Wildfires can happen at any time of year in Colorado, which makes fireworks particularly dangerous in the Boulder area. Setting off fireworks also negatively impacts the health and wellness of your neighbors and our community. It's important to find other ways to celebrate being back in Boulder.

The city of Boulder’s firework laws are more restrictive than other areas of Colorado. Laws prohibit items like sparklers, snaps, snakes, bottle rockets, Roman candles and smoke bombs, in addition to fireworks that leave the ground or explode. You may also be held responsible for fireworks used by roommates and guests.

Possible legal penalties include:

• Fines up to $2,650
• Court fees
• Possible arson charges
• Possible jail time
• Liability for property or personal injury damages

You will also be referred to Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution at CU Boulder.

Unused fireworks can be brought to the city of Boulder Public Safety Building at 1805 33rd St. without penalty. Connect with ⁠Student Legal Services or visit ⁠Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations to learn more about common citations and Boulder ordinances.

OIT is excited to announce the transition from our existing enterprise video platform, Kaltura, to our new platform, YuJa, is beginning this fall semester. The transition will occur in stages over the next three semesters, fall 2023 to fall 2024, and is being planned in a way to make user experience as smooth as possible.

Learn more information about YuJa, the transition, and upcoming training opportunities.

Haven't found just the right course to complete your fall 2023 schedule? The History Department has several interesting courses still available, many of which fulfill gen ed, diversity, major or elective credits. Below are some of our open courses:

• HIST 1628-001 Introduction to Chinese History since 1644
• HIST 4123-001 Kings and Commoners in an Age of Crisis: English History 1327–1487
• HIST 4232-001 From Absolutism to Revolution in Europe, 1648–1789
• HIST 4437-001 African American History, 1619–1865
• HIST 4521-001 Europe in the High Middle Ages (1000–1400 A.D.)
• HIST 4538-002 History of Modern India
• HIST 4618-001 Early Modern China: From Ghengis Khan to the Opium War
• HIST 4728-001 Modern Japanese History
• HIST 4800-001 Special Topics in Global History: Semicolonial China, Japan, Siam
• HIST 4803-001 Special Topics in European History: Warrior Queens of England
• HIST 4820-001 Human Rights: Historical Perspectives

Read the course descriptions, or visit CU Boulder Class Search for more information.

On Sunday, Aug. 20, the CU Boulder campus will return to its regular academic year operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These hours will remain in effect through Sunday, May 12, 2024. 

The standard operating hours are core business hours for student-, employee- and customer-facing services/offices. Student-, employee- or customer-facing offices should attempt to maintain a consistent schedule and be open during these hours to provide support and services to the campus community.

ALTEC’s language classes are back! Whether you want to be a part of the multilingual community at work or become a more confident international traveler, learning a language is an excellent next step.

Our remote, non-credit classes feature Arabic, American Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. Recommit to language learning without the stress but with all the fun.

Register now to take a language class this fall. All classes are taught remotely via Zoom and meet live twice a week for an hour and 15 minutes. Fall courses begin Sept. 11 and conclude Nov. 3.

Current CU affiliates’ tuition rate: $225 per course
Community members’ tuition rate: $275 per course

Prospective students with financial barriers can apply for a scholarship by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 8.

Looking for an ongoing volunteer experience that will challenge you to grow and learn as an active member of the Boulder community? Apply for the Volunteer Placement Program!

Here’s how:

1. Apply for the program by noon Sept. 10.
2. Get matched with a community partner based on your interests and skills.
3. Accept a placement.
4. Commit to direct service for 30 total hours during the semester.

Learn about the community need you are serving. Make a direct impact, expand your network, learn new skills and make friends!

Applications open Aug. 18.

The SHINE Lab is seeking participants for a paid study investigating how technology affects teams performing tasks. The experiment will take approximately 1.5 hours. The study uses non-invasive sensors to measure brain and physiological activity while participants complete a task in teams of two.

Participants will be compensated $30 with an additional bonus of up to $40 based on task performance (up to $70 total).

If you are interested in participating, please email shinelabstudy@gmail.com for more information, or schedule a slot.

Do you know a rock star staff member who regularly makes an outsized contribution to the University of Colorado? Recognize their efforts by nominating them for the University of Colorado Staff Council (UCSC) Staff Excellence Awards.

UCSC recognizes staff members who have gone above and beyond their job duties, have surpassed expectations and embody what makes CU excellent. All CU staff members, including classified and university staff, are eligible to be nominated for this prestigious award.

Each winner will receive a $250 award presented by a member of each campus’s leadership at the Staff Excellence Award Event on Oct. 6. Each awardee, their nominators and one guest will be invited to join the awards ceremony to be held at the Hilton Denver Inverness.

Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Sept. 6. Winners will be notified in mid-September. For more information and questions, please email rachel.dardenne@cu.edu.

The Basic Needs Center is collecting reusable bag donations to provide to students using the Buff Pantry. Donations can be dropped off at the Buff Pantry during regular hours. 

Interested in being an executive of the Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) for the AY 2023–24? Applications for both president of administration and president of engagement are currently open.

More information about these executive roles and the corresponding teams they support and the application/election process can be found on the GPSG website. These positions are paid bi-weekly stipends and are a great way to get involved and represent your peers.

Each year, University of Colorado employees must verify the accuracy of their sick and vacation leave. Learn more and get tips to complete the process before Thursday, Aug. 31.

Tuition assistance applications are open for fall 2023. Faculty and staff can claim up to 9 credits per academic year (fall through summer) on any CU campus. The benefit provides a significant cost reduction for eligible faculty and staff, enabling recipients to more easily pursue their individual interests in higher education. Learn more on the Work/Life blog.

If you’re moving out of or into an off-campus residence this week, be aware of Boulder trash ordinances. Make sure to properly dispose of any items you are getting rid of. Large items will not be picked up with regular trash, and abandoning those items can result in up to $1,000 in fines.

Here's what you should and should not do when throwing out your things.

Do

• Place unwanted items fully inside a designated dumpster.
• Wait for the dumpster to be emptied if it is currently full.
• Wait up to 60 minutes for a dumpster to be replaced if it’s been temporarily taken for emptying.

Don't

• Leave unwanted items on the ground or to the side of the dumpster.
• Dispose of construction-related or other non-household items.
• Leave items in non-designated areas, such as yards or the sidewalk.

Many items you may be getting rid of can be recycled. ⁠Visit Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations for resources to recycle, donate or sell your items.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Lab (KimLab) is recruiting participants for a research study on language comprehension. This is a non-invasive EEG study that lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours where you will read words and sentences on a computer screen and answer yes/no questions. You will be paid $40-$60 in cash at the end of the session for your time ($20/hour).

For our EEG study, we will put saline gel and EEG equipment on your head, face and arm. Participants are recommended to wash their hair after the study. 

You may be eligible to participate if you are:

• A native English speaker (English was your primary language before you turned 5 years old)
• Between the ages 18–40

Location:
Center for Innovation & Creativity, Room 133
1777 Exposition Drive, Boulder, CO 80309