UPDATED Thursday, April 7, 2022 @ 11:30 AM

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF

UPDATED Tuesday, March 29, 2022 @ 3:00 PM

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

UPDATED Friday, March 4, 2022 @ 2:00 PM

Rainy River Community College updates include:

• Mask requirements for indoor campus spaces have ended. Effective immediately (Friday, March 4) NHED colleges will lift the mandatory mask mandate – masks/face coverings are no longer required. Please remember that individuals can continue wearing masks if they prefer.

• Students in residence halls: Starting Monday, March 14, students who live in college residence halls will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or test weekly for COVID-19. Please note, as indicated later in this message, student employees and students participating in clinical settings are still subject to the policy requiring proof of vaccination or weekly testing.

• Athletics: Athletic programs will continue to follow conference and NJCAA COVID-19 protocols.

• Domestic travel approval returns to the college level administrator. The president no longer needs to approve domestic travel requests.

Some aspects of the System’s COVID-19 mitigation plan have not changed.

• Employee, including student employee, proof of vaccination or testing is still required. All employees, including student employees, must continue to adhere to MMB HR/LR policy #1446COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination and Testing. The policy continues to apply to contractors and vendors as well. MMB has indicated that they will be reviewing and updating this policy in the coming weeks, and we will share updates once we receive them.
  
• Students in clinical or internship placements Students may be required to be vaccinated or test by an external clinical or internship placement site and must adhere to those rules to remain in and receive credit for those placements.
  
• Clinical settings require masking. All individuals in campus healthcare such as the HCC dental clinic must continue to wear masks, as the CDC has not changed its guidance on masking in healthcare and clinical settings.
• Case reporting is required. The colleges are required to continue reporting cases of COVID-19 to the system office for publication on the system dashboard.

Click here to view "The Next Phase in our Pandemic Response" from Chancellor Devinder Malhotra.

UPDATED Tuesday, January 18, 2022 @ 3:00 PM

RRCC COVID-19 Campus Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Thursday, January 6, 2022 @ 7 PM

UPDATED Thursday, January 6, 2022 @ 7 PM

00677500_HEERF_Q42021_01062022_rrcc.pdf

UPDATED Friday, October 15 @ 10 AM

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

UPDATED Friday, October 8 @ 2 PM

Rainy HEERF 9.30.21 Institutional report

UPDATED Wednesday, October 6 @ 4 PM

In September 2021, the State of Minnesota implemented a COVID-19 vaccination or testing protocol for all faculty, staff, and student workers.

In addition, we are now implementing this policy for certain student groups, including:

1. Students living in Rainy Hall
2. Students participating in active-season athletics teams

Instructions for attestation and/or testing can be found here:

• RRCC Student eServices Vaccine Attestation
• COVID-19 Testing Protocal for RRCC

We are all responsible for the health and safety of our campus community. Do your part Vaccinate if you can, Mask, distance, and clean. We are all in this together.

Reminder, any student who has proof of vaccination is eligible for a $100 gift certificate in the RRCC Bookstore! This offer is only good between now and November 24.

UPDATED Monday, September 20 @ 11 AM

Student Proof of Vaccination and Testing FAQ

Student Proof of Vaccination and Testing Guidelines

UPDATED Friday, September 17 @ 12 PM

RRCC COVID-19 Campus Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Thursday, August 12 @ 2 PM

As of August 16 all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, are required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.

In accordance with the guidance from the Center of Disease Control (CDC), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and the Minnesota State System Office, Rainy River Community College (RRCC) is required to implement a mandatory mask requirement for all indoor activities if the county reaches a “Substantial” or “High” transmission rate of COVID 19. Unfortunately, today Koochiching County, the county in which RRCC resides, has moved into the “Substantial Transmission” range according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker map.

UPDATED Tuesday, July 19 @ 10 AM

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

UPDATED Tuesday, July 13 @ 2 PM

Dial Back Dashboard

The state of Minnesota has followed the guidance of public health experts and data to make informed decisions during the pandemic. These public health risk measures continue to ensure a data-driven response to COVID-19. More information on these measures including data lag information is available here.

UPDATED Friday, July 9 @ 9 AM

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III

UPDATED Thursday, June 10 @ 2 PM

Rainy River Community College COVID Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Thursday, June 3 @ 10 AM

Vaccination and Mask FAQ

UPDATED Thursday, May 20 @ 3 PM

*RRCC COVID-19 safety protocols have always aligned with the Governor’s Executive orders, MDH and CDC recommendations, and Minnesota State system level guidance. As a result of the most recent Executive Order (attached), the MDH has declared that face covering requirements have been removed for higher education institutions in Minnesota. RRCC will align with that decision and that of the chancellor’s message below. Therefore, There is no longer a face covering mandate for RRCC until noted otherwise.

Get vaccinated. Vaccination is one of the best things you can do to prevent getting or spreading COVID-19. Visit COVID-19 Vaccine (www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/vaccine/index.html).

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommend that anyone who is not fully vaccinated continue to wear face coverings indoors in businesses, public settings, and when around people from other households, as well as outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. People who are not vaccinated, including children, are not required to wear face coverings indoors or outdoors by state executive order, but are at risk for getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

• Vaccinated or not vaccinated, MDH strongly recommends that everyone:
  • Wash their hands often.
  • Follow guidance on staying home (quarantine) if you were exposed to someone who has COVID19. People who are fully vaccinated may not need to quarantine in many situations. Visit Quarantine Guidance for COVID-19 (www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/quarguide.pdf) for more details.
  • Stay home if they are sick

UPDATED Wednesday, April 21 @ 10 AM

Rainy River Community College COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Monday, April 12 @ 9 AM

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

UPDATED Wednesday, March 31 @ 2 PM

Guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health

COVID-19 Vaccine Connector

UPDATED Wednesday, January 13 @ 10 AM

Do vaccinated faculty, staff, and students have to continue wearing a mask?

Yes. All faculty, staff, and students at all Minnesota State colleges, universities, and the system office are required to wear a mask, social distance, and continue hand washing protocols until further notice.

UPDATED Thursday, October 29 @ 3 PM

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

UPDATED Tuesday, October 20 @ 1 PM

CARES Act Funding

UPDATED Tuesday, September 24 @ 6 PM

Minnesota colleges and universities have worked hard to create an environment that will allow students, faculty, and staff to connect with each other safely. Find answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 for the campus community at the following link: COVID-19 and Higher Education Frequently Asked Questions

UPDATED Tuesday, September 15 @ 10 AM

The Minnesota State COVID-19 Dashboard, where you can view just the Rainy River Community College Covid stats, is now live at https://minnstate.edu/coronavirus/index.html

UPDATED Tuesday, August 11 @ 9 AM

RRCC COVID-19 Return to Work Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Friday, August 7 @ 3 PM

Based on Minnesota Department of Health guidance:

• Self-isolate or quarantine immediately.
• Monitor your health, contact your healthcare provider as needed.

You should also:

• If you are a student:
  • Contact campus healthcare services or the COVID-19 contact below for further assistance.
  • Students living on campus should also contact your residence life assistant.
  • Contact your faculty members to inform them that you will not be attending class.
• If you are an employee, contact your supervisor or human resources.
• If you are a visitor, contractor, or vendor, inform your campus contact.
• Contact the campus COVID-19 contact, covid@rainyriver.edu, for additional assistance (please do not send any health-related information to this e-mail address.

For further COVID-19 information visit https://www.rainyriver.edu/college-services/campus-health-safety/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.

It is recommended that you print or take a screenshot of this page to retain a record of this guidance.

UPDATED Friday, August 7 @ 2 PM

Click here to view the RRCC COVID Self-Assessment Screening Tool

Click here to view the Minnesota State COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool Demo

UPDATED Wednesday, July 28 @ 4 PM

NHED COVID-19 Campus Preparedness Plan - 7-28-20

UPDATED Wednesday, July 22 @ 4 PM

Rainy River Community College responds to Governor Walz's Statewide Mask Mandate

UPDATED Monday, July 20 @ 8 AM

CARES Act Funding

UPDATED Tuesday, June 9 @ 8 AM

Student Letter regarding Fall Classes from Dr. Roxanne Kelly

UPDATED Monday, May 21 @ 3 PM

NHED COVID-19 Campus Preparedness Plan

UPDATED Monday, May 15 @ 11 AM

CARES Act Funding

UPDATED Monday, May 4 @ 10 AM

RRCC Digital Graduation Ceremony, May 15, 2020 at 1:00 PM

UPDATED Tuesday, April 21 @ 10 AM

Undergraduate Grading Considerations During COVID-19

UPDATED Tuesday, April 14 @ 12 PM

Colleges work on Contingency Plans for Fall Semester

A message from Minnesota State Chancellor, Devinder Malhotra

Through creativity, a spirit of innovation, and incredibly hard work, our faculty and staff migrated over 20,000 courses to remote delivery for spring semester in a matter of weeks so that now more than 95% of all our courses are being delivered with no in-person component. This amazing achievement has given us tremendous flexibility as we consider our approach for future semesters. There is still much we don't know about the public health and safety challenges that fall semester will bring, but this much is certain: every one of the 30 colleges and seven universities of Minnesota State will be open to serve our students, providing an extraordinary education and adapting and adjusting our educational delivery as conditions warrant to protect the health and safety of our students, our faculty, and our staff.

UPDATED Wednesday, April 1 @ 3 PM

Learning at a Distance

UPDATED Monday, March 30 @ 3 PM

NHED PANDEMIC PLAN

UPDATED Monday, March 30 @ 10 AM

Our apologies for this late notice.

Last evening we received a directive from the Executive Branch that holding in-person instruction, even as we had planned with social distancing and CDC cleaning standards, should be delayed for at least two weeks. This is a change in their guidance from earlier this week.

About 90% of instruction and student services throughout the Minnesota State system have been moved online, thanks to a lot of creativity and hard work by faculty and staff. These classes will continue as planned. However, given last night’s change in guidance, face-to-face classes have been suspended.

I ask that faculty reach out to students as soon as possible to communicate directly regarding specific classes and if course plans have changed for the week.

I sincerely apologize for the late timing of this message and the inconvenience it causes, and I thank everyone for your patience as we navigate through this ever-changing situation.

Thanks so much for all you are doing!

UPDATED Monday, March 30 @ 8 AM

STAKEHOLDER ANNOUNCEMENT: USDA Rural Development Launches COVID-19 Resource Webpage

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2020 – USDA Rural Development has launched a COVID-19 resource page to keep our customers, partners, and stakeholders continuously updated on actions taken by the Agency to help rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Visit www.rd.usda.gov/coronavirus for information on Rural Development loan payment assistance, application deadline extensions, and more.

View the full Stakeholder Announcement

UPDATED Tuesday, March 26 @ 9 AM

NEWS RELEASE - Rainy River Community College responds to Governor Tim Walz’s “Stay at Home” Order

UPDATED Wednesday, March 25 @ 3 PM

March 25, 2020 Chancellor Letter to Students re: Governor's "Stay At Home" Order

March 25, 2020 Chancellor Letter to Faculty and Staff re: Governor's "Stay At Home" Order

UPDATED Tuesday, March 24 @ 12 PM

The Minnesota Department of Health has slightly evolved their guidance for people who live in the same household as someone who thinks they have COVID-19. Their new guidance is as follows (the highlighted areas is what is new):

If you feel you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, The Minnesota Department of Health recommends:

1.Stay at home for at least 7 days, and for 3 days with no fever and improvement of respiratory symptoms – whichever is longer. (Your fever should be gone for 3 days without using fever-reducing medicine).

2.Use the CDC website on how to Care For Yourself at Home with COVID-19.

3.If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days.

a. They should closely monitor their health, and if symptoms occur, they must isolate themselves. More guidance on this can be found here: MDH COVID-19 Basics

b.Use the CDC website for How to Minimize Spread.

UPDATED Friday, March 20 @ 11 AM

NEWS RELEASE - Rainy River Community College Faculty and Staff remain committed to serve students during COVID-19 Outbreak

UPDATED Friday, March 20 @ 10 AM

Rainy River Students, Faculty, Staff and Partners,

As you all know with the event of the COVID -19 virus the college has had to make some adjustments to the way we do business. This includes the way we deliver classes, the way we advise, support, and recruit students and the way we go about our daily work. So many things have happened over the past week that I felt it was important to capture at least some of them here. Let me start by saying thank you to all members of the RRCC community for pulling together to effectively and efficiently make the changes necessary to keep everyone safe!

First and foremost, our primary concern continues to be the safety of our students, employees, and the public.

To that end please note the following:

• Classes will resume on Monday, March 30^th. All RRCC courses will transition to a virtual or online format for the remainder of the spring semester. The decision was made to cancel two classes that were scheduled to begin on March 16 due to the required face to face component – Trained Medication Aide and Phlebotomy.
• Effective immediately all aspects of spring sports have been canceled and the athletic facilities will be closed until further notice
• Commencement - Minnesota State announced this week that in-person graduation ceremonies at all colleges will not be held.

Click here for more details.

UPDATED Monday, March 16, 2020 @ 3 PM

Minnesota State and our colleges and universities are closely monitoring the developing situation related to COVID-19 and are committed to taking steps necessary to protect the health and safety of our faculty, our staff, and our students.

All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to heed the guidance of the Minnesota Department of Health, and in particular, staying home when sick, covering your cough, and practicing good hand hygiene.