Mission Statement :

Rend Lake College believes in the democratic ideal of providing educational opportunities to all who desire and can benefit from them, in keeping with the specific needs of the community and general expectations of society. The college sees its success as inseparable from the success of its students. Through its community service programs and the process of instructing and training students in the fundamental skills of its baccalaureate and vocational programs, the college endeavors to be an active leader in the economic, cultural, and social development of the region.

In order to succeed in its mission, RendLakeCollege has set forth the following goals:

Community :

Maintain fiscal responsibility by exercising sound fiscal management practices.

Maintain an open admissions policy while establishing standards for entry into course programs. When student abilities fall below those standards, the institution will provide a college preparatory program of study that facilitates success in college-level academic and/or career-oriented class work.

Provide student services that ensure student success, including academic, financial and personal support programs.

Formulate partnerships with other institutions and agencies to ensure student success in achieving the college's baccalaureate and vocational goals.

Contribute freely to the economic development of southern Illinois and improve the quality of the region's labor force by providing short- and long-term training programs and offering job placement assistance.

Baccalaureate:

Develop in students solid communication and critical thinking skills. The college expects graduating sophomores to meet the minimum expectations of writing and speaking with clarity and coherence, as well as thinking and reading critically.

Increase awareness and understanding of the social, philosophical, historical and artistic concepts that shape our society.

Develop and enhance students' understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts.

Develop and enhance students' understanding of the principles of the life and physical sciences.

Vocational:

Ensure that students seeking occupational certificates complete the program with the technical knowledge and skills required of an entry-level position within their chosen occupational field.

Ensure that students seeking Associate of Applied Science degrees complete their program of study with the requisite technical knowledge and skills, as well as the academic foundation necessary for successful entry and continued advancement in their chosen occupational field.

Provide access to real-life situations and training that yields immediately transferable on-the-job application for all occupational students

Immediate Objectives:

The following Immediate Objectives come directly from the strategic planning process implemented campus wide. They reflect concerns on which the college will focus in the near future as a means of successfully reaching the college's goals:

Revise existing curriculum and develop new programs of instruction to meet changing needs and technological developments.

Add regional and/or state programs to the college curriculum.

Expand use of nontraditional instruction techniques such as distance learning,

volunteerism, service learning and cooperative education.

Increase educational services to in-district K-12 population.

Provide short-term training needs of businesses and citizens of area through seminars, contract training, CEUs, consulting and certification programs, with emphasis on computer certification area.

Provide cultural and enrichment activities for citizens of the district.

Strengthen and expand student support services.

Enhance image of the college as a quality educational institution.

Maintain and expand college facilities, with an emphasis on improving the grounds.

Exercise sound fiscal management practices.