CU Denver Work Schedule Guidelines for Academic Year 2022-23

As we emerge from the height of the pandemic, we need to reexamine practices that were put in place during a much different chapter of our history—before our community was largely vaccinated and the world fully reopened. As an interim step in our journey to define and shape our future workplace, CU Denver is implementing work schedule guidelines for the academic year that uses a common-sense approach to fulfilling our mission and business operations while allowing for some flexibility. Roughly 70% of our student body has an on-campus presence during the academic year and, as an anchor institution in Denver, CU Denver has a responsibility to create a connected campus community and contribute to the cultural, economic, and workforce vibrancy of our great city. To help us make informed decisions on our new work schedule framework, we developed a set of guiding principles that speak to our commitments as a higher education institution. As a university, our approach to work must:  

• Align with our mission and 2030 strategic goals for the campus.
• Help recruit and retain faculty and staff.
• Provide excellent service to our students.
• Cultivate a supporting sense of community.
• Meet the core business and operational needs of the university.
• Provide transparency and consistency, and equitably review requests and processes.

We have established work schedule guidelines for our staff to test out for the upcoming academic year. This policy offers three structured options for units/departments based on business priorities and job responsibilities. These guidelines reflect the evolving nature of the workplace while maintaining our commitment to our students and campus community. First and foremost, each unit/department must maintain an on-campus presence during core business operating hours, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (Note that some departments, including those that are student facing, may have additional or longer hours/days and implement shifts at the direction of the unit leader).

The three options are as follows:

1. On campus five days a week.
2. On campus four days a week; one day remote.
3. On campus three days a week; two days remote.

Schedules will ultimately be determined by vice chancellors and deans in collaboration with department/team leaders and supervisors. Individuals who require a remote work schedule (e.g., medical accommodation) will be able to work with their supervisors and leadership to establish an agreement.

Not independently. Vice chancellors and deans will determine schedules for an entire unit based on business priorities and job responsibilities with supervisor/team leader input. The Office of Human Resources and campus leadership will approve unit/department schedules. 

Not independently. Deans and vice chancellors should get input from their employees when determining unit/department schedules. Schedules should be determined by unit/department leadership to ensure business continuity and appropriate in-person staffing in offices.

Units will determine the most effective way(s) to interact with students, which may be in person, online, or a combination.

We recognize the challenges parents and caretakers are experiencing right now with the shortage of childcare options, which is a national problem. Our leadership team is actively talking to the city and private providers in the hopes of securing additional options for our employees with children, but that would be a longer-term solution and one that we cannot guarantee solving for our employees. In the meantime, the Auraria Early Learning Center (AELC) continues to offer full-time programs for children 12-months to 5-years-old. We also encourage CU Denver parents to share tips and resources with one another.

In addition, as seen in recent news, the FDA has authorized the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children 6 months and older, and children 5 years and older can also get a COVID booster, if eligible. This which is a gamechanger for those with children in day care, where outbreaks can sideline parents from jobs, according to NPR.

We understand that the cost of living and the cost of gas continues to rise, which is a pinch point across the board. To offset this, the 2022 RTD EcoPass is available free of cost to all CU Denver faculty and staff and is valid through Dec. 31. In addition, discounted parking passes for the CU Denver building and the Business School are available for all faculty and staff. The Auraria Campus also has several parking lots with hourly and daily fees. In the interest of full transparency, CU Denver is not in a financial position to raise salaries to meet or exceed inflation at our current staffing levels; however, last January our employees received an across-the-board 3% base-building salary increase and a one-time payment equal to 1% of an employee’s annual salary. In addition, the CU Board of Regents has approved a planned 3% compensation pool for university staff and faculty to be awarded based on merit in January 2023.

Employee wellness is a top priority for us, and help is available to those who need it. Below are some of our on-campus resources and virtual tools dedicated to mental health.

You@CUDenver: Get tips and tools for taking care of your health, relationships, and more.

Colorado Crisis Services: Confidential mental health support hotline available 24/7. Call 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Free confidential support for people in distress, including suicide prevention and crisis resources, available 24/7.

Real Help Hotline: The Real Help Hotline gives you access to professional counselors who can help find local resources or provide immediate crisis counseling. The free and confidential service is available 24/7 to all members covered under any of CU’s medical insurance plans.

It’s also important to keep in mind that remote work is not a cure-all for mental health issues, as social isolation and disconnectedness from teams can have adverse mental health effects.

We understand that some individuals may need to work from home for health reasons. Individuals who require medical accommodation will be able to work with their supervisors and leadership to establish an agreement and file an ADA accommodation.

Our Office of Information Technology is diligently working to find improvements to provide a more consistent Wi-Fi experience. If you have additional questions or needs, please contact the OIT help desk at 303-724-4357 or check out the Office of Information Technology website for more resources.

Vice chancellors and deans must submit their plans to the Office of Human Resources by August 1, and new schedules will take effect starting August 15. Unit/departments teams are encouraged to start talking about their approved plans with their employees in early July August. This will be a trial year for the guidelines, and we will be further studying these issues to help us establish what the future of work looks like for CU Denver.

We are constantly benchmarking the activities of peers and competitors as well as best-in-class literature on this topic and seeking employee, administrator, and student feedback. At the end of the day, we need to work in ways that fulfill our mission and serve our students, while still allowing for some flexibility.

As a university with a bold strategic plan and big ambitions, we can't lead from a position of fear. It is true that we may see some attrition, but we have confidence that, by and large, our employees are deeply committed to our mission and our students. It is also important to note that being a best place to work means so much more than working from home; it involves mission and culture, performance, benefits, and a range of practices, services, and offerings that we will study as part of our task force work.

Beginning in the fall, we will form a Future of Work Task Force with representation among faculty, staff, and students to begin a comprehensive study that will help us establish what the future of work looks like for CU Denver, how to become the best place to work, and how flexibility plays a role in our workplace. Please look for more information in the months ahead.

Our CU Denver community has a high vaccination rate (more than 92% for employees and students) and we have seen relatively few cases with campus spread over the past two years. In addition, given a large percentage of residents in the Denver metro region have either already had COVID or been vaccinated or both, experts and public health agencies are not issuing any orders or specific guidance.

We will continue encouraging our campus community to follow best practices: Stay up-to-date on your boosters, get tested when you don’t feel well or think you may have been exposed and stay home when you’re sick. Anyone is welcome to wear masks anywhere on campus. You can learn more about our resources and follow the latest updates by visiting our COVID-19 response website.

We know these can be sensitive conversations to have with your employees. CU Denver offers professional and leadership development opportunities that can help you navigate this unfamiliar territory.

Topics covered in professional development courses include addressing workplace concerns, having crucial conversations, professional development for team members, and more.

The Employee Relations and Performance Department also offers advice, support, and referrals to supervisors who have questions or need assistance. For more information, contact AVC for HR teri engelke at teri.engelke@ucdenver.edu or Employee Relations Consultant Reba Yount at reba.yount@ucdenver.edu

Yes. CU Denver is developing new workplace guidelines that, among other things, address how space is assigned based on job classification and time spent working on campus. If your individual work plan involves you working on campus the hourly equivalent of two or fewer days per week, you are no longer guaranteed dedicated workspace (office or workstation). Instead, you will be provided with access to hoteling workspace (office or workstation) which can be scheduled for your use when you are working on campus and can be scheduled by others when they are on campus. Hoteling space options could include rooms that are available for scheduling only within your unit, or rooms that are made available to larger groups within the institution. More details will be provided about hoteling options later.

Always start with your supervisor and then vice chancellor or dean. If you still have questions, then reach out to your department’s Human Resources representative.

No, the schedule is intended for staff, but we ask faculty to ensure that they are fulfilling their teaching obligations and meeting frequently with students in ways that best serve our students.

Our faculty will be expected to have an on-campus presence for in-person teaching, office hours, and advising appointments as usual.

Faculty’s on-campus presence should be determined by the needs and schedules of their students.

Beginning in the fall, we will form a Future of Work Task Force with representation among faculty, staff, and students to begin a comprehensive study that will help us establish what the future of work looks like for CU Denver, how to become the best place to work, and how flexibility plays a role in our workplace. Please look for more information in the months ahead.

Always start with your departmental supervisor and then vice chancellor or dean. If you still have questions, then reach out to your department’s Human Resources representative.