If you have additional questions, please feel free to submit those through the following FAQ link below. This will help us to accurately document your questions.
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This is from the original FAQ (April 3, 2020) before we combined all FAQs into one document.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to submit those through the FAQ button below. This will help us to accurately document your questions.
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GENERAL
How do I find out more about the coronavirus?
Go to: coronavirus.illinois.gov
Does the Governor intend to issue an order to close community colleges and universities at any point, or do you anticipate any more specific guidance for higher education?
There are no plans to issue specific closure guidance aimed at higher education, based upon the actions that universities and community colleges have taken so far.
It should be noted that this is a constantly evolving situation, so such positions are subject to change.
Is there a possibility that K-12 schools will close completely this year?
Executive Order 2020-05 requires all public and non-public schools to close beginning on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 through Monday, March 30, 2020. Executive Order 2020-10 extends school closures through April 7, 2020. Presumably, instruction will begin on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 although it is not yet clear how instruction will be delivered beginning on that date (e.g., in person, online, remote learning).
During the immediate closure period of (currently March 17, 2020 through April 7, 2020), the days that students are not in attendance are identified as Act of God Days. During these days, work can be assigned, but any work completed during the mandated statewide school closure must not negatively impact a student’s grades or otherwise impact a student’s academic standing.
Have any Open Meetings Act (OMA) requirements been relaxed?
Governor Pritzker issued an Executive order on March 16, 2020 relaxing provisions of the Open Meetings Act, in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. That order can be accessed here: https://www2.illinois.gov/Documents/ExecOrders/2020/ExecutiveOrder-2020-07.pdf.
If for some reason that link doesn’t work you can also access the EO here: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/EO2020-07.pdf
How will this affect ICCB Board Meetings?
With the relaxed Open Meeting Act provisions, the ICCB will be rescheduling its March 20, 2020 Board meeting to April 10, 2020 at 12 noon, in a remote format, then proceeding with its regular board meeting schedule available here: https://www.iccb.org/board-information/board-meetings/
What flexibility do colleges have as it relates to the Higher Learning Commission?
Please see: https://www.hlcommission.org/General/coronavirus-updates.html
Do you anticipate reimbursement for the costs incurred or losses colleges are experiencing?
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budgeting is collecting information about costs to colleges and other entities throughout the state that hopefully will be reimbursable through any aid package that is developed in Congress. ICCB has provided a reporting template to the Chief Financial Officers on each campus.
Non-community college Adult Education providers should also be tracking expenses using the same form. Community College Adult Education providers should integrate their costs into their college’s submission.
Any funds pursued locally through FEMA are the responsibility of the local college.
There are no guarantees that any funds will be reimbursed. It is a priority of the Governor’s Office and ICCB to minimize harm to colleges throughout this emergency situation.
What is your position on requiring staff to be present on campus? Should community colleges be moving toward essential personnel on campus only?
See: https://www.iccb.org/coronavirus-guidance-resources/ for the latest guidance.
Does the ICCB support moving instruction online?
See: https://www.iccb.org/coronavirus-guidance-resources/ for the latest guidance.
We are moving online, but how do we handle CTE courses?
See: https://www.iccb.org/coronavirus-guidance-resources/ for the latest guidance.
Any issue with turning on campus courses into online courses if essential learning outcomes are satisfactorily met?
The ICCB does not approve modality of instruction. That is a local decision. Colleges should ensure that the learning outcomes are appropriate for each of the courses being taught.
Financial Aid – For students enrolling in short-term module programs how is financial aid impacted?
See the U.S. Department of Education’s March 5, 2020 memorandum available at: https://ifap.ed.gov/electronic-announcements/030520Guidance4interruptionsrelated2CoronavirusCOVID19
How should the system accommodate students with disabilities as they move to online instruction ensuring accessibility and accommodations?
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights hosted a webinar and put out a fact sheet that basically advises that services, instruction, and support have to be accessible, and the webinar gives resources and other information.
- Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=&v=DCMLk4cES6A
- Fact Sheet: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ocr-coronavirus-fact-sheet.pdf
This may assist with accessible instruction from Mapping Access:
My college has Recognition documents due. Are they still due or can we request an extension?
Colleges who currently have documents due and are not able to meet the current date for submission should request an extension. Please email Marcus Brown, Senior Director for Academic Affairs and Student Service at Marcus.Brown@Illinois.gov for extension requests.
Can we pay student stipends under the Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) given that these students are not working, but have committed to program? Not being paid would present an economic hardship.
The ICCB supports continuing to pay stipends to students under the WEI grant. If students are unable to attend classes due to COVID-19 and the student and the college have plans to continue the instruction after the end of the closure or extension of spring breaks, the college can continue to pay the student stipend. However, the college must have proposed this stipend under their initial grant proposal. The ICCB will review this policy and will issue additional guidance as needed. The WEI coordinator should consult with the ICCB staff contact.
May students’ dual credit programs continue during the mandatory school closure?
Schools that provide dual credit coursework as a component of serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students must close for dual credit educational programs during the statewide school closure. Please work with your community college partners to ensure that students will not be penalized by these circumstances. ISBE and ICCB are working on additional coordinated guidance.
Per ISBE guidance, “School districts are strongly encouraged to provide continuity of education to students during these Act of God Days through whatever means possible.” See: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Statewide-School-Closure-Guidance-3-18-20.pdf.
How long are Adult Education Programs Closed Statewide?
ICCB is required the closure of all funded Adult Education Programs beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2020 through March 30, 2020, with a presumed re-opening date of March 31, 2020. These dates are consistent with the Governor’s closings of K-12 schools. Closure extensions beyond this point will be considered on a case by case basis by the ICCB, and the program’s adult education administrator must contact Kathy Olsen-Tracey. This does not apply to regularly scheduled closings by the institution or organization which may include spring break, Easter Break, etc. This closure will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.
https://www.iccb.org/wp-content/pdfs/covid-19/AEStatewideClosure.pdf
More FAQs for Adult Education are available at: https://www.iccb.org/coronavirus-guidance-resources/.
Have any Open Meetings Act (OMA) requirements been relaxed?
Governor Pritzker issued an Executive Order 2020-07 on March 16, 2020 relaxing provisions of the Open Meetings Act, in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Announcement from Federal Veterans Affairs
On 13 March 2020, the VA asked all schools to temporarily refrain from making any adjustments to enrollment certifications if training has changed due to COVID-19. With the recent enactment of the S.3503 bill, the VA Education Service Central Office has created the attached document to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions we have received to date. Unfortunately, at this time all scheduled upcoming SCO webinars (26, 27, and 30 March 2020) are full, but please know that these same questions and answers will be shared at the webinars.
This current list of questions and answers (Federal VA COVID-19 Guidance FAQ) focuses on current terms only and the VA is asking for all schools to temporarily refrain from generating any new enrollments for future terms in VA ONCE. The VA will provide further guidance for future terms at a later date.
If you have additional questions, may I ask is that you use the following resource options: SCO Handbook, SCO hotline, contact our ELR Mailbox, or submit a question via Menti portal during one of the scheduled webinars.
Thank you for your continued support of our Nations Veterans, Servicemembers and their Families.