Whether you’re starting your first semester or returning for another year, we’re excited to welcome you to a new academic year at CU Boulder.

As a part of the campus and Boulder communities, we all play a role in keeping each other and our community safe. Here are some tips and reminders before the fall semester begins next week.

From acting Dean of Students Devin Cramer: Being a Buff

One of the reasons I’m proud to be a part of our campus community is our shared values when it comes to being a Buff. Being a Buff means:

• We keep each other safe and look out for each other.
• We respect and appreciate our neighbors.
• We make good choices and understand how our choices may affect others.

And our community lives by these shared values wherever we are—both on and off campus.

This year, I encourage you to be considerate of others and make choices that align with our values. Our actions can often have an effect on those around us, whether we realize it or not. For example, playing loud music at the end of a long day may help you relax, but it could negatively affect your neighbors who are trying to study or sleep.

If you’re concerned about your safety or someone else's, don’t hesitate to call for help. Review the Amnesty Policy to learn more about what to do if you need to call for help in an alcohol- or drug-related emergency. For those of you living off campus, be sure to introduce yourself to your neighbors and be mindful of loud noise, trash or large gatherings at your residence. If you plan on hosting a party, let your neighbors know in advance and register your party.

Additionally, be aware of what could happen if your actions don’t align with our values. You may receive a meeting notice from Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. You’ll be encouraged to attend a resolution meeting, where we follow due process and allow you to tell your side of the story. If you’re found responsible for violating university policy, you’ll be assigned outcomes to help you reflect on how you make decisions and how those decisions can affect others. You may also be assigned outcomes that impact your student status at CU Boulder.

From Chief Doreen Jokerst: Campus safety

The CU Boulder Police Department’s top priority is to keep you safe. While our campus is both beautiful and safe, we still want you to familiarize yourself with our CU Boulder policies.

When the health and safety of a fellow Buff is at risk, calling for help is always the right thing to do. Simply call or text 911 to be connected to a CU Boulder police or Boulder police dispatcher, who can help. Not sure if what you’re seeing is an emergency? Call anyway and let the professionals evaluate the situation.

CUPD’s residential service officers (RSOs) also support safety in our residence halls, providing education and appropriate enforcement of lower-level violations. If you receive an administrative citation or warning, use that as an opportunity to consider safer, more considerate behavior choices and to reflect upon how your decisions impact yourself and the community.

From Chief Maris Herold: Living in Boulder

We are all hoping to avoid destructive incidents such as the Hill riots of March 2021, which started out as a party but grew to a gathering of more than 600 people, resulting in nearly a dozen arrests. The use of social media to invite others to your party can easily get out of hand, as it did on July 4, 2022, leading to more arrests on the Hill. Social media may glamorize incidents such as the large gathering on Pearl Street last Halloween weekend, but for Boulder business owners, it meant tens of thousands of dollars in damage. 

In addition, please remember to avoid illegal fireworks, which pose a real threat to life and property, especially since fire danger has become a year-round problem in Colorado. Setting off fireworks can also negatively impact the health and wellness of your neighbors and our community. Possible legal penalties include:

• Fines
• Possible jail time
• Court fees
• Possible arson charges
• Liability for property or personal injury damages

You’re a Buff wherever you are

Know we are here to support you and all want to see you succeed. Your experience at CU Boulder will not be defined by one moment (either positive or negative). Your time here will be a culmination of experiences both in and out of the classroom—it’s up to you on how you choose to get involved and be in community with others. And however you define your experience, it’s on all of us to uphold what it means to be a Buff in everything we do.

We hope you have a great start to the fall semester. Take care of yourselves, look out for each other and remember that you’re a Buff wherever you are.

Devin Cramer
Acting Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, CU Boulder

Doreen Jokerst
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police, CU Boulder

Maris Herold
Chief of Police, city of Boulder