Frequently Asked Questions

Will a copy of my son or daughter's grades be mailed to my home?

No. The Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, more commonly referred to as FERPA, means that protected student academic information such as grades, academic standing, transcripts, etc. will only be given to the student, not the parent, regardless of who pays the bills.

How does IC handle midterm grades?

Professors upload course grades into Connect2 mid-way through the semester. Students can access their grades at any point during the semester. If your student's grades are not up to par, they are encouraged to seek help from their professors, Center for Academic Excellence staff, and/or tutors.

How do I get access to my student's grades?

The best way to get access to your student's grades is to ask him or her. This is a decision that is best made and discussed as a family.

Where can my student get a transcript? Is there a charge?

Students can access an unofficial transcript via Connect2. Unofficial transcripts are free of charge. There is no difference between an official and unofficial transcript, except that official transcripts have higher security against tampering. The Registrar's office now has Secure Transcripts from the National Student Clearinghouse. It is the secure, electronic way to request and send transcripts. It is easy to use, it is safe and available 24/7, so if your student is working on an application in a dorm room, they can request a transcript at any time, day or night. The National Student Clearinghouse will deliver transcripts anywhere they need to go for a small fee based on the delivery method.

What academic resources are available to my students?

The Center for Academic Excellence exists as a hub of student learning. Located in the HUB in Lincoln Hall, students can receive help in the form of tutoring, supplemental instruction, and individual meetings with academic counselors. In addition, the Center houses the TRIO Student Supports Services program for eligible students. The TRIO program was established at Illinois College to promote the academic success, including persistence and graduation, of a select group of students who are the first in their family to attend college, meet income eligibility guidelines, or have a documented disability. The TRIO Program is funded by a Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education to 140 students per year. Services and activities are free to all enrolled students.

What resources are available for my student who is having trouble selecting a major or career?

The Center for Academic Excellence and TRIO Support Services are available for your student to be able to meet one on one with an academic counselor to discuss their options and help point them in the right direction. In addition, Career Readiness and Experiential Learning area all located in the newly created HUB in Lincoln Hall.

Where can students find out what computer is right for them?

Information Technology (IT) at Illinois College recommends the following system specs when purchasing a PC:

Operating System: at least Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X 10.10
Storage: 256GB solid-state hard drive or larger
Memory: 8GB or larger
Processor: Intel i5/AMD A10 or better
Wireless: 802.11 n, ac
Warranty: 3-year warranty is recommended

It is not necessary to purchase anti-virus protection such as Norton, MacAfee, WebRoot, etcc. The free Microsoft software called Windows Defender works just as well as any of these retail subscription anti-virus programs, and is already installed with Windows 8.1/10. In most cases uninstalling the trial version of whatever antivirus that may have come with your laptop is all that needs to be done to activate Defender. Similarly for Mac users, you can download AVG antivirus for free.

How is technical assistance for computer problems handled?

The IC technical support information can be found at the ServiceDesk site or by stopping by the in-person support desks on campus. The service desks can be found in Schewe Library and Crispin Hall, 3rd floor.

Where can my student go to cash a check?

Students may cash a personal check for up to $50 in the Office of Student Financial Services, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Can my student's bill be paid online?

Online payments may be made through the Connect2 portal.

Online Payments - STUDENTS ONLY (Authorized users see below)
- Log into Connect2
- Click on "Students" tab at the top
- Select "Student Accounts" link on the left-hand side of page
- Select "My Account Balances"
- Choose "Make A Payment"
Online Payments - AUTHORIZED USERS ONLY (Authorized user making a payment)
- Sign into Connect2 with your ID number and your password
- Click on "Parents/Family" tab at the top
- Select a student
- Select "Student Account Information"
- Select "My Account Balances"
- Select "Make A Payment"
HOW TO SET UP AN AUTHORIZED USER
- The student will log into Connect2
- Select "Parent and Family Access" on left-hand side of page
- Select "Define New Permissions"

Who should my student contact to update contact information?

Students can update their contact information in the Office of the Registrar during office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Everyone, including parents with ID numbers and pins for Connect2, can update their information online at anytime. After logging into Connect2, go to Personal Info next to the name. Then go to Biographical Information and click on the pencil to edit the information.

What should my student do if he or she is sick?

Chesley Health and Wellness Clinic hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon and Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. for health questions, unless otherwise posted.

The Chesley Health and Wellness Center staff are here to help your student with any medical concern. However, patients are seen by scheduled appointment only. To make an appointment, please have your student call 217.245.3038.

What should my child do in the event of an emergency if Health Services is not open?

If your student needs medical care or advice after the Health Services office closes, which is at 5 p.m. on weekdays or anytime on the weekends, please have them consult the information below to obtain the care or advice you need:

How secure are the residence halls?

All exterior doors to the residence halls are locked 24 hours a day and require the student's ID to let them gain access into their assigned hall. Also, there is a student staff member in the building every night that is on-call to provide assistance if an issue arises. We do encourage all students to lock their room doors when they leave to help secure their belongings.

When does my child have to move out after final exams?

Students are expected to check out of their residence hall within 24 hours of their last final or at 4:30 p.m. on the last day of finals (as they are published on the academic calendar), whichever time comes first. If there is a need for a student to stay past this time, they will need to get prior approval form the Office of Residential Life which may also include an additional fee for staying late.

Does my son or daughter need to remove any items from his or her room during breaks?

No they do not; students can keep all of their belongings in their room during the breaks. Some students do take home their valuables, though. However, if your student will not be returning to Illinois College for the upcoming semester, then they would be expected to remove all of their items and complete a full check out with their RA before leaving campus. Please review the break schedules for the year so that you and your student can make the appropriate travel arrangements well in advance.

What is IC's visitation policy for the residence halls?

Visitation hours are from 8 a.m. until 12 midnight, Monday through Thursday, with 24-hour guest visitation from 8 a.m. Friday until 12 Midnight Sunday. All guests must be approved by your child's roommate(s).

Illinois College defines a guest as a person visiting residence hall or room to which they are not assigned. For residential students, a guest is defined as any student not assigned to that room, regardless of gender or hall assignment. Each resident is directly responsible and will be held accountable for the actions of any of his/his guest(s). All guests must be escorted at all times. The residents of each hall have priority use of all facilities of that hall and guests are subject to the regulations of that hall. Prospective student guests must also be registered with the Office of Admission. Campus hosts/hostesses are responsible for their guests during their stay on campus. All guests are subject to regular College and residence hall regulations. Any guest staying for more than two nights or any time outside of visitation hours must be approved by the Office of Residential Life.

What should my child do if he or she does not get along with his or her roommate?

The RAs are trained to assist your student in dealing with any roommate conflicts that may arise. The includes meeting with the residents within the first few weeks of school to create a roommate agreement so that both students know what to expect from the other. This is done to try and alleviate any issues before they become a problem. If there continues to be an issue, we ask that the roommates meet with the RA again to review the agreement and try to come to a resolution on whatever the issues may be. Normally, through good communication and a willingness by the residents to resolve the issue, most roommate conflicts can be resolved. However, in extreme cases, there may be a need for one of the students to relocate, but this is not considered until the other avenues have been considered. Our hope is that through mediation we can help students by teaching them how to resolve their conflicts which would prevent either student form having to move rooms. If a room move becomes necessary, then one of the students would have to agree to be the one to move to the other room.

What precautions & communication measures are set up in the event of an emergency on campus?

Safety and security issues are extremely important concerns of parents, students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. As an academic community made up of approximately 1,000 students plus a faculty and staff population of just over 200, Illinois College understands this concern. We accept the responsibility for providing a learning and living environment that is as free as possible from any threats to the safety or well-being for all of us who live and work here.

Illinois College has contracted with e2Campus to provide the service, which enables students, faculty and staff to "opt in" to be notified via text message in the event of an emergency, security alert or weather alert. Please encourage your student to sign up!

IC Alert
- The Illinois College state-of-the-art emergency notification system IC ALERT sends emergency notifications and important messages from the College to your student's mobile phone and email addresses, including "pop-ups" to Google and Yahoo.
- The Department of Public Safety urges all students to sign up for this service and share this information with family members. Although e2Campus can notify the entire campus of an emergency within minutes, it only works if you take a minute to register yourself in the system. Privacy note: The e2Campus notification system will only be used to communicate important information during a potential emergency, such as a severe weather warning, gas leak, fire, bomb threat, crime watch, power failure, boil-water advisory, or other event. Illinois College will not share your private information with any other party. Regular text messaging rates from your carrier apply.
CAMPUS OUTDOOR WARNING SYSTEM
- As one element of the Illinois College alert system, the College installed an outdoor warning siren on the roof of Turner Residence Hall. In the event of an emergency which urgently threatens safety of persons outdoors, the College may sound the siren. The siren tones are designed to be quite loud, distinct and the sound will carry throughout the campus and should easily be heard by those outdoors on campus.
- This siren is designed to be heard OUTDOORS ONLY. While some personnel on campus may be able to hear the siren indoors, that was not the primary intention. The pre-recorded and live public announcements that may follow the siren tones may echo among the buildings on campus and how well you will be able to understand the messages will depend on your location. We are aware that in some areas of the campus the messages may be difficult to understand.

Will parents be notified in the event of a crisis on campus?

Illinois College's IC Alert campus emergency notification system texts subscribers with timely information about emergencies that affect our campus. This service is also available to parents and guardians of current students. To learn more and to sign up, visit the IC Alert page