A Message to CU Denver Parents and Families

March 10, 2020 @ 9:26 a.m.

Dear CU Denver Parents and Families,

I am writing to inform you of the actions CU Denver is taking related to the evolving situation of the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19).  Our highest priority is the health and safety of our students as we coordinate our planning and response. You have my personal assurance that these issues are receiving the highest level of attention on our campus and across the University of Colorado System. 

This notice went out to our students last night. We know you have concerns about their health and safety as well as their ability to finish the semester without interruption.  We are doing everything we can to attend to their physical needs as well as to the continuity of their academic progress.

We have created a taskforce that has been meeting for several weeks; this team has been supplemented by a daily leadership briefing to ensure we stay on top of this fast-moving issue. In addition, we are meeting weekly with our fellow institutions on the Auraria Campus to share information and plan for a coordinated response to the possibility of the virus affecting the Auraria Campus community. 

We are engaging experts inside and outside the university, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to access the latest information and recommendations.

The CDPHE reports nine confirmed cases in Colorado thus far. While none of those are on the Auraria Campus, it would be irresponsible if we did not prepare for the likely event of cases of the virus on our campus.

We have contingency plans for our fundamental activities in teaching and research, including working with faculty to provide alternative delivery methods for classes, either online or via Zoom (an internet platform for video conferencing). It’s important to note that planning for emergencies such as this are ongoing parts of what we do; they do not just happen when an emergency arises.

We are considering implications for Campus Village (our housing and dining facility), and we are looking at what we need to do with regard to the larger events we host. We are restricting travel for study abroad and research purposes to countries the CDC has designated Level 3, including China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. We are requiring administrative approval for all other university-related international and domestic travel.

Our facilities team is conducting deep cleaning of our classrooms and public spaces.  We are working to install hand sanitizers throughout our buildings and are encouraging our students, faculty, and staff to exercise precautions regarding personal contact and to stay home if they are ill.   

We are keeping our university community informed with regular updates. We encourage you to visit our website for the most up-to-date information; the CDC COVID-19 website and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website are also frequently updated. In addition, please join our parent listserv by emailing family@ucdenver.edu as well as our parent Facebook group.

It’s times like this when it’s crucial for our community to come together to address these challenging circumstances.   I am confident we have sound preparation and planning in place, and I thank you for your patience and trust in CU Denver.  We will keep you apprised of any significant developments.  If you have questions, please email chancellor@ucdenver.edu.

Dorothy Horrell
Chancellor