INA, Ill. – Chances are you have a connection to Rend Lake College. You came to us for an associate degree or certificate. You participated in one of our Community Education courses. You sent your children to campus for our Summer Kids Camps. You visited campus for one of our countless community activities. Now, we want to hear from you.

RLC is looking for community members to offer comments on our activities and services as part of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation process. Comments from current and prospective students, interested parents, and in-district taxpayers are welcomed.

In September, RLC will receive a visit from HLC as a part of the Open Pathway to accreditation. As part of the Federal Compliance process, one piece in the accreditation puzzle, HLC requires institutions to undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which includes an invitation to the public to provide written comments to HLC.

Three weeks before the visit to campus, HLC reviews and forwards these comments to the evaluation team members and the institution. The evaluation team will then visit campus Sept. 24-25.

RLC President Terry Wilkerson said third-party comments are extremely valuable tools the college and HLC consult during accreditation evaluations.

“We always want to hear from you, but in this case, it is essential to hear from our constituents about both our successes and challenges so we can work to better serve you,” said Wilkerson.

These third-party comments can be submitted online to HLC at www.hlcommission.org/comment or can be mailed to HLC at the address below. Comments are due Aug. 27, and HLC cannot guarantee that comments after the due date will be considered.

Third-Party Comment on Rend Lake College
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411

RLC has been accredited by HLC since 1969 and it is vital to what we do. Accreditation serves as a measure of quality, allows us to access and distribute federal student aid, facilitates the transfer of classes between institutions, and much more. HLC is one of six regional accreditors in the country and is recognized by the U. S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

More information about the Higher Learning Commission can be obtained through its website at www.hlcommission.org. To learn more about RLC’s road to accreditation, visit www.rlc.edu/hlc.

SPRINGFIELD – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is joining state officials to conduct damage assessments in Iroquois, Kankakee and Vermilion counties next week.

Governor Bruce Rauner and his team at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) submitted the request for federal support after the three counties experienced severe flooding in February. County officials conducted initial damage assessments and found that 126 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage. Another 850 homes were also impacted by flood waters.

“Many people in these counties are struggling to recover from this flood and we want to do everything possible to help them,” Gov. Rauner said. “These damage assessments will provide a clearer picture of the damage and insight on what people need in order to fully get back on their feet.”

Personnel from FEMA, IEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and local emergency management agencies are expected to begin assessing damage to homes and businesses on Monday afternoon. The assessments will continue until complete.

Gov. Rauner issued a disaster proclamation for the three counties on Feb. 23 to ensure state support as communities in these counties battled flood waters.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield was activated to coordinate state assistance to several counties affected by flooding. The assistance included 50,000 sandbags, 18 pumps with hoses, nine Illinois Department of Corrections work crews and two Emergency Management Assistance Teams.

On March 15, 2018 Benton Police were dispatched to the Dollar General Store on East Main Street in reference to a retail theft.  Upon investigating, police arrested Nathaniel S. Casey, age 29, of Benton for felony retail theft and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  Casey was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

INA, Ill. – Fourteen Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE) seniors officially became Rend Lake College students today during College Signing Days. RLC Advisors met with the students to pass along important information, answer questions, and enroll students into summer and fall classes.

Registration for Summer and Fall 2018 classes at RLC is going on now. Classes start the week of June 4-8 for the summer semester and during the week of August 20-24 for the fall semester. Contact RLC’s Academic Advisement Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266 to schedule an appointment for summer or fall registration.

Pictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Riley Price, Ally Black, Ashton Healy, Alli Blair, and Alexis Jones; BACK ROW, Evan Healy, Jeb Baumgart, Treylen Veach, Dustin Niehaus, Mike Brown, Noah Floyd, and Alex Mendoza. Not pictured is Wyatt Dillinger and Tiffany Smith. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

In April, Academic Advisors will visit Christopher, Mt. Vernon, Pinckneyville, Waltonville, Wayne City, and Zeigler-Royalton high schools to speak with students. In total, Advisors will travel to all 13 in-district high school campuses this spring to meet one-on-one with students and help them prepare for their first semester of college life.

According to the U. S. Department of Education, college graduates typically earn more and are less likely to face unemployment than those with a high school diploma. Over the course of a lifetime, the average worker with a postsecondary degree will earn approximately $1 million more than a worker without a postsecondary education. In fact, by 2020, an estimated two-thirds of job openings will require college education or training.

RLC is a comprehensive community college located in Ina in Southern Illinois. Rend Lake College offers more than 100 associate degree and occupational certificate programs, preparing students for transfer to a four-year university or direct entry into the workforce. To learn more about RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/journey.