When Harper College, one of Illinois’ largest community colleges, began its Oracle Cloud journey, its goal was clear: modernize HR and finance systems to better serve faculty, staff, and students. Since then, the college has built a cloud foundation that is efficient, forward-looking, and deeply aligned with its people-first mission.
At Oracle AI World 2025, Bonnie Tinder, Founder and CEO of Raven Intelligence, sat down with Amanda Duval, Chief Human Resources Officer at Harper College, to discuss how Oracle’s technology and partner ecosystem have helped Harper modernize operations, embrace AI, and strengthen engagement across campus.
From Pandemic Go-Live to Modern Cloud Operations
Harper College went live on Oracle HCM and ERP Cloud in 2021, during the height of the pandemic. With campus closed and teams working remotely, the implementation required creative problem-solving and perseverance.
“The campus was closed, and teams were working remotely,” Duval mentioned. “It wasn’t easy. We faced a lot of ‘sure we can do that’ moments that turned out not to be possible.”
The implementation presented several challenges due to a partner that was selected initially, but ultimately set the stage for long-term success. By 2023, Harper expanded its solution set by implementing Oracle Recruiting with the help of Baker Tilly, a transition Duval described as “a night and day difference.”
“The knowledge transfer from Baker Tilly was invaluable,” she said. “They didn’t just set it up and leave. They taught us how to own and optimize it.”
A Streamlined, Paperless Recruiting Process with Oracle
Before Oracle Recruiting, Harper relied on an external applicant tracking system that lacked integration with Oracle, forcing staff to manually re-enter data and manage paper-based approvals.
“Every Wednesday morning, our executive cabinet used to sign off on job postings, literally on paper,” Duval shared. “If you missed the meeting, you had to wait another week. Now, positions can be approved and posted within hours.”
Today, Harper’s hiring process is fully paperless, an uncommon achievement in higher education. The college averages about ten new hires per month across faculty and staff roles, all managed efficiently within Oracle Recruiting.
Embracing Oracle’s AI in Performance Management
In 2024, Harper introduced Oracle’s AI-assisted tools within its Performance Management module, giving managers new ways to create thoughtful and individualized review content.
“One of our leaders had 80 performance reviews to complete,” Duval explained. “AI helped her create meaningful, individualized statements without sounding repetitive. It’s like having a writing assistant built into the system.”
Employees across the college quickly adapted to the AI features, finding them as intuitive as tools like ChatGPT or Copilot. According to Duval, the success of this rollout has generated enthusiasm for more AI-driven efficiencies in other areas of the organization.
Preparing for Oracle’s Redwood with a Thoughtful Change Strategy
As Harper adopted Oracle’s Redwood user experience, Duval’s team approached the change with intentionality to minimize disruption and avoid “change fatigue.”
The HR department communicated updates through Harper’s weekly campus newsletter, ensuring that employees were informed but not overwhelmed. “We told people, ‘It may look different, but everything you need is still there,’” Duval said.
Harper retained its signature blue branding and introduced new AI-driven features gradually, a strategy Duval likened to “sneaking vegetables into the food.” The college achieved a smooth rollout with strong user adoption and minimal resistance.
Refocusing on People Through Automation
Duval emphasized that Oracle’s automation has enabled HR to focus more on strategic initiatives rather than administrative tasks.
“If I can eliminate 50 calls a day asking about paychecks or vacation balances, my team can spend time running leadership programs or supporting our unions,” she said. “AI lets us bring the focus back to our people.”
With more time available for high-impact work, Harper’s HR team now leads professional development initiatives and community-building programs that support both employees and students.
Integrated Insights with Fusion Data Intelligence
Harper leverages Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence (FDI) to consolidate data from HR, finance, and supply chain systems into unified dashboards and reports. The technology allows administrators to monitor KPIs, automate reporting, and make informed decisions in real time.
“I can open a dashboard and see everything in real time,” Duval said. “The next step is helping deans and department heads interpret what they see, moving from ‘this looks great’ to ‘here’s what this means for my department.’”
This integration is fostering a stronger data culture on campus and empowering leaders to act on insights more effectively.
A Collaborative Partnership with Oracle
Duval credited Oracle’s renewed commitment to higher education, and specifically community colleges, as a driving force behind Harper’s success.
“We’re not Harvard or Princeton, but we have the same needs,” she said. “Oracle listens to us. They’ve created a real community among higher-ed customers.”
Harper’s relationship with Oracle includes monthly check-ins with customer success managers, an annual Higher Education Summit, and open communication about roadmap updates. “It’s never a surprise,” Duval noted. “Oracle gets everyone in the room and delivers one clear message. That trust and accessibility have been huge for us.”
Looking Ahead
Harper College continues to expand its use of Oracle Cloud, exploring new AI capabilities for benefits administration and student systems. Duval remains focused on building a modern, people-centered institution that uses technology to empower its community.
“We’re building a campus where employees and students have tools that empower them,” she said. “Oracle is helping us make that vision real.”
When asked what advice she would give to other colleges considering Oracle Cloud, Duval offered a simple but powerful message:
“Don’t be shy. Ask all the questions,” she said. “Oracle won’t hesitate to tell you what’s possible, and if it isn’t today, it might be tomorrow.”
About Harper College
Harper College is one of the nation’s premier community colleges and one of the largest, serving approximately 26,500 students annually in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. The College’s academic programs prepare students for rewarding careers and for transfer to four-year universities. Harper offers associate degree and certification programs, advanced career programs, workforce training, professional development, continuing education classes, accelerated degree options for adults and developmental education programs.
About Raven Intelligence
Raven Intelligence is an independent peer review site that helps organizations make more informed decisions about enterprise software implementation partners. Through verified customer reviews and in-depth success stories, Raven provides transparency across the digital transformation landscape.
