Updates & Messages

What's New

Updated: COVID-19 Policies for Events & Activities

All participants at indoor events must wear masks. Vaccinated event attendees can remove their mask if they are actively eating. Food is permitted at seated, indoor events if some distancing can be accomplished. Banquet rounds of 4 instead of 8 are recommended. Food cannot be self-serve (buffet style), and those serving food must be masked and vaccinated. Receptions are not permitted at this time. Beverages can be enjoyed indoors by briefly lifting your mask during an event or meeting. Outdoor events and activities are generally permitted. If your event will include 250 people or more, political presence, or media, please notify events@ucdenver.edu.  Click here to view more event guidance.

Disciplinary Action for Non-Compliant Students, Faculty, and Staff

Our records show that less than 3% of our faculty, staff, and student population are noncompliant with our COVID-19 vaccine verification protocols.Thanks for all you are doing to keep our campus community safe! Starting Monday, Nov. 1, students, faculty, and staff who have still not completed the self-disclosure form will face disciplinary actions, including restriction to campus and technology.

Reminder: Mandatory Weekly Testing Requirements

If you submit for a vaccine exemption, you have been automatically routed into a mandatory COVID-19 weekly testing program through Primary HealthBio. To be recorded as compliant with this program in CU Denver’s database, you must get tested weekly and do the following three things:

• You must be tested at one of the on- or off-campus locations listed here.
• You must use your university email address to sign up for a testing appointment.
• You must schedule your appointment through this link.

*As a reminder, unvaccinated individuals MUST wear a mask everywhere indoors on campus at all times, including in private offices.

Testing locations:  

• 5th Street Garage (5th and Walnut)    
• Denver Union Station    
• 16th Street Mall (1600 California St.)  
• George Washington High School  
• All City Stadium  
• Aurora Public Schools Professional Learning Conference Center  ( 15771 East 1st Avenue ) 
• Instructional Support Facility - Aurora     
• Lakewood High School 

If you do not schedule your test, you will not be allowed on campus and you will be placed on leave without pay until you complete the required testing. If an employee continues to fail to get tested as required, their supervisor will be notified and they may be subject to additional corrective and disciplinary action, including possible termination.

Students who continuously violate the terms of the mandatory testing program will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. A regular pattern of failing to get tested, refusing to wear a mask while on campus, or failing to regularly complete the daily attestation will result in sanctions, including but not limited to summary suspension, permanent removal from campus, and or expulsion.

Get tested—It’s Free and Protects Our Community!

All CU Denver community members and their families can get tested for free on campus or in the community. Through our partnership with COVIDCheckColorado, you can sign up to get tested at various locations.

Be sure to enter your university email address in all lowercase letters to register.

Booster Shots Now Available at Health Center at Auraria

The Health Center at Auraria is now offering COVID-19 booster shots for those eligible. Under the new CDC public health order, you can get a third shot if you previously had the Pfizer vaccine, got your second dose at least six months ago, and are over 65, have a chronic health condition, or work in a job where you’re at risk of exposure to the virus. This includes education staff (faculty members and support staff).

Booster shots will be administered in the Plaza Building, room 111, Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you must schedule a booster shot appointment at Healthcenter1.com and bring a copy of your vaccine card to your appointment. If you do not have a vaccine card, click here and print out a copy.

If you receive a COVID-19 booster shot, there is no need to resubmit your CU Denver COVID-19 self-disclosure form. CU Denver is not tracking the administration of booster shots at this time.

Free Rapid At-Home Testing Kits Available

Binax over-the-counter (OTC) test kits are now available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Rapid At-Home Testing Program. Click here to request a kit.

Important Reminders

Get Your Flu Vaccine

This year, because of the ongoing and evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the flu season presents additional risks, from concurrent infections to strain on the health care system. The CDC recommends that you and your family members get a flu vaccine in September or October, before the flu begins spreading in your community. It takes up to two weeks for your immune system to build maximum immunity in response to the vaccine, so the earlier you vaccinate, the better. Many locations in the community, such at Target, Walgreens, grocery stores, primary care providers, and urgent cares, offer flu shots.

Reporting Positive COVID-19 Cases in Classrooms and/or Office Settings

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we’d like to update CU Denver faculty and staff teaching in classrooms or working in office settings on how the Contact Tracing Team responds to positive cases of COVID-19.  

COVID-19 Case Self-Reporting Process  

Reporting on COVID-19 symptoms, exposure and testing is essential to the health and safety of our community. All CU Denver community members are required to fill out this COVID-19 self-report form if they:  

• Have had exposure to a COVID-19 confirmed case 
• Are having or have experienced COVID-19-like symptoms 
• Have received a positive COVID-19 test result 
  

If you become sick, please do not come to campus. Let your professor know and stay home until contacted with further instructions.

If You Haven’t Already, Get Your COVID Vaccine

If you haven’t been vaccinated, we encourage you to get your COVID vaccination as soon as possible. All CU students, faculty, and staff are required to get the vaccine if you are on campus this academic year.

Free vaccinations are available on campus at the Health Center at Auraria in the Plaza Building, room 111. Scheduling hours through the fall semester are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Friday. Please also see the CDPHE website for all the locations that offer free vaccinations across the state. 

Events & Eating on Campus

Masks are required in all indoor spaces on campus. Events can continue to be held indoors and outdoors. If you’re offering food, it needs to be outdoors or grab and go. Beverages can be enjoyed indoors by briefly lifting your mask during an event or meeting. Events with food cannot be self-serve (buffet style). If someone is serving food to attendees, they must be masked and vaccinated. This also applies for off-campus events.  At this time, we highly encourage campus members to host events outdoors if possible.

Reminder: Mask Requirement on Campus

Masks help stop the spread of COVID-19 to others, according to the CDC. Due to the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, all individuals regardless of vaccination status are required to wear masks while indoors on campus. Vaccinated individuals may remove their masks indoors when able to maintain 10 feet of social distancing. Faculty and staff with private offices with a door may work mask-free when alone. Unvaccinated individuals MUST wear a mask everywhere indoors on campus at all times, including in private offices.

Compliance with this guideline will be monitored by campus ambassadors. Violations will be reported to employee supervisors or the Office of Student Conduct.

Disability Accommodations 

Because of the ongoing requirement for unvaccinated individuals to wear masks on campus, individuals with disabilities may need accommodations. Students  encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Resources at disabilityresources@ucdenver.eduand employees can contact Human Resources at HR.ADACoordinator@ucdenver.edu.   

Take Advantage of Mental Health Resources

Caring for our mental health during these challenging times is essential. View common questions about mental health resources available to students, faculty, and staff.

Share Your Positive Return-To-Campus Stories

June 1 marked the start of our “soft return” to campus for CU Denver employees. We want to hear your positive stories about returning to the office. What did you miss the most? How does it feel to see your coworkers in person again? What positive disruptions will you carry forward? Submissions will be featured in the Lynx Together newsletter and CU Denver News. If you’d like to share a return-to-campus story, please email alex.dewind@ucdenver.edu.