As of Jan. 1, the Secure 2.0 Act introduced enhanced catch-up contributions for individuals aged 60–63 and the CU voluntary retirement plan options have adopted this feature effective Jan. 1, 2025.

This enhanced catch-up provision allows employees to contribute additional money to their age-50 catch-up contributions. For example, the 2025 catch-up contribution limit for those over 50 is $7,500, but if you are age 60–63, your limit increases to $11,250. This increase applies to CU’s voluntary retirement plans: the CU 403(b), PERA 401(k) and PERA 457.

Campus officials will conduct a CU Boulder alerts test, checking the university’s systems for sending text messages, emails, social media posts, computer desktop alerts and website announcements in the event of an emergency. Learn more.

Keep in mind that during OIT maintenance, which is next scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 26, you can always access Canvas and other campus portals directly. The direct link to Canvas, for example, is https://canvas.colorado.edu. 

Help fight food insecurity on campus Jan. 28–30 by participating in Swipe It Forward! Anyone with a meal plan can donate one swipe per day. As you check-out, tell the cashier you would like to donate.

Accepting donations at the following locations:

• C4C Dining Center
• Village Center Dining
• Alferd Packer Grill
• The Alley
• Sewall Dining Center
• SEEC Cafe
• CU on the Run
• Libby on the Run

Don’t have a meal plan but still want to help? Donate to the Basic Needs Center or register to volunteer.

The University of Colorado routinely reviews its retirement programs to ensure it provides competitive retirement benefits. A recent review successfully initiated a reduction of administration fees for the CU retirement plans administered by TIAA effective for 2025.

This reduction is part of CU’s ongoing commitment to provide the best possible benefits to help maximize employee’s retirement savings.

By Jan. 31, all 2024 W-2s will be sent to the mailing address employees had on file in the employee portal as of Dec. 15, and available in the employee portal shortly afterward. Form 1095-C will be available in the portal by March 3 for employees eligible for 2024 health benefits.

The UMC is accepting applications from student organizations for free office space or lockers for fall 2025.

A central office is a fantastic way for your recognized student organization to become more accessible and productive, which will help you grow membership, promote your events and programs, and fulfill your mission. In addition, the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) has lockers available for student organizations to use.

Apply online. Groups that currently have space must reapply! Applications must be submitted by Feb. 14 at noon.

Take piano lessons with an undergraduate piano intern this semester! These lessons are for students, staff or faculty who have had at least three years of previous piano instruction (no exceptions this semester).

The instructors are undergraduate piano majors (juniors and seniors) taking a piano pedagogy course. No university credit. Professor Alejandro Cremaschi supervises the interns.

You must have a piano or keyboard to practice. Get more information.

Registration for all 2025 summer camps now open!

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival offers summer camps for kids and teens (ages 6 to 18) on CU Boulder’s campus. Students will rehearse, stage and perform a shortened Shakespeare play (scenes for Sprites). Camp Shakespeare and Shakespeare's Sprites are a fabulous way for kids and teens to explore theatre and Shakespeare in a creative and supportive environment.

Shakespeare's Sprites (ages 6–9)

Shakespeare’s Sprites is a playful introduction to the Bard for ages 6–9. Discover the fun of Shakespeare through pool-noodle fights, silly insults, Renaissance songs and lively scene work. Each week culminates in a final showing for family and friends. This program is the perfect way to instill a love of language and theater in your child. Students enrolled in Shakespeare’s Sprites should have basic reading skills.

Dates

Session 1: July 7–11, 2025, 9 a.m.–noon
Final showing: Friday, 11:30 a.m., Loft Theatre

Session 2: July 14–18, 2025, 9 a.m.–noon
Final showing: Friday, 11:30 a.m., Loft Theatre

Location

University Theatre building (on campus at CU Boulder)

Tuition

Early bird (before March 1): $265/session
Regular (on or after March 1): $295

Discounts available for multiple sessions or registering two or more siblings.

Camp Shakespeare (ages 9–18) 

Camp Shakespeare is a fabulous way for kids and teens to explore theater and Shakespeare in a creative and supportive environment. Working in small groups, students learn about Shakespeare by rehearsing, staging and performing a shortened play. Camp Shakespeare will culminate in a free public performance in the Roe Green Theatre.

Dates

Camp days: July 21–Aug. 8, 2025 | Monday–Friday, noon–4 p.m.
Final performance: Saturday, Aug. 9, 9–11 a.m., Roe Green Theatre

Ages 9–11: "Doctor Faustus"
Ages 12–14: "The Tempest"
Ages 15–18: "Richard II"

Location

University Theatre building (on campus at CU Boulder)

Tuition

Early bird (before March 1): $1,040
Regular (on or after March 1): $1,185

Discounts available for registering two or more siblings. Scholarships are available (email csfedout@colorado.edu).

While the Hellems building, which surrounds the Mary Rippon Outdoor stage, is under construction, we're moving our Camp Shakespeare performances indoors. Curious about the renovations? More info here!

The Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) is inviting applicants for the 2025 Innovation Summit: Environmental Tipping Points and Transformations. The 2025 ESIIL Innovation Summit aims to bring together a diverse group of participants passionate about leveraging big data to enhance our understanding of environmental tipping points and transformations. 

The summit will focus on identifying opportunities for data synthesis, exploring the cutting-edge capabilities of ESIIL’s cyberinfrastructure, and fostering innovative solutions through collaborative, inclusive teams. Whether your expertise lies in environmental science, policy development, or community engagement, this event will offer valuable insights and the chance to collaborate with others from a variety of sectors and backgrounds. 

We encourage applications from individuals across all career stages and disciplines. Applications are due by Jan. 31, and participants will be selected through a review process.

The University Libraries invites undergraduate students to share an essay, original artwork or multimedia reflection that responds to or celebrates “Solito: A Memoir” for a chance to win $500. Submissions are due by noon on Jan. 24.

First-year and transfer students: If you haven’t already, pick up your free copy of this year’s Buffs One Read selection and join the campus discussion! 

Join experts on Wednesday, Jan. 22, to learn more about the features and benefits of saving with a 529 tax-advantaged plan and receive $50 to start your account. CU Employee Services partners with CollegeInvest to help faculty and staff with tools to succeed with Colorado’s 529 College Savings Program. Don't miss this webinar. 

Our campus building access emphasizes safety and building security while providing convenient access for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Most academic buildings with scheduled classes will be open and unlocked between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, to allow nonaffiliates access to scheduled events and other activities. 

• Doors unlocked between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. are electronic doors only. Manual-action doors will remain locked at all times and be available for exit only. 
• CU students, faculty and staff will continue to have extended access (from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m.) to these same academic buildings via Buff OneCard swipe. 
• A few buildings may maintain slightly different hours based on class schedules and staffing.

Prior access preferences established on Buff OneCards for students, faculty and staff remain in place. Students, faculty and staff who normally have weekend and after-hours access to specific buildings will still have access to those buildings. 

CU affiliates needing special access to a specific building are asked to contact their building proctors, C-CURE operators or department chairs to request the authorization/access needed on their Buff OneCards. 

University Libraries, the Recreation Center, the UMC and Health and Wellness Services publish their respective hours on their websites.

Tips for accessing a building with your Buff OneCard

• Always have your Buff OneCard.
• Depending on the type of card reader, make sure you are either:
  • Swiping with the stripe on the back of your card facing to the right
  • Or tapping the card on the proximity reader with your photo facing toward you

Review the full building access page, including details on getting help entering a building and other questions.

The Research on Affective Disorders and Development Lab is conducting research on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on mood and behavior. We are recruiting research participants ages 18–35.

The study includes a few different parts:

• You will answer short twice-daily surveys for six weeks on your mobile device.
• You will complete three in-person research visits, each including an interview about life experiences, a set of computer games, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan.
• You will select and use a CBD product for up to six weeks.

The study takes place over the course of six to eight weeks, and you will be compensated for your participation (maximum of $863–$1,038 for completing all parts of the study).

If you want to learn more, contact the RADD Lab at raddlab@colorado.edu or 303-735-8306, or go to our website to fill out the initial eligibility screening.

Are you a first-year student at CU Boulder? Interested in a research study on stress and coping in CU students? 

The Research on Affective Disorders and Development Lab is conducting research on stress coping in first year CU students. We want to understand what helps CU students cope with stress during major transitions, including the transition to college and across semesters.

The study includes a few different parts that happen over the three-semester study period: 

1. There are two in-person research sessions, each of which takes about 4–6 hours. During these sessions, you will play some computer games while we monitor physical functioning (for example, your heart rate). You will also complete a set of interviews and surveys that ask about stress, behavior, mood and health.
2. There are three 21-day periods in which we will send you a daily “micro survey” (less than 5 minutes to answer) asking about your behavior and mood using an app.
3. There are two 1-hour online surveys that we will send to your email.

The study takes place over the course of three semesters, and you will be compensated for your participation (maximum of $446–$470 for completing all parts of the study).

If you want to learn more, contact the RADD lab at raddlab@colorado.edu or fill out our initial eligibility screening.