What is driving this stay-at-home action?

This action is being driven largely by the proliferation of positive cases traced to students attending parties on University Hill, particularly among a few sororities, fraternities and other multi-student residences.

What activities are the exceptions to the stay-at-home notice?

Local CU Boulder students may leave their residences only to:

  • Attend in-person classes, labs, research activities and intercollegiate athletic training; 
  • For work and to take children to school or child care; 
  • To obtain food, medicine, medical care and emergency supplies that cannot be delivered. This includes seeking COVID-19 related testing.
  • Exercise by themselves. The Rec Center remains open.
How will you enforce a voluntary stay-at-home notice?
  • We consider this strong recommendation to be a directive from Boulder County Public Health.     
  • We anticipate updating campus policy within the next 48 hours to include the requirement that Staff, Faculty, Research Faculty, and Students are required to follow directives from Public Health Officials.     
  • After that update is complete, we will be enforcing the directive from Boulder County Public Health. Students found in violation of COVID-19 protocols that endanger our community will be adjudicated through the student code of conduct,      
  • Additionally, attending gatherings of any type outside their homes will be indications that students are violating the stay-at-home directive, and will likely result in sanctions.
How is this voluntary stay-at-home action different from your current operating mode?
  • Boulder County Public Health has significantly reduced the range of activities students are allowed to participate in outside of their homes or residence halls.
  • We will continue to step up enforcement through our student conduct office, particularly as it relates to violation of public health orders.
  • We are assessing whether to add conduct metrics to our campus COVID-19 dashboard to better illustrate the actions we have been or will be taking.
What are the decision points for ending the county’s stay-at-home action?
  • The county’s recommended the stay-at-home period ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
  • We will continue working with the city, county and state to monitor metrics related to positive cases and testing, monitoring and mitigation resources to make decisions that best protect our students, faculty and staff and the community.
Is this your Limited mode of operation? Why not go Limited?
  • We are not moving to our Limited mode of operation yet. This is an interim measure that we hope will prevent the need to move to Limited operating status.
  • Based on information from contact tracing, there have not been transmissions identified from when an infectious individual attended an in-person class. Precautions in place with the physical set-up of classes include: required face coverings, decreased density, physical distancing of at least 6 feet and improved ventilation. 
  • Boulder County Public Health does not currently have concerns about our in-person classes because of the precautions we’re following. If problematic behavior does not change, we will need to reconsider the campus status.
What are the criteria for moving to Limited operating status and taking classes fully remote?
  • We continue to monitor several factors related to testing results, contact tracing and isolation space to assess our campus mode of operation and whether a change in status is needed. 
  • Any decision to change modes will need to balance our ability to respond effectively to positive cases with the level of risk to the community based on guidance from campus, state and county experts.
Why is intercollegiate athletics training listed as an exception?

Like classrooms and research labs, our intercollegiate athletics programs and facilities are highly structured, with strict mitigation measures in place to minimize the transmission of COVID-19.

Will this halt research on campus?

No, researchers will still be able to work on campus.

Does this mean staff members taking classes have to stay at home?

No, the recommendation from the county is for undergraduate and graduate students to voluntarily stay at home.

Do students living outside Boulder/Boulder County have to participate in the quarantine?
  • This applies only to CU Boulder students living in the City of Boulder who need to stay at home in their Boulder home or residence hall.
  • We expect our students to act as Buffs no matter where they are, so we encourage all students to follow public health guidelines for their area.
Can students leave home/residence halls to exercise or go to the recreation center?
  • Personal exercise and recreation, by yourself, is permitted provided face coverings are worn at all times and physical distancing is observed. 
  • The Student Recreation Center will remain open.
What is the university doing for mental health support to help combat feelings of isolation among students?
  • Physical distancing and quarantine/isolation measures can make it harder to stay connected with others. Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) is offering a free virtual COVID-19 workshop series. CAPS also offers virtual services for crisis support, brief individual counseling, psychiatry, consultations and other mental health services. Students can call CAPS 24/7 at 303-492-2277 to speak with a licensed professional.
  • Virtual events are a great way for students to meet fellow Buffs and make friends. Visit the Student Events website and follow @CUBoulderLife on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for upcoming events and information.
What does this mean for events on campus?

While a few events had resumed in a limited capacity over the past 10 days, campus will revert to a strict moratorium for all in-person, on-campus events for at least the next two weeks.

Can local parents bring their students home?
  • The intent of the county’s stay-at-home action is for students to quarantine in their residence halls or in their local homes.
  • Students are still able to attend in-person classes.
  • Returning to their permanent residences could increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Will students see fee reductions for services that can’t be used over the next two weeks?
  • There will not be fee reductions or refunds. Students will continue to benefit from services and support resources funded through fees. 
  • If the campus were to go fully remote for the remainder of the semester, students would receive a graduated refund for certain fees based on the timing of that decision. 
Will there be tuition refunds if students decide to withdraw?

Students who choose to withdraw from classes for the semester can work with the Office of the Registrar on the process for withdrawal and any remaining tuition payments depending on the date of withdrawal. 

What if a student wants to break their housing contract?

Students should refer to their housing contract for information on the process and financial implications associated with early termination.

How is the university coordinating with Greek Life/disciplining Greek houses?
  • Our Fraternity and Sorority Life office is liaising with quarantined Greek houses that are affiliated with campus to ensure proper quarantine/isolation measures are in place and sharing information and resources for testing and medical care.
  • Fraternities and sororities have defined conduct procedures that hold individual members accountable to policy violations. National chapters hold members accountable through local procedures.
  • However, as students of the university, Greek members who violate public health orders will be subject to the same university discipline as other students.
Will the university be increasing testing availability, including on weekends?

At this time, the university has the testing capacity Monday through Friday to meet demand. CU Boulder students can access the drop-in testing site offered by the county. 

What other testing options are available?

County standing up drop-in site starting on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

No appointments or symptoms required.

Will you start providing testing for employees and off-campus students?
  • Currently, we encourage faculty, staff, and off-campus students to take advantage of the new testing sites set up by the county. 
  • Students who have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 may complete an asymptomatic test seven days after they were exposed. Schedule an appointment through MyCUHealth portal or call 303-492-5432.
  • Students who are symptomatic, regardless of whether they live on-campus or off-campus, can contact the Public Health Clinic at Wardenburg Health Center to set up an appointment. 
  • Faculty and staff who have been contacted by the campus contact tracing team and told to complete a diagnostic test will be directed to contact the Public Health Clinic. 
  • Other faculty and staff experiencing symptoms should contact their medical providers.
Are you using wifi data to track your students’ movement?
  • The University is exploring the possibility of wireless data to determine density within campus buildings. This information could then be used to help our students, faculty and staff to make better-informed decisions on whether they want to enter a building that may be densely populated. The data could also help us focus awareness outreach or testing efforts. 
  • All data is anonymized. There is no plan to utilize this information to track individual movement or large gatherings, and the information does not pick up outdoor activity. 
  • This is still in the development stage.
Can I still attend classes?

Yes. Students are still able to attend in-person classes and labs. If you feel sick or are experiencing any symptoms, please stay home.

If I haven’t been on campus, do I still need to follow the stay-at-home notice?

Yes. The stay-at-home directive is for all students residing within the city of Boulder, as the majority of positive cases among students have come from off campus.

I am a student employee, can I still go to my job?

Yes. Going to work is an exception to the stay-at-home notice.

Can I go and work at my local job?

Yes. Going to work is an exception to the stay-at-home notice.

Can I still do my research as a graduate student?

Yes. Students may leave their residences for research activities.

I am commuting to school from outside Boulder County. Should I still attend? Should I quarantine?
  • You may still attend your in-person classes. If you feel sick or are experiencing any symptoms, please stay home. 
  • This stay-at-home applies only to CU Boulder students living in the City of Boulder who need to stay in their Boulder home or residence hall.
  • We expect our students to act as Buffs no matter where they are, so we encourage all students to follow public health guidelines for their area.
Will CU start requiring testing for students living off-campus?

Off-campus students are encouraged at this time to take advantage of the new testing site set up by the county.

Why aren’t the numbers on the dashboard the same as what was in Boulder County’s press release?
  • The numbers on CU Boulder’s dashboard are inclusive only of diagnostic testing conducted on campus through the Public Health Clinic at Wardenburg Health Center. 
  • The county’s numbers are inclusive of the on-campus testing as well as testing of CU students, faculty and staff conducted at off-campus locations.