Early Bird

Latest on Covid-19 and campus operations

COO Larry Sampler provides details on vaccine verification and exemption and wellness updates.

By Larry Sampler, chief operating officer

June 10, 2021

Dear Roadrunners,

I am happy to report that concerted efforts to educate our campus community and promote the safety and importance of being vaccinated have been quite successful, increasing our chances of enjoying a healthy, productive and largely normal fall semester.

According to the results of recent vaccination-verification surveys distributed to faculty, staff and registered students:

• 82.23% of registered students who responded are partially or fully vaccinated;  
• 3.36% of registered students who responded intend to be fully vaccinated by the start of the fall semester;
• 96.28% of employee respondents are fully or partially vaccinated.

These numbers are exciting and reassuring; however, it’s important to note that, so far, the average response rate for student and faculty/staff surveys is 38%. Please continue to encourage your colleagues and students to complete their surveys as soon as possible. This information is critically helpful to Metropolitan State University of Denver’s planning for the fall semester.

The University also distributed a vaccination-verification survey to unregistered students Tuesday, and those updates will be shared with the campus community soon.

Building use and signage

Next week, MSU Denver welcomes students and employees back to campus for the start of the summer term. These new and returning Roadrunners will encounter a different campus environment from what they may have experienced in the spring semester. For example, the first and second levels of the Jordan Student Success Building have been returned to their pre-Covid-19 seating and study arrangements. Similar work is taking place across a number of University buildings, and MSU Denver continues to work with the Auraria Higher Education Center to finalize a timeline for returning all tri-institutional spaces to their normal configurations and capacities.

Health and safety signage also has been updated in MSU Denver-owned spaces, and more campuswide signage will be posted in the coming days to ensure clarity and transparency with regard to health and safety expectations.

Wellness

The Roadrunners Safe Return Wellness Committee continues to focus on the health and overall well-being of our students, faculty and staff from the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, occupational, financial, environmental and physical perspectives. The committee has developed a new online Wellness Dashboard that will highlight events, resources and on-campus areas for reflection, prayer and meditation.

If you missed Wednesday’s Managing the Social Stressors Associated With a Return to Campus event, which featured several campus experts, a recording is available online.

Other updates

• Fall enrollment has risen 2.5% this week, thanks to the efforts of numerous individuals and teams across the University.
• As of June 1, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment has lifted restrictions for indoor/outdoor events. As a result, the in-person event application will no longer be required.
• The Alternative Work Arrangement Policy will be discussed in the University Policy Advisory Council meeting June 17. Human Resources is also developing a resource guide to aid supervisors in making AWA decisions.
• There is a large quantity of hand sanitizer made by the MSU Denver Chemistry Department available for any campus offices or departments. Please contact the Department of Facilities Planning to supply your office.
• Information Technology Services continues to work on-site through June and July to facilitate the return to campus, ensuring that IT and computer systems are functioning and repaired quickly. Reference this schedule for more information.

As always, if you have questions or concerns about our Safe Return to Campus, please reach out through this form or via email at roadrunnersafereturn@msudenver.edu.

Sincerely,

Larry Sampler

Vice president for Administration, Finance and Facilities and chief operating officer