Riverside City College Leads the Way in Higher Education Technology with Completion of HyFlex Classroom Upgrades
Riverside City College (RCC) has solidified its position as a leader in educational innovation with the completion of a groundbreaking HyFlex classroom upgrade project. By transforming 185 classrooms with state-of-the-art technology, this initiative represents the largest audio/visual upgrade in the District’s history, aligning RCC with other California community colleges embracing this advanced learning format.
This monumental project positions RCC as a leader in higher education within the Inland Empire, offering enhanced flexibility and access for students. By integrating HyFlex (Hybrid Flexible) technology, RCC empowers students to attend classes in person, participate online synchronously, or access course materials asynchronously—all while receiving the same high-quality instruction. Faculty have the option to use this new technology for HyFlex instruction or continue with traditional classroom methods, ensuring the technology complements, rather than replaces, existing teaching styles.
“For many students, flexibility is key to balancing work, life, and education,” said Julio Cuz, Interim Director of District Technology Support Services. “The HyFlex model combines face-to-face learning with synchronous and asynchronous online options, allowing students to choose how they participate in each session. Whether in the classroom or remotely, students benefit from a consistent, high-quality education. RCC is proud to be at the forefront of this movement.”
The project's completion, ahead of the Fall 2024 semester, reflects RCC’s commitment to maintaining forward-thinking environments that support student success.
The upgrades include:
- High-quality sound systems
- Laser-quality projectors with larger screens
- Auto-tracking cameras
- Intuitive touch-panel controls
This achievement results from the collaboration between RCC’s Technology Support Services Audio/Visual (TSS-AV) team, the Facilities team, and a faculty-driven task force that guided the project from its inception in 2020. Pilot rooms were installed in 2021 to evaluate the technology, and based on user feedback and administrative input, planning and design work continued through 2022, refining the specific technologies to be used.
The 10-week execution of this project was made possible through the leadership of Vice President of Business Services Kristine Di Memmo and the dedication of TSS-AV members, including Stephen Ashby, Andy Contreras, Oscar Gonzalez, George (Tony) Brucks, Jovanny Barron, Aleksandra Kyoseva, and Albert Lee. The District Networking team also played a critical role in ensuring network readiness for the new technology.
As RCC continues to expand access, equity, and technological innovation, the completion of the HyFlex project represents a significant leap forward.
“This project brought RCC’s classroom technology into a modern digital environment while providing faculty the option to integrate HyFlex functionality,” said Cuz. “It creates a new standard of technology for future audiovisual projects, ensuring RCC remains a leader in innovative education.”