To support transparency and shared understanding across the college, Staff Council will share a weekly summary of key operational updates discussed at the College Operational Leadership Team (COLT) meeting. You can view this week’s summary here: COLT Meeting Summary 2.16.2026TS.pdf.

If you are interested in learning more about Colorado College’s operational governance framework, including the purpose and current work of Standing and Temporary Operational Groups, please visit the Operational Governance webpage.

Sincerely,

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” 
— Audre Lorde 

We are at an inflection point. One year after a major shift in how we understand our rights and responsibilities in higher education and across the country, I find myself struggling to focus. Which outrage? Which indignity? Which organization is most in need of my limited attention and support? Even in small moments, I catch myself wondering: Should I post this funny TikTok? If I do, will people think I don’t care? 

History reminds me that great joy and great pain have not only coexisted—they have sustained one another. Not by coincidence, but by necessity. 

The Harlem Renaissance blossomed with extraordinary Black art, literature, and music while the Great Depression and Jim Crow segregation devastated Black communities. Following emancipation and the Civil War, Juneteenth celebrations and the founding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities emerged as acts of hope and institution-building amid violent backlash. Queer and trans activists, many of them Black and Latine, transformed the Stonewall uprising into annual Pride celebrations that continue to hold both protest and celebration, visibility and resistance. 

Joy is not disengagement. Joy is community. Joy is preservation. Joy is resistance. 

Where are you finding spaces of connection, laughter, and collective care? I encourage you to explore the offerings highlighted in this newsletter and more on our newly launched social media channels (On Instagram and on Facebook). If you are not finding what you need, please reach out. We would be honored to help connect you with resources on campus and in the broader community. 

You do not have to choose between outrage and laughter, grief and celebration, advocacy and rest. Holding both is not a contradiction. It is part of the complexity of being fully human. 

In solidarity, 

Rosalie

Recently, news outlets have been reporting on important updates to major headlines impacting higher education of the past year. Here are a few: 

As we continue to navigate these challenges, IEB encourages you to regularly check out the resources page for information on knowing your rights, how to find an attorney, training opportunities and local and/or national community-based organizations.

We will also be installing Know Your Rights displays with multilingual wallet sized cards across campus. Grab yours today!

If you have a resource to share, email belonging@coloradocollege.edu“> belonging@coloradocollege.edu.

Excel at CC: Building Equitable Programming and Policies 

CC strives to create a campus where everyone is included and valued. In this session, you’ll learn about the Equity Audit Tool and how it can support the development of programs and policies that center inclusion and belonging. Register through Bridge. 

Date and Time: Thursday, Feb. 19, from 2- 3:30 p.m.  

Location: South Hall Commons 

Instructor: Christopher Sewell 

The cover of Noor by Nnedi Okorafor.

Pick up your copy of Noor by Nnedi Okorafor at the CC Bookstore with your CC ID. Join us on Monday, March 2 from 12-2 p.m. for an ABC-IEB lunch with invited guest, Brenna Swift ‘’09. This lunch gathering will invite us to explore the characters, themes, and genre in Okorafor’s Noor and offer an opportunity to learn more about disability justice and its intersections with Afrofuturism. Please RSVP by Wednesday, Feb. 25. We look forward to seeing you there—additional details are forthcoming. 

Thursday, Feb. 19, 12:30 p.m.- 2 p.m.: Taste of the Black Diaspora
The Butler Center hosts a cultural program featuring actress Aba Arthur, highlighting global Black identities and traditions. Lunch is provided. Event held Thursday, Feb. 19, in Hybl Main Space from 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 24: Black History Month Guided Visit
A guided visit open to all students, exploring historical spaces and narratives. Meet at The Butler Center Lounge at 12:30 p.m. Sign‑up via QR code provided on the flyer.

Wed., Feb. 25: BlacKKKlansman Screening

Join The Butler Center for a screening of Spike Lee’s film BlacKKKlansman (2018), based on the true story of Ron Stallworth. The event takes place Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. in the Cornerstone Arts Center Screening Room and includes a discussion after the film.

Sat., Feb. 28: Black Excellence on Every Slope

Experience “Black Excellence on Every Slope,” a gathering celebrating Black skiers, snowboarders, and winter adventurers. Held Saturday, Feb. 28 with additional programming on Saturday, March 7. Participants can network, connect, and enjoy culture on the mountain.

Tues., March 3: Soup! Soup! Soup!

Stop by Sacred Grounds for homemade soup and conversation on Tuesday, March. 3, Week 3 of Block 6, from 5 p.m.–6 p.m. 

Jan. 19-June 19: Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History, El Pueblo History Museum, El Pueblo, CO. “Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History is a thought-provoking traveling exhibition that shares fascinating stories and artifacts from the lived experiences of Black Coloradans whose contributions have long been ignored.”

February: Black History Month, Pioneers Museum, Colorado Springs, CO. Join the Pioneers Museum in the month of February for a guided tour through their exhibits to explore how “African Americans have continued to socially, politically, intellectually, culturally and economically shape the Pikes Peak Region.” One-hour tours are offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Saturday, Feb. 21: International Mother Language Day is observed annually on  to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism (UNESCO, 1999). The date honors the 1952 Bengali Language Movement, where protestors sacrificed their lives for the right to use their mother tongue. The Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education supports international and domestic linguistically diverse students in their academic mission at Colorado College. To learn more, scan the QR code.

Saturday, Feb. 21,1-2:30 p.m.: Reclaiming Land, Reclaiming Joy: Black History Month Panel, Jefferson County Parks & Open Space Headquarters, Jefferson County, CO.

Join park rangers and leaders for “[t]his conversation [which] will explore how Black communities are reclaiming lands shaped by painful histories and transforming them into spaces of healing, joy, and belonging. Panelists will reflect on resilience, outdoor equity, and ways to create more inclusive landscapes—particularly within predominantly white communities.” Registration required.

Feb.–April: Drop‑In Career Coaching
The Butler Center and Career Center offer resume and cover‑letter support, interview prep, internship/job strategies, and general advising. Sessions on Feb. 3 & 17, March 3 & 24, and April 7 in the Butler Center Lounge (Worner 226) from 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

Wed., Feb. 25: Contemplative Inquiry.

Contemplative Inquiry invites faculty and staff to gather for intentional reflection, listening, and community connection. Held every 2nd Wednesday, including Wed., Feb. 25, from 3:45 p.m.–4:45 p.m. in Sacred Grounds.

First and second Wednesday of the Block: Financial Aid Wednesdays

Meet with Financial Aid Counselor Graysen Devito for guidance on navigating financial aid. Held the 1st and 2nd Wednesday of each block, 12:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m., in Worner Campus Center, room 218.

March Sense of Place: Colorado College with Adrienne Seward, Professor Emerita of English.

Stop by IEB’s Sense of Place: Colorado College display highlighting Adrienne Seward, Professor of English from 1981-2012. Come to better understand how CC’s sense of place has been shaped by her teaching and service at CC. Fireplace, Worner Campus Center. More details forthcoming. 

Saturday, April 4: NASU Powwow.

Join CC’s Native American Student Union in welcoming families, dancers, and neighbors to the Annual NASU Powwow. Robson Arena.  

Saturday, May 2, noon-2 p.m.: Community Listening Session, CO Black Equity Study.

Join the Colorado Black Equity Study for their sixth Community Listening Session. Learn about their progress and contribute to the study by sharing your lived experience in a guided table discussion format facilitated by the research team. Gaylord Hall, Worner Campus Center.

IEB offers up to $250 in co-sponsorship funding for campus events that promote equity and justice. Departments, offices, student groups, and athletic teams may apply by submitting the request form and required materials. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions issued within two weeks. Funded events must acknowledge IEB’s support and include the IEB logo on all promotional materials. For questions, contact Institutional Equity and Belonging or review this form.

Deadline Approaching – The IEB leadership team offers a grant program to support antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) learning opportunities beyond our department’s budget capacity, helping offset costs for those who wish to participate in, attend, or create ADEI programming. To apply, complete this form describing your funding needs by Sunday, March 1, for Spring 2026 activities; requests take at least two weeks to review, so submit at least one month in advance. Applications are evaluated for alignment with IEB’s focus on designing infrastructure, cultivating community, and building capacity, through an antiracist lens that promotes mental wellness and sustainability. Drop-in office hours: Tuesdays, Feb. 17 and 24 from 2-4 p.m.

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

All performances are FREE and take place in Packard Hall unless otherwise indicated.

A Lecture-Recital by Dr. Laura Farré Rozada, pianist and mathematician
Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. 
Award-winning pianist and mathematician Dr. Laura Farré Rozada gives a lecture-recital on Conceptual Simplification — a new method, informed by mathematics and computer science, for enhancing musical memory and performance.

We Lit a Fire and Trusted the Heat (After Angela Davis): A Sonic Sculpture and Performance by Maria Gaspar and Thaddeus Tukes
Friday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m., FAC Dickenson Gallery 
Musician Thaddeus Tukes plays a variety of percussive instruments, including interdisciplinary artist Maria Gaspar’s sonic sculpture made of iron bars salvaged from the demolition of two housing blocks formerly operated by the Cook County Department of Corrections in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. Through the sounding of carceral debris, materials of confinement transform into resonant sites of collective imagination and liberation. In conjunction with the FAC’s presentation of Maria Gaspar’s 60 hour and 20-minute video, Clamour (2022).

Music at Midday
Wednesday, March 4 at 12:15 p.m.
Come see the variety and talent of CC students as they perform instrumental and vocal works.

Faculty Recital: Jim Croce Revisited
Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. 
CC’s classical guitar instructor, Dale Miller, is joined by guitarist Doug Zinn and bassist Robert Pearson for a concert honoring legendary American folk and rock singer-songwriter Jim Croce.

Intro to Jazz Student Composition Performance
Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m. 
Students in the Block 6 Intro to Jazz course present their final compositions, performed by professional musicians Ricky Sweum, saxophone; Benjamin Paille, trumpet; Jason Crowe, bass; Steve Barta, piano; and Tim Stombaugh, drums.

The Smokey Bandits and Traffic Jam perform at the December CC Bluegrass Concert.
Photo credit Serena Nguyen.

The Smokey Bandits open for The Fretliners
Thursday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m.
LuLu’s Downtown in Colorado Springs

CC Bluegrass Showcase: The Smokey Bandits and Traffic Jam
Friday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.
Steve’s Guitars in Carbondale

The Smokey Bandits open for Blue Canyon Boys
Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.
Black Rose Acoustic Society in Black Forest

MU398: Doctor Faustus with Assistant Professor Lidia Chang
Thomas Mann’s 1947 novel, Doctor Faustus, follows the life of fictional composer Adrian Leverkühn against the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. The interplay between different timelines of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as topics—the narrator’s perspective from inside the Third Reich, Leverkühn’s descent into madness, and the Faust legend itself—invite a myriad of interpretations and interdisciplinary approaches. The novel provides the perfect backdrop for learning the history of Western European art music, the ever-changing role of the artist, and the concept of “genius.”

MU228: Decoding Music with Professor Ofer Ben-Amots
What makes a piece of music feel cohesive, powerful, or surprising? And how do we uncover the deeper workings beneath its surface? In this course, students will break down music into fundamental elements for analysis—scales, harmony, rhythms, form, and beyond—while understanding how and when such theoretical constructions can be applied to a range of historical and global repertoires. Through hands-on exercises, listening sessions, and case studies, we will explore an array of analytical techniques that reveal new layers of meaning. Students will gain fresh perspectives on how music is constructed, emerging with analytical skills that can be applied in future music-making, scholarship, and everyday listening. All interested students are welcome to join, regardless of their level of music theory background. 

In November, Jeri Jorgensen (violin instructor and Colorado College Chamber Orchestra co-conductor) and pianist Cullan Bryant released Schubert: The Sonatinas for Piano and Violin on Albany Records. “But a single listen to this splendid recording of Franz Schubert’s three sonatas for violin and piano . . . reveals violinist Jerilyn Jorgensen and pianist Cullan Bryant to be Schubert specialists.” (Textura)

Photo credit Serena Nguyen.

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

The Freedom of Expression (FOE) Policy Group would like to thank our students and colleagues for their thoughtful engagement throughout the Freedom of Expression Policy update process. We are grateful to everyone who participated in the community dialogues and to those who shared feedback through surveys during spring and fall 2025. Your perspectives and questions were essential in shaping this work.

Here is the final Freedom of Expression Policy.

Throughout this process, we received questions from community members about both the policy itself and the approach used to develop it. In response to these requests for clarification, below is a timeline outlining the entire revision process and answers to the common questions that arose when collecting feedback from faculty, staff, and students.

We catalogued the questions we received and are sharing our responses below:

What is the difference between Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression?
Academic Freedom is the right to pursue knowledge through teaching, research, scholarship, scientific investigation, creative expression, and the open exchange of ideas—without censorship or retaliation—regarding matters relevant to the subject of that intellectual or scholarly pursuit.

In contrast, freedom of expression is the right to use words, symbols, sounds, movements or engage in other actions to share thoughts, emotions, experiences, and beliefs; discuss ideas; participate in the life of a community; and engage in self-realization. This freedom includes the ability and opportunity to be exposed to, and respond to, the thoughts, emotions, experiences, and beliefs of others.

Why does the policy focus on principles rather than providing a comprehensive list of behaviors that are permitted or prohibited?
CC’s FOE policy emphasizes that regulation is the exception and that restrictions should be interpreted narrowly and tailored to prevent harm. Within the policy, there are categories of prohibited or regulated behavior, though we avoided an exhaustive list to better respond to the variety of anticipated or unanticipated scenarios our community might face. Regulated behaviors include those that:

The policy includes principles in response to community feedback we received during listening sessions, requesting that the policy expressly articulate the principles and philosophy that underlie it.

Why does the policy not include specific sanctions for different types of violations?
CC’s FOE policy does not list specific sanctions because it defers to existing policies. Violations of this policy are handled according to the procedures and sanctions already established in the Student Community Standards (Pathfinder), the Staff Handbook, or the Faculty Handbook, depending on the individual’s role at the College.

What if the government has a stricter interpretation of the laws than our policy?
All expressive activities must comply with legal requirements. Freedom of expression should be exercised in compliance with applicable laws and college policies. CC implements regulations to meet our legal obligations while attempting to maximize freedom of expression to the extent it does not inhibit the College’s mission.

Thank you again for your engagement. Your perspectives and questions were essential in shaping this work.

Sincerely,

Ty Nagamatsu, Ombuds (co-lead)
Lacy Karpilo, VP of Student Life and Dean of Students (co-lead)
Cathy Buckley, Director of Campus Safety
Chelsea Walter, Director, Office of Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education & Lecturer
David Jensen, AVP Civil Rights & Title IX
Doug Edlin, Professor of Political Science, and McHugh Professor of American Institutions & Leadership
Edwin Hamada, AVP Student Life
Josh Isringhausen, Assistant Director for Civil Rights and Interim Title IX Coordinator
Marion Hourdequin, Professor and Assistant Dean of the Faculty, ACM-Mellon Leadership Fellow
Rosalie Rodriguez, CDO, Institutional Equity & Belonging
Ryan Simmons, VP for Human Resources

 Last reminder for the 2026 Authors & Creators Reception!

The annual Authors & Creators Reception will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m., in the Inasmuch Foundation Summit Reading Room on the 4th floor of the Charles L. Tutt Library with remarks at 3:30 p.m. We look forward to celebrating all the amazing, published works from Colorado College faculty and staff that were presented or performed in 2025. There were over 200 submissions from 119 faculty and staff.  

All faculty and staff are invited. If you would like to display your work at the event, please bring a copy. Refreshments and a bar will be provided. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to dfife@coloradocollege.edu“> Dustin Fife or rfloyd@coloradocollege.edu“> Rebecca Floyd.

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Every year, Dance6 brings people together. Dancers and musicians. Faculty and students. Visiting artists and community members.

This year’s production grows out of that tradition. It takes shape through shared work, conversation, and curiosity, with no single voice at the center.

Of Earth and Error asks what it means to live in relationship with the environments that shape us, and what happens when those environments begin to change.

The work of visiting choreographer Yvonne Montoya, founder of Safos Dance Theatre, offers one way into the questions at the heart of Of Earth and Error. Grounded in the movement aesthetics of the Southwest, her choreography draws from land, water, cultural practices, and embodied memory.

Her piece took shape during her Block 5 course, with dance students working closely with Montoya to refine the work.

That process expanded through collaboration with music students in Andres Carrizo’s Block 5 course, who created an original composition for the piece. The work also includes testimonies and dance performances from Chicana community members in Southern Colorado, alongside video designs by CC alum Skye Mahaffie ’15, in collaboration with Film and Media students.

What emerges is not a single narrative, but many voices moving together.

Sam Aros-Mitchell brings a different kind of continuity into Of Earth and Error. A Yaqui dance artist enrolled with the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians, Aros-Mitchell performs two works by José Limón, a pioneering Mexican American choreographer who was also of Yaqui heritage.

He performs Indio from Danzas Mexicanas (1939) and the deer solo from The Unsung. These works were restaged in collaboration with Dante Puleio, Director of the Limón Dance Company, and are rooted in breath, clarity, and physical rigor. More than historical works, the dances are carried forward through the body, honoring the shared Yaqui lineage between choreographer and performer and keeping the tradition alive in the present.

Patrizia Herminjard’s contribution to Of Earth and Error begins with a question that quietly threads through the evening: what does it mean to be human? Her piece was created in collaboration with scenic designer Marie Davis and costume designer SB Parks. 

Herminjard describes her work as an exploration of how we are shaped by the environments we move within, both real and imagined.

 “Walls, boundaries, and structures can contain us, direct us, or resist us,” she writes. “What holds us is often unstable, assembled, and continuously renegotiated.”

Through movement, the choreography asks how meaning is made through the body, how loss and joy can be held at the same time, and how internal states are translated into physical decisions such as weight, rhythm, direction, and duration. What emerges is a shared language shaped through movement, touch, and attention, with the hope of understanding and being understood. 

Pallavi Sriram returns to the stage after a year-long sabbatical. A dancer, choreographer, and dance studies scholar, Sriram brings her research and renewed studio practice into the creation of a new work for Of Earth and Error. This will be the first time Colorado Springs audiences experience her in performance.

Taken together, Of Earth and Error is less about presenting a finished statement and more about asking questions. It reflects what can happen when people across campus, our community, and beyond make something together, allowing questions to remain open and inviting audiences to sit with them.

Of Earth and Error is performed at Celeste Theatre in the Cornerstone Arts Center on the following dates:

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Born in the village of Thionk Essyl in the southern Casamance region of Senegal, West Africa, Safietou “Dallo” Goudiaby grew up living a traditional Diola life, fishing in the river, growing rice, and gathering fruit and wild food in the forest. Dance is a central part of her culture, and every major event in the lives of her people is celebrated with dance.

Dallo has taught and performed throughout the Colorado Springs community and at several events on our campus, including the Imagination Celebration and the “What If” Festival.

She loves teaching Senegalese dance and drumming because it allows her to share the beauty of her culture with others. Below is a short film that highlights her remarkable story as well as her approach to teaching her dance adjunct course. She not only teaches her students how to move their bodies, but through drumming and singing, she also teaches them how to survive.

West African Dance and Drumming will be offered during Blocks 7 and 8. Students are encouraged to enroll and experience this dynamic and joyful course.

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Join President Whitaker and Officers of the Board of Trustees on Monday, March 2 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. for a virtual town hall following the Board of Trustees meeting. This is your opportunity to hear directly from college leadership about recent board discussions, institutional priorities, and strategic initiatives shaping our future.

The session will provide insights into key decisions and topics addressed during the board meeting, offering transparency into the governance processes that guide our college. President Whitaker and Officers of the Board will share updates on important matters affecting our campus community and address questions from town hall attendees.

All members of the CC community are invited to participate. The town hall will be recorded and shared with the campus community the week after the event.

The Work of the College Series is a year-long program of events with four goals: (1) clarify organizational structures and decision-making processes; (2) offer campus constituencies the opportunity to dialogue with leadership about campus affairs; (3) increase decision-making transparency in hopes of building trust; and (4) build community.

The Work of the College Series consists of:

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903