Faculty & Staff FAQs

Yes. For more information about internships, please visit LynxConnect.

Experiential learning (such as site visits and field research) is still being conducted, although students are encouraged to use remote alternatives when possible. Additional questions can be directed to RCA coordinators for each school or college. A list of coordinators can be found on this page.

About one-quarter of classes (686 of 2,574 sections) include some form of on-campus instruction, either as a completely on-campus course or as a hybrid course. All other classes will be held remotely or online.

No. At present, standard grading policies remain in effect.

• Academic advisors will continue to support students during remote learning. For undergraduates, visit the Undergraduate Academic Advising website and look for Remote Advising Details at the top of the page to get help. Graduate students should work with their primary advisor or program director.
• The Learning Resource Center provides online individual tutoring, small-group tutoring, supplemental instruction, and study skills workshops. Visit the LRC website or email tutorialservices@ucdenver.edu for more information on scheduling appointments.
• The Writing Center is fully remote and offers free workshops and online consultations. The Merc Lab and Math Help Desk offers help through Zoom. They can help students with math and statistics questions. 

The Auraria Library’s webpage provides online resources, such as help with PowerPoint, iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Illustrator, and After Effects.

Students who need support should contact studentsuccess@ucdenver.edu.

Find resources for remote learning on the Office of Information Technology’s website. You can also download common software here. OIT also has a helpdesk that you can use for support with common technology questions or issues.

Before you first return to campus, you are required to complete a brief CU: COVID-19 Return to Campus online training course.

Each day you are on campus, you must complete a daily attestation and check in at a campus check-in station. To avoid delays, have your health assessment ready before you get to the check-in station.

Find a designated health screening location. If a health check-in station is closed, please proceed to a nearby health check-in station. If it is after-hours, on the weekend, or on a holiday, please complete the daily attestation and save your approval email.

While you are on campus:

• Wear a face mask at all times on campus, both indoors and outdoors. For additional mask information, visit the CDC's guide to masks.
• Follow physical distancing by maintaining 6 feet between you and others at all times: when moving between campus buildings, entering buildings, in offices and labs, in classes, and when socializing with friends.
• Follow the posted guidance when in hallways, stairwells, elevators, and common areas.
• Wash your hands with soap frequently and use hand sanitizer before eating and after handling high-touch objects, including door handles, kitchen appliances in break areas, copy machines, and similar items.

You can come to campus after hours or on weekends if you have badge access to the building you are seeking to enter. Please complete the health attestation form online before you come and limit your time on campus unless you have an approved unit return plan or research plan.

Some but not all of the food service providers on campus are open. A map of campus food vendors and additional information is available here.

For food service providers' operating hours, visit this page. Details subject to change.

If you are a new undergraduate student, you will get your ID during New Student Orientation.

Everyone else will get their ID through the ID Station at the Tivoli, which offers online photo submissions. The ID Station is open for in-person services Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended, although they will also accept walk-ins. Check the ID Station website for up-to-date information.

• New graduate students can get a voucher to cover the cost of their ID from their school/college.
• New undergraduate students who did not get their ID through New Student Orientation can pick up a voucher at Lynx Central on the first floor of the Student Commons building.

For questions about your access permissions, contact dc_facilities_dispatch@ucdenver.edu.

No, but they must complete the one-time training and daily health attestation.

Employees should not resume normal campus operations unless they are part of a unit that has an approved Unit Safe Return Plan approved by senior leadership or have an approved research and creative activities plan. Please note that your unit will not be open for regular operations until your unit has been notified of final approval by the Safe Return Team and your approved space has been prepared in accordance with the safety plan.

Yes. Below is a list of locations on campus where shared microwaves are available to use.

Arts Building-197
Student Lounge

Arts Building-299B
Student Lounge

Boulder Creek-115
Vending Room

Cherry Creek-143
Vending Room

King Center-115
Student Lounge

North Classroom-C2000
Vending Corridor

Science Building-1001
Vendor/Lounge Spaces

Seventh Street Classroom-101
Student Lounge

Tivoli Student Union
Food Court (first floor)

West Classroom-150
Student Lounge

West Classroom-238
Student Lounge

Students who have paid the Wellness Center fee may participate even if they do not have classes on campus, and employees who pay may also participate. All are encouraged to take advantage of the Student Wellness Center’s virtual programs.

A complete list of health check-in stations and their hours is located on the Safe Return homepage, as well as on this campus map.

If it is after-hours, on the weekend, or on a holiday, please complete the daily attestation and save your approval email.

Please reference the Temporary COVID-19 Guidance for On-Campus Events and Activities for detailed guidance to this question. If you would like to propose an in-person activity, please submit an application for consideration.

These principles apply to all on-campus events and activities, whether during normal business hours or during evenings and weekends, and apply to all spaces whether indoor or outdoor, whether typically roomed through the EMS system or otherwise, and in both CU Denver- and AHEC-managed spaces. This includes spaces in the Lawrence Street Center, the CU Denver Building (including CityCenter), the Business School, North Classroom, and the Student Commons building.

No CU Denver-sponsored events or activities that are non-academic in nature may be held at off-campus locations unless specifically authorized by the chancellor. Separate guidance has been provided for curriculum-related activities off campus. To avoid liability, units should refrain from promoting off-campus events being held by partners or affiliates.

Please email events@ucdenver.edu with any questions.

Visitors will need to complete a daily health attestation and go to a health check-in station to check in before entering a building on campus. They will need to attest to the department and contact they are visiting.

To limit the overall number of people on campus, we recommend that you refrain from inviting visitors on campus unless there is a critical need.

To reduce campus density and ensure social distancing at all times, on-campus events and activities (anything taking place on campus besides academic classes, approved research and creative activities, and regular office work in accordance with a unit safety plan) must be approved in advance by a Campus Events Committee. Review the Temporary COVID-19 On-Campus Events and Activities Guidance to see if your event/activity is a good candidate for approval and for information on how to apply for approval.

At present CU Denver is not approving any university events held off campus.

• If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination, please reach out to the Office of Equity.
• If you or someone you know needs support or resources, please reach out to the Center for Identity & Inclusion team at cii@cudenver.edu or at (303) 315-1879.

Visit the CDC website for information on countering social stigmatization associated with COVID-19.

You should quarantine—stay at home as if you were sick—and watch for the development of symptoms. Use this form to schedule a free, drive-through test at North High School. Inform your instructors or supervisor.

Yes. If you test positive for COVID-19, inform CU Denver using this form.

COVID-19 spreads primarily through close contact with someone who is infected. The virus can spread even when infected people are not showing any symptoms.

• Stay at least six feet away from others when you go outside your home.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water.
• Wear a face mask in public settings and when you are around others who do not live in your home.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough, and wash your hands immediately afterward.

We will follow any state or local public health guidance that mandates complete or partial closure. In addition, we will use campus and community indicators to determine whether we need to take proactive steps to suspend on-campus operations for a class, office, floor, or building, or if we need to further reduce our on-campus presence as a whole. If the situation calls for it, we will be prepared to return to entirely remote classes and services.

CU Denver conducts campus contact tracing investigations for all positive cases identified on campus. Contact tracing helps provide a contact list of individuals who had close contact on campus with the affected individuals, in accordance with public health definitions. These individuals are then contacted and advised to self-quarantine and be tested.

CU Denver will follow state guidelines for reporting outbreaks and will provide this information to the community.

• We have instituted an online Safe Return training course that is mandatory for everyone who takes classes, teaches, or works on campus. The course describes the safe practices we are required to follow and reinforces that all people on campus are responsible for protecting each other.
• As each building re-opens, we have instituted a frequent schedule of cleaning and disinfecting high-use areas and frequently-touched surfaces, such as door handles, elevators, and countertops. More information on cleaning protocols can be found here.
• We have established health check-in protocols that require a daily attestation as to symptoms and a temperature check.
• Each building has designated entrances and exits to encourage one-way movement.
• Room diagrams and safety markers help facilitate adequate physical distancing in classrooms, laboratories, studios, study areas, student housing, dining areas, offices, and other locations.
• Signs guide people to use the appropriate entrances and exits, observe any directional flows in hallways and stairwells, and abide by occupancy guidelines for common areas, elevators, and restrooms – as recommended by public health agencies.
• To reduce the number of students, faculty, and staff on campus at any one time, we have carefully scheduled on-campus classes and work shifts for staff, faculty, and researchers. Although staff and faculty continue to perform many of their job duties remotely, there are some offices/units that have an on-campus presence. We have asked central support units and schools/colleges to identify those units and work within the public health guidelines to plan for a safe, limited return.
• All persons on campus must abide by safety protocols governing wearing face masks and maintaining 6 feet of distance from others at all times.
• We have put in place a contact tracing team that will follow up with individuals confirmed positive and those who have been in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them on campus.
• Anyone experiencing coronavirus symptoms or who has been in close contact with someone who tests positive should contact the Auraria Health Center for testing and guidance.

If you arrive on campus without a face mask, we have one-time-use and reusable masks available. These will be available for pickup at multiple locations around campus including from health check-in stations, campus Ambassadors, schools and colleges, and in student service offices including Lynx Connect.

Mental Health and Related Assistance for Students, Faculty, or Staff:

• https://you.ucdenver.edu/ has many great online resources.
• The CU Denver Student and Community Counseling Center is providing counseling and mental health services via telehealth and online video calls from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Call (303) 315-7270. 
• The Health Center at Auraria has counselors who can help with undue stress or anxiety, for no charge. Call (303) 615-9999 and schedule a consultation.
• Colorado Crisis Services provides 24/7 free, confidential, immediate support for any mental health or substance abuse concern. Call 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255 to speak to a trained professional.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help you find treatment options for substance use disorders.
• The Phoenix Center at Auraria provides free and confidential assistance to survivors of interpersonal violence (relationship violence, sexual violence, and stalking), as well as their friends, families, and concerned others. The full range of the victim services program will be accessible while the campus is operating remotely. Confidential appointments will be conducted via Zoom or telephone and can be scheduled here. The confidential helpline remains available 24/7 at (303) 556-2255.
• The Arthur and Helen E. Johnson Colorado Depression Center, operated by CU Anschutz, is offering telehealth services.

For CU Employees Specifically:

• The Real Help Hotline  provides access to professional counselors who can provide immediate crisis counseling or help you find additional local resources It’s a free and confidential service and it’s available 24/7.
• The Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (CSEAP) offers free confidential counseling session by appointment on a range of issues, from addiction to stress and grief. Call 1-800-821-8154 for questions or appointments.
• See additional resources on our Human Resources page by clicking on the “Crisis/Mental Health Resources” tab.

Treat students like you would any colleague—first assume no ill intent and provide gentle encouragement and support for following safety rules. Most students will thank you for the reminder.

Willful or continued lack of compliance with safety directions is a violation of the Student Conduct Code that may lead to the student being barred from campus. You can report this kind of safety violation here. If you believe that the conduct is creating an imminent danger to yourself or others, call campus police at 303-556-5000, or call 911.

Gently reminding each other to follow safety rules is important. Assume that the other person is not acting with the intention to harm anyone and just needs some friendly encouragement. For example, if someone in your office is not wearing a mask, you could simply say, “Hey, here’s a mask,” while handing them a disposable mask with a smile. If someone gets too close to you, you can back away while saying, “Sorry, nothing personal, just trying to maintain my six feet!” Think about how you would like to be treated if you had forgotten to follow a safety rule.

If the person actively refuses to follow safety rules even after a gentle reminder, let his or her supervisor know or otherwise escalate it to the proper leadership authority. Continued failure to follow directions should become an HR issue, with consequences.

While it may seem odd, try not to hold in-person meetings even if you are all present. Instead, consider the Zoom meeting the “new normal” no matter where the attendees are. Remember that your goal is to reduce in-person time with others as much as possible.

We are asking faculty and students to conduct basic disinfecting of classrooms before and after classes. Each classroom will have disinfecting supplies in the space. We suggest that students be responsible for disinfecting their chair and desk while faculty be responsible for disinfecting the faculty area. Classrooms will also be cleaned and disinfected at the end of the day.

If you are alone in your office space with the door shut, you may remove your mask. If someone opens your door, you should put your mask back on.

CU Denver is following guidance specific to higher education from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are also consulting with the Colorado School of Public Health and local public health agencies and monitoring data on COVID-19 trends.

Current public health guidance recommends that higher education campuses screen for COVID-19 symptoms. The check-in station procedures in place now represent the most effective way for us to safely screen large numbers of people as they come on to campus. These procedures may be subject to change as public health guidance evolves.

The university recognizes that some employees may have concerns about returning to campus and has developed a Workplace Adjustment Process to help respond to these concerns. If you have not already worked this through with your supervisor, you may complete and submit this form to be considered for workplace adjustment. Please note that you must either be on campus or connected through VPN to access this form.

The university recognizes that some employees may have concerns about returning to campus and has developed a Workplace Adjustment Process to help respond to these concerns. If you have not already worked this through with your supervisor, you may complete and submit this form to be considered for workplace adjustment. Please note that you must either be on campus or connected through VPN to access this form.

Please talk to your supervisor to determine the right working arrangements for you. You can also request alternative working arrangements through Human Resources by filling out this form. Please note that you must either be on campus or connected through VPN to access this form.

• If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination, please reach out to the Office of Equity.
• If you or someone you know needs support or resources, please reach out to the Center for Identity & Inclusion team at cii@cudenver.edu or at (303) 315-1879.

Visit the CDC website for information on countering social stigmatization associated with COVID-19.

Talk to your supervisor. Whether or not you personally will be returning to campus depends on the needs of your unit for on-campus operations and your own set of circumstances. Every unit has submitted a Unit Safe Return Plan that describes the unit’s plan for on-campus operations. While some student-facing units have a regular campus presence to meet the needs of on-campus students, other units may be able to operate entirely or almost entirely remotely. 

Yes. CU Denver currently has revised parking policies in effect.

Gently reminding each other to follow safety rules is important. Assume that the other person is not acting with the intention to harm anyone and just needs some friendly encouragement. For example, if someone in your office is not wearing a mask, you could simply say, “Hey, here’s a mask,” while handing them a disposable mask with a smile. If someone gets too close to you, you can back away while saying, “Sorry, nothing personal, just trying to maintain my six feet!” Think about how you would like to be treated if you had forgotten to follow a safety rule.

If the person actively refuses to follow safety rules even after a gentle reminder, let his or her supervisor know or otherwise escalate it to the proper leadership authority, which may include campus or AHEC security. Continued failure to follow directions should become an HR issue, with consequences.

For an employee to qualify for FMLA leave, they must have a “serious health condition” and otherwise satisfy the FMLA eligibility criteria. COVID-19 will be considered a serious health condition for FMLA purposes depending on the circumstance and the documentation provided by a medical provider. Accordingly, an employee with COVID-19 or an employee who is taking care of a qualifying family member with COVID-19 may be authorized to take protected FMLA leave.

For more guidance about taking leave due to COVID-19, contact your HR administrator or visit the Human Resources website.

Visit the Human Resources website and read their furlough FAQs.

If the course is scheduled as on-campus or hybrid and the syllabi is clear about taking the exam on-campus, yes. However, if a student cannot come to campus because they are ill or in quarantine, you should work with the student to find an alternative. If your course is remote or online, no.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, in collaboration with members of the Safe Return Teaching and Learning Implementation team, has prepared a Faculty Toolkit with a checklist to help faculty prepare to teach online and remote classes, a webpage devoted to Rapid Remote Teaching Resources, and a self-paced course on designing and teaching a virtual course that you can enroll in here.

The Office of Information Technology also has a great webpage on Teaching Remotely. They provide access to resources from CU Denver and from other institutions.

Sign up for a training from the Office of Digital Education. Their Online Skills Mastery course is a great overview of teaching online. You can also check out their online teaching blog.

Want to go deeper? Become a Thinqstudio Faculty Fellow.

You can find Zoom information from the Office of Information Technology. The Office of Digital Education frequently offers workshops on using Zoom.

You can find Canvas information from the Office of Information Technology. Your Canvas course shell also contains links to Canvas guides and FAQs, at the bottom of the left hand bar. The Office of Digital Education frequently offers workshops on using Canvas.

CU Denver does not set requirements for personal travel, but those who choose to travel are urged to take the following steps to protect themselves and those around them:

• Assess the risks and current restrictions in place for travel to planned areas as well as modes of travel, and understand that the nature of travel restrictions and self-quarantine may change quickly.
• Monitor the CDC’s COVID-19 travel page and U.S. Department of State travel advisories.
• Plan ahead and take health precautions while traveling.
• Maps are available showing countries and U.S. states where COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, as well as risk level by state and county.
• For international travel consult International SOS for up-to-date information about your destination. The University of Colorado membership number is 11BCAS000006. This resource may be used for business or personal travel. Please note that International SOS is not an insurance provider, but only an information resource for health and security risk assessment.
• You are encouraged to follow CDC guidance and self-quarantine for 14 days following any travel.

All non-essential university domestic and international travel for students and employees has been suspended. Limited exceptions are available for essential travel, such as essential critical care delivery or mission-critical research activity. Contact your supervisor/unit head for more information about exceptions. The exception must be approved by your school/college dean or by the vice-chancellor in charge of your unit for domestic travel, and also by the provost for international travel.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that international travelers stay at home as much as possible for 14 days following international travel. Additionally, international travelers should consider getting tested and should avoid close contact with people who are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19. For tips to manage a self-quarantine, contact global.ambassadors@ucdenver.edu.