By Leslie Weddell
Spring Plan Aims to Bring More Students $575,000 Grant Supports Safely to Campus Colorado College announced plans in mid-October to responsibly bring as many students as possible to live on or near campus for the Spring Semester so that they may experience the full, distinctive CC liberal arts education. The college’s intent is to allow seniors to finish their last year at CC, and new and international students to become better established in their first year.
While CC has students living on campus, they are spread out, with the college carefully spacing rooms to maintain low density, a component of the risk-mitigation plan. Students also are allowed to live off-campus, as the college is waiving the three-year residency requirement this year. The college anticipates having approximately 1,040 students on campus and 330 in supplemental housing.
During the fall, CC modeled density, capacity, testing capabilities, and processes to develop a plan that emphasizes “de-densifying” the campus and continues its rigorous testing program, says Andrea Bruder, professor of mathematics, associate dean of the faculty, and chair of CC’s COVID Scientific Advisory Group.
CC’s Spring Plan also includes the cancellation of the 2021 Spring Break, in order to reduce the risk of massive outbreaks and quarantines. After obtaining input from faculty, staff, students, and CC’s Scientific Advisory Group and national medical advisers, it was determined that the risk of a major virus outbreak and large quarantines outweighs the benefits of a lengthy Spring Break. There will be a regular block break between Blocks 6-7.
This includes testing students upon arrival; randomized testing of students, faculty, and staff; response protocols; creating pods/cohorts, and conducting wastewater testing and other measures to quickly identify, pinpoint, and isolate cases of the virus. Additionally, CC has established four CC Alert Levels, which the campus follows in addition to El Paso County’s alert levels. The number of new weekly cases at CC is the primary criterion for determining the CC Alert Level. Other campus criteria include the availability of space where those with positive test results can isolate; the total number of quarantined individuals and the college’s capacity to provide them with sufficient support; and COVID-19 cases, positivity rates, and hospitalization rates in El Paso County, says Brian Young, CC’s vice president for information technology/chief technology officer.
During summer 2020, CC planned to bring students to campus in phases, with the intention of having all students on campus by Block 2. However, after a few cases of COVID-19 led to the quarantine of entire residence halls, CC followed scientific and medical advice to “de-densify” campus, sending some students home. J Block runs Jan. 4-27, with CC’s Half Block running Jan. 12-22. Testing and move-in for Winter Start students is Jan. 25, with Winter Start Orientation running Jan. 26-30 and Block 5 beginning Feb. 1. CC also is offering 10 blocks for the price of eight so that students have additional flexibility when scheduling classes.
CC COVID Risk Mitigation Alert Levels & Actions CC Alert Levels & Actions
what it means
LEVEL 1
• Goal: risk mitigation • Testing: 25-33% weekly • New Weekly Infections at CC: < 5
• Instruction: in-person, hybrid, flex, or remote • Movement: full use of socially-distanced campus
LEVEL 2
• Goal: increased adherence to everyday measures • Testing: 37-50% weekly • New Weekly Infections at CC: 5-10
• Instruction: in-person, hybrid, flex, or remote • Movement: limit social interactions to academically necessary activities (e.g., study groups); outdoor time allowed
LEVEL 3
• Goal: reduce interactions • Testing: 50-67% weekly • New Weekly Infections at CC: 10-20
• Instruction: 100% remote • Movement: students stay in their living area (e.g., dorm floor) except to pick up meals; outdoor time allowed
LEVEL 4
• Goal: buy time for extensive testing • Testing: 100% within 7 days • New Weekly Infections at CC: ≥ 20
• Instruction: 100% remote • Movement: students stay in their room, temporary quarantine of up to seven days will be put into place until testing and tracing are completed; guidance for outdoor time will be provided
Version 2.0 (November 10, 2020) Created by the Colorado College Science Advisory group in consultation with Crown & Company. Components and practices listed above may be updated to reflect best evidence.
4 | COLORADO COLLEGE BULLETIN | WINTER 2020-2021
Black Students Pursuing Careers in Education Colorado College has received a $575,000 grant from the Sachs Foundation to support Black students interested in pursuing careers in education. The grant will be used to support summer fellowships, academic-year internships, and scholarships, including two Master of Arts in Teaching scholarships.
“We are enormously grateful to the Sachs Foundation for this generous and visionary grant,” says Acting Co-president Mike Edmonds. “The grant supports Colorado College’s goals of making a CC education financially accessible and helps advance our antiracism initiative.” Manya Whitaker, associate professor and chair of the Education Department, says the partnership with the Sachs Foundation allows the department to continue its mission to teach for social justice. “Such a mission necessitates the active recruitment, development, and support of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) teachers, but especially Black teachers whose presence in the classroom yields positive social, cognitive, and academic outcomes for all students, regardless of race,” she says. “We are extremely grateful to the Sachs Foundation for removing the economic barriers that prevent many Black students from considering a career in the classroom.” The primary mission of the Colorado Springs-based Sachs Foundation is to provide educational opportunities to Black and African American residents of Colorado who meet established academic and financial criteria.
