Bergen Community College

President Eric M. Friedman speaks at an annual employee recognition celebration.

PARAMUS, N.J. – In his five-plus years as Bergen Community College president, Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., has prioritized fostering an “ethic of care” on campus. The ethos has become the guiding principle behind initiatives that support the institution’s faculty and staff, including remaking the College’s participatory and shared governance structure, enhancing internal communication and expanding access to health and wellness programs.

External organizations have taken notice.

For the fourth consecutive year, the EDU Ledger – formerly Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine – has recognized Bergen as one of the “most promising places to work in community colleges.” A joint initiative of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development and the EDU Ledger, the “most promising places” program recognizes colleges with best practice professional resources, administrative structures and work environments.

“Bergen’s faculty, staff and administrators seek to uphold the highest standard of institutional excellence supported by an ethic of care for the community, our students and each other,” President Friedman said. “We work collaboratively to embrace challenges, practice continuous improvement, and help students achieve success. That’s why Bergen has become a professional home for many – a vocation unto itself – rather than a stop on a professional journey: we embrace the unity in community.”

The College employs more than 1,100 full- and part-time faculty and staff. Friedman said Bergen’s commitment to its employees has become a strategic focus area, pointing to initiatives that spur engagement and interaction.

“During the last six years, Bergen has completely revamped its participatory and shared governance structure to ensure open, consistent and clear communication where we can acknowledge challenges and discuss solutions with all voices represented,” he said.

In addition to regular town halls and “Pizza with the President,” Bergen launched the All College Forum – an advisory body open to all members of the College community. Subcommittees of the larger group discuss policy considerations and make recommendations for implementation.

Friedman believes the “most promising” designation recognizes what Bergen has accomplished in enhancing faculty and staff support. He said it also helps Bergen stand out in a competitive employment market, creating an advantage in recruiting prospective faculty and staff.

“Jobseekers understand the ‘most promising’ title,” Friedman said. “It serves as an enticement to explore our college and everything we offer for faculty staff.”

Friedman said the College has enhanced its collaboration with the institution’s bargaining units to continue to offer fair compensation and benefits, while also launching new health and wellness resources and expanding professional development opportunities. The College has reinstituted an annual employee recognition program that celebrates years of service milestones as well. Together, Friedman said it remains clear why Bergen represents an attractive place to work worthy of the “most promising” award.

“We have worked incredibly hard to not only maintain, but expand, our support for faculty and staff during an unprecedented six years in higher education,” he said. “Our faculty and staff represent Bergen’s most important resource. It remains incumbent upon us to support them as we navigate myriad external pressures that impact their professional and personal lives.”

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 24,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.

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