Textbook Rentals
Harper College students next semester will have the new option of renting their textbooks – an alternative that could save them more than 50 percent on the texts they need for class. The pilot rental program, Harper’s latest effort to keep student book prices down, comes on the heels of the bookstore’s launch of e-books – textbook titles that can be downloaded to a desktop computer or browsed from the Web. “This is really a reflection of us listening to what our students want,” says Richard Seiler, Manager of Retail Services. “We want to give them lower prices whenever we can, and provide them with as many options as possible right here on campus.” Beginning Monday, January 4, Harper’s bookstore will offer more than 50 titles for rent, representing nearly 200 sections of College courses. Students will pay an average of $50 for the rented books, Seiler says, compared with average costs of $110 or more for new purchased texts. Harper’s program requires no deposit; students pay only the book’s rental fee. Students also still have the option of purchasing used texts and reselling their books at the term’s end. Textbook rentals are a growing trend nationwide, with colleges across the United States signing on.
Media Note: Photographers and reporters are welcome to stop by Harper College’s bookstore beginning Monday, January 4, to talk with students about the new book rental program. Contact Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159 or [email protected], to arrange a visit.
Finding a Career
Free workshops aimed at identifying your career interests – and showing you how to get there – will be offered in January through Harper College’s Career Center. The workshops, targeting those who are dissatisfied with their current job or looking to reenter the workforce, are from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, January 7 and Monday, January 11 in Room A 242 in Building A. Attendees will complete an assessment matching interests to career areas and educational opportunities; information on specific industries, employment trends and other resources also will be provided. “Particularly with the down economy, it’s easy to get discouraged with the job you’re in or the jobs you can’t seem to find,” says Kathleen Canfield, Director of Harper’s Career Center. “We’re here to help identify what might really work, and to help point you to new career possibilities you never before considered.” Seats are limited. To RSVP, call 847.925.6220.
Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].
Award-Winning Professor
Before he joined Harper College, Assistant Professor Wayne Johnson served 25 years with the Chicago Police Department, spent five years as Chief Investigator for the Chicago Crime Commission and logged time as a suburban police chief, racking up numerous accolades along the way. Now he has another honor to add to the list. Johnson, who oversees Harper’s Law Enforcement programs, is a recipient of an Award of Excellence from the Illinois Security Chiefs Association. The group annually toasts those who have shown outstanding achievement and courage in the area of public safety. “It is a true honor to be given an award for doing work that you love,” Johnson says. “I’ve enjoyed every step of my career, in large part thanks to my family, my hardworking peers and, now, my students.” Johnson also is a recent recipient of a Most Inspirational Teacher Award from Western Illinois University. He earned his doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University. His expertise in the area of law enforcement has been tapped for numerous articles and interviews; this month, he appeared on the Biography Channel for a segment on Chicago mobster Tony Accardo. At Harper, Johnson teaches and coordinates law enforcement and forensics courses, and is involved in planning a new bachelor’s degree in public safety being offered through a partnership with Northern Illinois University.
Media Note: A photo of Assistant Professor Wayne Johnson is available. Contact Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159 or [email protected].
Creating Computer Confidence
It’s easy to take computers – and the ability to use them – for granted. But officials with the Rita and John Canning Women’s Program at Harper College noticed something troubling in their daily interactions with displaced homemakers: many didn’t know a thing about modern technology. Harper’s answer is a free course that fills in the gaps for Women’s Program participants, teaching them the basics of using word processing programs and navigating the internet. Participants go home with a free computer, software and the confidence that comes with breaking down the technology barrier. The Computer Skills JumpStart initiative, funded through a grant from the Harper College Educational Foundation, will be offered again beginning Monday, January 4. “Many of the women in our program did not have computer training in high school. Several stayed at home to raise their children, and did not keep up with technology,” says Kathleen Canfield, Women’s Program director. “This course enhances their self-esteem.” More than a dozen women already have signed up for the winter edition. Harper’s Women’s Program provides education, career planning, life skills and support to displaced homemakers, single parents, those with limited English skills and others. Most are domestic abuse victims. The free computer course is available only to those who meet Women’s Program requirements. For more on the class or the Women’s Program, call 847.925.6558 or visit www.harpercollege.edu.
Media Note: Even in a tech-savvy age that is so dependent on computer literacy, some in the suburbs lack even basic technology fundamentals. Reporters and photographers are invited to visit Harper’s computer course as instructors guide participants through the eye-opening process of using computers for the first time. Contact Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159 or [email protected] for potential for dates and times.
Press Contacts: Kathleen Canfield, Women’s Program Director, 847.925.6437, [email protected]; Martha Karavitis, Continuing Education Computer Training Coordinator, 847.925.6078, [email protected]; Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].
Small Business Help
Planning for a potential disaster that might not even happen isn’t typically at the top of a small business’ priority list – but “a disaster can put you out of business faster than any recession,” warns Bonnie Richter, Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College. With an eye on the potential risks facing businesses that are ill-prepared, Harper is hosting a series of free “Survive and Thrive” workshops aimed at teaching owners, managers and entrepreneurs how to assess the likelihood of disasters, determine the potential impact and lessen the negative effects. The next workshop is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 20 in the Small Business Development Center Office at the Harper Professional Center, 650 E. Higgins Road in Schaumburg. The College also is offering one-on-one disaster preparedness advising for entrepreneurs seeking help through Harper’s Small Business Development Center. “Most small business owners don’t want to deal with this, and most small businesses don’t have a plan in place,” Richter says. “We really want them to have one – particularly as winter, and the threat of storms, again approaches – and we’re here to help them in that capacity.” Business owners need to know, she says, what they’ll do if they lose power, how they’ll get in touch with employees in the case of an emergency, and where they’ll operate from if their office is unavailable. Statistics show that one-quarter of businesses that close because of a disaster never reopen, and 80 percent of those that don’t recover within a month are likely to out of business. Harper’s disaster preparedness workshops and advising are being funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. To register for the workshop, call 847.925.6520 or send an email to [email protected]. Space is limited. For an advising appointment, call 847.925.6520.
Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].