Important Campus Changes Coming, Starting June 1

April 30, 2021

What to Expect Starting June 1

As Chancellor Elliman shared earlier today, important changes are coming to campus starting in June. Read more below. 

These changes are NOT intended to suggest a full return to on-campus operations as of June 1, but rather to provide new protocols and guidelines to help us maintain a healthy community as we continue a slow and steady return.

Details of how we will implement these changes are underway now. Look for continued updates via email and our campus coronavirus website.

Phased Return to On-Campus Activity

Academic Activity: Students will begin returning for on-campus courses beginning in June and throughout the summer months, per the standard academic schedule. Summer educational programs that are currently scheduled as hybrid will make their own decisions as to whether to continue as scheduled or pivot to additional in-person learning activity.

Administrative Activity: Administrative units planning for return are no longer required to complete return to campus forms. Units may make their own decisions within campus guidelines that best serve their work unit and function, while also protecting students and employees and helping to preserve workplace safety. 

Research Activity: Laboratory, vivarium, clinical and community research will continue at its current operational status until June 1. Research administration will work with COVID officials to update guidelines reflecting the changes described here to ensure the safety of researchers and participants. A separate communication regarding changes in vivarium operations will be sent to impacted research groups.

Supervisor/Unit Head Responsibility: It is the responsibility of supervisors/unit heads in all areas to plan and oversee a safe return to campus schedule that is appropriate to their operations and function. Supervisors/unit heads and HR directors are also responsible for documenting work arrangements, per campus policy, for the members of their teams.

Supervisors/unit heads may ask their students and employees about their vaccination status in order to facilitate planning. It is wholly up to students and employees whether to voluntarily provide information about their vaccination status, and they may choose to decline. Unvaccinated individuals will be required to follow alternative procedures on campus, which may include regular COVID-19 testing and mask-wearing at all times; more to come soon. 

COVID Officials: COVID officials will remain in place for the foreseeable future, and will be assigned in administrative areas. New responsibilities aligned with changes to campus protocols will be determined for those holding this role over the coming weeks.

Changes to On-Campus Protocols

Building Entry & Access: Building exterior doors will remain under badge access for the foreseeable future. Each person must badge-in individually; please do not hold the doors for others. All movement restrictions within university buildings will be eliminated, except where applicable during pre-COVID operations. 

Daily Health Questionnaire: The daily health questionnaire, or “attestation,” requirement will be lifted for fully vaccinated students, employees and visitors. Unvaccinated individuals will be required to complete the health questionnaire daily in order to be on campus.

Masks: Masks will be recommended but optional, both indoors and outdoors, for fully vaccinated students, employees and visitors on campus. Masks will continue to be mandatory for unvaccinated individuals at all times except when outdoors and able to safely keep 6 feet or more from others. See “Events, Gatherings & Activities” below for additional mask guidance.

Physical Distancing: Physical distancing requirements will be eliminated, both indoors and outdoors, for fully vaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated individuals must maintain 6 feet or more of distance between themselves and others at all times, both indoors and outdoors. Full PPE may be required in certain settings, such as anatomy labs, when distancing cannot be maintained for essential in-person activity.

Self-Reporting & Contact Tracing: Self-reporting will continue to be required of anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, tests positive or may have been exposed, regardless of vaccination status. Our highly effective contact tracing program will remain in place, to help safeguard community health. 

Visitors: Fully vaccinated visitors are allowed on campus in all areas without the need to complete the daily health questionnaire, wear masks or observe physical distancing, unless attending events of 25 or greater people. Unvaccinated individuals may visit campus but must complete the daily health questionnaire, remain masked at all times (unless outdoors and able to safely keep 6 feet or more from others), and observe physical distancing indoors and outdoors on campus.

Events, Gatherings & Activities

Masks:

• Indoors:
  • Masks will be mandatory for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, for indoor events, gatherings or activities of 25 or more people.
  • Masks will be recommended but optional for fully vaccinated individuals, and mandatory for unvaccinated individuals, at indoor events, gatherings or activities of fewer than 25 people.
• Outdoors:
  • Masks will be recommended but optional for fully vaccinated individuals for outdoor events, gatherings or activities of any size.
  • Masks will be recommended but optional for unvaccinated individuals for outdoor events of any size, provided they maintain 6 feet or more of physical distancing.

Venues:

• Indoors: Space in university buildings is currently being allocated to academic and educational activities. Once this process is completed, and all academic space needs are met, space will be made available for those wishing to schedule other events, gatherings and activities. If planning an indoor event at an off-campus venue or location, please be prepared to follow relevant CU Anschutz protocols, as well as those in place at the event venue and health department in that county.
• Outdoors: Students and employees may hold on-campus events, gatherings and activities outdoors, so long as the mask protocols above are followed.

Parking

A part-time parking option is under development and details will be shared soon. This will enable those returning to campus to choose from full-time and part-time parking pass options, as well as daily visitor parking.

Remote Work Policy

The remote work policy has been updated, and provides guidance and requirements for supervisors navigating ongoing full-time and part-time remote work, as well as hybrid work arrangements, by individuals in their units. A formalized agreement documenting remote work arrangements is required for safety and risk reasons, and forms are available in the policy document. These agreements should be in place by Labor Day.

Travel

The suspension of university-sponsored travel will be lifted June 1 for those fully vaccinated. We previously announced plans to lift suspension of domestic travel, and are now also lifting suspension of international travel for those fully vaccinated. Travelers are required to follow CDC travel and safety precautions, and observe any protocols in place at your destination.

See CDC guidelines for personal travel.

Vaccination Requirement by September 1

As announced this week, the University of Colorado will require that all students and employees on all four campuses be fully vaccinated ahead of fall semester, following FDA approval of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines. 

At CU Anschutz, we ask that you be fully vaccinated no later than September 1, 2021, and we encourage you to get the vaccine at your earliest convenience if you have not yet done so. Medical or religious exemptions will be allowed, and a process for requesting exemption is under development now. Those who qualify for exemptions must continue to complete the daily health questionnaire, wear a mask and maintain physical distancing, and may be subject to regular COVID-19 testing. Please note that the total timeframe for becoming fully vaccinated may be as long as 6 weeks, and plan accordingly.

Please note that supervisors/unit heads may ask students and employees about their vaccination status in order to facilitate planning. It is wholly up to students and employees whether to voluntarily provide information about their vaccination status, and they may choose to decline. Those who choose not to share their vaccination status must continue to complete the daily health questionnaire, wear a mask and maintain physical distancing, and may be subject to regular COVID-19 testing.