With finals week, commencement, and summer approaching, the CU Boulder campus is preparing to follow different building access protocols. Remember to carry your Buff OneCard, Buffs!

Finals/commencement week: May 3–11

• Most academic buildings will be locked. Students, faculty and staff will be able to access these buildings from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with their Buff OneCard.
• Outside these hours, you will need to have previously been granted Buff OneCard after-hours access permissions.
• Buildings hosting recognition ceremonies will be open on those days to accommodate attendance.
• Students, faculty and staff who normally have weekend and after-hours access to specific buildings will still have access to those buildings on the weekend of May 11–12.

Summer Session: Starting May 13 

Building protocol will be largely similar to fall and spring semesters:

• 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 non-affiliates access to scheduled events and other activities.
• CU students, faculty and staff will have extended access (from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m.) to most academic buildings via Buff OneCard swipe.
• On university holidays and administrative leave days during Summer Session (May 27, June 19 and July 4), building access will be available only for affiliates with Buff OneCards who have been provisioned for 24/7 access to their respective facilities.
• Students, faculty and staff who normally have weekend and after-hours access to specific buildings will still have access to those buildings.

Trouble accessing a building?

If you experience problems with accessing a building with your Buff OneCard, you can contact Access Services 303-492-6609 during regular business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After hours, you can contact the Operations Control Center at 303-492-5522 or occ@colorado.edu.

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

The annual Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) Excellence Awards took place April 18 at the University Memorial Center, recognizing faculty members for outstanding work and concerted effort in advancing the mission of the university and the academy at large.

The Excellence Awards are given in three categories. The Excellence in Leadership and Service winners include Valerie McKenzie and Alastair Norcross; the Excellence in Research, Scholarly and Creative Work winners are Jason Boardman, Joost de Gouw and Rebecca Safran; and the Excellence in Teaching winners are Bethany Wilcox, Colene Robinson and Cosetta Seno. Read more about this year's recipients. 

The ceremony also featured a faculty address by the 2023 Hazel Barnes Prize winner Hanspeter Schaub, professor and chair of Aerospace Engineering Sciences.

See the ceremony photos.

You finished your degree at CU Boulder and now you’re ready to take on the world! You may be leaving campus, but CU Boulder’s Alumni Association will always be here for you throughout your journey.

Whether you’re looking to build your CU Boulder network or reminisce with friends, Forever Buffs events are a great way to foster a connection as you get started with your new chapter—wherever you roam! Each season brings tons of fun Forever Buff signature events to look forward to.

Graduating students, please review this information so you know what to expect and how to prepare for the big day. 

A few highlights:

•  7–8 a.m. Gather on Norlin Quad. Refreshments will be available for graduating students. Follow the signs to find your college or school for the procession.
• ​ 8 a.m. Procession departs from Norlin Quad. 
• ​ 8–8:45 a.m. Students follow the procession to Folsom Field, pass through security and take seats. The ceremony begins as soon as all students are seated.
• The ceremony lasts approximately an hour and a half. 

At the commencement ceremony, you will continue an age-old tradition by wearing the same caps, gowns, cords and hoods as generations of Buffs before you.

Undergraduate regalia

If you’re graduating with your bachelor’s degree, you will wear a black gown, a black cap and a colored tassel indicating your field of study.

You can purchase your regalia from the CU Book Store online or in person.

Graduate regalia

If you’re graduating with your master’s or doctoral degree, you will wear a black gown and a hood lined with velvet trim denoting your field of study. Master’s students will wear a mortarboard cap and a black tassel. Doctoral students will wear a tam and a gold tassel.

The deadline to order regalia online has passed, and any online orders placed will not arrive in time for our ceremonies. Jostens will be on-site with a limited supply of graduate regalia available for purchase in Balch Fieldhouse during the below dates/times:

• Wednesday, May 8, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Thursday, May 9, 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Friday, May 10, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Cords, stoles, honors medals: What are they and how do you get yours?

Looking to add some color to go with your graduation gown? Different colored cords and stoles are worn to symbolize participation in campus activities and groups, and also often represent academic honors, military service and specific academic fields. Learn more.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness applications and form processing will be temporarily paused from May 1 through July 2024. The U.S. Department of Education will transition PSLF servicing from MOHELA to the studentaid.gov website during this time.

Add your materials to the University Libraries’ course reserves service and give students access to course materials while supporting their success and helping them save money.

Drop off your new or gently used textbooks, scholarly materials and clickers at a University Libraries service desk during our end-of-semester donation drive April 29–May 17.

With warmer weather and many events happening at the end of the academic year, you may see more chalk messages on sidewalks around campus. Here are some reminders on CU Boulder’s chalking policy, as part of the Campus Use of University Facilities Procedures (PDF).

• Chalking is permitted for student organizations and university departments to promote events, within guidelines.
• Chalking may not be used to promote organizations or events that are not affiliated with the university.
• Chalking must be done by using water-soluble stick-chalk that quickly fades away with the natural elements within a few days.
• Chalking is restricted to concrete or asphalt exterior sidewalks that are exposed to natural elements.
• Chalking can be erased, without notice, if they do not comply with university policies and regulations. No one other than authorized university personnel may erase or alter chalked messages.

Questions? Email studentaffairs@cuboulder.edu.

Anyone can refer a student to Student Support & Case Management (SSCM). SSCM can connect students with resources and help them work through challenging life situations that may be impacting their education, such as:

• Mental health concerns
• Family emergencies
• Hospitalization
• Food or housing insecurity

Visit the SSCM website to learn how to recognize and respond to a student in distress and how to refer them to a case manager.

CU NightRide has extended hours to support you during finals week! CU NightRide will be available until 1 a.m. to provide transportation within Boulder city limits May 3–7. Download the CU NightRide app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to request a ride.

CU Boulder Health and Wellness Services is hosting their seventh annual Health & Wellness Summit in November at the University Memorial Center. Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit a proposal to present at the summit by May 30.

“Zen out” while you prep for finals! Stop by the first floor of the UMC to take a break, relax or meditate in a comfy area. Read more healthy tips to finish the semester strong.

CU NightRide is a student-operated program dedicated to meeting the safety needs of CU students, faculty and staff by providing nighttime transportation to support a safe academic and socially responsible environment, both on campus and in the community.

CU NightRide is hiring driver/dispatchers to take calls, coordinate rides and drive within the city of Boulder. We’re looking for students who are confident and safe behind the wheel, friendly, courteous, non-judgmental, caring and skilled at multitasking.

Driver/dispatcher (Student Assistant I)

• $16 per hour, 10–20 hours/week
• Flexible schedule
• Growth opportunities

Help members of our campus community get home safe!

Dive deeper into the world of informal physics education—introducing the next “Humans of JILA” episode for the highly anticipated second part of our PISEC series. PISEC (Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community) is an educational outreach and research program within JILA funded by the NSF Physics Frontier Center.