Here’s the COVID-19 Info You Need Before Winter Break

Dear CC Community,

While some institutions are planning for remote learning in January, CC continues to be committed to an in-person experience for all students.

As you may be aware, Omicron is a new, more highly transmissible variant of the Coronavirus. Booster doses of the vaccines are effective against symptomatic illness from Omicron. While this new variant does not appear to cause more severe illness, given its rapid spread in the U.S., we must anticipate higher numbers of COVID-19 cases among the CC community. In order to be proactive, we are taking important steps to make your break and return to campus go as smoothly as possible.

In preparation for an in-person J-Block and Spring Semester, and in response to the spread of the Omicron variant, we are updating our COVID-19 protocols starting Jan. 3:

We strongly suggest students pick up a test kit at Tutt Library circulation desk and test prior to leaving campus for Winter Break. This provides an additional layer of protection for you and your families. We will not send out emails about screening testing to vaccinated students this week.
All students will be tested following Winter Break; testing protocols may be enhanced upon return.
A COVID-19 booster dose is required for all students, faculty, and staff who are eligible by Monday, Jan. 3.
- Vaccination documentation portal instructions are available here.
- If not yet eligible, you MUST receive your booster as soon as you’re eligible.
- CDC allows booster doses of any of the three vaccines. Pfizer and Moderna booster doses appear to be most effective against Omicron.
- If you have an exemption, you will automatically receive a booster requirement exemption; we urge you to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
N95 or KN95 masks (or similar, aerosol filtering masks such as KF94 or FFP2) are required in all indoor public spaces. The college will provide these as needed.
If you receive  positive  COVID-19  test results during Winter Break,  follow  isolation protocols  and  contact the COVID-19 coordinator,  (719) 413-9588. 
CC is prepared to respond to a COVID-19 surge on campus. Expect additional enhancements to our COVID-19 risk mitigation protocols following Winter Break.

We anticipate enhanced protocols will be temporary, as we respond to a potential Omicron surge. Thank you for your commitment to adhering to our risk mitigation protocols throughout the break and as we return to campus. We will share additional information in early January.

We wish you a peaceful and healthy holiday and Winter Break.

Sincerely,

Andrea Bruder
Chief Public Health Advisor to the President

Mateo Muñoz
Chair, COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee

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Reflections & Resilience: CC in 2021

Reflections & Resilience: CC in 2021

Colorado College students’ resilience, support of one another, and sense of togetherness helped make 2021 a remarkable year. Listen as they share what being on campus this past year means to them. We wish you the same joy and sense of community as we look forward to starting a new year.

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Join Us at an Upcoming CC Hockey Game!

You’re Invited to CC Hockey!

All faculty and staff members are invited to experience the new era of CC Tiger Hockey at Ed Robson Arena on the CC campus!

Cheer on CC Tigers Hockey at two upcoming appreciation faculty/staff nights.

Colorado College vs. Western Michigan

Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Deadline to Purchase: Jan. 6, at 11:59 p.m.

Colorado College vs. Miami

Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Deadline to Purchase: Feb. 3, at 11:59 p.m.

Additional Information:

Tickets are located in sections 109 and 111 in the “CC Attack Twice Zone”
You can digitally transfer tickets after purchase
Please note all Covid-19 protocols for entry at Ed Robson Arena.

These discounted tickets are available exclusively for faculty and staff, and can be purchased today.

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Deadline Extended – Employee Climate and Engagement Survey

Deadline Extended – Faculty and Staff Climate and Engagement

The deadline for the Faculty & Staff Climate and Engagement Survey is being extended to December 26.

At CC, we’re striving to do what we do better. And to do that, we periodically ask staff and faculty how they feel about their sense of well-being; the college’s mission, values, and direction; and the shaping of our campus culture, among other things. An anonymous faculty and staff climate and engagement survey is open during Block 4. From now through December 26, you have the opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback on what you like most about CC and what you think the college could improve.

This is a confidential survey conducted by third-party survey partner ModernThink; no one at Colorado College has access to individuals’ survey responses. If you have not taken the survey yet, reminder messages with your unique log-in information will be sent on Dec. 17, Dec. 22, Dec. 23, and Dec. 26. Those reminder messages are being sent from ModernThink.

Thank you to everyone who has already participated.

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Thank You for Your Work This Year

Dear CC Community,

A big shoutout to you for your work to keep each other healthy, both physically and mentally!

Your commitment and vigilance have made it possible for the CC community to experience on-campus life — in-person classes, events, and activities, while also reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Your hard work, following CC’s risk mitigation protocols, has prevented outbreaks, stopped COVID-19 spread, and reduced the risk to yourselves, one another, and the broader community.

Don’t forget: Students who received a COVID-19 booster at the on-campus clinic Dec. 11 can email wornerdesk@coloradocollege.edu from their CC email address with “I’m Vaccinated” in the subject line and receive a code for a $5 Amazon credit for getting a booster or flu shot.

We appreciate all you have done throughout 2021 and all you continue to do.

Sincerely,

Andrea Bruder
Chief Public Health Advisor to the President 

Mateo Muñoz
Chair, COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee

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Around the Block Campus News

CC Honors Stroud Family in Newly Named Space

The honoring of a family’s legacy — and its lineage of perseverance — is enshrined in the Kelley Dolphus Stroud ’31 Club Level on the fourth floor of CC’s Ed Robson Arena. The family’s story is one of tragedy and triumph, and the space, named for Stroud, a prolific scholar, elite athlete, and Olympic competitor, brings together CC’s history, its ongoing commitment to antiracism, the Olympics, Stroud’s native Colorado Springs, and the City for Champions initiative.

Luis Garcia Puente Named American Mathematical Society Fellow

Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Luis David Garcia Puente has been invited to join the 2022 class of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society. He is one of 45 mathematical scientists from around the world to have been named an AMS fellow for 2022, and one of only nine AMS fellows in Colorado.

Garcia Puente is being honored for contributions to applied algebraic geometry, including algebraic statistics and geometric modeling, and for broadening participation in the mathematical sciences. He is an active member of the Latinxs and Hispanics in the Mathematical Sciences Community, the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science and The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences. He has directed undergraduate research projects for 20 years, involving close to 100 undergraduate students in his work.

Students Help Launch Vintage West Poster Contest

Video by Eric Ingram ’23

Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project encourages students to explore critical environmental and social challenges in the Rocky Mountain West. Students embark on interdisciplinary investigations around the region to discover the possibilities for balancing human activity without spoiling the natural environment.

Watch students Kaitlin Steinfort ’22 and Mar Wilson ’23 run the campus letterpress, producing vintage-style posters to help promote the college’s State of the Rockies Conservation in the West student vintage poster contest.

‘People • Place • Power’ Podcast Explores the Big Questions

In January 2021, Creativity & Innovation at CC officially launched the Student Seed Innovation Grant program, designed to empower students to investigate questions and solve real-world problems. The SSIG program seeks to be an idea accelerator by providing resources for students to be creative problem-solvers, embrace ambiguity, and iterate a project or idea forward.

One of last year’s funded SSIG projects, the podcast “People • Place • Power,” has launched its first episodes. “People • Place • Power” is a longform podcast that explores big questions about activism around the world. Created by longtime friends Benjamin Swift ’22 and Trisha Mukherjee (Columbia University ’21) they decided to make a podcast when they were sent home due to COVID. They originally planned to create a travel podcast to virtually take people around the world during a time when most forms of travel were impossible. After innumerable iterations of ideas, however, they realized that what interested them most about travel was not the traveling itself, but rather the activists that they met while traveling. Thus “People • Place • Power” was born. In its first season, “People • Place • Power” will bring listeners stories about how activists from India to Haiti to Afghanistan to Oklahoma are reclaiming their power.

CC Coach Named Top 100 Greatest College Swimming and Diving Coaches of the Past Century

Anne Goodman James, head coach of the men’s and men’s swimming teams has been selected to the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America’s 100 Greatest College Swimming & Diving Coaches of the past century.

Goodman James, who has produced 97 All-Americans, 29 national champions and countless NCAA qualifiers at five different schools since 1976, became head coach at CC in 2006.

Photo of the Week

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

Tree down in the windstorm December 15th

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Windstorm Damage and Repairs

Following an extensive damage assessment across campus, the Facilities Services team has created a comprehensive list of damage and needed repairs from the Dec. 15 windstorm.

The CC campus experienced moderate to severe damage including significant loss of and damage to trees; damaged windows, doors, roofs, gutters, and heating/cooling systems. Electrical systems, walkways, and driveways also sustained damage.

While the team will track costs as actual repairs are completed, a rough estimate of damage is $500,000-700,000, though this number may change.

Power has been restored at Tutt Library and it is now back open.

Loomis residents have moved back into their rooms; as of this afternoon, residents of two other campus houses remain temporarily relocated until downed trees are removed.

Please stay away from downed trees – jumping and climbing on downed trees is hazardous and also hinders cleanup efforts. Continue to be aware of heavy machinery on campus throughout the day clearing downed trees and other debris. At this time, crews are working to prioritize repairs and will establish a timeline to clean up and repair the campus.

Report any safety concerns to Campus Safety: campussafety@coloradocollege.edu or (719) 389-6707.

Thank you to our colleagues in Facilities Services, Residential Experience, Student Life, and ITS, along with many others who have put in a great deal of work to clear campus of debris and get it running safely and smoothly again.

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Winter Break and Return-to-Campus Guidance

Dear Students,

Last weekend’s flu and booster clinic was a big success, distributing 283 vaccines. Thanks to all who participated!

If you participated in this weekend’s vaccination clinic, please email wornerdesk@coloradocollege.edu, from your CC email address with “I’m Vaccinated” in the subject line and you’ll receive a code for a $5 Amazon credit for getting your booster or flu shot.

We saw the effectiveness of our protocols during Fall Break and will implement the same protocols for Winter Break:

Testing

All students will take a COVID-19 test in January, ahead of J-Block, Half Block, or Block 5, based on your schedule.
You will receive an email from  covid19@coloradocollege.edu  prompting you when to pick up a  BinaxNow test kit from the Tutt Library circulation desk
Bring and swipe your Gold Card to pick up a test kit.

Protect Yourself and Others

Protect family members who may be more at risk of severe illness, even if they are vaccinated:
- Continue participating in ongoing screening testing.
- Avoid large gatherings and  mask up indoors.  
- Follow CDC travel guidance for  domestic  and  international  travel. Travel requirements have changed for international travelers: All air passengers, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 24 hours before travel to the United States.

Symptomatic Testing 

Schedule an appointment at the Student Health Center if you are feeling ill and experiencing COVID or flu symptoms. The Student Health Center will be open for normal hours through Wed., Dec. 22 (8 a.m.-noon and 1-7:30 p.m.) with limited hours Dec. 23 (8 a.m.-2 p.m.).
During Winter Break, beginning Friday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 2, students should contact the Optum Medical Center Point Urgent Care, (719) 636-2999, if experiencing symptoms or feeling unwell.

If you receive positive COVID-19 test results during Winter Break, follow  isolation protocols  and contact the COVID-19 coordinator, (719) 413-9588 to discuss  the need for  support. 

Flu cases are on the rise. If you’re diagnosed with influenza, stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after symptoms, including fever, subside, typically four to seven days. Contact the Student Health Center, (719) 389-6384, to get your flu shot.

We wish you a healthy and restful break. 

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 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Events

Celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.

Commemorate MLK and his continuing legacy as a part of CC’s annual community events.

Join trailblazers from across the Colorado Springs and El Paso County communities who will reflect on the theme, “It Starts with Me.”

Featured guests include local leaders in government, K-12 and higher education, and the arts, including CC’s President L. Song Richardson and Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Mike Edmonds. In addition, prepare to be inspired with a call to action by Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius.

Mark your calendar now 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; you are welcome to give as much, or little, as you are able. Organizers do not want cost to be a burden.

Access links will be sent directly to ticketholders via email on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

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Campus Open for Normal Operations Today

Campus will maintain normal operations for Thursday, Dec. 16.

Following an initial assessment of damages from Wednesday’s windstorm, CC’s incident command team recommends that campus activities continue as normal.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Facilities Services team worked throughout the day and evening Wednesday securing buildings, clearing roadways and parking areas, ensuring fire alarms and other safety mechanisms are working, and boarding all broken windows.

Primary pedestrian pathways have been cleared, though there’s still much debris on campus. Power is back on in most facilities. Be aware of heavy machinery on campus throughout the day clearing trees and other debris.

Tutt Library is without power as of this morning; it will remain closed until power is restored.

Downed trees are still affecting part of Loomis Hall and Tutt Alumni House. Tutt Alumni House will remain closed until further notice; employees there should work virtually. Students in affected areas of Loomis Hall and two other small campus houses have temporarily relocated until downed trees are removed.

The incident command team expects to have a damage estimate and timeline for repairs by midday Thursday and will share that update when it’s available.

We wish the best to everyone impacted by Wednesday’s high winds.

Colorado College is a residential campus; essential personnel remain on campus 24/7 to support students. Report any safety concerns to Campus Safety: campussafety@coloradocollege.edu or (719) 389-6707.

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