Rights & Responsibilities
The RVC campuses are a collegiate society with rules and regulations that respect and protect the rights of both individuals and the campus community. The following policies and procedures establish both the rights and the responsibilities of Rock Valley College students. Students are expected to know and adhere to RVC policies, regulations, rules, and the Student Code of Conduct which are available in the RVC Student Handbook.
This College Catalog should not be construed as constituting a contract between the college and any person. The college reserves the right to modify its policies.
A complete copy of each policy or procedure and the Student Code of Conduct is available in the RVC Student Handbook. The RVC Student Handbook is available on the RVC website: RVC Student Handbook. Questions regarding the Handbook may be directed to the Dean of Students Office.
Academic Integrity
Honesty statement: the faculty and administration expect that RVC students are enrolled in courses as serious and honorable scholars. Furthermore, students are expected to do their own original work, except when collaboration on projects is directed by faculty as part of the course or specific assignment. Students are expected to observe the commonly accepted standards of academic honesty at all times. Students who commit any of the forms of academic dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating by copying, dishonest collaboration, or fabrication) as outlined in the Academic Integrity Standards and Procedures found in the RVC Student Handbook are subject to penalties and sanctions.
Attendance Requirement
Students are expected to attend every class meeting. There is no college policy permitting absences. Each faculty member will decide when and how absences affect grades.
Discipline Procedures
The Rock Valley College Dean of Students Office has the right to impose disciplinary sanctions and/or corrective actions for a student found responsible of violating the RVC Student Code of Conduct, college regulations, and/or college policies. Students may also be subject to civil or criminal penalties as appropriate.
Drug Free Schools & Communities Amendment Act
Rock Valley College complies with the Federal Drug-Free and Communities Act as articulated in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) Part 86. RVC students receive an annual notice that outlines; standards of conduct, possible legal sanctions and penalties, statements of health risks associated with Alcohol or Drug Abuse, Prevention programs available, and college disciplinary sanctions for violations of standards of conduct. The college seeks to improve the campus atmosphere by eliminating drugs and alcohol on the campus, except where liquor permits have been procured or alcohol is utilized for instructional purposes.
Children on Campus
For the safety of children on campus, children may not accompany students to class, tutoring or testing sessions. Also, children may not be left unattended on the campus grounds, whether in college buildings, extension centers, or at any college event.
Pregnant & Parenting Student Act
In June 2013, the Office of Civil Rights, within the Department of Education, issued a “Dear Colleague letter” that indicated it is illegal for schools to exclude a pregnant student from participating in any part of an educational program.
Please refer to the RVC Student Handbook for the entire RVC policy go to RVC Student Handbook.
Procedure for Resolution of Student Complaints
Students may encounter problems during their course of study at RVC that may require review by appropriate administrative or academic personnel. The college has established procedures. Questions or guidance regarding these procedures should be directed to the Dean of Students Office, (815) 921-4281. The procedures are also available in the RVC Student Handbook. Please reference the Student Life webpage for Student Complaint FAQ.
Student Assembly Policy
Although students are welcome to gather to express and discuss ideas, all such assemblies must be held in accordance with the policy on student assembly. This information is available in the RVC Student Handbook.
Section 504 and ADA
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, (Section 504), Rock Valley College has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by the US Department of Justice regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Title II states, in part, that “no otherwise qualified disabled individual shall, solely by reason of such disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination” in programs or activities sponsored by a public entity. The process for filing a grievance can be found in the RVC Student Handbook.
Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
The following notice and information is given by Rock Valley College, District 511, to advise students of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Act). Rock Valley College has implemented policies and procedures implementing the Act. The Act established the right of students to inspect and review their educational records; provides that personally identifiable information will not, with certain exceptions, be disclosed without the student’s written permission; provides guidelines for correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings; grants students the right to file complaints with the Family Compliance Office concerning failures of the college to comply with the Act; and makes provisions for notice to the students concerning those rights.
Students who wish to review their education records must complete the appropriate form and submit it to the Registrar. Students will
be notified in writing of the date and time they may review the records. The following student data is hereby designated as Directory Information and such information may be disclosed or released by the college for any purpose and at its discretion: student name, dates of attendance, part-time/full-time enrollment status, degrees/certificates earned, awards received, officially recognized activities, weights and heights of members of athletic teams, and student e-mail addresses. To have directory information withheld, the student must give written notice to the Registrar by the tenth day of each semester for which the student is enrolled.
A student may give permission to a parent, guardian, or other individual to review their record. A FERPA waiver form is available in the Records and Registration office.
Contact the Registrar at (815) 921-4267 for FERPA related questions.
Mental Health Act (MHA)
Pursuant to Illinois’ Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Act, a student has the right to authorize the College, in writing, to disclose his or her private mental health information to a person of the student’s choosing. For additional information, please contact the Records and Registration Office on the second floor of the Stenstrom Student Center. Please be advised that, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and its regulations at 34 CFR § 99.36, the College may disclose a student’s private information to persons who need to know that information in the event of or to avert a health or safety emergency, even if those persons have not been designated by the student on his or her Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Act.
In conjunction with FERPA and RVC policy, students will have the written opportunity to authorize the disclosure of certain private mental health information to a designated person of their choosing by completing and filing a FERPA Form which includes the Mental Health Act Disclosure. This policy allows you to designate a person(s) to whom RVC may disclose certain private mental health information.
RVC will contact the person(s) of choice if RVC’s Personal Counseling Services determines that you pose a clear danger to yourself or to others and/or protection is needed for you or another person from a clear, imminent risk of serious mental or physical injury, disease or death.
Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act
Effective August 1, 2016, the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act applies to all Illinois higher education institutions. The new law imposes a number of requirements on higher education institutions related to their policies, procedures, provision of services, and responses to sexual violence on campus between students. While most of the Act’s requirements mirror the federal law requirements under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the new Illinois law also places several additional requirements on public universities, public community colleges, and independent not- for-profit or for-profit higher education institutions. Please see the RVC Student Handbook for additional information, policies, and procedures.
Registered Sex Offender List
The Rock Valley College Police Department (RVCPD) maintains a registered sex offender list, which identifies all known registered sex offenders who are currently enrolled as students or employees at Rock Valley College. Illinois state law requires all institutions of higher education to make registered sex offender information available to anyone who requests it.
This registered sex offender list is available for viewing, on the Main Campus, at the RVCPD office in the Support Services Building (SSB), Room 1100 and at the Welcome (Information) Center on the first floor of the Stenstrom Student Center (SC); the Workforce Development office on North Main Street; and the Rock Valley College Downtown (RVCD) location. Registered sex offenders who fail to register their status as a student or employee at an institution of higher education are in violation of the Sex Offender Registration Act, which is a Class 3 Felony, and may be arrested. In addition to registering with the RVCPD, registered sex offenders must also meet with the Dean of Students or designee prior to the beginning of each semester they enroll.
This mandate applies to all RVC courses including General Education Development (GED) (formerly High School Equivalency/HSE), English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), and Community/ Continuing Education; and also to students registered as part-time status (less than 12 credit hours) and enrolled students of collaborative and partnership programs.
Sexual & Other Harassment Policy
Rock Valley College is committed to providing an educational environment that is free from all forms of harassment as defined and otherwise prohibited by state and federal law. It is the policy of Rock Valley College that sexual harassment or any other form of harassment of a student by another student, an employee, or a third party, is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any student or employee who is found after appropriate investigation to have violated this policy will be subject to disciplinary action,
up to and including expulsion or termination.
Students who feel they have been a victim of harassment of any type, by another student, an employee, or third party, may contact:
Rock Valley College
Title IX Coordinator/Dean of Students Terrica Huntley
(815) 921-4187
T.Huntley@RockValleyCollege.edu
Stenstrom Student Center, Second Floor, Room 2130
3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699
Student Right-to-Know Information
Student Right to Know refers to federally-mandated public disclosure of specified consumer statistics of institutional effectiveness. The Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act (P.L. 101-542) requires higher education institutions receiving federal financial assistance to provide prospective and current students with the following information to help them make informed decisions about the educational benefits available: Graduation, Transfer, and Retention Rates, Campus Security, and other consumer information.
A complete list is available on the RVC web page RVC Student Right To Know.