Rend Lake College releases plan for Fall 2020

INA, Ill. (June 30, 2020)

“Rend Lake College leadership has put an immense amount of work into planning a safe learning environment for students this upcoming semester,” said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. “We are going to continue our efforts to provide a top-quality education while staying in compliance with health guidelines.”

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, offering wellness checks and other measures to help prevent the spread of the virus. Student account balances for the fall semester are due July 15. Fall textbooks and supplies may be ordered online beginning July 20. If at any point Illinois reaches Phase 5, consideration will be given to lift restrictions. 

“There have been and will continue to be challenges during this unprecedented time, but RLC faculty and staff are committed to finding solutions and resources to help our students succeed," said RLC Vice President of Instruction and Student Affairs Lori Ragland.

What will instruction look like? Fall classes will begin as planned in an online, remote or hybrid format. Students will not be on campus the first two days of the semester

“We are placing a high priority on those curricula that rely heavily on face-to-face components and have attempted to accommodate those needs,” Wilkerson said.  

Types of courses:

Online courses

Remote courses

Hybrid courses

“We are taking a conservative approach in order to provide some stability and consistency in preparation of another stay-in-place order.  Since this would require all hybrid courses to move entirely online, students should anticipate the majority of face-to-face instruction to take place during the first eight weeks of the semester," Ragland said.

Classes are being offered in sessions. These include …

What about fees and drop dates? RLC is waiving its $20 per credit hour fee for online and hybrid classes this fall. 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

How do I get started? To see RLC’s complete plan for the Fall 2020 Semester, visit rlc.edu/fall2020. You can get your college experience started in three simple steps: enrollment, advisement and financial aid. Visit rlc.edu/fall2020 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. The college’s summer office hours are 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

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Rend Lake College Students:

Due to COVID-19, changes have been made regarding fall semester.  Please read through the following information carefully. You are encouraged to check Warriormail and Canvas on a daily basis for specific guidance. General updates and changes to the following plan will be available on the RLC website and social media.

Fall Course Schedule

Students were mailed the following with their fall schedules. Please review and note the following:

• 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 two days of the semester, August 17 & 18. All hybrid classes will meet virtually via Zoom for at least the first class session. The Zoom meeting ID/link will be placed in your Canvas course. 
    • Your instructor will provide further direction in Canvas regarding the dates you will be permitted on campus or an assigned location.
    • Hybrid classes are scheduled as 6 weeks or 12 weeks. All hybrid classes will end no later than November 13.
  • 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 fall semester calendar with important dates is below.
  • 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.
  • Changes to the academic calendar: Classes will be held on September 16 and October 13. Fun Fest has been cancelled and Faculty/Staff In-Service rescheduled.
  • Holidays/No Class: Labor Day (Sept. 7) | Columbus Day (Oct. 12) | Election Day (Nov. 3) | Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11) | Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-28)

Fall Semester Calendar

Fall 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.

• Campus offices are open Monday-Thursday 8:00am-4:30pm and Friday 8:00am-4:00pm beginning August 10^th.
• 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

• Fall textbooks and supplies may be ordered online. Sign in to your student account at https://rlcforms.rlc.edu/.
• Books may be shipped or select a date for curbside pickup.
• The Bookstore will be open during business hours beginning August 19 with limited capacity.

Learning Resource Center (LRC)

• The LRC computer lab will be open by appointment only during business hours beginning August 19. To schedule computer time, go to rlc.edu/lrc.

Food Service

• Subway on campus and vending machines are closed. Snacks and beverages are available at the Bookstore.

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