Advisory Information on Coronavirus

Rock Valley College announced today that six students at the college have tested positive for COVID-19.

The students are currently at home in quarantine and are not scheduled to return to the college until cleared by the Winnebago County Health Department to do so. The college is working with the Winnebago County Health Department to notify those in close contact with these individuals.

Rock Valley College continues to proactively work to keep students and staff safe by following WCHD, IDPH, and CDC guidelines. We encourage people to practice social distancing, wear a face covering when in public, frequently wash hands and hard surfaces, and stay home if they are ill.

The Rock Valley College Incident Response Team was recently made aware of a positive COVID-19 case of an RVC student. Based on preliminary findings, and out of an abundance of caution, the College is closing the Physical Education Center (PEC) on Monday, August 31, to conduct a thorough cleaning and sanitizing of the building. All classes scheduled in the PEC for August 31 have been cancelled. The building will reopen on Tuesday, September 1. 

The College is working in collaboration with the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) to investigate contact tracing in conjunction with this confirmed positive student case. 

We will keep you informed if any new information emerges from the investigation.

If you are a student and have any questions or concerns please contact the Dean of Students at (815) 921-4284. Employees may contact Human Resources at (815) 921-4750.

Rock Valley College, in accordance with a recent decision by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), will postpone most of its athletic competition until the winter/spring of 2021. Men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball will begin competing in January 2021, while men’s soccer and women’s soccer will begin competing in March 2021. There will be no changes to the bowling, baseball, or softball schedules other than to non-traditional seasons for those sports. Bowling will begin competition as scheduled this fall, while baseball and softball will compete in the spring of 2021.

Coaches will utilize the fall to continue to monitor the pandemic, while also implementing department guidelines and procedures for safety protocols. All RVC athletic teams will begin practices while shifting the focus for the fall to strength and conditioning, individual development, and team-only practices. Teams will not compete in any scrimmages against outside competition even though it is allowable under the NJCAA’s new Sport Procedures Guidelines.

The safety and well-being of student-athletes and staff remains the top priority, as the College begins this fall with a phased approach to returning to athletic competition.

RVC Students:

As part of our continuing efforts to address the challenges you have been faced with during the COVID-19 crisis, as we did for the spring semester, we are offering you the option to convert any of your courses to Pass/Fail (P/F) grading for the Summer I and Summer II 2020 semesters. 

For Summer I courses you will have until Friday, June 26 at 5:00 p.m. to submit your request for a Pass/Fail option. For Summer II courses you will have until Friday, August 28 at 5:00 p.m. to submit your request for Pass/Fail options.

We have developed an FAQ specific to Pass/Fail that we strongly urge you read through carefully before making your decision.

We also encourage you to reach out to the following offices should you have concerns for how a P/F notation may impact these specific areas:

Financial Aid: rvc-fia@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Veterans Affairs: Milana Herman, m.herman@rockvalleycollege.edu 

International Students: Mary Foreman, m.foreman@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Academic Advising: rvc-ata@rockvalleycollege.edu 

 All other questions can be directed to David Schneider, d.schneider@rockvalleycollege.edu.

Thank you for continuing to bear with us during these unprecedented circumstances. 

Dear Colleagues:

I want to keep you informed of some changes that have been made to the College’s “Reopening Plan” that was shared with you recently. 

Attached you will find an updated version of the plan. Please read through it thoroughly. 

Here is an overview of what has been updated from the first version of the plan:

• Reformatted the overall layout of the document so it is hopefully a little easier to read and understand.
   
• Included more clarity on the expectations for employee interactions at work, self-checking and reporting, and plans and processes for providing PPE for employees. 
   
• Added a section for Phase 3.2 academic requirements. Both credit and non-credit courses that were incomplete from the Spring 2020 semester due to lab requirements will be allowed to return to campus to complete those course requirements. This section goes over the guidelines to follow with respect to students back on campus.
   
• Added clarification on planned timelines for moving to subsequent phases. Specifically, Phase 3.1 (25% occupancy) goes into effect June 1, followed by Phase 3.2 (50% occupancy) on June 15, Phase 3.3 (75% occupancy) on June 29, and Phase 3.4 (approx. 100% occupancy) on July 13. All of those dates come with the caveat of knowing this could change based on any change in status from state/local/CDC officials that suggest we should not reintegrate at those levels. 

Again, please read through the document in full and do not hesitate to reach out to me or Jim Handley, VP of Human Resources, with any questions or concerns.

As I said before, we are excited to start welcoming some of you back to campus, but we will always make your safety our top consideration and priority.

Rick Jenks
Chief of Police

Dear Colleagues:

This is normally the most exciting time of the year for us as we are accustomed to enjoying a week full of joyful ceremonies and celebrations in honor of our graduates. This year obviously has a much different feel. Our campus is vacant and lonely. We miss our faculty and staff, but most of all we miss the energy of our students. 

We are doing all we can under the circumstances to honor our graduates and celebrate this special time for them. We have recognized a number of students on social media over the last few weeks in our “Graduate Spotlights,” have delivered yard signs to our graduates’ homes, held two Cap & Gown Pick-up events on campus, and are preparing the elements for a nice virtual commencement ceremony that will air online on Friday, June 5 at 6 p.m. and on The CW Network on Sunday, June 7 at 10 a.m. We have also invited our 2020 graduates back to participate in the 2021 commencement ceremony. 

We eagerly await the day we can welcome you and our students back to campus in some capacity. To that end, I am working with fellow administrators on a plan for how the College will begin to restore operations based on Governor Pritzker&#’;sr Colleagues:

This is normally the most exciting time of the year for us as we are accustomed to enjoying a week full of joyful ceremonies and celebrations in honor of our graduates. This year obviously has a much different feel. Our campus is vacant and lonely. We miss our faculty and staff, but most of all we miss the energy of our students. 

We are doing all we can under the circumstances to honor our graduates and celebrate this special time for them. We have recognized a number of students on social media over the last few weeks in our “Graduate Spotlights,” have delivered yard signs to our graduates’ homes, held two Cap & Gown Pick-up events on campus, and are preparing the elements for a nice virtual commencement ceremony that will air online on Friday, June 5 at 6 p.m. and on The CW Network on Sunday, June 7 at 10 a.m. We have also invited our 2020 graduates back to participate in the 2021 commencement ceremony. 

We eagerly await the day we can welcome you and our students back to campus in some capacity. To that end, I am working with fellow administrators on a plan for how the College will begin to restore operations based on Governor Pritzker’s recently announced five-phase plan to get Illinois reopened. I will provide more details to you as this plan develops. 

Until then, I hope you all are healthy and safe. 

And to all of our mothers, I wish you a happy Mother’s Day! I hope you have a chance to spend it celebrating in whatever ways you are able to with your family this weekend. 

Beth Young
Interim President

Dear Colleagues:

Based on Governor Pritzker&#’;s, and the Winnebago County Health Department.

The College’s Work-from-Home Action Plan for employees will remain in effect through May 30 and will continue to be evaluated during this time to determine if an additional extension of time will be necessary beyond May 30. We will continue to follow the direction of the Governor before making any decisions on how to proceed. Should the Governor lift the stay-at-home order, we will rely on guidance, as we have throughout this situation, from our Incident Commander, RVC Police Chief Rick CDC, in conjunction with officials from the Winnebago County Health Department.

Based on modifications to Governor Jenks) web page specific to the College’s Work-from-home Action Plan. Understand that this is an evolving situation and the Pritzker&#’;s will be updated regularly as new information is available. Even if you have read a FAQ question and answer previously, it’s possible the information has changed since you read it. Please also continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at FAQs.

I thank you all again for your continued commitment to the college and our students during this crisis. Please continue to take care of yourselves and your families. I look forward to the time we can all be together on campus again. Stay strong and keep up the great work you are doing. 

Beth Young
Acting President

RVC Students:

As part of our continuing efforts to address the challenges you have been faced with during the COVID-19 crisis, Rock Valley College is offering you the option to convert any of your courses to Pass/Fail (P/F) grading for the Spring 2020 semester. This procedure applies to all full-semester courses and second-half courses.

We have developed an FAQ specific to Pass/Fail that we strongly urge you read through carefully before making your decision.

We also encourage you to reach out to the following offices should you have concerns for how a P/F notation may impact these specific areas:

Financial Aid: rvc-fia@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Veterans Affairs: Milana Herman, m.herman@rockvalleycollege.edu 

International Students: Mary Foreman, m.foreman@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Academic Advising: rvc-ata@rockvalleycollege.edu 

 All other questions can be directed to David Schneider, d.schneider@rockvalleycollege.edu.

Thank you for continuing to bear with us during these unprecedented circumstances. 

RVC Students:

Based on Governor Pritzker’s directive to extend the stay-at-home order for the State of Illinois through April 30, and the College’s subsequent decision to extend the delivery of credit classes through online and alternative instructional delivery through the remainder of the spring semester, Rock Valley College is postponing the commencement ceremony scheduled for May 15. 

What does that mean? In short, we will be celebrating our graduates this year, but not on May 15 as we had hoped. 

The College is currently exploring every option to ensure we can celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments and we will strive for every possible way to make it as special and inclusive as our graduates deserve. 

We will be in direct contact with all students, and specifically those who applied for graduation, as information on alternative plans becomes available.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during these unprecedented and challenging times.

RVC Employees:

This message is to inform you that a Rock Valley College employee self-identified as having tested positive for COVID-19.  Our Incident Commander, Police Chief Rick Jenks, notified the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) and the WCHD followed their standard protocols to investigate.

Upon conclusion of the investigation, the WCHD informed Chief Jenks that there is no risk to co-workers of this individual or any other RVC employees.

To continue to stay informed of any news relating to COVID-19 and RVC, please continue to monitor your College-issued email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

RVC Students:

Based on Governor Pritzker’s directive to extend the stay-at-home order for the State of Illinois through April 30, Rock Valley College is taking additional measures to comply with the social distancing strategies advised by our federal and state governments, the CDC, and the Winnebago County Health Department.

As a result, the College is extending the delivery of credit classes through online and alternative instructional delivery through the remainder of the spring semester. 

We understand this decision will have varying degrees of impact on specific courses and programs. Please stay in contact with your instructors and reach out to them with any questions or concerns you may have. 

The College has not made a final decision yet on the status of the commencement ceremony scheduled for May 15. The College is currently exploring every option to ensure we can celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments and we will strive for every possible way to make it as special and inclusive as our graduates deserve. We will be in direct contact with all students who applied for graduation as information becomes available.

Over the last few weeks, the College has shared a great deal of information with you that we hope will make the transition to online learning smoother. We realize that for some of you this transition has been painless and for others of you it has proven challenging. We have made every effort to put the support in place to make this transition a success for all of you. 

Online Learning Resources

Our Online Learning Department developed a specialized course in EAGLE to help you succeed in your courses . There are videos and resources to serve as guides through this transition. Please also reach out to your instructor for help and, if they cannot provide you with assistance, they can direct you to someone who can. 

Student Services

All services are still operational and ready to assist students.

Here is a list of all contact information for the office you may need (we recommend sending an e-mail to the departments for a quicker reply):

Academic and Transfer Advising: RVC-ATA@rockvalleycollege.edu                                  

Records and Registration: RVC-Records@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Disability Support Services: RVC-DisabilityServices@rockvalleycollege.edu                             

Financial Aid: RVC-FIA@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Accounts Receivable/Payment Center: RVC-AR@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Career Services and Career Advising: RVC-Careerservices@rockvalleycollege.edu                

TRIO: RVC-Trio@rockvalleycollege.edu 

Tutors, Writing Coaches and Library Services

 
Please check your RVC-issued email or visit our FAQ page for detailed information on tutoring, writing coaches, and library services available to assist you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

We have developed a FAQ that we are updating daily. You will find answers to many questions you may have here. Please check back to this FAQ frequently as information changes quickly. Even if you have read a question and answer previously, it’s possible the information has changed since you read it. 

You can also direct specific questions to your instructors or to our Dean of Students, Terrica Huntley at 815-921-4284 or T.Huntley@rockvalleycollege.edu. 

Summer Registration

Summer registration is now open via Online Services. Currently only online courses are being offered for summer.

Fall Registration

The priority registration period for fall begins Sunday, April 5 at 9 p.m. Open registration will begin April 8 at 9 p.m. via Online Services. All fall sections, including face-to-face classes, will be open for registration as planned. 

Please continue to monitor your RVC-issued student email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Dear Colleagues:

Based on Governor Pritzker’s directive to extend the stay-at-home order for the State of Illinois through April 30, Rock Valley College is taking additional measures to comply with the social distancing strategies advised by our federal and state governments, the CDC, and the Winnebago County Health Department.

As a result, the College is extending the delivery of credit classes through online and alternative instructional delivery through the remainder of the spring semester. Students will be receiving a similar message today informing them of this decision.

We understand this decision will have varying degrees of impact on specific courses and programs. Until further guidance is provided by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) on how community colleges should consider addressing various issues impacted by this decision, we will continue to rely on the guidance previously provided by ICCB.

Faculty should contact their academic dean with any specific questions or concerns. 

In addition, the College’s Work-from-Home Action Plan for employees will remain in effect through April 30 and will continue to be evaluated during this time to determine if an additional extension of time will be necessary beyond April 30. We will continue to follow the direction of the Governor before making any decisions on how to proceed. Should the Governor lift the stay-at-home order, we will rely on guidance, as we have throughout this situation, from our Incident Commander, RVC Police Chief Rick Jenks, in conjunction with officials from the Winnebago County Health Department.

As our work-from-home situation continues to get extended, it is understandable that many of us may be feeling increasingly isolated, disconnected from our colleagues, and challenged by other hurdles presented by working remotely for such an extended period. 

To that end, we would like to again share some guidance to help you through some of these challenges:

• Focus on Mental Wellness: If you are having a difficult time, please reach out to someone. Our Human Resources department is here for you and we have an Employee Assistance Program (Perspectives) that we encourage you to utilize. The Perspectives call center staff are working remotely and utilizing telehealth (including video and phone counseling) for clinical services.
   

• Seek Technology Assistance: Hopefully by now everyone has settled in and has everything they need to work effectively remotely. If you still need help getting set-up with equipment or technology, please follow the College’s normal processes by filling out an IT Helpdesk request.
   

• Connect with co-workers: Many of you have been holding virtual meetings via Zoom or other means. This is a great way to maintain some sense of normalcy with our schedules and it keeps us connected to our co-workers during this time. Business aside, reach out to each other via text or email or social media on a personal level. It’s important that we all support each other and understand we’re all going through this together.
   

• Stay informed: It’s important that you’re going to the right places to get your information. After all, getting inaccurate or misleading information can lead to more anxiety, fear, and panic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites have the latest info about COVID-19 to help you stay informed. Locally, you can visit the Winnebago County Health Department website for the latest developments. As for information specific to RVC in this situation, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) specific to the College’s Work-from-home Action Plan. Understand that this is an evolving situation and the FAQs will be updated regularly as new information is available. Even if you have read a FAQ question and answer previously, it’s possible the information has changed since you read it. Please also continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Beth Young
Acting President

RVC Students:

I know how many of you must be feeling based on the way our world has changed so rapidly in recent weeks. The world you came back to when you left us for spring break is much different than the one you returned to as we resumed classes in an online environment on Monday.

I thank you for your understanding and patience as we all work together to make this transition for you as smooth as possible. Like you, we hope this situation will be over soon so we can return to normal operations. In the meantime, please know our faculty and staff are doing all they can to ensure that you will get the same quality education and support you expected when you made the decision to attend Rock Valley College. 

Please take advantage of the many resources available to you. You have received a number of email communications summarizing these resources for you, and you can also find information on them on our FAQ page on the website. I urge you to continue to check your College-issued RVC email every day to make sure you are aware of the latest developments and assistance being provided for you. Please also lean on your instructors during this time for support and guidance. 

I want to assure you that Rock Valley College has every intention of returning to business as usual as soon as it is deemed safe to do so for our students, employees, and our community. While online education is an important part of what we do and the College has been investing in expanding online learning, we have no plans to move away from the things that we have been doing successfully for over 55 years. Face-to-face instruction and hands-on learning will always be a priority at Rock Valley College. 

I know our instructors can’t wait to have you back in class. I am also eager to see your faces back on campus. We all know our campus is a beautiful environment for a college student. But it is each and every one of you who makes our campus vibrant. We miss that as much as you do. We are excited for the day we will once again see you walking across the bridge, studying in the library, drinking a coffee at Meg’s, or eating lunch in the Atrium. 

Until that day comes, please know we are here for whatever you need to succeed and to make sure you get the best possible RVC experience you can under these unprecedented circumstances. 

Stay strong. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Doug Jensen
President, Rock Valley College

Greetings, RVC students!

These are strange and trying times indeed. This is certainly not how any of us pictured welcoming you back from spring break. 

As a College, we have spent the last two weeks united and collaborating toward one goal: to develop an effective and safe way to allow you to continue your educational journey with us. Today marks our first day of transitioning to online delivery of courses. None of us know for sure how long this will last, but we are all in this together and we remain dedicated to helping you succeed.

Over the last two weeks, the College has shared a great deal of information with you that we hope will make this transition smoother. We realize that for some of you this transition will be painless and for others of you it will prove challenging. We have made every effort to put the support in place to make this transition a success for all of you. 

Logging-in to EAGLE

If you are not familiar with EAGLE, we have created a quick tutorial to help you learn how. 

Online Learning Resources

Our Online Learning Department has created a specialized course in EAGLE to help you succeed in your courses . There are videos and resources to serve as guides through this transition. Please also reach out to your instructor for help and, if they cannot provide you with assistance, they can direct you to someone who can. 

Student Services

All services are still operational and ready to assist students.

Here is a list of all contact information for the office you may need (we recommend sending an e-mail to the departments for a quicker reply):

Academic and Transfer Advising: RVC-ATA@rockvalleycollege.edu                                 

Records and Registration: RVC-Records@rockvalleycollege.edu

Disability Support Services: RVC-DisabilityServices@rockvalleycollege.edu                            

Financial Aid: RVC-FIA@rockvalleycollege.edu

Accounts Receivable/Payment Center: RVC-AR@rockvalleycollege.edu

Career Services and Career Advising: RVC-Careerservices@rockvalleycollege.edu               

TRIO: RVC-Trio@rockvalleycollege.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

We have developed a FAQ that we are updating daily. You will find answers to many questions you may have here. Please check back to this FAQ frequently as information changes quickly. Even if you have read a question and answer previously, it’s possible the information has changed since you read it. 

You can also direct specific questions to your instructors or to our Dean of Students, Terrica Huntley at 815-921-4284 or T.Huntley@rockvalleycollege.edu. 

Summer Registration

Summer registration will open as planned on Tuesday, March 24 at 9 p.m. via Online Services. 

Please continue to monitor your RVC-issued student email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Please know we are all here for you and will do everything we can to help you be successful during this challenging time. We are your RVC family and we are all in this together!

Dear Colleagues:

Based on Governor Pritzker’s stay-at-home order announced this afternoon for the State of Illinois, there are significant measures Rock Valley College is taking to comply while continuing to provide services to our students and community. The College has also been advised by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) with guidance on how community colleges should consider proceeding based on this development. 

As planned, the College begins its transition to online and alternative instructional delivery for all credit classes on Monday, March 23 until further notice. 

In addition, the College’s Work-from-Home Action Plan for employees will remain in effect, at minimum, through the duration of the stay-at-home order. Only critical personnel as identified by the Incident Response Team will be allowed on campus during this time. Access to exterior doors has been removed for non-essential personnel. If there are special circumstances that require you to return to campus, please contact your supervisor.  Supervisors will consult with their respective VP who will then notify the RVC Police Department at 815-921-4357 if any non-essential employees require access so RVCPD can restore access as needed for those employees.

We will continue to follow the direction of the Governor before making any decisions on how to proceed. Should the Governor lift the stay-at-home order, we will rely on guidance, as we have throughout this situation, from our Incident Commander, RVC Police Chief Rick Jenks, in conjunction with officials from the Winnebago County Health Department. The situation will be evaluated to determine if an additional extension of time for RVC’s Work-from-home Action Plan will be necessary, and if so, the College will re-evaluate the employees identified as essential and non-essential to restore our operations to meet the needs of our students and community. 

I hope you are all adjusting and are getting everything you need to be successful working remotely. We appreciate your patience. Our IT staff has been doing tremendous work under these challenging circumstances. If you still need help getting set-up with equipment or technology, please follow the College’s normal processes by filling out an IT Helpdesk request.

As stated, the College begins its transition to online and alternative instructional delivery for all credit classes on Monday, March 23. The amount of work that was done in a short time was amazing and I thank everyone who came together to make that happen. For any of you who are in a position to help our students during this time (faculty, student support services, etc.), please do whatever you can to guide them through this transition. For some of our students this transition will be smooth, but for others it will prove challenging. Let’s do all we can to ease their minds and help them be successful. Our academic leaders have created a specialized course in EAGLE for this purpose that includes videos and resources to serve as guides through this transition.

I also want to reiterate what I said to you earlier this week. Please continue to support each other. Stay in touch with your co-workers during this time to help alleviate some of the feelings of isolation you may be experiencing. Just because we can’t be together in person for the time being doesn’t mean we can’t text, Snap, e-mail, or call each other for comfort and reassurance.

Finally, it’s really important that you’re going to the right places to get your information. After all, getting inaccurate or misleading information can lead to more anxiety, fear, and panic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites have the latest info about COVID-19 to help you stay informed. Locally, you can visit the Winnebago County Health Department website for the latest developments.

As for information specific to RVC in this situation, please continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Stay strong. We will all get through this together.

-Doug

RVC Students:

During this difficult time for all of us attempting to cope with the COVID-19 situation, we want you to know that your RVC community and family are here to support you. We will attempt to provide suggestions and resources to help you manage your time and your coursework. Most importantly, we want to share some information and resources we hope will help you take care of your, and your family’s, mental and emotional well-being.

Here are a few suggestions:

Get the Facts

It’s really important that you’re going to the right places to get your information. After all, getting inaccurate or misleading information can lead to more anxiety, fear, and panic. So, where to go? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites have the latest info about COVID-19 to help you stay informed.

Focus on What You Can Control

Your basics here: hand washing, social distancing, and knowing when or if to seek treatment. Trying not to speculate about the future can help with managing fear and allows us to do our part in helping to contain the spread of the virus. It’s not just about you, but about all of your fellow citizens.

Stay Connected to Friends and Loved Ones

I’m sure we’ve all had plans we’ve had to cancel with friends. What about a virtual friend date? Get in touch with your crew on a group chat on your iPad, and hang out that way.  Just because we shouldn’t hang in person for the time being doesn’t mean we can’t text, Snap, TikTok, e-mail, call for comfort and reassurance purposes. In 2020, people sometimes seemed startled by phone calls with all the texting and social messaging we do … but hearing someone’s voice can be a most welcome sound at the moment!

Take Care of Your Mind

A few strategies for emotional wellness: breathing exercises, exercise, yoga, mindfulness (e.g., Headspace app), writing down your feelings and experiences, doing something creative, engaging in a spiritual practice, listen to or play music, or identifying things you’re grateful for and allowing space for your feelings (e.g. fear and anxiety) without judgment. Or grab a book, listen to a podcast, or share your favorite TV shows to stream.

Take Care of Your Body and your Mind

We know that people with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to the virus. But they also say that prolonged or chronic feelings of stress can weaken immune systems in relatively “healthy” individuals. So, we all have to maintain physical health. The obvious ones: proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise.  

Finally, RVC’s Personal and Success Counseling will continue to provide mental health and academic support during this time.

Andrea McCauley, RVC's Personal & Success Counselor, can be reached via email at a.mccauley@rockvalleycollege.edu, by phone (815) 921-4105 (messages will be checked regularly throughout the day), and by messaging through Eagle/Canvas App (select Course: RVC Community Group and send to: Andrea McCauley.)

For life threatening/severe emergencies, please call 911, or go to the nearest emergency department.

Please continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

While we may feel isolated during this time, none of us is alone. Please lean on your RVC family as needed during this challenging time.

Sincerely,

Dr. Doug Jensen
President, Rock Valley College

RVC Students:

As Rock Valley Colleges transitions to online learning and alternative instructional delivery, we understand that there are many of you who are concerned with this change. Please know that we are working very hard to provide you with training and information to help you through this time.

The link provided in this email will give you access to a specialized course in EAGLE to help you succeed in your courses . There are videos and resources to serve as guides through this transition. Please reach out to your instructor for help and, if they cannot provide you with assistance, they can direct you to someone who can. 

We are here for you.

https://rvceagle.instructure.com/courses/22382

Please continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

RVC Students:

As the College continues to evaluate the COVID-19 community health crisis and implements our strategic actions to serve our students, we have some information we would like to share with you regarding student services the College will continue to provide during this critical time.

Personal and Success Counseling

RVC Personal and Success Counseling will continue to provide mental health and academic support during this time. You can email Andrea McCauley, Personal and Success Counselor, at a.mccauley@rockvalleycollege.edu or call her at 815-921-4105 (messages will be checked regularly throughout the day), or by messaging through Eagle/Canvas App (select Course: RVC Community Group and send to: Andrea McCauley). For life threatening or severe emergencies, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Student Services

All services are still operational and ready to assist students.

Here is a list of all contact information for the office you may need (we recommend sending an e-mail to the departments for a quicker reply):

Academic and Transfer Advising: RVC-Advising@rockvalleycollege.edu                                   

Records and Registration: RVC-Records@rockvalleycollege.edu

Disability Support Services: RVC-DisabilityServices@rockvalleycollege.edu                            

Financial Aid: RVC-FIA@rockvalleycollege.edu

Career Services and Career Advising: RVC-Careerservices@rockvalleycollege.edu               

TRIO: RVC-Trio@rockvalleycollege.edu

I need to set up an appointment with someone, how can I do that?

We are currently using Zoom and an online chat service to help students.  Contact the appropriate office listed above to set up an appointment and we will reach out to you after to let you know the next steps to connect virtually.

I don’t know who to contact or can I contact someone from student services instantly?

Click on the “Support Online” icon on the RVC website (bottom right of your screen):

We are currently staffing the online support from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to assist student general questions or help get you connected to the correct college personnel. 

What if I need help after 6:00 p.m. or the office I need is not listed above?

Click on the icon you see after hours:

Leave us a message and well will forward it to the correct department. 

How can I turn in my financial aid paper work?

You can e-mail the forms to RVC-FIA@rockvalleycollege.edu or use the drop box that is located outside of the Student Center.

How can I withdraw from a class?

Normally you would have to come into the records office, but at this time you can receive help by sending an e-mail from your student e-mail address to RVC-Records@rockvalleycollege.edu for help with this process?

If you’re having any issues at all please reach out to the Dean of Students:

Terrica Huntley
Phone: 815-921-4284
E-mail: T.Huntley@rockvalleycollege.edu

RVC Bookstore

While campus is closed to the public, we will continue serving customers through our website, phone (815-921-1680), and emails.  We are currently offering free UPS ground shipping for online orders.  Also, Barnes & Noble College has partnered with VitalSource to provide ebooks made available through some of the publishers free of charge. This does not include courseware or books from all publishers. 

• VitalSource Help and Tutorials

How do I access VitalSource Helps content?

To get started, visit bookshelf.vitalsource.com. Before you begin searching for and reading course materials, you will need to log in to an existing Bookshelf account with your institution-provided email address or create a new account. It is important to note that, while you may use Bookshelf today as part of an Inclusive Access program, your account may not be linked to your institution provided email address. To access VitalSource Helps content, you must use your institution-provided email address.
 

For students and instructors accessing Bookshelf for the first time:

Here are instructions on creating a Bookshelf account. Once you create an account with an institution-provided email address, log in and click on the “Explore” tab in the upper left corner of the screen.
 

For students and instructors with existing Bookshelf accounts linked to their institution-provided email address:

Students and instructors with existing Bookshelf accounts linked to their institution-provided email address will see a new tab called “Explore.” This tab provides access to the freely-available ebooks.

We understand we have not addressed all student services normally offered by the College in this message. All services are being evaluated and solutions developed for how to offer them during this time.

Please continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

RVC Students:

Comcast Cable has taken a number of measures to help students through these challenging circumstances. We would like to share some valuable information from Comcast with you.

Please continue to monitor your College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Comcast is taking steps to implement the following new policies for the next 60 days, and other important initiatives:

• Xfinity WiFi Free For Everyone: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser.
   
• Pausing Our Data Plan: With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to access the internet without thinking about data plans. While the vast majority of our customers do not come close to using 1TB of data in a month, we are pausing our data plans for 60 days giving all customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.
   
• No Disconnects or Late Fees: We will not disconnect a customer’s internet service or assess late fees if they contact us and let us know that they can’t pay their bills during this period. Our care teams will be available to offer flexible payment options and can help find other solutions.
   
• Internet Essentials Free to New Customers: As announced yesterday, it’s even easier for low-income families who live in a Comcast service area to sign-up for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month. Additionally, for all new and existing Internet Essentials customers, the speed of the program’s Internet service was increased to 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. That increase will go into effect for no additional fee and it will become the new base speed for the program going forward.
   
• News, Information and Educational Content on X1: For those with school-age students at home, we’ve created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media. Just say “education” into your X1 or Flex voice remote. To help keep customers informed, we also have created a collection of the most current news and information on Coronavirus. Just say “Coronavirus” into your X1 or Flex voice remote.
   
• 24x7 Network Monitoring: Underpinning all of these efforts, Comcast’s technology and engineering teams will continue to work tirelessly to support our network operations. We engineer our network capacity to handle spikes and shifts in usage patterns, and continuously test, monitor and enhance our systems and network to ensure they are ready to support customer usage. Our engineers and technicians staff our network operations centers 24/7 to ensure network performance and reliability. We are monitoring network usage and watching the load on the network both nationally and locally, and to date it is performing well.

Xfinity Resources

• Comprehensive overview of everything we are doing for our Xfinity customers
• Visit our online help center to easily find help and support articles.
• Chat with Xfinity to get 24/7 assistance for any questions you have.

For students in Charter’s service area:

In an effort to ensure Americans have necessary access to online resources, qualifying households with students can get 60 days of FREE access with a Spectrum Internet account.

• Available for households with K-12 or college students
• Limited to new accounts who do not already have a Spectrum Internet subscription
• Installation fees will be waived

In addition, Spectrum WiFi hotspots will be open for public use.

Call  1-844-579-3743  to enroll.

RVC Employees:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wanted to communicate to you that the Board has been working collaboratively with college administration to continually monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation.  As you are aware, the college has implemented a temporary work-from-home action plan for the period of time from March 18 through March 31.

We understand that this is a challenging and difficult situation for all employees. We want you to rest assured that we will take all steps necessary to limit the impact this community health event will have on our employees.

The Board and administration are working to ensure that no employee’s pay or benefits will be negatively affected during this period of time.  If you used leave time on March 16 or March 17 to address health, family care, or other COVID-19 related considerations, that leave time will be reinstated by the college.

We also want you to understand that you should do what is necessary to support your family and care for your own health during this time. Please be confident that as events change the college will continue to keep our employees and students informed and at the center of our decision-making. It is very difficult to predict how the events will continue to unfold over the upcoming weeks.

We are all in this together as we face these unknowns. Thank you for your support for RVC, our students, and the community.

Sincerely,

Patrick Murphy
Chairman, RVC Board of Trustees

RVC Employees:

Rock Valley College continues to take proactive measures to support the campus and larger community by implementing the social distancing guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) in response to COVID-19.

The College will be transitioning to online and alternative instructional delivery, beginning March 23 until further notice. 

Effective close of business Tuesday, March 17, the College is directing all non-essential personnel to work from home while a limited number of essential personnel continue to report to campus offices and buildings. Essential personnel have been defined as employees who are needed on campus and cannot perform all necessary duties remotely. You will be notified by your direct supervisor as to whether you are essential or non-essential.

All departments have been working throughout the day to develop department-specific work-from-home plans for employees in each department who have been identified as non-essential. Arrangements are being made with all supervisors to accommodate the hardware, software and technology needs for all non-essential employees who will be working remotely. If you have questions about your resource needs please contact your supervisor. We will work through individual circumstances as they arise.

Please contact your immediate supervisor to discuss your department’s expectations for work-from-home tasks and assignments. 

The work-from-home plan will be in effect March 18 through March 31 and will continue to be evaluated during this time to determine if an extension of time will be necessary. Should an extension of time be necessary, the College will re-evaluate the employees identified as essential and non-essential. Please stay in regular contact with your supervisor for the latest updates.

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) specific to the College’s Work-from-home Action Plan. Understand that this is an evolving situation and the FAQs will be updated regularly as new information is available. The college and your supervisor are here to support you, and you may direct any questions to your immediate supervisor or Vice President.

The College will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the campus community via College-issued RVC email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Additionally, helpful links you may need to things like your RVC email, the Quarry, Online Services, EAGLE, and more can always be found at rockvalleycollege.edu/myrvc.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this unique and ever-changing set of circumstances, and thank you for your support of our students and community.

Dr. Doug Jensen
RVC President

Statement from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

Following the recent recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the NJCAA has made the difficult decision to cancel all upcoming basketball championships as well as spring competition, effective immediately.

"In light of the progressive evolvement of the COVID-19 situation, the NJCAA has decided to end all competition for the remainder of the academic year," stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO. "As an association, the NJCAA exhausted all possible avenues to potentially postpone competition for both upcoming basketball championships and spring sport competition. We believe following the recommendations of the CDC is in the best interest of our member colleges and our student-athletes."

Spring competition includes all practices, regular season, postseason, and national championship play.

Regarding eligibility for spring sports, no spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled at a member college in 2020 will be charged a year of participation.

Along with the cancellation of competition, all on and off-campus recruiting for all sports will be halted until April 15 with further evaluation to be assessed at that point in time. 

The NJCAA will explore the opportunity to expand allowable Letters of Intent for spring sports for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years under the recommendation of the NJCAA Eligibility Committee.

The NJCAA will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.

RVC Employees:

We know you have many questions regarding the evolving COVID-19 situation and how it impacts RVC.

Chief Jenks is our Incident Commander for this situation and we continue to follow the guidance he is receiving from the Winnebago County Health Department.

Given new information that emerged over the weekend in our county and state, College leadership will be continuing to work on the College's continuity plan throughout the day on Monday to determine next steps the College should take.

If you have personal circumstances that dictate the need to take time off, please work with your supervisor and follow normal procedures.

At work, RVC employees and departments should follow the advice of the Winnebago County Health Department and the CDC with respect to social distancing.

Communication is vital during these times. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to me.

Additional communications will come out Monday as more information becomes available.

The College will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the campus community via your College-issued email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website, accessible from the RVC website homepage. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Jim Handley
Vice President – Human Resources
(815) 921-4754

RVC Employees:

With the rapidly evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis, the College has determined it to be in the best interest of our College & greater community to implement spring break March 16-21 for all non-credit classes (includes Adult Education, Community and Continuing Education, Center for Learning in Retirement, Cold Forming Training, TechWorks, and Truck Driver Training). 

This means there will be NO classes at Rock Valley College campuses March 14-22. The College will be preparing the facility to respond to any changes and direction from the Winnebago County Health Department. If you are registered for a class that is held at a non-RVC Campus, please contact that location directly for updates.  

The College’s decisions are based on information from the Center for Disease Control, Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Winnebago County Health Department. The College understands that this notice is not ideal with respect to timing, but the nature of this rapidly evolving crisis necessitates immediate action.  

 Thank you for your continued support of Rock Valley College. 

RVC Students: 

In light of the evolving Covid-19 public health crisis, the College has determined it to be in the best interests of the College community and the greater community college district to extend spring break an additional week for students only. 

This additional week off will not impact your ability to complete course requirements. 

All employees including faculty are expected to report to work as planned the week of March 16, 2020. 

During this week, RVC faculty and staff will work to develop alternate modes of course delivery as appropriate so the College can be prepared to replace face-to-face instruction should the situation escalate in the coming days and weeks. Faculty will work within their departments to prepare their instruction to include alternate modes of delivery to support our students to complete their course requirements. While there will be no classes next week, faculty and staff will use their time to prepare and transition current courses to an online delivery as needed. 

The College’s decisions are based on information from the Center for Disease Control, Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Winnebago County Health Department. The College understands that this notice is not ideal with respect to timing, but the nature of this rapidly evolving crisis necessitates immediate action.

Thank you for your continued support for our students and the college community.

Based on the recommendations announced publicly today by the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD), all public gatherings and events of 25 people or more at Rock Valley College will be canceled until further notice. The situation will be evaluated by the WCHD on a week-by-week basis and the College will continue to follow the guidance of the WCHD.

At this time the Health Department has not recommended any school closures or cancellations. This restriction applies specifically to public events. 

• Winnebago County Health Department News Release
   
• FAQ from Winnebago County Health Department
   

Rock Valley College continues to monitor the evolving information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Jenks remains in contact daily with the WCHD and area first responder agencies to ensure the College is receiving the most up to date information and guidance. 

Due to the nature of this pandemic, institutions of higher education are exploring moving to alternate forms of instruction as a precautionary measure. Rock Valley College is following its continuity plan specific to COVID-19.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the RVC community via your College-issued email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website at rockvalleycollege.edu/covid19. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts. 

NJCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament to Proceed at RVC Without Spectators 

The 2020 NJCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament games hosted by Rock Valley College on March 12-14, will be played as scheduled.

However, spectators will not be allowed to attend the games. Only participating teams (players, coaches, other team staff members), and essential staff are allowed in the facility during the tournament. 

The College remains in frequent contact with the Winnebago County Health Department and area first responder agencies to assess the risks associated with COVID-19. While the risk remains low in our region at this time, participating teams have traveled from various parts of the country for the three days of the tournament. For precautionary reasons, and on the advice of state health officials and the Winnebago County Health Department, the tournament will proceed without spectators to avoid a large gathering of people at this event.

All tournament games are being live streamed by the NJCAA at njcaachampstv.com to provide an alternative means for all fans to enjoy the action.

Rock Valley College and the NJCAA sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to spectators, especially those who may have traveled a great distance to Rockford for the event. This decision is in the best interests of public health, and the safety of our campus and our community remains our top priority as we navigate the challenges of this worldwide pandemic.

RVC Students:

As students and employees get set to return from spring break, we want to provide an update regarding how the College is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.

• If you or someone you live with are returning from the countries identified by the CDC as Level 3 (currently China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran), the College is requiring that you do not return to campus for 14 days from the date of your or their return even if you are symptom-free, in accordance with public health recommendations.
• For students who need to self-quarantine, we request that you contact the Dean of Students at (815) 921-4284.

Due to the current low level of domestic exposure and the current global advisories, the College will need to treat these on a case-by-case basis.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the campus community. We encourage you to evaluate your future personal travel plans in light of the CDC advisories, and continue to follow all health precautions previously shared, including:

• washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds;
• avoid touching your face;
• stay home if you are sick;
• cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces;
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

While there are no current recommendations for restricted travel within the United States, this could change due to the rapidly evolving nature of the outbreak.

Please know our first priority continues to be the health and safety of our campus. This message is meant to be proactive, make information easily accessible, and to affirm our vigilance and planning related to this issue.

We will continue to communicate via College email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website, accessible from the RVC website homepage. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

RVC Employees:

We want to provide an update regarding how the college is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak. We are monitoring the situation and are in daily contact with the Winnebago County Health Department and area first responder agencies. At this time, the risk remains low in our region.

As we continue to prepare, we would like to take this opportunity to advise all employees of the need to remain at home should you feel ill or if someone you reside Qith is experiencing flu-like symptoms. In addition, if you believe you may have been in contact with someone who has recently traveled to one of the countries identified by the CDC as Level 3 (currently China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran), it is recommended that you contact the local health department or seek medical attention.

If you do intend to stay home due to experiencing flu-like symptoms, we request voluntarily that you notify your immediate supervisor.  Supervisors who have been voluntarily informed, must notify Human Resources of any employees who are off work sick due to flu-like symptoms.

Please continue to follow all health precautions previously shared, including:

• washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds;
• avoid touching your face;
• stay home if you are sick;
• cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces;
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the campus community via email, RVC Alerts, and the dedicated COVID-19 website, accessible from the RVC website homepage. If you have not already signed up for RVC Alerts, you can do so at rockvalleycollege.edu/alerts.

Rock Valley College and the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) are closely monitoring the emerging global public health concern involving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The college is taking proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of the community in accordance with the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To keep our community informed, we will send out updates as the situation evolves and new information becomes available.

Things to know:

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our region, including in Winnebago County. There have been four Illinois patients that tested positive for COVID-19. Two have fully recovered.  The risk to our community remains low at this time.

The Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) continues to work diligently to ensure that our community is ready to respond to protect the health and safety of our residents should the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread locally.

We are working closely with WCHD to prepare our community for any disruptions to regular activities that may need to occur to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintain necessary services and resources.

The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illness, like flu by:

• WASHING YOUR HANDS OFTEN with soap and warm water.
• COVERING YOUR COUGH, cough and sneeze into your upper sleeve or a tissue that you throw away.
• CLEANING SURFACES OFTEN, increase cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.
• STAYING HOME, if you or someone in your household is not feeling well stay home to keep others from getting sick.

We expect that we will begin to see more cases of COVID-19. This is a quickly evolving situation and we will let the community know if additional steps are necessary.

If you are sick stay home, don’t go to mass gatherings or social events like concerts, movies, meet and greets, etc.

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, call the Illinois Department of Public Health hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@Illinois.gov.  

Rock Valley College and the Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) are closely monitoring the emerging global public health concern involving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The college is taking proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of the community in accordance with the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To keep our community informed, we will send out updates as the situation evolves and new information becomes available.

Things to know:

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our region, including Winnebago County. The risk to our community remains low at this time. 

The Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) continues to work diligently to ensure that our community is ready to respond to protect the health and safety of our residents should the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread locally. 

We are working closely with WCHD to prepare our community for any disruptions to regular activities that may need to occur to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintain necessary services and resources.

The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illness, like flu by:

• WASHING YOUR HANDS OFTEN with soap and warm water
• COVERING YOUR COUGH, cough and sneeze into your upper sleeve or a tissue that you throw away
• CLEANING SURFACES OFTEN, increase cleaning of frequently touched surfaces
• STAYING HOME, if you or someone in your household is not feeling well, stay home to keep others from getting sick

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, call the Illinois Department of Public Health hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@Illinois.gov.