Published: May 23, 2023

 Plan For Your Professional Development 

Professional development is the act of pursuing learning opportunities to improve skills and grow knowledge. There are many benefits of professional development including skill building, career growth and relationship building. 

Attend an employee learning program through the Department of Human Resources

Organization and Employee Development offers a full range of learning opportunities over the summer. Summer is a perfect time to get in a few courses before things pick up in the fall again. Some are no cost or low cost. Check out the link below to learn more. 

Learn More and Register for Courses

Take advantage of On-Demand learning

  • Available through the MyCUinfo Portal, LinkedIn Learning provides a vast online library of instructional videos covering the latest software, creative and business skills.
  • CU on Coursera is a unique offering of 200+ Coursera courses taught by faculty across CU Boulder, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, CU Denver, and UCCS. These courses are available at no cost to all faculty, students, and staff.
  • The University Libraries have millions of materials in their collection. Borrowing materials from University Libraries is simple with your Buff OneCard.
  • The CU Boulder Buffs One Read fosters intellectual community and cultural exchange among students, faculty, and staff.  This year’s One Read is, The Book of Joy.

 Prioritize Your Wellness 

Focusing on your wellness is more critical now more than ever before. Influencing your own health, quality of life and mental wellbeing leads to you giving your best. The following programs can help you start your wellness journey or strengthen the path you are already on. 

Utilize the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program

The Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is dedicated to serving the emotional and psychological needs of the campus community. All FSAP staff are trained as generalist counselors and are equipped to deal with a wide range of personal and work related issues. FSAP services are no cost to all CU Boulder faculty and staff members.

Learn More and Schedule an Appointment with FSAP

Explore More Health and Wellness Options 

FSAP has partnered with local community experts to offer a wide array of workshops and seminars designed to support areas of mental, physical, relational, and environmental wellness. Wellness events are free to attend. Registration is open for summer events: 

Learn more about Staff and Faculty Wellness Resources

 Maximize Use of Your Perks 

Perks for CU Boulder faculty and staff range from childcare to transportation. Consider ways to use your perks to the fullest this summer. 

Explore the Full List of Employee Perks

For those with caregiving responsibilities

Bright Horizons

CU Boulder has partnered with Bright Horizons to help employees better manage work, family, and personal responsibilities. Eligible faculty and staff have 10 uses per calendar year for backup child, adult, and elder care in addition to several other discounts provided by Bright Horizons. You can also use your 10 uses for tutoring--at a very discounted rate!

CU Children's Center

 The CU Children’s Center offers full and part-time schedules and is open to children of CU graduate and family housing residents, students, faculty, staff and alumni. 

Other Care Discounts

As a state employer, CU Boulder employees are eligible to participate in the State of Colorado’s employee discount program. Benefit Hub childcare and eldercare discounts may include:

  • Brookdale Senior Living 
  • Synergy Home Care 
  • The Learning Experience 
  • The Learning Group Brands 
  • KinderCare
  • Everbrook Academy

Summer Camps

  • CU Science Discovery offers a variety of hands-on summer STEM experiences for grades K-12. In-person and virtual STEM camps and classes are designed to inspire creativity and a thirst for knowledge, while allowing students to interact with their peers in a safe setting. 
  • CSF Education offers summer camps for kids and teens on the CU Boulder campus to expand their understanding of Shakespeare through engagement and practice. Camps include Camp Shakespeare (ages 9-18) and Shakespeare’s Sprites (ages 6-9).
  • CU Sport Camps provide instruction and are open to any and all campers, limited only by the number of campers, age and gender.

For those looking to travel

As a state employer, CU Boulder employees are eligible to participate in the State of Colorado’s employee discount program. Benefit Hub discounts for the traveler may include: 

  • Rental Cars: Budget, Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Payless, Alamo, Dollar, and Thrifty
  • Hotels: Great Wolf Lodge, Legoland, Choice Hotels, Wyndham, LaQuinta, Comfort Inn, Ramada, Micotel, Super8, Travelodge and Motel 6
  • Airport Parking: The Parking Spot and WallyPark
  • Tickets: Disneyland, Disney World, Universal Studios, Legoland and Elitch Gardens

Don’t forget your Eco-Pass! The Eco Pass provides eligible CU faculty, staff, and retirees bus and light rail service (including Local, Regional and Express service). This includes the SkyRide bus service to DIA. 

For those taking a staycation

Visit a campus museum:

  • CU Art Museum - The CU Art Museum is a place to exchange ideas, inspire collaboration, foster compassion, fuel imagination, and transcend boundaries.
  • Museum of Natural History - Visit one of five exhibition galleries to explore natural and human history through engaging and interactive displays.

As employees of the State of Colorado, your state ID allows you unlimited free admission to seven History Colorado museums statewide! Participating History Colorado museums include:

  • History Colorado Center // Denver
  • Center for Colorado Women’s History // Denver
  • El Pueblo History Museum // Pueblo
  • Trinidad History Museum // Trinidad
  • Fort Garland Museums & Cultural Center // Fort Garland
  • Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin // Leadville
  • Ute Indian Museum // Montrose

Take to the trails

  • Explore 300 miles of captivating trails, 45,000 acres of unspoiled open space or the Boulder Creek Path, which runs through the middle of town. Check out what Boulder offers those wanting to get outdoors. 

Catch a show, or two

  • CU Presents is the home of performing arts on the beautiful University of Colorado Boulder campus. With hundreds of concerts, plays, recitals and more on our stages each year, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Find performances on the CU Presents website
  • Fiske Planetarium offers a diverse range of fulldome films, star talks, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, concerts, and special live events. Find showtimes on the Fiske website