Rend Lake College
Encyclopedia
Rend Lake College located in Ina, Illinois
, is one of 48 two-year, open-admission colleges of the Illinois Community College System
(ICCS), organized under the Illinois Public Community College Act.
and signed by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner, Jr.
in 1961, the legislation enacted created the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). The IBHE was tasked by statute with formulating a Master Plan for Higher Education
in the state of Illinois. In July 1964 the higher education master plan was published by the IBHE, which led to the Junior College Act of 1965. Soon thereafter, the institution was officially renamed Rend Lake College when it was organized December 20, 1966.
The Mt. Vernon Township High School and its faculty served as the initial facilities for the college when it began in 1967. The college began with a staff of 29 full-time and eight part-time faculty members, two full-time administrators and a librarian. Soon after its organization, the RLC Board of Trustees selected a 350 acres (1.4 km²) site near Ina, Illinois
, located between Interstate 57
and Rend Lake
, and began planning a new campus. Voters approved a bond issue of $3.1 million in 1967, to provide for the districts local share of the $9.5 million total cost. Groundbreaking ceremonies for construction were held March 27, 1969, coinciding with the day the college received word of its first North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
accreditation.
The first five buildings of the campus, including Academic, Science, Gymnasium, the South Oasis and Maintenance buildings were ready for occupancy by August 1970, with classes beginning that fall. Phase II and III construction, which included five more buildings began in the Spring of 1971. Phase II and III construction were complete by 1975, which led to RLC becoming the first community college in Illinois to complete its entire facilities master plan. Major remodeling of the Administration Building took place during 1999-2000 and nearly doubled its size while centralizing almost all student service functions in one building. In 2002, off-campus changes occurred with the addition of the Rend Lake College MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon and the Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. In Fall 2005, the Applied Science Center opened on the southwest corner of campus. This 22300 square feet (2,071.7 m²) facility houses the Agricultural Business, Agricultural Production, Agricultural Mechanics, Heavy Equipment and Diesel Technology programs. On August 7, 2008, RLC broke ground on the new Coal Mining Training Center, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) training facility located next to the Mark Kern Applied Science Center. The college received $1.07 million in grant funding from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the construction of the facility, alongside a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to train students in the mining industry. One year later on August 11, 2009, the new facility held its first open house to the public.
. In addition to RLC's two credit learning campuses, the college holds non-credit classes at its RLC Marketplace location. Located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, the RLC Marketplace houses shops and businesses as a part of RLC curriculum.
In addition to the degrees it offers at its two campuses, Rend Lake College currently operates two satellite campuses at local correctional facilities under contract with the Illinois Department of Corrections. RLC holds vocational and rehabilitative classes at IDOC facilities, which are closed to the public.
(NCA) to offer certificates, diplomas and associate degrees. It received the maximum ten-year accreditation approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the NCA during its last review.
Rend Lake College partners with area four-year colleges and universities, such as Southern Illinous University, Carbondale
, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
, and the Western Illinois University
as a part of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide transfer agreement which ensures general education credits are transferable among more than 100 participating college or universities in Illinois. In addition to the IAI, RLC offers students "two-plus-two" programs that guarantee students that the courses completed at the college will transfer to their majors at four-year baccalaureate
institutions.
There are seven primary divisions at Rend Lake College: Advanced Technology, Math/Science/Education, Allied Health, Health & P.E., Applied Science, Skills Center, Liberal Arts, and Special Programs. The divisions offer a total of 43 associates degree programs, and 80 certificate programs.
In 2007, the Foundation began is "Friends of the Theater" campaign. the campaign set out to raise $50,000, one-quarter of the $200,000 needed to make a theatre renovation requested by the school. The campaign raised $72,700 by mid-March 2008. The $282,000 renovation was completed to the theater by the end of March 2009. The renovations included wider seats, wall-to-wall carpeting, acoustic wall treatments and handicapped-accessible seating. The foundation also assists the school by providing scholarships for students. A recent scholarship drive between local business and the foundation raised $44,000 for local area high school students.
the international honor society for two-year colleges and academic programs.
38°7′50.95"N 88°55′8.29"W
Ina, Illinois
Ina is the southern-most village in Jefferson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,455 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Mount Vernon Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ina is located at ....
, is one of 48 two-year, open-admission colleges of the Illinois Community College System
Illinois Community College System
The Illinois Community College System consists of 39 public community college districts, composed of 48 community colleges and one multi-college center where 3 of the community colleges offer additional classes...
(ICCS), organized under the Illinois Public Community College Act.
History
Rend Lake College was founded in 1955 as Mt. Vernon Community College to allow students from High School District No. 201 the opportunity to receive post-secondary education similar to university curriculum. Authorized by the Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
and signed by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....
in 1961, the legislation enacted created the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). The IBHE was tasked by statute with formulating a Master Plan for Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in the state of Illinois. In July 1964 the higher education master plan was published by the IBHE, which led to the Junior College Act of 1965. Soon thereafter, the institution was officially renamed Rend Lake College when it was organized December 20, 1966.
The Mt. Vernon Township High School and its faculty served as the initial facilities for the college when it began in 1967. The college began with a staff of 29 full-time and eight part-time faculty members, two full-time administrators and a librarian. Soon after its organization, the RLC Board of Trustees selected a 350 acres (1.4 km²) site near Ina, Illinois
Ina, Illinois
Ina is the southern-most village in Jefferson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,455 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Mount Vernon Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ina is located at ....
, located between Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
and Rend Lake
Rend Lake
Rend Lake is a -long, -wide southern Illinois reservoir in Franklin and Jefferson Counties near Benton, Illinois. The lake contains 18,900 acres of water, stores of water, and supplies over 15 million gallons of water per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities. The reservoir is up to ...
, and began planning a new campus. Voters approved a bond issue of $3.1 million in 1967, to provide for the districts local share of the $9.5 million total cost. Groundbreaking ceremonies for construction were held March 27, 1969, coinciding with the day the college received word of its first North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
accreditation.
The first five buildings of the campus, including Academic, Science, Gymnasium, the South Oasis and Maintenance buildings were ready for occupancy by August 1970, with classes beginning that fall. Phase II and III construction, which included five more buildings began in the Spring of 1971. Phase II and III construction were complete by 1975, which led to RLC becoming the first community college in Illinois to complete its entire facilities master plan. Major remodeling of the Administration Building took place during 1999-2000 and nearly doubled its size while centralizing almost all student service functions in one building. In 2002, off-campus changes occurred with the addition of the Rend Lake College MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon and the Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. In Fall 2005, the Applied Science Center opened on the southwest corner of campus. This 22300 square feet (2,071.7 m²) facility houses the Agricultural Business, Agricultural Production, Agricultural Mechanics, Heavy Equipment and Diesel Technology programs. On August 7, 2008, RLC broke ground on the new Coal Mining Training Center, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) training facility located next to the Mark Kern Applied Science Center. The college received $1.07 million in grant funding from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the construction of the facility, alongside a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to train students in the mining industry. One year later on August 11, 2009, the new facility held its first open house to the public.
Campus
Rend Lake College currently has its main campus in Ina, Illinois. A second learning center for classes, known as the RLC Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus was opened in Pinckneyville, IllinoisPinckneyville, Illinois
Pinckneyville is a city in Perry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,464 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Perry County...
. In addition to RLC's two credit learning campuses, the college holds non-credit classes at its RLC Marketplace location. Located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, the RLC Marketplace houses shops and businesses as a part of RLC curriculum.
In addition to the degrees it offers at its two campuses, Rend Lake College currently operates two satellite campuses at local correctional facilities under contract with the Illinois Department of Corrections. RLC holds vocational and rehabilitative classes at IDOC facilities, which are closed to the public.
Academics and demographics
Rend Lake College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and SchoolsNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
(NCA) to offer certificates, diplomas and associate degrees. It received the maximum ten-year accreditation approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the NCA during its last review.
Rend Lake College partners with area four-year colleges and universities, such as Southern Illinous University, Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, commonly abbreviated SIUE, is a four-year coed public university in Edwardsville, Illinois about from St. Louis, Missouri. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and is the younger of the two largest...
, and the Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
as a part of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide transfer agreement which ensures general education credits are transferable among more than 100 participating college or universities in Illinois. In addition to the IAI, RLC offers students "two-plus-two" programs that guarantee students that the courses completed at the college will transfer to their majors at four-year baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
institutions.
There are seven primary divisions at Rend Lake College: Advanced Technology, Math/Science/Education, Allied Health, Health & P.E., Applied Science, Skills Center, Liberal Arts, and Special Programs. The divisions offer a total of 43 associates degree programs, and 80 certificate programs.
Enrollment
As of April 13, 2009, Spring enrollment at RLC was 5259, of which 1797 were enrolled full-time, and 3462 were enrolled part-time. In addition, 4092 non-credit enrollees were reported by RLC for the same period. During the prior spring semester in 2008, Student head count at the college rose 12.8 percent from 2004–2008, and rose 8.2 percent for the 2007-2008 year. Most of the increase in enrollment was attributed to recent layoffs at local factories and plants, as well as the introduction of new programs at the college. In addition, dual credit enrollees obtaining college credit while attending high school increased from 3,415 students, to 5,040 students from 2007 to 2008.Libraries
Rend Lake College provides a library within its Learning Resources Center at its main Ina, Illinois Campus. The library has 21,000 volumes, and 145 periodical and newspaper titles alongside online resources and a media learning area. It has facilities for study, research, leisure reading, class preparation, and wireless Internet access for students.Endowment
The Rend Lake College Foundation, an Illinois registered not-for-profit organization, is a separate but cooperative entity alongside Rend Lake College. The goal of the foundation is to support Rend Lake College activities through fundraising and endowment management. Through a combination of fundraising events, investment, and donations, the foundation's endowment grew from $1.3 million in 1997, to $4.9 million in 2007.In 2007, the Foundation began is "Friends of the Theater" campaign. the campaign set out to raise $50,000, one-quarter of the $200,000 needed to make a theatre renovation requested by the school. The campaign raised $72,700 by mid-March 2008. The $282,000 renovation was completed to the theater by the end of March 2009. The renovations included wider seats, wall-to-wall carpeting, acoustic wall treatments and handicapped-accessible seating. The foundation also assists the school by providing scholarships for students. A recent scholarship drive between local business and the foundation raised $44,000 for local area high school students.
Academic clubs
RLC has an active student population, with over 25 registered student clubs involved in academic, competitive, and cultural based activities . The RLC College Bowl, an academic club, competes with other schools in the Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market (SICCM) conference. Having won the state championships several years in a row, the College Bowl team recently went to the Illinois state academic finals after being undefeated for the entire 2008-2009 season. In addition, the campus has an active chapter of Phi Theta Kappa ΦΘΚPhi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa, also ΦΘΚ or sometimes PTK , is the international honor society of two-year colleges and academic programs, particularly community colleges and junior colleges. It also includes Associate's degree-granting programs offered by four-year colleges...
the international honor society for two-year colleges and academic programs.
Cultural activities
The Rend Lake College Cultural Events Committee is a campus organization dedicated to bringing artists in multiple disciplines to both the college and the surrounding area. The main campus also houses an active Theater, which hosts numerous student-organized productions throughout the year. An extension of the theater department is the Thespians, a student led improvisational troop that performs at local area cultural events. RLC also has an inter-college organization known as the Student Ambassadors, who serve as hosts or hostesses, tour guides and recruitment role models to area high school students.External links
- Rend Lake College; official site
38°7′50.95"N 88°55′8.29"W