Worner Desk is Out of Employee COVID Tests

The college is out of COVID-19 test kits for faculty and staff due to a shipment delay.

Sorry for the inconvenience; the campus community will be notified when tests are available again for pickup.

Here’s a list of free COVID-19 testing sites across the state, with many in the Colorado Springs area. You can order free COVID-19 tests  via this link as part of the federal testing program and visit this site to order from the Colorado at-home testing program.

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LACRELA e-Convenings Back for a Second Year

LACRELA e-Convenings Back for a Second Year!

Colorado College is a member of LACRELA, which stands for Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance, sponsored by University of Southern California’s Race and Equity Center. As a member, CC can send up to 10 employees (staff and faculty) per e-convening.

Sign-up for these professional development seminars on topics (see list below) related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in higher education by Monday, Feb. 7.

Please use this form to indicate which e-convening(s) you would like to attend. Once a roster is created for each e-convening you will receive a follow-up email with a link to officially register.

Recordings and resources from past e-convenings are available here.

If you have any questions, please contact Peony Fhagen, senior associate dean for equity, inclusion, and faculty development.

Note: All e-convenings meet 10 a.m.-1 p.m. MST; and all meet this calendar year except the last listing, which meets in January 2023.

E-Convening Topics and Dates

“Board Strategies to Achieve Racial Equity,” Tuesday, Feb. 22

“Centering Racial Equity in Your Student Success Agenda,” Tuesday, March 22

“Chief Diversity Officer’s Role in Advancing Racial Equity,” Tuesday, April 19

“Classroom Incivility and Productive Conversations About Race,” Tuesday, May 24

“Reducing Implicit Bias in the Search and Hiring Process,” Friday, June 10

“Race Conscious Enrollment Management,” Tuesday, July 12

“Communicating Institutional Progress on Racial Equity Goals,” Tuesday, Aug. 16

“Dismantling Persistent Racial Equity Problems in STEM,” Friday, Sept. 16

“Making Racial Equity Data Transparent,” Friday, Oct. 21

“Understanding Campus Unrest and Responding to Student Protest,” Tuesday, Nov. 15

“Using Assessment and Evaluation to Improve Campus Racial Climates,” Tuesday, Dec. 6

“Managing and Resolving Racial Tensions in the Workplace,” Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023

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Save the Date for Block 5 In the Loop

Sent on behalf of the President’s Office and Staff Council:

Mark your calendar for the first In the Loop all-staff meeting of 2022. The Block 5 ITL is happening on Thursday, Feb. 17, 8:30 a.m.

This block’s meeting will focus primarily on the results of the employee engagement and climate survey. ModernThink will share a detailed presentation on the findings of the survey. Campus leaders will also share next steps.

Please submit good news, kudos, and questions to be answered during the question-and-answer period. You must submit your items by 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10.

Meet in Celeste Theatre inside Cornerstone Arts Center; the program will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Grab-and-go breakfast will be available for pick-up in Cornerstone Main Space as you exit the meeting.

Those wishing to join the meeting via Zoom from their individual workspace may do so by registering in advance using this link. Feel free to swing by the main space after 9:30 a.m. to pick up breakfast.

In the Loop is a joint venture between Colorado College leadership and the Staff Council to facilitate communication and build community spirit among the staff at Colorado College. These meetings are your chance to directly connect with college leaders and other staff members on a regular basis.

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Save the Dates for: ‘Forever Foreign: Asian America, Global Asia, and the Problem of Anti-Asian Racism’ Series

Year-Long Series Addressing Anti-Asian Racism Continues

A violent incident of anti-Asian racism in early 2021 inspired the launch of a new series of lectures, discussions, film screenings, and reading groups: “Forever Foreign: Asian America, Global Asia, and the Problem of Anti-Asian Racism.”

Following the mass killing of Asian-Americans in Atlanta in March 2021, an act that shook the nation, a group of CC faculty were inspired to host a series of events that highlight the histories, narratives, and voices from Asian societies and of Asian diaspora communities in the United States to increase knowledge and awareness of these communities.

The year-long “Forever Foreign” series is bringing notable scholars, authors, and films to campus and to the attention of the community and will culminate with keynote lectures by two Pulitzer prize-winning Asian-American writers and public intellectuals — Viet Thanh Nguyen and Ayad Akhtar in Block 7.

You’re invited to join reading groups to discuss these authors’ books during Block 6. A limited number of copies of the books will be available for those who register in advance and multiple copies will be on reserve in Tutt Library. Register for the reading groups here.

Next week, Deepa Iyer, human rights lawyer and activist, presents, “From Silos to Solidarities: Post 9/11 and Beyond,” Monday, Jan. 31, 3-4:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Later this block, join Zareena Grewal, associate professor of religion, American studies and ethnic studies at Yale University, for “Islam is a Foreign Country: Race, Religion, and U.S. Empire,” Thursday, Feb. 3, 5 p.m. also on Zoom.

View the full “Forever Foreign” schedule and get more information.

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Thank You for a Successful Spring Conference 2022

Dear Faculty and Staff,

It was wonderful to have nearly 270 faculty and staff join our Spring Conference last Friday. Thanks to the Cabinet members for sharing updates from their areas.

It was my honor to announce the winners of this year’s President’s Leadership Awards:

Lin Okonek, esports coordinator, received the Victor Nelson-Cisneros Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
Heidi R. Lewis, associate professor and director of Feminist and Gender Studies and coordinator of Early Career Faculty Development Programs, received the Glenn Brooks Award for Innovation and Courage.
Amy Hill, director of campus activities and student orientation, received the Jane Cauvel Award for Collaboration and Community Building.
Lyrae Williams, associate vice president of institutional planning & effectiveness, received the inaugural Brian Young Community Service Award.

Congratulations to all who were nominated and many thanks to those who took the time to recognize colleagues by submitting nominations.

Thank you for joining us and for all the great work you do for CC!

Sincerely,

L. Song Richardson

President

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COVID Weekly Report

Here are the COVID-19-related updates in this week’s issue:

All known CC student cases, regardless of whether exposure occurred at CC, appear on the CC COVID-19 dashboard.
Students encourage you to mask up!
President Richardson shares the “why” behind our COVID-19 response.
Sign up for federal COVID-19 testing program.

Help Reduce the Spread of COVID-19

As Colorado College prepares for an in-person spring, students Dylan Hall ’22 and Lonnell Schuler ’22 remind you about ways you can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the CC community.

CC’s Plans for an In-Person Spring

In case you missed her update last week, President L. Song Richardson shared a message with the CC community about CC’s priorities and the why behind the college’s COVID-19 response.

Sign Up for FREE Federal COVID-19 Testing Program 

Every home in the U.S. is now eligible to order free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Order your tests  via this link so you have them when you need them. All faculty and staff members are encouraged to test twice weekly during the Omicron wave. Employees may also pick up test kits at Worner Campus Center.

Get Free KN95 Masks

As part of the State of Colorado’s ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and assist in the mitigation of virus spread, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will offer KN95 and surgical- grade masks for free at public libraries, fire stations, recreation centers, VFWs, YMCAs, and high-traffic community centers that have agreed to be local redistribution points. Masks will be available at these locations. This list will be updated as new distribution points are added.

Protect Yourself: Mask Up

Currently, about 1 in 10 people are infected with COVID-19, nationally and in El Paso County. This means that we are very likely to encounter the virus when we are in public. You can protect yourself, from COVID-19 and any other airborne virus, by wearing your KN95, N95, or similar high filtration mask consistently when indoors with non-household members.

In response to current COVID-19 protocols, students eat lunch outside on Worner Quad on a relatively warm January day. They picked up box meals from Rastall Café. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

Check the Updated CC COVID Data Dashboard

The  CC COVID-19 dashboard  shows all known CC student cases. It provides quick access to COVID-19 metrics on campus, including daily and weekly COVID-19 testing numbers and positive test results. For questions regarding this dashboard, please contact  Ben Moffitt  in the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness.

To easily access all things COVID, details of our COVID-19 response are broken down into categories here: Health; Mitigation and Campus Protocols; Testing and Quarantine; and When Off Campus. You’ll also find answers to frequently asked questions, as well as a listing of all campus messages. If you have additional concerns about COVID-19 or our campus response, direct them to: covid19@coloradocollege.edu. Remember, there are numerous resources on campus for support and assistance, including the  Counseling Center,  the Chaplain’s Office,  Employee Assistance Plan, the  Butler Center, the  Advising Hub, and the  Wellness Resource Center.

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TOMORROW: Block 5 First Mondays

Start Block 5 with the campus community at a virtual First Mondays event TOMORROW, Jan. 24, at 11:15 a.m.

Austin Channing Brown, media producer and author, awakens people to the current realities of systemic racism and the everyday actions that allow racism to thrive. Join Brown and Dr. Manya Whitaker, acting executive vice president and chief of staff/associate professor of education, as they discuss strategies for embracing, cultivating, and amplifying joy, while simultaneously acknowledging the work that needs to be done.

The First Mondays Event Series is a campus-wide forum that aims to engage all members of the CC community, including students, staff, administrators, and faculty. The series creates opportunities for the whole community to gather, encouraging everyone to be part of the intellectual life of the college, and facilitating discourse among students, faculty, and staff, across courses, disciplines, and divisions. Classes are dismissed early on the first Monday of each block so that all may attend the First Mondays event.

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Around the Block-Campus News

Natanya Ann Pulley Receives NEA Creative Writing Fellowship

Photo by Anginet Page

Colorado College Assistant Professor of English Natanya Ann Pulley has been named a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. Pulley is one of 35 writers who will receive a 2022 Creative Writing Fellowship of $25,000. The NEA creative writing fellowships are highly competitive, with more than 2,000 applicants this year.

Pulley, who is Diné, with her clans being Kinyaa’áani (Towering House) and Táchii’nii (Red Running into Water), teaches contemporary fiction and nonfiction in courses such as Literature by Native American Writers, Experimental Forms in Ethnic Literature, and Topics in Native American Literature. She is the author of “With Teeth,” the winner of the 2018 Many Voices Project competition through New Rivers Press and has published stories in The Massachusetts Review, Phantom Drift, Split Lip, and The Offing, among others. Her most recent anthologized essays are included in “Shapes of Native Nonfiction” and “The Diné Reader.” Pulley also is the founding editor of Hairstreak Butterfly Review.

The Communications Student Advisory Council Needs You!

Students: Apply now for the PAID position on the Communications Student Advisory Council. Provide your perspective and first-person experience to help inform CC’s strategic communications as well as direct insights into the gaps in college messaging and institutional campaigns. You’ll work directly with the Office of Communications team to incorporate your student experience into storytelling across all of our communications channels, and will contribute your thoughts on how the institutional efforts of the college impact the day-to-day lives of students. Learn more and submit an application.

Get to Know … Jessi Burns ’06, CC Content and Social Media Manager

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

What does your job entail?
I am the go-to resource for all things related to social media at CC. I manage the college’s overall social media plan and strategy, as well as support other social media managers on campus. I also help with writing stories and internal communications.

Where did you work before CC and what were you doing?
I have spent my career managing marketing and communications for nonprofits, including an open space organization, library, and animal shelter. Most recently, I spent time living and working in the Colorado mountains in the tiny town of Tabernash, just outside Winter Park.

Tell us a little about your background.
I grew up in Colorado Springs. I am a Colorado College alumna and graduated in 2006 with a degree in anthropology, focusing on archaeology. After some time working in the field, I decided I wanted to pursue something where I could be a little more creative. That led me to obtain an M.S. in communications from Pepperdine University where I studied mass media, rhetoric, and social change.

What do you like to do when not working?
In my spare time, you’ll find me exploring new hiking trails, playing with my dogs Andromeda and Winston, or traveling to remote places in the world with my husband, Matt.

Wild card: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid, I wanted to work with animals, so thought I would become a veterinarian or a zookeeper. However, I quickly I realized I don’t like things like blood and surgery, so I decided to just surround myself with animals instead. I’ve had many pets throughout my life including dogs, cats, bunnies, rats, fish, frogs, and even an African pygmy hedgehog. Next on the list is chickens!

Professor Heidi Lewis’ article “On Banning Critical Race Theory in Schools” in Ms. Magazine

Associate Professor of Feminist and Gender Studies Heidi R. Lewis recently wrote an article for Ms. Magazine, “On Banning Critical Race Theory in Schools: ‘The Pursuit of a More Just World’ Requires Confronting Racism and Privilege.” In the article, Lewis says, “… storytelling is a CRT methodology I practice and appreciate. However, some argue we should be careful about relying on storytelling more than empirical research. I understand that as I simultaneously caution us to think carefully about whose stories we do and don’t believe and how race and racism impact that, along with gender, sexuality, class, and other ways of being.”

‘Best of the Springs’ Nominations and Voting

Once again, Colorado College has been nominated in four categories for “Best of the Springs 2022!”

Voting continues through Feb. 13. If you feel so inclined, please take a look and vote!

Photo of the Week

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

Theodor Hopfer ’25 greets Sophia Assail ’25 while eating lunch in Worner Quad. In response to current COVID 19 protocols, students eat lunch outside on a relatively warm Thursday, January 13, 2022. They picked up box meals from Rastall Café.

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Here’s How You Can Reduce the Risk

Help Reduce the Risk of COVID-19

As Colorado College prepares for an in-person spring, students Dylan Hall ’22 and Lonnell Schuler ’22 remind you about ways you can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the CC community.

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Block Break + Return to Campus Reminders 

The following message was shared directly with students earlier today, ahead of the start of Block 5 next week. We are sharing this with you to keep you in the loop about the protocols in place to make an in-person Spring Semester possible.

Test prior to traveling to campus, upon arrival, and every Monday and Thursday.
Review updated COVID-19 protocols here.
If you are feeling sick, do not go to class.

Dear Students,

Thanks to your continued commitment to public health practices, including screening testing and indoor masking, we’ve had a successful in-person, on-campus J-Block and Half Block. Together, we can do this, and we are excited to welcome all students back for the Spring Semester!

Before departure
All students returning to campus for the first time this semester are strongly encouraged to get tested with an antigen test BEFORE traveling to campus. If you receive a positive test result, please complete your isolation at home. We encourage all students traveling to Colorado Springs by air or shared transportation to wear an N95 mask while in transit if possible. Currently, about 1 in 10 people are infected with COVID-19, and we are quite likely to be exposed to the virus in public.

When you arrive
You will also take a COVID-19 test with eMed when you arrive on campus and then continue testing every Monday and Thursday. We will be in touch with email reminders on Sundays and Wednesdays. All students, vaccinated and unvaccinated, with and without prior COVID infections, will participate in screening testing with eMed during the Omicron wave.

Residents of Loomis, Mathias, and South Hall should pick up their test kits and mask kits at the front desk of their residence hall. All other students should pick up test kits at the Worner Desk or Tutt Library. Newly arriving students should also pick up an isolation kit, including an N95 mask and isolation instructions, as well as KN95 masks as needed.

On Monday
If you are feeling sick, do not go to class. Stay home and away from others. Call the  Student Health Center, (719) 389-6384, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. for same-day symptomatic testing (no appointment with a provider is required).

In preparation for Block 5, please review the temporary updates to COVID-19 protocols for the duration of the Omicron wave:

Booster shots are required; if you haven’t yet uploaded your documentation, please do so now.
- All who are not up to date with vaccination (unvaccinated, OR eligible for a booster but haven’t yet received, OR haven’t submitted their documentation) need to quarantine if in close contact with a person with COVID-19. 
Quarantine and isolation protocols have been updated.  
KN95 or similar filtration masks must always be worn in indoor public spaces.
Twice weekly screening testing is required for all students (review details here on testing and isolation kit pick-up) during the Omicron wave.
Limit indoor social interactions and prioritize safer outdoor activities.
Rastall Café and all dining facilities on campus will be open and providing take-out only. 
Campus activities continue as planned.
No food or drink in classes, meetings, or at events.

Our protocols are designed to adapt to the changing circumstances of the pandemic. We plan to adjust protocols once the Omicron surge has subsided.

Thank you for helping us to make an in-person Block 5 a reality! We look forward to seeing you on campus soon.

Sincerely,  

Andrea Bruder
Chief Public Health Advisor to the President

Mateo Muñoz
Chair, COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee

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