COVID-19 Digest - Feb. 14, 2021

Chancellor Philip DiStefano, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Akirah Bradley and Professor and Renée Crown Wellness Institute Director Sona Dimidjian discussed mental health challenges, how we are addressing them as a university and how we can care for our personal wellness challenges.

Held virtually, the weekly CU Boulder Q&A sessions are a chance to hear status updates on campus COVID-19 impacts and ask questions. Log in at noon each Tuesday through the spring semester. The focus of the sessions alternates each week between students/families and faculty/staff.

At its Feb. 11 meeting, the CU Board of Regents voted to approve the new names of a pair of buildings and held a preliminary discussion on tuition, fees and compensation. The board also formally recognized members of the 2020 cohort of distinguished professors.

For faculty, staff and students working, studying and living on campus, it’s time to pick up your free CU Boulder reusable face coverings. They’re comfortable cloth masks with a secure fit, filter pocket, and they look good, too. 

In preparation for in-person classes to begin Feb. 15, students recently returned to on-campus housing. The move back included monitoring testing and the Buff Pass daily health questionnaire, key components of the COVID-19-ready campus.

We spoke with Jose-Luis Jimenez, chemistry professor and CIRES fellow, about this new trend and why masks continue to be such an important tool in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Through a visual art project, Bertha Bermúdez Tapia on the United States-Mexican border is shining a light on the effects of COVID-19 and restrictive immigration policies.

Student musicians and researchers created personalized lullabies for Colorado families and studied the effects of the project on the mental health and well-being of children and parents.