College Catalog 2019-2020 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
College Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Student Services


The College Community

More than lecture halls, more than experiments in the laboratory or the giving of examinations, education is a matter of people. It is the people at Richard Bland College who comprise the campus and animate its character.

Students at the College come from across Virginia, the country, and the world. With the addition of the Patriot and Freedom Residence Halls, RBC became the only residential two-year institution in the Commonwealth. The combination of the rich heritage of our traditional commuter region along with broader perspectives from beyond brings diversity to our campus population, even as our small size helps to ensure a friendly and supportive college community.

The faculty provides students intellectual stimulation and also broad opportunities for cultural enrichment. While their educational preparation and experiences are diverse, the Richard Bland College faculty shares a dedication to teaching and a desire to help each student reach individual potential and achieve academic success.

Through participation in Student Assembly, clubs, athletics, Honors and other organizations and activities, the administration, faculty, staff, and students work together to produce an environment that is optimally conducive to learning and academic success.

Learner Mentors

A hallmark of the Richard Bland College Journey involves the assignment of a Learner Mentor to each incoming student. The goal of this program is to hone the knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits commonly associated with success in the 21st century, and with the RBC Journey. Learner Mentors utilize data to help keep students on track to graduation while nurturing their development as responsible, respectful, and resourceful citizens. Each Learner Mentor provides assistance in navigating their academic journey and creating an academically sound plan of study that will lead to timely graduation from RBC and allow for a successful transition and transfer of credits into a 4-year college or university.

Residence Halls

The Student Village at Richard Bland College currently consists of Freedom and Patriot Halls.

A variety of apartment sizes, including one, two, three, and four-bedroom suites are available. The Office of Residence Life, located in Freedom 104, is responsible for the oversight of the housing program, including room assignments and changes, programming opportunities in the residence halls, leadership development, conflict mediation, and administration of the judicial process for policy violations occurring in the residence halls.

Commerce Hall, renovated in 2018, is another housing option offering traditional style living in single, double and triple options.

Residence life policies and procedures can be found in detail in the Richard Bland College Student Handbook.

Living Learning Communities

The ASPIRE Living & Learning Community (Academic Scholars Program in Residential Environment) focuses on fostering academic excellence. Students participating in this Community are exposed to special opportunities and programs that reinforce academic commitment, build relationships, focus their passions, and encourage curiosity & commitment to lifelong service.

Public Performance Policy

No person or group of persons associated with Richard Bland College shall give a public performance in the name of the College unless prior to the first rehearsal the said person or group of persons shall have obtained from the Campus Engagement Manager written permission to present the entertainment. In order to secure permission, those in charge of the performance must request such preapproval in writing to the Campus Engagement Manager.  If certain facilities on campus are requested, the Campus Engagement Manager will inform Facilities and Campus Security. 

Students Requiring Special Accommodations (ADA)

Richard Bland College does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the administration of its educational programs and activities, including admissions and employment practices, access to, or treatment in its programs and services. The Office of Academic Resources have been designated to coordinate compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulation 28 CFR 35.107. A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available by calling 711-VaRelay/ (804) 863-1615.

Students in need of accommodations must follow the procedures listed below:

Submit their documentation(s) of their disability to the Office of Academic Resources (Donald Payton, dpayton@rbc.edu or 804-862-6100 ext. 6235).

Contact the Office of Academic Resources to schedule an appointment to register for academic accommodations and related ADA services.

Bring all documentation to the appointment including (if relevant):

During the meeting, the ADA Coordinator will review and evaluate the documentation and determine the accommodation(s) the student is eligible for based on the documentation provided.

Any information that is provided by the student, high school, or college/university becomes the property of Richard Bland College and will be kept strictly confidential. The Office of Academic Resources, in consultation with the student (and parent/guardian if desired), will make the decisions regarding accommodations. It is the responsibility of the ADA Coordinator for students to communicate directly with the faculty members and/or other school officials as needed to ensure that proper accommodations are made. If accommodations are not made within a reasonable time, the student should notify the ADA Coordinator.

Classification of Students

Richard Bland College classifies students as Traditional Degree-Seeking or Non-Degree. All students are subject to the general academic policies of the College as presented in this Catalog.