Frequently Asked Questions related to ICC’s COVID-19 Response
This page will provide general information about COVID-19. As guidance changes from the local, state, and national levels, these FAQs will continue to be updated to reflect current circumstances. Please check this page frequently, as questions may be added, removed, or edited.
Will I get a refund for my room and board?
We will be issuing a pro-rated credit for spring semester room and board charges, due to these unprecedented circumstances. We are continuing to review our policy and will provide further details as soon as possible.
How will I get my refund?
Independence Community College will work to update students who are eligible for a pro-rated credit on their account balance in the coming weeks. After this time, students can anticipate receiving any credits in the form of a check.
How can I get items I need for classes, such as textbooks, out of my room?
If a student left items such as textbooks or medicine in their dorm room and need these items immediately, they can contact Mary Bailey at mbailey@indycc.edu or 620-332-5413 and request to have their books mailed to them. Please allow five to seven business days for your request to be processed. Additionally, watch for information from your faculty members about revisions to course requirements.
Can I get back into my dorm room?
For those who are currently away from campus and did not get to check-out of your dorm room, we have a formalized process for checking out. An email with a link to sign-up for our check-out process was emailed to all students on March 19th.
What about students who do not have other housing options besides the dorms?
Independence Community College will continue to evaluate these instances on a case-by-case basis. Please be assured ICC will not move students out of residential housing if they have no other place to stay. Please note formal food service on campus will end on March 30, 2020. All requests should be submitted using the form emailed to all ICC students on March 19th.
How will I get my mail?
Mail will be forwarded once per week to students who have left campus using the address provided on the form emailed to all students on March 19th.
Will classes resume as normal?
Out of an abundance of caution for all members of our campus community, ICC will transition to online courses for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester following spring break. Exceptions to this transition will be identified and communicated to students by faculty.
I need to withdraw from my course(s), how will that effect my current financial aid?
If a student cannot complete their course(s), they may still use ICC’s withdraw process. Students can get the Withdrawal Request form from their Navigator; or students can request the Navigator withdraw them from their course(s). Currently ICC is still required to calculate how much aid you have earned this term based on the day you request the withdraw. Once a student has completed 60% or more of the term, they are entitled to keep all financial aid disbursed to them.
I need to withdraw from my course(s), how will that effect my future financial aid?
If you withdraw from all of your courses, this will place you on financial aid denial for future terms because ICC defines this as not meeting “Satisfactory Academic Progress”. However, the Dep’t. of Education has issued guidance to school that we can consider “circumstances related to an outbreak of COVID-19, including, but not limited to, the illness of a student or family member, compliance with a quarantine period, or the general disruption resulting from such an outbreak.” Student still have to appeal and explain their particular circumstances and all appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you withdraw from some courses, but complete others, our office will review your individual academic performance at the end of the term. If, based on your overall academic performance, you do not meed Satisfactory Academic Progress, you may still appeal and we may still consider the above-listed circumstances.
What if I don’t withdraw, but fail my course(s)?
Similar to the process above, students who are completely unsuccessful in a single term are placed on financial aid denial, but may appeal based on their individual circumstances (including circumstances related to COVID-19). Students who fail some courses, but pass others will have their academic performance reviewed individually and may need to appeal and may appeal based on their individual circumstances (including circumstances related to COVID-19).
Can I still request financial aid (e.g., Pell grant, loans)?
Yes, so long as you are a currently enrolled student and you are otherwise eligible, you may still request student loan(s) and/or complete the process to receive your grant aid. You should contact your financial aid counselor via email to make the request so that our office has the information in writing from you and we can notify you of any additional steps needed (if any).
When will I receive my financial aid?
The Office of Student Financial Aid and the Business Office are making every effort to maintain our published disbursement schedule, which can be viewed here. We disburse aid monthly, but are evaluating student need and will communicate with students directly if there is any change. Students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit, if they have not already done so, to ensure you receive any refund in a timely manner. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, a check will be mailed to you at the permanent address on file with ICC. You may sign up for direct deposit by submitting this form.
I am a Work-Study student, will I still be paid?
Yes. ICC will be paying its Work-Study students based on scheduled hours. Our office will determine each student’s scheduled hours and pay accordingly. Student should expect to get paid the 24th of each month as regularly scheduled. All students should have already signed up for Direct Deposit of their payroll, but if not, you should contact ICC’s HR representative, Lori Boots at lboots@indycc.edu.
Can I return to my on-campus job?
In the interest of public safety, only positions that are essential to the day-to-day operations of the College are needed until further notice.
Will the college still have a graduation ceremony on May 9th?
Following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, all campus-related activities have been cancelled until further notice. To that end, our graduation ceremony will not occur as originally scheduled on May 9, 2020. However, the College is looking at an alternate format and will solicit input from upcoming graduates in the coming weeks.
What if I need help coping with all of this?
We know how important routine is to your day-to-day life. Independence Community College will make every reasonable effort to continue the same support services provided to students while attending face-to-face classes. With that in mind, students will still have access to tutoring and counseling services. Faculty will be available through email and on Canvas. Our Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Support Services office will also be accessible.
Individuals who feel an overwhelming worry or anxiety can seek additional professional mental health support. ICC is providing coaching and counseling sessions for students in need. You can set up a free online or phone meeting with Dan Clark using this online calendar.
Are spring athletics still postponed?
As of March 16, all spring athletic events have been canceled.
How does this affect student-athletes who participated in a partial season?
The NJCAA has an FAQ page that provides guidance to student-athletes.
Are scholarships still being honored for student-athletes even though their seasons are canceled?
Yes. Every student receiving an athletic-based or academic-based scholarship will still have their scholarship fully honored.
How do I stay informed?
All official communication will be sent using your ICC email. Students can also return to this webpage for updates as the situation changes.
What is COVID-19?
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a virus that causes respiratory illness. Symptoms can include fever, cough, congestion, runny nose, stuffy nose, difficulty breathing, severe weakness, and pneumonia. Much is unknown about how COVID-19, a new coronavirus, spreads. At this time, the CDC has advised that it believes it is spread from person to person and occurs among close contacts (about six feet). Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory infections spread. These droplets can land in the mouth or nose of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It’s unclear if a person can get coronavirus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
What is ICC doing to protect the campus?
The Independence Community College Facilities team cleans common areas around campus on a daily basis and have implemented measures to clean and disinfect surfaces in public areas that are touched frequently. We have also increased the number of dispensers throughout campus containing hand sanitize. Hand sanitizer can help prevent the spread of the virus, though proper hand-washing techniques are deemed to be more effective by the CDC.
The CDC also recommends avoiding others as a way to protect yourself (also referred to as social distancing). Planning is currently underway at ICC for the transition to online instruction.