Rend Lake College announces plan for Spring 2021 semester

INA, Ill. (Oct. 6, 2020)
Rend Lake College has announced its plan of attendance for students during the Spring 2021 semester, which will begin online on Jan. 11.

The plan follows many similar protocols that are being used during the current semester where most instruction is online with some in-person learning when needed. Visit rlc.edu/spring2021 for full details, as well as how to enroll and start the process for advisement and financial aid.

Spring and Summer 2021 Course Schedule

{loadmoduleid 584}

This plan is subject to change at any time as the college monitors the COVID-19 situation. RLC will continue to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Illinois Community College Board. That means practicing social distancing, wearing masks and other measures to help prevent the spread of the virus. Restrictions may be lifted if pandemic conditions improve.

Face masks required

Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors are required to wear facial coverings at all times. Self-monitoring checklists are posted on all campus doors. Do not come to campus if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or have related symptoms.

What will instruction look like?

Spring classes will begin as planned in an online, remote or hybrid format. Students will not be on campus for the first four weeks of the semester. Hybrid classes would begin face-to-face meetings on campus starting Feb. 8. A majority of the hybrid options are for courses where hands-on learning is a necessity. Classes are either 16 weeks, 12 weeks or 8 weeks long depending on the course.

Types of courses:

Online courses
A majority of lecture classes will be entirely online. Additionally, several lecture/lab courses have been approved for online delivery. Instructional materials, videos and assignments will be posted in Canvas with completion deadlines. Students will work through course material independently with communication and direction from RLC faculty.

Remote courses
These courses will be conducted via Zoom where students meet virtually for instruction at a scheduled time and date. The percentage of time spent online vs. remote will vary by course.

Hybrid courses
All courses that feature a face-to-face component will not meet on campus until Feb. 8 or later. A percentage of the class will be taught online or remote while another percentage will be in-person in a lab environment. How much of the class is taught face-to-face depends on the specific course.

Online fees and drop dates

Like the Fall 2020 semester, RLC is waiving its $20 per credit hour fee for online and hybrid classes this spring. A full-time student taking a 15-hour course load would save $300 for the semester in fees for online instruction.

If the online experience is not working out, students can drop the class within the first quarter of their session to receive a full refund. Otherwise, the drop date
not including the full refund
can be found here.

Book orders

Spring textbooks and supplies may be ordered online beginning Dec. 1. Students need to sign in to their account at https://rlcforms.rlc.edu/.

Books may be shipped or picked up at the bookstore on a selected date. The bookstore will be open during regular business hours at a limited capacity.

Dual credit

Many dual credit classes originally scheduled as face-to-face instruction will move online via Canvas. Classes normally held on campus that cannot be offered completely online, such as auto, CAD and welding, will be canceled. High schools will be provided with alternative online courses as an option at no charge to the school students.

Classes taught by RLC instructors at individual high schools will be online or remote depending on the instructor’s preference. Dual credit classes taught at high schools by high school instructors will be at the individual high school’s discretion.

Spring break, graduation

Spring break, originally scheduled for March 8, has been moved to the end of the semester. The last day of 16-week classes will be April 30.

A graduation ceremony is yet to be determined.

How do I get started?

To see RLC’s complete plan for the Spring 2021 Semester, visit rlc.edu/spring2021. You can get your college experience started in three simple steps: enrollment, advisement and financial aid. Visit rlc.edu/spring2021 to learn more about signing up for classes or testing. Campus visits are still available on a limited basis by appointment. Call (618) 437-5321 to schedule an appointment.

"A virtual open house is being planned for Thursday, Nov. 19 from 6-8 p.m., and the details will be posted on RLC's website soon. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions about programs, meet faculty, virtually tour facilities, and receive assistance with enrollment and financial aid," said RLC Vice President of Instruction and Student Affairs Lori Ragland. 

Office hours, important contacts

Beginning Jan. 4, campus offices are open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• For access to Canvas, Warriormail or Self-Service, log in to “myrlc” at https://rlc.edu/myrlc.
• For technical assistance, email the Help Desk at help-desk@rlc.edu or ext. 1259.
• For billing questions, email businessoffice@rlc.edu or ext. 1235.
• For financial aid, email financial_aid@rlc.edu or ext. 1385.
• For academic advisement and testing services, schedule an appointment online at
• https://rlc.edu/academic-advisement, email advisement@rlc.edu, or ext. 1266.
• To contact an advisor, faculty or staff member, visit https://rlc.edu/staff-directory.
• For disability services, email das@rlc.edu or ext. 1204.
• For tutoring, email marloj@rlc.edu or ext. 1769.
• For all other assistance, including COVID-19 questions and reporting,
• email RL-Cares at RL-Cares@rlc.edu.

{slider Complete RLC Spring 2021 Plan - Updated 10/21/2020|info|closed}

The following plan is based on the known facts and predictions as of October 1, 2020, and is subject to change at any time.  The pandemic will be closely monitored for the remainder of the academic 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

Spring semester will begin Monday, January 11, 2021, with online (asynchronous) or remote (synchronous) class meetings. Students will not be on campus for the first four weeks of the semester.  Hybrid classes will begin face-to-face class meetings on campus starting Monday, February 8, 2021.

All remote classes will meet virtually via Zoom. Faculty will post in Canvas the Zoom meeting ID/link and the schedule of any approved face-to-face meetings.

• Lecture courses:
  • The majority of Lecture classes will be offered fully online or remote.
  • Some Lecture/Lab courses will also be completely online or remote as permitted. Lab requirements for IAI courses have been approved for online delivery during the spring 2021 semester.

• Lecture/Lab and Lab 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/remote and face-to-face. The percentage of face-to-face time will vary depending on the course.

• The instructional VP and AVP’s will coordinate and approve face-to-face meetings including the location, date(s), time, and number of students allowed.

• Faculty should prepare to go completely remote at any given time.

• Dual Credit:

• Face-to face dual credit classes scheduled at RLC will be available online via Canvas, 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 or remote 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 will be waived.

• A full refund will be issued for courses dropped within the first quarter of the course.
  • 16-week courses: 4^th week
  • 12-week courses: 3^rd week
  • 8-week courses: 2^nd week

• The Financial Aid refund date remains as scheduled.

• Spring Break has been moved to the end of the semester. Classes will be held the week of March 8th with the last day of class on April 30th, one week earlier than originally scheduled.
• A graduation ceremony is yet to be determined.

• Modes of Instruction for Spring 2021

• Online

Classes conducted online through Canvas. Students will work through course material independently with communication and direction of RLC faculty.

• Remote

Class meetings are held synchronously via Zoom on the day and time indicated on the student’s schedule. The percentage of time spent online vs. remote will vary by course.

• Hybrid

Classes meet partially on RLC’s campus and partially online/remote. The percentage of time spent on campus will vary by course. If needed, classes will be transitioned to fully online/remote.

Timeline for Spring 2021 Semester

October 2020

• Notify faculty and staff of plan for spring semester

• Notify ICCB and HLC of plan for spring semester

• Advisors inform students upon registration re: modes of instruction and provide students with handout Student Information for Spring Semester

• Post update regarding spring semester on website

• Notify high schools regarding changes to dual credit

January 8             Student Success Day (virtual/small groups)

January 11           First day of spring semester

Jan 11-Feb 7           All classes meet virtually
no students on campus

Feb 8-May 7           Class meetings on campus as scheduled (faculty notify students in Canvas re: dates)

April 1                   Last day of 12-week classes

April 30                 Last day of 16-week classes

May 3-7                Final exams for 16-week classes

May 8                    Graduation (TBD)

Athletics & Extra-Curricular Activities

Athletics and extra-curricular activities for spring 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.

{/sliders}

{slider Important Student Information - Updated 10/21/2020|info|closed}

Due to COVID-19, changes have been made regarding spring semester and the academic calendar. Please review the updated information below. Throughout the semester, you are encouraged to check Warriormail and Canvas daily for specific guidance. Updates and changes to the following plan will be available on the RLC website and social media.

Spring Course Schedule

• The last column on your schedule, Course Type, indicates how each course will be delivered; online, remote, or hybrid.
  • Online: Instructional materials, videos, and assignments will be posted in Canvas for you to complete independently by the posted deadline.
  • Remote: Class meetings will be held remotely using Zoom. You will need to be available for class remotely on the days/time indicated on your class schedule. The Zoom meeting ID/link will be placed in your Canvas course.
  • Hybrid: Class meetings will be a combination of online, remote, AND face-to-face. You will need to be available for class on the days/time indicated on your class schedule.
    • Do not come to campus the first four weeks of the semester. Face-to-face class meetings on campus will be scheduled starting the week of February 8, 2021.
    • Your instructor will provide further direction in Canvas regarding the dates you will be permitted on campus and the assigned location.
  • Online and Remote courses will not have any sessions on campus and the majority follow the normal 16-week semester (select courses are scheduled less than 16 weeks).
  • Pay close attention to the dates column on your schedule which indicates when your class begins and ends. The spring semester calendar with important dates is below.
  • Due to the pandemic, spring break has been moved to the end of the semester. The good news is the semester will end one week earlier than normal!
  • Course information may be in Canvas up to 1 week prior to, but no later than, the start date.
  • Courses may be dropped through the last day of class. A full refund will be provided for courses dropped within the first quarter of the session.
  • If you need to revise your schedule, contact your advisor.
  • Holidays/No Class: MLK Day - January 18           President’s Day - February 15

               RLC In-Service - February 16       Good Friday - April 2

Spring Semester Calendar

Spring Semester Business Hours

Campus visits will be limited; appointments are strongly encouraged. Facial coverings are required at all times. Read through the self-monitoring checklist on campus doors prior to entering. Do not come to campus if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or have related symptoms.

• Beginning January 4, 2021, Campus offices are open Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm.
• For access to Canvas, Warriormail or Self-Service, log in to “myrlc” at https://rlc.edu/myrlc.
• For technical assistance, email the Help Desk at help-desk@rlc.edu or ext. 1259.
• For billing questions, email businessoffice@rlc.edu or ext. 1235.
• For financial aid, email financial_aid@rlc.edu or ext. 1385.
• For academic advisement and testing services, schedule an appointment online at https://rlc.edu/academic-advisement, email advisement@rlc.edu, or ext. 1266.
• To contact an advisor, faculty or staff member, visit https://rlc.edu/staff-directory.
• For disability services, email das@rlc.edu or ext. 1204.
• For tutoring, email marloj@rlc.edu or ext. 1769.
• For all other assistance, including COVID-19 questions and reporting,                                              email RL-Cares at RL-Cares@rlc.edu.

RLC Bookstore

• Spring textbooks and supplies may be ordered online beginning December 1^st. Sign into your student account at https://rlcforms.rlc.edu/.
• Books may be shipped or select a date to pick up.
• The Bookstore will be open during business hours with limited capacity.

Learning Resource Center (LRC)

• The LRC computer lab will be open by appointment only during business hours beginning February 8, 2021. To schedule computer time, go to rlc.edu/lrc.

Food Service

• Subway on campus and vending machines are closed. Beginning February 8, snacks and beverages are available at the Bookstore and Coffee Shop.

{/sliders}

{loadposition like-share}