Despite the Jan. 13 dismissal of Rock Valley College President Roland Chapdelaine, acting President Cheryl Krakow said the partnership between NIU and Rock Valley College should remain stable.

“The RVC-NIU partnership continues to grow. RVC and NIU staff have established ongoing working relationships. We are hoping to expand the partnership as demand increases,” Krakow said.

The Rock Valley Board of Trustees fired Chapdelaine two weeks ago, raising questions about the new administration’s relationship with NIU.

Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Schaefer said the good relations between NIU and Rock Valley will remain unchanged, and they currently are in search of a new president. Schaefer would not comment about the circumstances surrounding Chapdelaine’s departure because of pending litigation and severance issues.

NIU and Rock Valley’s academic partnership allows students to fulfill general education and early major requirements at the community college in Rockford and transfer the credits to NIU, said Nina Dorsch, NIU College of Education chair.

The purpose of completing the early requirements at RVC and then completing the degree at NIU is to accommodate Rockford-area residents who would rather not commute to DeKalb, Dorsch said.

The undergraduate courses available at Rock Valley are in general studies, nursing, child development, engineering technology, public health, computer science and education, said Ann Kaplan, vice president for Administration and University Outreach.

The relationship between NIU and Rock Valley goes beyond the classroom.

NIU and Rock Valley received a $5 million federal grant last October to benefit Rockford School District 205. The purpose of the grant is to improve teacher quality and student performance, Kaplan said.

The grant will fund Project REAL(Rockford Education Alliance), a partnership between NIU and Rock Valley serving as a “pipeline” to mentor high school students interested in the teaching profession, Dorsch said.

Chapdelaine was a vocal supporter of the NIU-RVC partnership, and his successor probably will retain the partnership, Dorsch said.

The popularity of the joint accreditation program should continue unhindered, Kaplan said.