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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Block Break + Return to Campus Reminders 

  • 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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Save the Date for: “Dismantling Misconceptions of Disability” with Dr. Rebekah Taussig

 “Dismantling Misconceptions of Disability” with Dr. Rebekah Taussig

Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022
7-8:30 p.m., Mountain Time

This is a virtual event. Register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Dr. Rebekah Taussig, a disability advocate and educator who has been paralyzed since the age of three, will challenge everything you think you know about disability. Join Taussig and the CC community on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7-8:30 p.m. for the latest presentation in the “Dismantling Hate” series: “Dismantling Misconceptions of Disability.”

Taussig has a Ph.D. in creative nonfiction and disability studies. In her memoir, “Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body,” Taussig asks the question “What would it mean for disabled folks if society saw us as acceptable, equal, and valuable parts of the whole?” She will invite us to think bigger and more critically about who has a seat at the table and the barriers that bar others from inclusion.

This event is open to all Colorado College students, alumni, faculty, and staff and community members from the Colorado Springs area and beyond.
The Dismantling Hate: An Educational Series Toward Understanding and Action series is a campus-wide initiative that provides programming for CC students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members from the Colorado Springs area. The purpose and goal of this educational series is to support our communities to better understand hate — its roots and outcomes, and to motivate people to take action to dismantle hate. Each educational program in the series features a conversation with an activist, broadly defined, who shares their work and experiences dismantling hate against marginalized communities.

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Spring Conference 2022 is This Week

Planning for an In-Person Spring

Dear CC Community,


Half Block is underway, we are welcoming Winter Start and transfer students, and soon we will begin Block 5. I want to express my gratitude for all that you do and continue to do during these challenging times. Our goal is to remain in person, and we can’t accomplish this without your continued efforts and cooperation.

I am writing to update you on how we are managing COVID for the second half of the academic year. Additionally, while our many communications about protocols share what we are doing, today I also want to explain why.

Our COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee (led by Mateo Muñoz, chair, and Andrea Bruder, chief public health advisor to the president) continues to monitor campus, local, and county COVID conditions; confer with national public health advisors; and consider our priorities, needs, and capacities as it makes decisions.

As you know, instances of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 are growing in the United States. In response to the Omicron wave, CPIC has temporarily adapted our COVID response to 1) reduce the likelihood of large outbreaks, 2) minimize the possibility of serious illness and hospitalizations, and 3) meet the needs of those affected by COVID. Fortunately, we are a highly vaccinated community (98% of CC faculty, almost 97% of CC students, and almost 91% of CC staff) and the risk of serious illness and hospitalization is low for fully vaccinated people.

While many other institutions began teaching remotely this semester to give them time to contend with Omicron, we have not had to do so thanks to the excellent planning of our CPIC and because our protocols were designed to adapt to a range of circumstances. Additionally, the resources available to us as an urban campus allowed us to find additional space for isolating students near CC – something that more remote campuses could not do.

To prioritize in-person instruction and campus life for the brief duration of the Omicron wave, we are taking the following precautions:

  • Testing all students twice weekly and encouraging staff and faculty to test twice weekly. Why? Because screening testing identifies infections, regardless of whether symptoms exist, so that people can isolate and protect others. Testing reduces the overall number of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections and keeps quarantine and isolation to a minimum. This means that we can continue to be together in person.
  • Requiring KN95 or similar filtration masks indoors in all public places. Why? Because COVID is airborne, and high-quality masks filter and greatly reduce the amount of inhaled aerosols.
  • Encouraging students to limit social interactions to a “pod” of up to five students. Why? Because doing so can slow the spread of infection when case numbers are high, while still maintaining some social interaction, which is so important to our mental well-being.

Once the Omicron wave is over, we will adjust the frequency of testing, lift our additional precautions on social interactions, and resume regular dining. As the pandemic continues to evolve, the way we manage it will also evolve. Our CPIC team and the many dedicated staff and faculty working with them will continue to adapt our plans as necessary. Barring something unexpected, we plan to have meaningful and celebratory gatherings for Commencement and its associated events.

We are all tired of changing protocols. Yet, we must learn to coexist with COVID. Importantly, living with COVID does not mean that we ignore it. Rather, it means that we continue to do what we have been doing  adapting to guard against the worst outcomes so that we can remain on campus, together.

The CPIC team and I will continue to keep you informed. Thank you for your partnership in allowing us to maintain an in-person campus experience.

Warmly,

L. Song Richardson

President

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Don’t Forget: MLK Community Events Jan. 17

Don’t Forget: MLK Community Events Jan. 17


Commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy as a part of CC’s annual community events on Monday, Jan. 17.
Mark your calendar to join campus and community leaders for the MLK All People’s Breakfast, happening virtually Monday, Jan. 17, 10-11:30 a.m.
The MLK Day community events are a fundraiser on behalf of the NAACP and Pikes Peak Justice & Peace Commission through ticket sales. Tickets can be purchased here; the suggested donation is $5; participants are welcome to give as much, or little, as they are able. Access links will be sent directly to ticketholders via email on Wednesday, Jan. 12.
Here is where you can find more information about MLK events in the community.

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Students Explore Their Racial Identities

Class Invites CC Students to Explore Their Own Racial Identities

Through the interplay of academics and self-exploration, students in Professor Peony Fhagen’s Racial Identity Development class explore their own becomings: the chords and melodies that make up their identities. For many students, the course material offered revelations about their own selves. “I think one of the biggest ideas I will take from this class is that racial identity development is not linear,” says Aiko Reidy ’25.

CC to Welcome New Students for Winter Start Orientation


Welcome all new students and their families to the CC community during Winter Start Orientation. WSO for students begins with move-in on Sunday, Jan. 16, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 22.

The entire Winter Start Orientation schedule is available on the WSO webpage and on the CC mobile app. Students are currently allowed two guests on campus with them for move-in, and they must follow COVID-19 protocols. Refer those looking for assistance to the Office of Residential Life and Campus Activities at (719) 389-6800 as well as the CC Bound webpage.

Get to Know … Lonnie Timmons III, CC
Photographer and Photo Editor

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

What does your job entail?
My job primarily entails creating quality photography, receiving and distributing assignments from the campus community, managing/coaching student interns and freelancers, and photo editing and managing the Digital Asset Management system.
Where did you work before CC and what were you doing?
I was working as a photographer at a state university in Nevada, though my background is in metropolitan daily newspapers.

Tell us a little about your background.
Originally, I’m from Maryland, although I’ve lived and worked in the South, Midwest, Northwest, and the West. My biggest photographic influence in the early days was Ernst Haas. I appreciate his clean and precise style. Wikipedia says it better than I can, “Haas bridged the gap between photojournalism and the use of photography as a medium for expression and creativity.” I try to do the same.

What do you like to do when not working?
When I’m not working, I’m planning my next international trip or enjoying movies and Netflix. My most recent trips have been to India, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

Wild card: What is something people don’t know about you?
I have taught myself two languages, Spanish and Portuguese, besides the two languages I learned in school [English and Italian].

Block 5 First Mondays to Feature Austin Channing Brown

Austin Channing Brown is a speaker, writer, and media producer providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the author of New York Times‘ bestselling “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness,” and the executive producer of web series “The Next Question.” As a media producer, Brown creates content about the experiences of Black women, dismantling the foundations of white supremacy.

Join Brown and Dr. Manya Whitaker, associate professor and chair of education and director of the Crown Faculty Center, as they discuss strategies for embracing, cultivating, and amplifying joy, while simultaneously acknowledging the work that needs to be done. Register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Join the Virtual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

Colorado College continues its tradition of hosting the Colorado Springs’ commemoration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy with the All People’s Breakfast at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 17. The theme of this year’s virtual program is “It Starts With Me,” and includes personal stories from local trailblazers in government, education, and the arts. The event will be virtual in order to keep the community safe and in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

As in the past, the celebration will be a fundraiser on behalf of the NAACP and Pikes Peak Justice & Peace Commission. Tickets are available with a suggested donation of $5, but people are welcome to give as much — or little — as they are able, as cost should not be a burden to attendance.

In addition to the All People’s Breakfast, a series of events throughout the community is planned to celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

Wilderness First Responder and WFR Courses Taking Place on Campus

More than 120 students are participating in the Wilderness First Responder and WFR Recertification courses on campus Jan. 10-23. Sessions take place in the Chapman Room, Loomis Lounge, and McHugh Commons, as well as some outdoor locations. Don’t be alarmed: Mock scenarios are designed to feel as real as possible, requiring students to act as though they are hurt or seriously injured. It’s part of the training and Campus Safety has been notified.

Photo of the Week

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III 
Winter Commencement 2021

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Test Before Arriving to Campus


  • Get tested before traveling to campus
  • Follow isolation protocols if you receive a positive test result
  • If you are feeling sick, do not go to class or work 
  • Get your COVID-19 booster dose as soon as you’re eligible

Dear CC Community, 

We’ve welcomed back more than 800 students with our phased start to the Spring Semester with J-Block and Half Block already underway. Thanks to your participation in screening testing and indoor masking, we are about to complete the second week of J-Block in person! Each one of you is making a difference, and it shows. 

We look forward to the return of additional members of our campus community, with Winter Start Orientation beginning this Sunday, Jan. 16, followed by Block 5, starting Monday, Jan. 24.  

To help you return to campus safely during the ongoing Omicron wave, we strongly encourage ALL students (and faculty or staff who are just returning to campus) to get tested BEFORE traveling to campus. Check with your local health department for free testing sites; starting on Jan. 15, insurance companies and health plans will cover the cost of at-home test kits that may also be purchased at local pharmacies or online. Test as close as possible to departure. Students who receive a positive test result should complete isolation at home. Pre-arrival testing helps to ensure that you are not putting others at risk during transit. Thank you!  

In addition, we recommend that students wear an N95 mask if possible (or a similar high-filtration mask such as KN95, KF94, or FFP2) in airports, on planes, and when interacting with others during transit to reduce their risk of infection. About 1 in 10 people are currently infected with the virus nationally. 

Please take a moment to review the temporary updates to campus COVID-19 protocols in preparation of the Omicron wave. 

Key points:  

  • Booster shots are required; if you haven’t yet uploaded your documentation, please do so now (student instructionsemployee instructions).
    • Please note that all who are not up to date with vaccination (unvaccinated OR eligible for a booster but haven’t yet received) need to quarantine if in close contact with a person with COVID-19, per CDC guidance.
  • 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.
  • Twice weekly testing is encouraged for all staff and faculty working on campus.
  • Limit indoor social interactions and prioritize safer outdoor activities. Please no parties until the Omicron wave has moved through; we plan to re-instate the party registration form at that time.
  • Rastall Café and all dining facilities on campus will be open and provide take-out only.
  • Campus activities continue as planned.
  • No food or drink in classes, meetings, or at events.
If you have questions, please check our Coronavirus Updates and Resources webpage or contact covid19@coloradocollege.edu

We are excited for you to be back on campus and wish you a healthy and rewarding Block 5! 

Sincerely,  

Andrea Bruder 
Chief Public Health Advisor to the President 

Mateo Muñoz 
Chair, COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee  

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Interim Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I am pleased to announce that Laurie Mozingo has agreed to serve as the associate vice president for Human Resources on a six-month, temporary interim basis. She has effectively led the department in the acting role, providing quality service to the college. Laurie has served in human resources roles for more than 10 years, and has an MBA from the University of Colorado, and a bachelor of science in sociology. She holds professional certifications in human resource management, compensation, and benefits.
In late December 2021, we continued the search process for the associate vice president for Human Resources. Three final candidates in the second search were interviewed, however none possessed all of the qualities and experiences desired for this position.
A decision about next steps will be made as we approach the end of the six-month timeframe. We’re grateful to Laurie for taking on this appointment and continuing to serve the college in this role.

Robert G. Moore
Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer

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President’s Office and Leadership Team

Dear Campus Community,

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope you were able to rejuvenate over Winter Break. Thank you so much for continuing to persevere through what has been a challenging year so far. Your compassion, strength, and resilience energize and inspire me. 

I’m writing today to share the changes I will be making to the President’s Office and leadership team that will prepare us to move forward on our strategic priorities and capitalize on people’s strengths.

Title Changes

Mike Edmonds: Mike’s title will change from Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to Senior Vice President. This change more accurately reflects his duties and contributions. Mike will continue to work closely with the CC Board of Trustees, build our external relationships, oversee the Fine Arts Center, and lead government relations and strategic initiatives.

Robert Moore: Robert’s title will change from Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration to Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. This change more accurately reflects his duties and contributions. Robert will continue to operate as our chief financial officer, oversee Facilities Services and Human Resources, and lead strategic initiatives.

New Additions

Jane Turnis: 
Jane will join the President’s Office as Associate Vice President of Executive Communications. I am thrilled I was able to entice her to work more closely with me and to focus her efforts on executive-level communications and strategic communications on key initiatives. She will continue to lead the Office of Communications until a new vice president is hired, and then will start her new role.

Manya Whitaker: Manya will join the President’s Office as Acting Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff for the next six months. In this new role, Manya will partner closely with me on a wide variety of cross-divisional and executive initiatives, providing critical direction and leadership to optimize strategic priorities such as our antiracism commitment. She will also serve as my principal aide in managing sensitive and confidential issues; help with the development of college policies, processes, and practices; serve as my representative on key college committees, as appropriate; manage high-priority projects to ensure successful launch and execution; and serve as a member of the college’s leadership team.

In closing, thank you so much for helping to create the roadmap to our bright future. Your involvement in Project 2024, your participation in Conversations with the President, and your countless contributions to our mission inspire me and fill me with such optimism about our future. I am confident in our ability to weather any challenge and to accomplish the extraordinary.

Thank you so much for all that you do.

Warmly,

L. Song Richardson

President

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