Mark Potter
City Colleges of Chicago
Dr. Mark Potter is the Provost and Chief Academic Officer at City Colleges of Chicago. In service to the seven City Colleges (Harold Washington, Harry S Truman, Kennedy-King, Malcolm X, Olive-Harvey, Richard J. Daley, and Wilbur Wright Wilbur), he leads efforts to advance student success and quality academic experiences in both credit programs and Adult Education. Dr. Potter began his career as a history professor at the University of Wyoming, and prior to his current position, he was Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He has a successful record of leading teams to research, design, and implement innovative programs for engaged learning, student success, and retention.
Dr. Potter is driven by the educational mission of expanding opportunity to traditionally under-represented populations. His devotion as an academic leader is grounded in a commitment to the open-access sector, where the work of providing a pathway to educational attainment has the greatest potential to impact lives and communities. In advancing the mission of City Colleges of Chicago, Dr. Potter is able to focus his leadership on pathways to and through college so that all of Chicago’s residents can benefit from inclusive economic growth.
The Office of the Provost oversees both Academic Affairs and Information Technology.
Academic Affairs defines and leads efforts to ensure that quality academic programming aligns with City Colleges’ completion, post-completion, and equity goals. Responsible for both the academic vision and academic outcomes across the District, Academic Affairs co-creates and maintains standards and practices and leads organizational learning across the District. It also maintains the key academic systems to ensure external compliance, performance to internal KPIs, and process integrity. Academic Affairs’ leadership spans the areas of curriculum, faculty affairs, academic and student policy, workforce and career education, institutional research, adult education, and early college.
Academic Affairs prioritizes expansion of successful programs, high-quality teaching and learning, student success through improved course outcomes, and building and maintaining strong pathways to careers and transfer. The unit is composed of the following departments: Educational Quality, Academic Systems and Student Records, Adult Education, Academic Programs, Workforce Partnerships, High School Partnerships, and Decision Support.
Information Technology, led by the Chief Information Officer of City Colleges, supports student success by providing a reliable and innovative technology environment for students, faculty, and staff to improve teaching and learning and support operations. Combining Information Technology and Academic Affairs withing the Office of the Provost creates opportunities for seamless integration in the pursuit of high-quality and innovative teaching and learning.
Travaris Harris, Ed. D.
Deputy Provost
Dr. Travaris Harris brings over 25 years of experience driving student success, institutional innovation, and advocacy in higher education. He most recently served as the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction and Accreditation Liaison Officer at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. In this role, Dr. Harris functions as the chief academic officer and is a member of the President’s Cabinet, overseeing the institution’s academic mission, managing academic divisions, curriculum, scheduling, and regional workforce development. His leadership at Cabrillo has led to the implementation of high-impact programs, including HVAC, CNA, and Drone Technology, the implementation of an early college program, and an accelerated business program tailored for adult students.
Prior to his tenure at Cabrillo College, Dr. Harris established a robust track record of leadership at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. His roles included Associate Provost for Academics, Dean of Business and Social Sciences, Dean of Students, and faculty member. His extensive experience spans the comprehensive oversight of academic programs, student affairs, first-year learning communities, and international education.
Throughout his career, Dr. Harris has championed initiatives aimed at improving classroom and institutional success for historically minoritized students. His professional hallmarks include leading an award-winning equity and retention-focused summer bridge program, serving as a Faculty Senate Grievance Officer, and co-leading the Achieving the Dream(AtD) initiative, which significantly increased student success outcomes. Notably, his leadership in securing health coverage for uninsured students received formal recognition from the Obama Administration.
Committed to continuous professional growth and regional leadership, Dr. Harris is an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and a graduate of the University of California, Davis Wheelhouse Advancing Leaders Institute. Beyond his campus responsibilities, he actively contributes to his community and profession, serving on the Board of Directors for the United Way and co-chairing a committee for the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership.
Dr. Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Southern Illinois University, as well as an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (Higher Education Administration) from Argosy University. A published scholar, he co-authored Diversity and Social Justice in a Changing United States (Kendall Hunt) in 2012.
Jay Agarwal
Chief Information Officer
Peggy Korellis, Ed. D
Vice Chancellor, High School Strategy
Sarah Lichtenstein Walter
Vice Chancellor, Academic Programs
Ayoka Noelle Samuel
Associate Vice Chancellor – Technology & Business Sector Strategy
Laura Clark
Associate Vice Chancellor – Academic Systems, Records & Policy
Megan Bernard, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor – Instructional Quality & Innovation
Susanne Brock, D.M.
Associate Vice Chancellor- Business Sector Strategy
Luis Narvaez, Ed.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor – Adult Education
Explore news, announcements, blog posts, and perspectives from the Provost’s Office.
Promoting and Advancing City Colleges of Chicago Academic Mission
Learn more about key initiatives and priorities of the Office of the Provost, highlighting our commitment to student success.
The Academic Excellence Framework (AEF) intentionally prioritizes the skills, disposition, activities, initiatives, and roles that directly support superior learning experiences and student academic achievement at City Colleges of Chicago.
The AEF reflects collaborative efforts to:
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Chicago Roadmap and Roadmap 2.0
The Chicago Roadmap is an unprecedented partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools to support students along a seamless path to and through college, and on the way to their chosen careers. Roadmap 2.0 aims to increase bachelor’s degree completion for CPS students in high-wage, high-growth industries. We are creating pathways that start with Early College, move through associate degree completion at City Colleges, and continue through bachelor’s degree completion at four-year partner institutions—maintaining a seamless transfer of credits throughout the journey.
Credit for Prior Learning
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)/Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is learning that students have done outside the classroom, including work experience, employer training, military experience, independent study or research, non-collegiate learning, professional certifications, civic activities, volunteer service, and more.
Centers of Excellence
Each City College is a comprehensive community college with a Center of Excellence in a growing field: healthcare, transportation, distribution and logistics, business and professional services, advanced manufacturing, computer science, engineering, education, construction management, culinary arts and hospitality, and information technology. Companies and universities help to align our curricula and facilities with employer demand, and give our students work-based learning opportunities as they study.
Instructional Technology
The Office of Instructional Technology develops and implements a sustainable training and support model for City Colleges users in the use of instructional technologies and to improve operational efficiency.
Adult Education
City Colleges' Adult Education program provides free English as a Second Language, free high school diploma prep, free basic computer skills, and free citizenship classes.
Employer Partnerships
City Colleges partners with local, national, and international companies to ensure students are learning cutting edge curriculum, getting career-specific skills and credentials, and have access to work-based learning opportunities.
City Colleges faculty and staff bring their expertise to our seven colleges and five satellite sites so that our students will succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Explore some of their accomplishments or share yours here.
Faculty/Staff SpotlightOctober 31, 2025
Kennedy-King College and Purdue University Northwest sign a MOU announcing new partnership that expands Construction Management education pathways. The in-demand Construction Management career path offers...
September 5, 2024
Report Highlights Shortages of Credentials Aligned with Middle-Skills Occupations Middle-skills workers provide essential services and potentially earn high salaries, but a new report addresses impending...
July 26, 2024
On July 25, 2024, City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado joined Governor J.B. Pritzker, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and...
