COVID-19 Coronavirus - Fall 2020

October 27, 2020

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{slider + Spring 2021 Semester Plan|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.
• The drop date has been extended to the last day of class.
• 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.

Effective: October 20, 2020{/sliders}

{slider + Student Information for Spring 2021|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}

October 9, 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. This quarterly posting is the final report that covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion funds.

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}

COVID Updates in Summer 2020

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