RVCC 2019 NECHE Self-Study

are also guided by the CBA (pgs. 27-29) which outlines Service to Students as a job and
professional responsibility (pg. 12).
Wrap-Around Services
President Williams and his administrative staff have made wrap-around services for
students a priority. In Fall 2018, knowing that 50% of community college students report
being food insecure, the College sought out donations from local grocery distributers to
begin a food pantry on campus. SGA immediately became interested and pledged $2000
per semester to fund free food for students. RVCC became a registered distribution site
with the NH Food Bank in November 2018, and now fresh vegetables, meat, dairy
products, and shelf-ready foods are always freely available for students to have on campus
and to take home. Many students are open about their struggles with food insecurity, and
frequently comment on how they appreciate the free food and how it helps take a weight
off their shoulders and helps them focus in school.
River Valley has also been exploring transportation options for students. Claremont is a
fairly rural area, and RVCC is just far enough outside of the city of Claremont proper that
commuting to the school can pose a barrier for students. In Fall 2018, the IAVPSA began
work with Southwestern Community Services in an effort to put RVCC on their regular bus
route. Beginning with Summer Semester 2019, River Valley will be a regular stop, and will
pilot a program to provide bus passes via student ID card.
RVCC staff have also been renovating the lactation space for mothers on campus. The
Claremont space was woefully inadequate, and the spaces at the KAC and LAC needed
some furnishings. An ad-hoc committee quickly formed, met to explore best practices for
lactation rooms, and wrote to a local furniture store to ask for support. Love’s Bedding
and Furniture responded enthusiastically to the request, and offered new furniture,
lighting, and decorations for the room in Claremont. Next, the committee wrote a grant
and was awarded $5000 to purchase a hospital grade pump, privacy screens, refrigerators,
microwaves, and other appropriate equipment for the three locations. As of the writing of
this report, the three spaces are under renovation with an “unveiling” planned for later this
spring.
Physical & Mental Health Services
As a result of the widespread nature of the area we serve, and the lack of residential
services on campus, there are no physical or mental health services provided by the
College. Instead, the College serves the mental and physical health of its students in two
distinct ways. The first is through the College StART Team. The StART team is a
committee made up of faculty and staff from all three locations. This team holds weekly
meetings to bring any student concerns, whether they be academic, personal, behavioral,
or crisis-related forward and to determine a plan to resolve, observe, or intervene as is
appropriate. The College has compiled information on area support services available for
both physical and mental health needs of students, communicated via brochures, posters,
and the website. All syllabi are required to have the Title IX Statement on them with
contact information of RVCC’s Title IX representative. The statement also includes contact
numbers for local crisis centers in Claremont, Keene, and Lebanon.
68 | P a g e