As we move into the holiday season, we want to recognize that some members of our faculty and staff community are facing increased financial strain. Although the recent U.S. government shutdown has ended, many households are still experiencing the lingering impacts—such as reduced income, loss of wages, or delays in essential benefits. At the same time, many community food pantries are facing shortages due to high demand. This not something anyone should have to navigate alone, and we encourage faculty and staff to use these resources without hesitation. Seeking support is a sign of strength and community connection.

Local and regional food resources are available to provide short-term support during challenging times, including the following community food resources for Faculty and Staff.

Your generosity can make a meaningful difference as we work together to support colleagues, students, and neighbors who may be experiencing food insecurity. If you are in a position to give, we ask you to consider supporting one of our community partners, such as Food to Power, or local pantries that provide essential food resources to our campus community and the wider region. Contributions—whether donations of food, funds, or volunteer time—help ensure that these organizations can continue serving those affected by economic strain and the recent shortages.

Thank you for your continued compassion and care for our community.

Warmly,

Director of Employee Relations and Support

AVP Wellness

College Diversity Officer

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

Join COO and Dean of the College Pedro de Araujo on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 3-4 p.m. in Gaylord Hall for an informative session on the critical processes that drive institutional improvement and accountability in higher education. This presentation will mainly focus on our upcoming institutional review, while exploring how comprehensive assessment practices help ensure CC maintains its commitment to academic excellence and student success.

Topics will include an overview of internal assessment strategies, data-driven decision making, and how Institutional Review cycles help continually enhance all areas of campus life. Whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff member, this session offers valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes work that supports our educational mission.

Register today!

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

If you were unable to attend the Block 3 In the Loop last week, make sure to check out the PowerPoint presentation and recording on the Staff Council website. Topics covered include information about the brand and website refreshes, an update from the Wellness Center, information from Bon Appetit, performance conversation updates, and recent Sense of Place initiatives from the IEB team.

If you are unable to listen to the recording or read the auto-generated captions, please use the captioning resources provided by the Accessibility Resources Office. 

Do you have questions for Staff Council? Submit them to us! You can StaffCouncil@ColoradoCollege.edu“> email us or submit via the Ask Staff Council page on the website. When we get your questions, they are forwarded to Cabinet or other appropriate parties for an answer. Once we have the answer, we post it on the same webpage in the Answers from Cabinet to Recent Questions tab.

You are welcome to ask questions anonymously, but if you do include your name and contact info, we will send the answer we receive directly to you. Check back on the website often to see recent answers to questions!

Sincerely,

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

Stay informed and engaged with the latest HR updates, including: 

Don’t miss out on essential resources, events, and opportunities! 

Photo provided by Debi O’Connor

Last month, two members of our HR team had the honor of presenting at the 2025 CUPA-HR Annual Conference in Denver, a premier event for higher education HR professionals. As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve, this conference provides a vital space for HR leaders to share insights, explore innovative strategies, and support one another in facing emerging challenges. Cameron Martin, Director of Total Rewards, participated in a panel discussion with TIAA titled “Retirement on Your Own Terms,” offering valuable perspectives on flexible retirement planning. Debi O’Connor, Director of Employee Relations and Support, joined Ty Nagamatsu, CC Ombuds, to present “Rebuilding Positive Employee Relations with Restorative Tools,” focusing on fostering healthier workplace dynamics. Both sessions were well attended and received positive feedback. Congratulations to Cameron, Debi, and Ty for representing our institution and making meaningful contributions to the national dialogue on HR in higher education.

We’re thrilled to continue meaningful discussions through our Performance Conversations. These conversations provide an opportunity to celebrate what is going well, identify areas that may require extra attention, and make adjustments to stay on track. The next cycle opens on Monday, Dec. 8, and closes on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. While conversations begin before Winter Break and end after, employees who receive the full break off are not expected to work during that time—we encourage you to take that time to rest and recharge. 

Training to Support You  

To ensure everyone feels confident and prepared for these conversations, we will be offering in-person training sessions. We highly recommend attending a session. 

For employees who do not supervise other employees: 

For managers who have direct reports:

We remain committed to making this process meaningful and manageable for all. Thank you for your continued leadership and collaboration. 

If you have any further questions, reach out directly to HR. 

We’ve heard feedback that our benefits website can be hard to navigate. HR is in the early stages of refreshing our site, with the goal of making information more accessible and easier to find. As a first step in the process, we have redesigned our benefits guide and posted it on our website. CC is proud to offer a competitive total rewards package designed to support your well-being and help you care for what matters most. Please review the updated benefits guide and let us know what you think! 

New features are available to make managing your voluntary retirement contributions easier: 

What’s New 

Why It Matters  
Take control of your retirement planning with flexible, easy-to-use tools. 

Need Help? 

For account access or changes: 

Photos provided by Debi O’Connor

Our Fall CC Connect event was a great success, with a strong turnout of new employees eager to engage and connect with the broader CC community. This interactive event offers new hires the opportunity to meet college leadership—including every member of the Cabinet who attended this fall—and participate in a fun, fast-paced “speed meeting” activity designed to build connections across departments. A highlight of the event was the Resource Fair held at Robson, where departments from across campus generously shared their time, resources, and CC swag to warmly welcome our newest members. We’re incredibly grateful for the support and involvement of our campus partners. Feedback continues to affirm the impact of events like CC Connect, along with initiatives such as the Ambassador Program and HR’s onboarding process, in making new employees feel genuinely valued and part of the CC community from day one.

Join us in welcoming Ali LaForce, our new Talent Development Specialist! Ali plays a vital role in supporting employee growth and development across the organization. She works closely with HR leadership and stakeholders to design and deliver professional development programming, including Excel at CC and other specialized training initiatives. Ali also provides guidance to employees, supervisors, and managers on developmental opportunities and supports performance evaluation processes. 

Photo provided by Ali LaForce

Born and raised in Colorado, Ali brings over a decade of experience in creating and implementing impactful training programs. Her background spans higher education, human services, and banking. She holds a BA from CSU Pueblo and an MA from CSU Fort Collins. Outside of work, Ali enjoys exploring the arts and finding creative inspiration in her community.

We’re excited to welcome Blayne Rylander to CC! Originally from Arizona, Blayne brings several years of experience in full-cycle recruiting across higher education and corporate environments. Her expertise includes high-volume hiring, technical recruitment, and talent acquisition leadership.

Photo provided by Blayne Rylander

In her role, Blayne partners with HR leadership and hiring managers to source, attract, and onboard top talent, ensuring recruitment strategies align with the College’s mission and ADEI commitment. She also supports initiatives that strengthen CC’s employer brand and engage prospective employees. 

Blayne earned her BAS from CSU and her MBA from Grand Canyon University. She is a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), a designation that reflects her dedication to ethical and effective HR practices. Outside of work, Blayne enjoys exploring Colorado, spending time with family, and discovering new restaurants and activities.

Please extend a warm welcome to Kyle Johnson! Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Kyle joins CC from the City of Colorado Springs, where he served as a Human Resources Generalist. He has over half a decade of experience in Human Resources within the non-profit sector, specializing in compensation and benefits. Kyle holds a BS in Human Resources Management and several professional HR certifications, including the SPHR.

Photo provided by Kyle Johnson

In his role at CC, Kyle is dedicated to promoting equity and transparency in compensation and benefits practices. He works closely with HR leadership and campus partners to ensure that fair, consistent, and competitive programs are in place that support the College’s mission and values. Outside of work, Kyle enjoys hiking, spending time with friends and family, and exploring the outdoors.

Visit the HR Updates page to check out past editions of People Connections, along with recent updates from HR.

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

Click on the links below to learn more about the event and/or RSVP for the event! 

Block 4 Week 2

E-Waste Drop-Off Event

Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 2-3 p.m.
Breton Hall Garage #8

Do you have College-owned electronics (e-waste) stored in your office, closet, or other spaces? If so, please bring these items to the upcoming e-waste drop-off event for safe and proper disposal.

Help us spread the word to students you know! Students can design a grassroots summer project—anywhere in the world—to promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties. This application is the final step for a summer 2026 project. Applications are due Monday, Dec. 1 at midnight. More information can be found here.

Connect to a community partner to co-create community-engaged classroom projects for a summer 2026 course through the PEAK Project. Submit an Educator Interest Form by the end of Half Block (preferred deadline: Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026) or the end of Block 5 (final deadline: Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026). 

Students can now take live, online, and on-demand test prep for free through Kaplan for graduate school admissions exams: GRE, GMAT, MCAT, DAT, OAT, & LSAT. For more information and the link to register for classes, please visit this website.

Bring your own mug to Susie B’s or Colorado Coffee on the fourth Monday to get any 16 oz. coffee or tea drink for only $4 until 11 a.m.! Mugs must be clean to participate in this offer.

Student Information

We encourage you to review the student newsletter and pass along opportunities that align with students’ interests and goals.

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

Winter Commencement, set for Sunday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m., is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate students completing their undergraduate studies prior to our May Commencement ceremony. 

This year’s ceremony will be held in Shove Memorial Chapel, featuring the Commencement Address by Neena Grover, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and remarks from President Manya Whitaker.

Students, faculty, and staff are warmly invited to attend in celebration of our winter graduates. No RSVP is required. Unable to attend in person? The ceremony will also be livestreamed, and the recording will be published at www.coloradocollege.edu/wintercommencement. 

Graduating students will receive logistical information in the coming days—including the link to RSVP (deadline of Friday, Dec. 5), an invitation to share highlights to be included in President Whitaker’s remarks, regalia pickup and rehearsal times, and more. 

Faculty members who wish to march in the ceremony must sign up no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11. Regalia should be ordered from the CC Bookstore by Nov. 21 and can be picked up at the bookstore Dec. 11-12 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 

If you have questions, visit the Winter Commencement website or contact Brenda Soto at bsoto@coloradocollege.edu. 

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

The Crown Center’s Block 3 workshop, “Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Teaching,” has me reflecting on how interdisciplinarity has shaped my time at CC—first as a student, now as an employee. Early on, I realized that courses outside my art history major, psychology, music, history, feminist and gender studies, and sociology each offered new ways to understand how people create and interpret art.

Since returning to CC, I’ve been fortunate to support this kind of cross-disciplinary exploration in every role I’ve held. For example, in Block 3, I worked with NEH Innovator in Residence Ben Gould to connect his work in the FAC exhibition Open Hearted to classes in History, Sociology, Art, and Dance. Linking ideas across disciplines still feels thrilling—a reminder that we’re all engaged in exploring what it means to live and learn together, even as blending distinct methods while maintaining rigor is no small task.

In the workshop, three faculty teams shared the rewards and challenges of co-teaching their interdisciplinary courses: Art of Insurgency (John Gould and Shawn Womack), Strange Fractals: Empowerment through Fractal Geometry (Cory Scott and Jameel Paulin), and Embodied Politics (Elizabeth Coggins and Patrizia Hermijard). Their presentations offered concrete tips and raised thoughtful questions about how to help students connect disciplines, balance skill-building, and use experiences—such as field trips, FAC visits, or creative exercises—to synthesize learning.

If you missed the session, a video and transcript are available on Crown’s Canvas page. Please email if you don’t already have access to this resource. And if you are planning (or even dreaming about) a collaborative, interdisciplinary course, let us know how Crown can support you. 

Sincerely, 

Jessica Hunter, Associate Director 

Monday, December 1, noon-3 p.m. MT, Virtual Event: IBILTA25 Conference Snapshot: Transforming Education

Curious about what other institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the US are doing with block teaching formats? The International Block and Intensive Learning and Teaching Association (IBILTA) is hosting a presentation of selected talks from their international conference this past summer. The free online event includes a keynote from John Weldon, Associate Professor in the First Year College at Victoria University. Register for this event.

December 10, 1-2:30 p.m. Connect with the FAC in AY26-27

Join us to learn more about how the FAC’s Museum, Theatre Company, and Bemis School of Art can support your classes next year. Please register here.

Friday, Jan 16, 2026, 9:30 a.m.–noon Creativity & Innovation Workshop: “Possibility Books for New Users” by Kris Stanec.

Possibility Books is a brief daily pedagogy for classes across disciplines that can be adapted to align with any course. Faculty using Possibility Books will receive all the materials needed from C&I. Workshop information and registration.

This event addresses the influence of artificial intelligence on the environment, human labor, and marginalized communities from a global perspective.

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 3:30 p.m., Humans in the Loop Film Screening and Panel Discussion, Cornerstone Screening Room

Thursday, Nov. 20, 9:30 a.m., Virtual Q&A and Reception with Filmmaker Aranya Sahay, Cornerstone Screening Room

Visit “Humans of AI” for more information.

Wednesday, Nov. 19, noon–1:30 p.m., Collaborative for Community Education  Tutt Library Data Viz Wall 

Meet with local community non-profits for long-term engagement opportunities. Open to faculty, staff, and students. Visit Community Partner Fair for more information.

In Spring semester 2026, Health and Wellness, Arts and Crafts at CC, C&I, and the NEH Professorship are collaborating with the Colorado Resiliency Arts Lab (CORAL) to run a study on how arts experiences create community and combat the effects of stress. All faculty and staff are invited to participate. No prior arts experience is necessary.  Participants may choose one of three modalities:  

For more information about the programs: CORAL, Arts and Crafts. Look for more details and registration links in the coming weeks.

Students can design a grassroots summer project—anywhere in the world—to promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties. This application is the final step for a Summer 2026 project. Applications are due Monday, Dec. 1, at midnight. More information here.

Connect to a community partner to co-create community-engaged classroom projects for a summer 2026 course through the PEAK Project. Submit an Educator Interest Form to apply.

Students can now take live, online, and on-demand test prep for free through Kaplan for graduate school admissions exams: GRE, GMAT, MCAT, DAT, OAT, & LSAT. Information and registration here.

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