, Coordinator, Safety and Security
Dr. David Clark, Dean, Student Affairs 
Dr. Christopher Cody, Instructor, History
Sharon Daughtry, Instructor, Business 
Claudia Delgado, Professor, Academic Foundations Math 
Josefa Flores, HCCC Alumna
Reverend Bolivar Flores, Vice President, NJ Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers
Ashley Flores, HCCC Alumna
Karen Galli, Assistant Professor, English 
Diana Galvez, Associate Director, North Hudson Campus
Pamela Gardner, HCCC Trustee  
Veronica Gerosimo, Assistant Dean, Student Life and Leadership
Joshua Greenbaum, HCCC Student
Keiry Hernandez, HCCC Alumna and Student Center Assistant, Student Life & Leadership
Dr. Gabriel Holder, Instructor, Medical Billing and Coding
Dr. Floyd Jeter, Chief Diversity Officer, Jersey City Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Dr. Darryl Jones, Vice President, Academic Affairs 
Dr. Ara Karakashian, Dean, School of Business, Culinary and Hospitality
Anna Krupitskiy, Vice President of Human Resources
Bakari Lee, Esq., Vice Chair, HCCC Board of Trustees  
Dr. Clive Li, Assistant Professor, Engineering Science 
Danielle Lopez, Director of DEI for Accessibility Services
Dr. Jose Lowe, Director, Educational Opportunity Fund Program
Tiana Malcolm, HCCC Alumna
Raffi Manjikian, Instructor, Chemistry
Ashley Medrano, HCCC Student
Amaalah Ogburn, HCCC Alumna and Director of Faculty and Staff Development 
Dr. Angela Pack, Assistant Professor, Education 
Tejal Parekh, Assistant Director, Educational Opportunity Fund Program 
Dr. Yeurys Pujols, HCCC Alumnus and Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 
Dr. Christopher Reber, President, HCCC
Maritza Reyes, Associate Director, Center of Adult Transition
Dorante Richards, Instructor, Nursing
Michelle Richardson, Executive Director, Hudson County Economic Development Corporation 
Warren Rigby, HCCC Alumnus
Dr. Paula Roberson, Director, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation 
Mirta Sanchez, Assistant to the Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Shemia Superville, HCCC Student
Dr. Fatma Tat, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Dr. Kade Thurman, Instructor, Sociology
Albert Velazquez, Support Analyst, ITS
Michelle Vitale, Director, Cultural Affairs 
Richard Walker, Associate Director of DEI Training
Albert Williams, Apprentice Program Coordinator
Elana Winslow, Associate Professor, Business 
Dr. Burl Yearwood, Dean, School of STEM

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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.  

 

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1. Year One
2. Press Release
3. Podcast
4. Recording of Previous Programs: Honoring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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DEI Retreat Program 2024

DEI Retreat Program 2023

DEI Retreat Program 2022

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