Stars align to bring new president to Harper College
New Harper College President Kenneth Ender says that while he's not a particularly spiritual person, he believes the stars line up on occasion.
About 20 years ago, Ender began to question whether his mission to increase access to higher education was best suited to the university level. So he pursued an American Council on Education fellowship to study community colleges.
His first assignment? Shadowing former President Paul Thompson at William Rainey Harper College.
"I hadn't really thought about Harper since," said Ender.
Then came the phone call from the search firm. After 11 years, Ender, 59, was ready to leave Cumberland Community College in Vineland, N.J., but the Virginia native hadn't considered leaving the East Coast. That is, until his identical twin brother, Steven Ender, was named president of Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan in January.
"I realized I'd be three hours away from him," said Ender, who officially took over as the Harper's fifth president on July 1. "The pieces seemed to be all there."
But most instrumental in Ender's decision to move west is his belief Harper can serve as the model 21st-century community college. And where better, he said, than to spend the end of his professional career at a place named after the man who helped found the community college movement.
"It got my heart going," Ender said.
Since arriving on campus June 27, Ender is getting caught up on initiatives like Harper's campaign to offer bachelor's degrees in two fields of study. He's exchanged letters with Northern Illinois University's president and hopes to meet with him within the next month to discuss a partnership.
Ender is also familiarizing himself with the 10-year, $330 million master plan for the Palatine campus. He lauded taxpayers for agreeing to spend $153 million in November's referendum and said he'll ask the board to authorize the hiring of a firm to draft a project schedule reflecting the renovation and repair needs of various campus buildings.
He's also intrigued by the proposed Campus Life Center, which would consolidate enrollment and student services. The state allotted more than $40 million for construction in its capital plan.
"We only get one chance to spend $300 million well, and I want to make sure we've gotten as much professional help as we can," Ender said. "I want to lay out a plan we can implement with confidence."
Ender will earn a base salary of $240,000 - up from the $200,000 he earned at Cumberland. He hopes to buy a home by the holidays but has yet to sell his New Jersey house. In the meantime, he's living in a Barrington condo with a "great wife, wonderful dog and pretty good cat."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Enders saves Harper women's program - for now </p> <p class="News">Shoring up funding for one of Harper College's most vulnerable populations proved among new President Ken Ender's first orders of business.</p> <p class="News">Enrollment in the Rita and John Canning Women's Program hit more than 440 students last month - 30 percent more than the previous year. Yet officials were left scrambling to support the displaced homemakers, single parents and individuals with limited English skills who benefit.</p> <p class="News">The state eliminated its grant last year, forcing nearly all other community colleges in Illinois to shutter their programs. Today, Harper is also in jeopardy of losing a Perkins Grant worth more than $100,000 because of the state budget crisis.</p> <p class="News">Ender asked his staff to get creative and keep the program operating through other cuts he declined to outline until the board passes the budget Thursday.</p> <p class="News">"We needed to make sure to fund those essential services, which will hopefully be paid for with federal money through the state block grant," Ender said. "And we did it without laying off a single person."</p> <p class="News">Dental hygiene student Kathy Framke was lost when a Life Span counselor referred her to the women's program.</p> <p class="News">"I was going through a divorce due to alcoholism and domestic violence," Framke said. "I knew I couldn't support myself and three kids on a preschool teacher's salary."</p> <p class="News">Aside from providing career services, emotional support and information on outside scholarships, the women's program paid for her first couple classes and books.</p> <p class="News">"I was at a crossroads, and this program was instrumental in getting me started on a new life," said Framke, who's currently living in WINGS-sponsored transitional housing.</p> <p class="News">Her story is familiar, said program Director Kathleen Canfield, adding that about 60 percent of the women served report being domestic violence victims and that a tanking economy and unemployment can cause that to spike.</p> <p class="News">Enrollment in the women's program shows no signs of curbing. Orientations held twice monthly are drawing up to 20 people - up from about five a year ago. Less funding for more participants means Harper won't be able to provide as many $500 scholarships.</p> <p class="News">The maneuvering in this year's budget enables the women's program to continue operating for another year, but funding is still short. To find out more about the women's program, call (847) 925-6558. To donate, call (847) 925-6490 or go to <a href="http://harpercollege.edu/giving" target="new">harpercollege.edu/giving</a>.</p>