Hudson County Community College Vice Chair Bakari Lee is just one of five people to receive the Northeast Regional Trustee Leadership Award from the Association of Community College Trustees.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The award will be presented at the ACCT Leadership Congress on October 11th in Las Vegas. As a regional award recipient,Lee is a finalist for ACCT’s national honor, the M. Dale Ensign Trustee Leadership Award.
M. Dale Ensign lived a lifetime of service to others, was a trustee at a Wyoming community college for many years, and served as ACCT’s founding Chair and third President.
“As vice chair, Bakari has been my partner in growing the College and providing our diverse and ever-growing community with excellent instruction in top-of-the-line facilities,” HCCC Board of Trustees Chair William J. Netchert said in a statement.
“He is held in high esteem by the Board, the HCCC family, and our community, and is truly deserving of this honor.”
HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber related that Lee has diligently advocated accessible, high-quality higher education and experiential learning programs for area residents, especially people of color.
“Vice Chair Lee’s experience in community service predates his work as an HCCC Trustee. He has publicly stated that he believes involvement with the community is critically important. He believes in giving back without expecting anything in return,” he stated.
Lee credits his late father, a civil rights and community leader who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the catalyst for his own dedication to community service.
As an HCCC trustee, he is a member of several committees, a frequent presenter at the HCCC Teaching and Learning Symposia on Social Justice in Higher Education, and a founding member of the HCCC President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (PACDEI), among other initiatives.
Lee also served as Chair of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) from 2011 to 2014.
During his tenure as NJCCC Chair, the New Jersey Center for Student Success and the Big Idea Project were established, and legislation was passed for the Building Our Future Bond Act, enhanced New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Rewards Scholarship (NJ STARS), and in-county tuition for undocumented students.
Additionally, Lee was the National Chair of the ACCT Board of Directors, playing an influential role in the establishment of student success programs, advocating increased funding and tuition stabilization, and working to ensure equal educational opportunities for all.
In that capacity, he created the Student Trustee Advisory Committee; established Trustee Advisory and Constituency Groups (trustees from African American, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities) reporting at board meetings; and led the completion of ACCT’s first strategic plan.
