COVID-19 Updates - Summer 2020

June 25, 2020

{slider Fall 2020 Semester Plan|info|closed}
The following plan is based on the known facts and predictions as of June 25, 2020, and is subject to change at any time.  The pandemic will be closely monitored for the remainder of the year.  CDC, IDPH, and ICCB guidelines will be followed, such as wearing masks, social distancing, wellness checks, etc. Special accommodations may be required. If at any point we reach Phase 5, consideration will be given to lift current restrictions. 

 Instruction

Fall classes will begin as scheduled as either online or hybrid. Students will not be on campus for the first two days of the semester, August 17 & 18, to allow time for faculty direction via Canvas. 

All hybrid classes will meet virtually via Zoom for the first class session at the regularly scheduled date/time. The Zoom meeting ID/link will be placed in Canvas announcements/calendar by the instructor. The session will be recorded and available in Canvas for students who are absent or enroll after the start date. Faculty will give instructions and the schedule for any approved face-to-face (F2F) meetings at that time. 

Online courses: 16-week session 

• The majority of Lecture classes will be offered fully online following the 16-week semester as previously scheduled.  The semester midterm and financial aid refund dates will remain as scheduled.
• Some Lecture/Lab courses will also be completely online as permitted. Lab requirements for IAI courses have been approved for online delivery during fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters.

Lecture/Lab and Lab courses: 12-week session

• All classes with face-to-face (F2F) meetings will be offered as 12-week courses.
• A percentage of face-to-face time will be allowed for select courses with a lab component (CTE, art, music, science and dev ed).
• All Lab classes will have a combination of online and F2F. The percentage of F2F time will vary depending on the course.
• The instructional VP and AVP’s will coordinate and approve F2F meetings including the location, date(s), time, and number of students allowed.
• Faculty should prepare to go completely remote at any given time. F2F time should be heavily scheduled during the first 8 weeks of the semester in preparation of a stay-in-place order.
• 12 week classes will start August 17 and end November 6.  Final exams will be held November 9-13, excluding Veterans Day on November 11.  Students will not be allowed on campus after November 13.
• 8-week courses with F2F meetings will change to 6 weeks.

Dual Credit:

• Face-to face dual credit classes scheduled at RLC will be available online via Canvas (RLC’s learning management system), if possible. No charge to school/student.
• Face-to face dual credit classes scheduled at RLC that cannot be offered completely online will be cancelled, such as auto, CAD and welding.  High schools will be provided with alternative online courses as an option.  No charge to school/student.
• Dual credit classes held at the high school and taught by RLC faculty will be available. These classes will be online via Canvas.  It will be up to the faculty member as to whether there will be synchronous class meetings. High schools are invoiced for the instruction.
• Dual credit classes held at the high school and taught by high school teachers will be at the discretion of the high school administration. RLC’s online learning management system (Canvas) is available for all dual credit courses.

Other:

• All online/hybrid fees are waived
• Provide a full refund for courses dropped within the first quarter
  • 16 week courses - 4th week
  • 12 week courses - 3rd week
  • 8 week courses - 2nd week
• Financial Aid refund date remains as scheduled
• Drop date extended to last day of class
• Fun Fest cancelled
  students have class as scheduled
• In-Service moved from October 13 to the week of November 16.  Faculty and staff will be scheduled on different days by department as needed.  Students will have class on October 13.

Modes of Instruction for Fall 2020

• Online
  • Classes conducted online through Canvas. Students will work through course materials with communication and direction of RLC faculty.
• Hybrid
  • Classes meet partially on RLC’s campus and partially online. The percentage of time spent online will vary by course. If needed, classes will be transitioned to fully online.
• Hybrid Flex
  • Classes with a combination of online and flexible, hybrid meetings. For class meetings, students may come to campus as assigned or attend remotely. Faculty may also approve students to watch a recorded session in Canvas Studio prior to the next scheduled meeting.

Delivery Methods for Remote Instruction

• Synchronous
  • Class meets virtually during scheduled time
• Asynchronous
  • Class is recorded for students to watch by posted deadline
• Online
  • Instructional materials and assignments posted in Canvas
• Virtual Lab
  • Simulation/special software
• Hybrid
  • F2F and online
• Hybrid Flex
  • F2F/synchronous/asynchronous and online

Timeline

June 25   

Notify faculty and staff of plan for fall semester
Notify ICCB and HLC of plan for fall semester
Advisors inform students upon registration re: changes that are coming and that finalized schedules will be mailed the first week of August
Post update regarding fall semester on website 

June 29   

Direct mailing to students already registered notifying them of changes that are coming (include fall statement)
Notify high schools regarding changes to dual credit
AVP’s work with Deans on F2F meeting requirements using worksheet
VP & AVPs meet with IR/IT; visit classrooms and determine capacity

July 6   

Division worksheets due to AVPs
VP & AVPs begin meetings to determine and approve F2F time for each class and assign F2F meeting dates/time/location/students

July 15   

Notify deans/faculty of F2F assignments and make changes in PowerCampus 

July 27-30   

Print student schedules/statement and prepare mailing (include textbook info, announcements, important dates, hot spots, RL-Cares, meningitis letter, etc)

August 3   

Mail fall schedules/info to all students
VP & AVPs work with Physical Plant on signage for building entrances/exits and traffic flow, as well as classroom needs (moving furniture, barriers, cleaning and sanitation, etc)

August 10-14   

Virtual/Small Group Faculty Orientation and Student Success Day (TBD)

August 17   

First day of fall semester

August 17-18   

All classes meet virtually
no students on campus

August 18 - November 13   

F2F class meetings as scheduled (students look in Canvas for direction)

November 6   

Last day of 12-week classes

November 9-13   

Final exams for 12-week classes (no exams on November 11 - Veterans Day)

November 16-20   

Virtual/Small Group Faculty & Staff In-Service (TBD)

December 4   

Last day of 16-week classes

December 7-10   

Final exams for 16-week classes

Athletics & Extra-Curricular Activities

Athletics and extra-curricular activities for fall will follow the guidelines of Rend Lake College. Each activity is being evaluated and specific guidance developed. 

RLC Student Services

Student services will be provided either virtually or on campus following CDC and IDPH guidelines.  

RLC Employees

As guidelines and circumstances change, monitoring who is on campus and their location is important due to capacity limitations and contact tracing. The President’s Executive Leadership Team (PELT) or their designee will work closely to assign and approve the presence of faculty and staff on campus. Employees are required to wear a face covering/mask while working within six feet of others or moving about. Whether remote or on campus, staff and industrial faculty are expected to be available and perform job duties during the college’s business hours. Any exceptions to standard business hours must be approved by a PELT member. Duties performed remotely will be reported by the employee to the supervisor using the remote work report. Faculty are expected to perform job duties related to teaching schedule and hold office hours as assigned. Absence requests must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor. All employees are required to self-monitor their health status and notify supervisor immediately of COVID symptoms or exposure.

Effective: June 25, 2020{/sliders}

June 18, 2020

{slider + Fall Payment Deadline|info|closed}

Greetings Warriors, 

Paying your bill is one way we are adjusting our business practices to account for COVID-19. We are not accepting payments in-person or by phone at this time. Details on how to pay your bill are below. 

Don't lose your Fall 2020 classes. Make your payment for Fall classes, or set up a payment plan for Fall classes, by July 15. 

HOW TO PAY

By mail - Mail a check to our Business Office. 468 N. Ken Gray Parkway, Ina, IL 62846. Please include warrior tag with all mailed in payments. Mailed in payments will not be accepted after the payment deadline.

Online - Create a payment plan or make a one-time payment online at www.MyCollegePaymentPlan.com/rendlake. If payments have not been scheduled as established in the Nelnet Payment Plan then you may be administratively withdrawn for nonpayment. If the first installment has been paid and/or financial aid has been awarded, you will be responsible for all remaining charges on your account unless you officially withdraw from the course(s) by the last day to officially withdraw for a 100% refund of tuition and fees as indicated in the Fee Refunds Table elsewhere on this page. The Nelnet Payment Plan does not apply to students enrolled in Community Education courses or unless otherwise indicated for a specific program. 

Questions? Email us!

Self-Service - help-desk@rlc.edu

Financial Aid - rlcfa@rlc.edu

Statements & Payments - businessoffice@rlc.edu {/sliders}

 June 9, 2020

{slider + Summer Drop Date|info|closed}

Hey Warriors!

We just wanted to drop in and remind you that the deadline to withdraw from a class this summer, and get a full refund, has been pushed back one week to give you more time. The deadline is Thursday, June 18. To drop a class, please email rl-cares@rlc.edu. {/sliders}

May 22, 2020

{slider + Cap & Gown Pickup|info|closed}

Hey Warriors! Grab your cap and gown, join the graduation giveaway!

Graduation may not have gone as originally planned but Rend Lake College students can still flaunt their accomplishment this spring.

RLC will be hosting a drawing for 2020 graduates who post a photo/video on social media with the hashtag #WeAreRendLake. Those that post will be entered to win a Visa gift card depending on which social media channel they use.

May 20, 2020

{slider + CARES Distribution Report|info|closed}

The CARES legislation, which provided funds for student and institutional assistance, requires that certain information be posted for the public.

1.   An acknowledgment that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. We have signed and returned the certification and agreement, and have used more than 50 percent of funds on emergency financial aid grants to students.

2.   The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Total Received: $1,182, 264.

3.   The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Total Amount Distributed as of 5/20/2020: $779,332

4.   The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Estimated 820

5.   The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. 817

6.   The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. The initial distribution of $591,132 was divided among PELL recipients based on qualifying percentages (full-time, 3/4-time, half-time, part-time). The second distribution of $191,200 was distributed to Title IV-eligible non-PELL recipients, also based on those percentages.

7.   Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Prior to each distribution, information was sent out by email and posted to our website to alert students that the funds had been received and that we were formulating a distribution method. Information subsequently was posted to our website announcing that the first round of funds would be allocated to PELL recipients based on their qualifying percentages and that our third-party provider, BankMobile, would be handling the distributions. Similar information was posted to the website regarding the second distribution, going to non-PELL recipients.{/sliders}

May 18, 2020

{slider + Summer Books & Supplies|info|closed}

Stay at home and get your summer textbooks & supplies. It's simple.

1. Sign in to your student account at https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frlcforms.rlc.edu%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0pkgL43FsDwm-QqwG0a1CvRyVDFJZug-A4ypfyvkBr6GJxxnCEprHkqtk&h=AT2D9obX22hxUiFHH0p10o1sg5Z497whNIhLeRCrfhIZ7aYBy5QS7Fs_Ovq8M9AgLPZ0K61aU6AJRwD-VRyKzA_6Fz85QT0Uyz84mXezLlRTdl7De8tpWL00S1PwyDcDIVykxhhPgA">https://rlcforms.rlc.edu/ 

2. Select your textbooks & supplies.

3. We will ship them to your door.

The last day to order is May 29. If you have any questions, email us at bookorders@rlc.edu. {/sliders}

May 12, 2020

{slider + Business Office Drop-In|info|closed}

There will be a Business Office Drop-In on Zoom from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14. Business Office staff will be there to walk students through things such as how to view their balances, make payments, etc. For those wanting to attend, the meeting will be on Zoom, ID 933 1082 8658, or use this link: https://rendlakecollege.zoom.us/j/93310828658.{/sliders}

{slider + Summer Textbook Ordering|info|closed}

The summer textbook ordering process is in development. Plans are for an online order form to be available this Friday, May 15, with books being shipped to students. More information on this will be released later in the week.{/sliders}

{slider + Cares Funding / BankMobile|info|closed}

The second round of the CARES funding, about $200,000, will be distributed later this week. This will be distributed to students who are Title IV-eligible, have a FAFSA on file but did not receive a PELL grant, and who do not have disqualifying issues such as lack of satisfactory academic progress, being in default on loans, etc. By statute, those students who were exclusively online prior to the shift to remote learning are not eligible for these grants. The amount of the grant will depend on your qualifying attendance percentage (full-time, 3/4-time, half-time, part-time). For those in this category, you will need to log into BankMobile and set your account preferences for how you receive this distribution, if you have not already. Don't recall if you filled out a FAFSA? Contact Financial_Aid@rlc.edu. Set your BankMobile preferences at www.refundselection.com. Questions about refunds? Contact businessoffice@rlc.edu.{/sliders}

 COVID Updates Spring 2020

{loadposition like-share}

{loadposition contacts}