The COVID Weekly Report

Here are the COVID-19-related updates for the week of Jan. 31:

All known CC student cases, regardless of whether exposure occurred at CC, appear on the CC COVID-19 dashboard.
In-person dining in Rastall Café is back!
Faculty and staff: Here’s where to get COVID tests.
Students: Plan your COVID-friendly event.

The Return of In-person Dining

President Richardson announced Friday morning: campus dining at Rastall Café is back open for dine-in service and all regular meals.  We have been able to achieve our goal of being together in person this year because you have been doing your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Updated dining hours are available here.

Bon Appétit als0 sells reusable take-out containers for $10. Bring your clean container to Rastall if you’d like to fill your to-go box and eat elsewhere. This program is open to students, faculty, and staff.

Delayed Shipment of Employee COVID-19 Test Kits

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 here to order from the Colorado at-home testing program.

 Students: Ready to Plan an Event?

It’s possible to host a successful in-person event while also taking care to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by following CC’s COVID-19 risk mitigation protocols. Have questions about how you can:

Be involved in digital programming?
Support your student organization?
Start planning for the spring?

Email campusactivities@coloradocollege.edu to set up an apporintment to chat with Campus Activities’ professional staff or stop by Worner 230 to talk with student interns about the possibilities.

Drop-ins: Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m., Campus Activities staff and student interns available to answer questions
By appointment: email  Amy Hill  or  Allis Werkmeister  for availability

Campus Activities encourages you as soon as you envision hosting an event, please review the event planning checklist in detail, request a space in Ungerboeck, and schedule a student event summit meeting to discuss the details and to learn more about the requirements of COVID-19 risk mitigation in event planning. Please note: The minimum advance notice required to plan an event is 10 days; 10 days advance notice, however, is not a guarantee and all student events are dependent upon space and staff availability.

You Can Still 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, including the Pikes Peak Library District.

First-year Winter Start students take advantage of a late-night opportunity to embrace their artistic side at the Bemis School of Art. With a wide variety of activities including oil painting, watercolors, sculpting, and pottery throwing, everyone had a chance to try something different, introduce themselves to their fellow students, and get a head start on making CC memories. Photo by Joshua Birndorf ’20.

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 will 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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BIPOC Women Leaders on Progress, Barriers

More Women of Color in Leadership, But: ‘We Should Speak Frankly About the Barriers That Still Exist’

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

The leadership at Colorado College has changed dramatically throughout the years, and now, in the 2021-22 academic year, the college has never had as many female-identifying, Black, Indigenous, People of Color voices as it currently does. As the CC community takes a moment to acknowledge how far it’s come, the BIPOC women in leadership roles know that there’s still a long way to go.

With a unique administrative faculty perspective, Claire Oberon Garcia — professor of English, former dean of the faculty and acting provost — knows that in order for the discrepancies in leadership representation roles to diminish in higher education, “we should speak frankly about the barriers that still exist.”

As things look up for higher education and Colorado College in the lens of BIPOC women assuming significantly more leadership roles, it’s important for the college and its antiracism commitment to hear what these women know must happen for this change to continue — with longevity — toward a more equitable future. Colorado College has come a long way and there’s pride to be had in the current leadership representation, but the work certainly continues.

State of the Rockies: Conservation in the West Vintage Poster Contest Winners Announced

The winners of the State of the Rockies Project’s Conservation in the West student vintage poster contest have been announced. Congratulations to Isabel DeVito ’24 (first place), Charlie Bragg ’23 (second place), and Sophie Dua ’23 (third place), and to Casey Millhone ’22, Natasha Yskamp Long ’22, and Sofie Miller ’23 (honorable mentions). For the contest, students created a vintage-style poster of a national park, monument, or forest in the Rocky Mountain region that included a contemporary conservation message.

First Place: Isabel DeVito ’24

I interned for the National Park Service near Flagstaff, Arizona in 2021, and spent weekends hiking and camping in the Coconino National Forest. I chose this view of ponderosa pine forest below the San Francisco Peaks to illustrate wildfires, perhaps the most serious impact of climate change on public lands in the Rocky Mountain West. Coconino and many forests are experiencing prolonged drought and higher incidence of severe wildfires. These impacts threaten not only biodiversity and protected species, but millions of visitors’ ability to recreate. The public supports transitioning away from fossil fuels and making our public lands a net-zero source of carbon emissions. The State of the Rockies survey found that 72% of Arizonans support prioritizing recreation and conservation over fossil fuel extraction. “Keep It In the Ground” is a national campaign by NGOs to advocate for the cessation of all new oil, gas, and coal development on public lands.

Second Place: Charlie Bragg ’23

I chose Arches National Park as my subject. I’ve visited several times and am awed by both the beauty and complexity of the area. It’s an important site because it’s so well-known and easily accessible, and therefore busier and more prone to destruction. By suggesting respect and preservation of the land, I hope to remind and enforce the idea of leaving no trace. Since climate change has become a politicized issue, it is important to stress that preservation and conservation are supported by “everybody.” Furthermore, by presenting this as common knowledge, people should feel more obliged to partake in the effort. While issues like drought, use of public land, and Indigenous rights are in the Utah climate change conversation, a simple reminder to respect the land and leave no trace can go a long way for the over one million annual visitors of the park, especially the new ones.

Third Place: Sophie Dua ’23

As highlighted in the 2021 Conservation in the West Survey, climate change is seen as one of the most serious problems facing the Rocky Mountain region, and support for reducing human contributions to climate change is high. Because of these attitudes, I chose to center the message of this poster around bringing awareness to some of the ramifications of a warming climate, as well as encouraging a feeling of responsibility to join the fight against climate change. What better way to present this than through Glacier National Park? Glacier has not only seen a dramatic increase in tourism since the pandemic, but also has one of the most tangible examples of the impact of climate change: rapidly melting glaciers. The future of Glacier is ever so tied to the future of climate change, and how we might all take steps to minimize its consequences.

Celebrate Black History Month with the FAC

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College honors a rich culture and history by showcasing Black artists and Black voices in a variety of events and programs, both virtual and in-person. Join us for theatre performances, to art exhibitions and spoken word.

Featuring:

“By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,“ live on stage Feb. 24–March 20
“The Raid,” available for viewing on FAC Connect Feb. 1–19
“Diago: The Pasts of this Afro-Cuban Present,” opening in the museum Feb. 11
“ACTION WORDS,” original spoken word poetry inspired by the messages and legacy of Dr. King, available for viewing on FAC Connect

Classics Professor Awarded Coveted Fellowship in Athens

Photo by Eileen Broderick

Colorado College Associate Professor of Classics and Judson Bemis Professor in the Humanities Sanjaya Thakur has been selected as an Elizabeth A. Whitehead Distinguished Scholar at the American School for Classical Studies, Athens, for the 2022-23 academic year.

The ASCSA is the oldest American overseas research center for advanced inquiry in the fine arts and humanities. Its mission is to advance knowledge of Greece and all aspects of Greek culture, from antiquity to the present, by training young scholars, sponsoring and promoting archaeological fieldwork, providing resources for scholarly work, and disseminating the results of that research. Thakur joins the list of eminent professors of classics and archaeology who have held the highly coveted position, but is one of the few liberal arts college faculty members to ever hold the fellowship.

Thakur regularly teaches courses on both Greek and Roman sports and sports history at Colorado College and the classes have won him acclaim among students. While in residence, Thakur will be working on several related academic projects, the first on athletics in Homer’s “Odyssey” and the second, a study of depictions of boxers on ancient Greek vases.

Year-Long Series Addressing Anti-Asian Racism Continues

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.

Summer Research Symposium on Feb. 8

We know that climate change disproportionately affects the Arctic, but little is known about how warming influences critical processes such as pollination and plant reproduction in this vast region. As part of the Summer Collaborative Research Program, Lucy Zicarelli ’21, Caroline Brose ’22, and Alex Jennings ’22 worked at Toolik Field Station in Alaska with Professor Roxaneh Khorsand to quantify the effects of warming on the plant-pollinator network. They used passive warming experiments to test how plants and pollinators respond to increased temperatures and early snowmelt.

Come celebrate and learn about this and other collaborative research projects that CC faculty and students worked on last summer at the Summer Research Symposium on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 3 p.m. in Cornerstone Arts Center. A short oral presentation in Celeste Theatre will begin the event followed by poster presentations in the main space of Cornerstone.

Photo of the Week

Photo by Lonnie Timmons III

Maggie Anderson ’25 plays piano for her fellow WSO participants after they performed service work at Concrete Couch project Concrete Coyote on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022.

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Indoor Dining Resumes Today

Dear CC Community,

We have been able to achieve our goal of being together in person this year because you have been doing your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Your care for each other is making a difference.

Beginning with lunch today, campus dining at Rastall Café will reopen for dine-in service and all regular meals.

For indoor dining to be successful, I ask that everyone take extra precautions:

If your schedule allows, go to Rastall early or late during dining hours to avoid crowds.
Keep your KN95 mask on and lower it only when actively eating or drinking. This is similar to protocols in place during air travel when asked to wear masks between bites of food and sips of drinks.
Takeout options are available for students who prefer to eat elsewhere.
No extended lingering and socializing without masks, please.
We will increase ventilation in various ways, including opening doors.

In addition to reopening Rastall Café, concessions will resume at public events at Robson Arena (starting Saturday with limited offerings), and the Fine Arts Center. Hosts of meetings and gatherings have the option to offer refreshments. Again, if food or drink is available, please keep your KN95 mask on and lower it only when actively eating or drinking, and open windows and doors to increase ventilation.

With the exception of quick sips of water, food and drink consumption continues to be prohibited in class.

Other on-campus dining areas may reopen as we continue to monitor our data and to adapt and respond to changing circumstances. Please continue to participate in regular screening testing and follow our risk mitigation protocols:  

All students must participate in screening testing on Mondays and Thursdays.
Get your booster shot as soon as you are eligible and submit your documentation. 
Wear KN95 or similar filtration masks in indoor public spaces.   
Limit indoor social interactions and prioritize safer outdoor activities.

If we see a spike in COVID positivity, we may reverse this decision.

Thanks to our COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee for their tremendous work to monitor and respond to COVID-19. And thank you for all you are doing to reduce risk, allowing us to have an in-person, on-campus experience.

Sincerely,

L. Song Richardson

President

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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.

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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