Instructors have received ongoing email communications requesting book and course materials information for spring 2022 courses. As a reminder, campus policy states that departments are required to identify what books and other course materials are required (or if a course will have no required materials) for their classes by the day of registration.

Course material information is critical to provide financial transparency to our students during course registration and to help them plan ahead. It is also needed in order for the university to maintain Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEA) and Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance (Disability Services needs sufficient lead time to gain access to and prepare books and materials in suitable alternative formats for students who need them).

Instructors who are not requiring specific books or course materials for a course (and departments with unassigned courses that won’t have required materials) or courses that will utilize Open Education Resources (OER), still need to notify the CU Book Store of that fact as soon as possible.

The book store has designated a staff member to facilitate any faculty needs around this. His name is Ryan Windle, and his contact information is:

ryan.windle@colorado.edu
303-492-3421

Thank you for your prompt attention to this faculty responsibility.

The associate vice chancellor (AVC) supervising transitions and academic partnerships reports to, and partners with, the vice chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) to develop the vision, direction, and actualization of a comprehensive co-curricular experience for all students that aligns with the strategic imperatives of the campus and strategic plans within the division.

Learn more and apply.

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) has opened RIO Faculty Fellows 2022 cohort applications. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 15.

Mental health is...connection

While it may feel challenging, finding meaningful connections is important for our mental health. Socializing with our peers, mentors, friends, family and community can improve a number of areas of mental health. In fact, those who are closely connected to their friends and family tend to have lower rates of depression and suicide (including suicidal thoughts), higher self-esteem, more empathy and more trust in others. Additionally, feeling connected gives us a sense of belonging, support and purpose throughout our lives. 

Get tips to help you make meaningful connections now, throughout college and into the future. Read more.

The Space Minor committee, made up of faculty from across campus, has been working on developing the minor since September 2015. Many courses have been developed to explore various areas of studies and how they relate to space. Check out previously developed courses and all the ways students can get involved and learn more about space-related topics.

The committee is inviting faculty and staff to propose course ideas that support CU Boulder's Space Minor to be selected for eventual funding and development.

The Space Minor is open to any undergraduate student on campus. It consists of one required course, Pathway to Space, and four electives from an approved list which can be found on the Space Minor website. The program is intended to broaden student perspectives on how space and space-related subjects can impact both individuals and society and guide skilled professionals to careers in space policy, history, communication, science, engineering and even space themes in film and media.

Submitting a course proposal

Funding is available to see a variety of faculty and staff proposals developed into new courses for the Space Minor. For full consideration, proposals should be submitted online by Thursday, Sept 30. The form only takes five minutes to complete. Then, over the semester, the Space Minor Committee will review and select the qualified proposals for funding.

If you have suggestions for the committee to consider or questions about the Space Minor or course proposal form email spaceminor@colorado.edu.
 

Do you identify as a woman, and are you interested in the earth systems and environmental sciences? The earth systems and environmental sciences include topics such as the earth’s atmosphere and oceans, geology, energy, air quality, climate, water and natural resource management, and natural disaster forecasting. Are you interested in participating in a successful national scale mentorship program?

If so, then we would like to invite you to begin participation in this program with a one-day virtual professional development workshop. The workshop will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021.  

The workshop is part of a study to identify ways to support everyone’s interest in earth systems and environmental science careers through the National Science Foundation funded PROGRESS (PROmoting Geoscience Research Education and SuccesS) professional development and mentoring program.

If you are interested in participating in this single-day workshop and being paired with a mentor, please complete a brief online application (< 5 minutes to complete).
 
As part of the study, we will ask you to complete follow-up surveys about your experiences and interests at a later time (one before and one after the workshop). For questions, please email us at progressgeoscience@gmail.com.

Please note: Your participation is completely voluntary, and you can withdraw your participation at any time. In addition, the information you provide is treated as confidential; no identifying information will be connected with your answers. Please be also aware that your course instructors and advisors are not involved in this workshop study, and will not know whether you participate or not. Therefore, your decision to participate in the study will have no bearing on your course grades or experiences.

The UMC is the heart of campus, hosting 10,000-plus visitors a day and 16,000 events each year. As one of the most active spots on campus, the UMC gives CU students exceptional leadership and job experience. We offer a competitive salary, flexible hours, professional and personal development opportunities and a true team spirit!

The UMC is currently hiring for a number of positions, including:

• Cashiers and a graduate assistant at The Connection
• Events Planning & Catering intern
• Business office assistant
• Security guards
• Set-up crew
• Audio/visual tech

To learn more about available positions and to apply, visit the UMC Student Jobs webpage.

Join us October 14–17 for Family Weekend. This fall tradition is a great opportunity for families to connect with you on our beautiful campus . Get more details and register today.

If you're located outside of Colorado and/or you won't be on campus while taking classes, it's important for us to know where you are so we can make sure you're getting equitable access to educational opportunities.

Visit the Office of the Registrar to learn more and update your contact information.

A new recordkeeping and administrative fee structure for the University of Colorado 401(a) Mandatory Retirement Plan, CU 403(b) Voluntary Retirement Plan and Student Employee Retirement Plan (SERP) will debut on Oct. 1.

This change reduces overall fees paid by CU faculty and staff by nearly 50%. The fixed-dollar, per-participant fee structure ensures each plan participant pays a fair, reasonable cost for the plan services provided.

Each participant will pay a single flat fee, based on their total account balance in all their CU retirement plan accounts. Fees will range from $0 to $186 annually.

As we increase our on-campus presence, and once again strive to reach our campus zero waste goal, a habit worth reviving is that of properly sorting our recyclables, compost and waste. Facilities Management is pleased to offer a new outreach program that you and your colleagues will find engaging, fun and highly informative.

For groups of 4–12, we’ll start with a brief presentation, followed by some mock recycling (where you are guaranteed to learn something you didn’t know before). Then we will take you on a tour of the on-campus recycling facility, do some Q&As and hand out some sweet sustainable CU-branded swag.

What better way to spend an hour? Round up your campus colleagues, reach out to recycling@colorado.edu, and we will get you on the schedule.

The Office of the Dean of Students will be holding office hours at the University Memorial Center (UMC 308). These office hours serve as a way to ask questions, connect with our staff and learn about resources; no appointment needed!

Stop by between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

• Sept. 16
• Oct. 21
• Nov. 18
• Dec. 16

During these challenging times, many in the CU Boulder community may be looking to campus resources for assistance. Please know there are many in-person and virtual support and advocacy resources available to you.

Each semester, the Student Affairs offers hundreds of events, workshops and opportunities to get involved, meet fellow Buffs and have some fun! Events range from DIY nights and fitness classes to career fairs and watch parties, so there’s something for everyone.

Check back each week to see our current featured events and new offerings. We hope you’ll join us soon!