General Message
The University of Denver recently communicated the plan for returning to campus this winter. Please note, the majority of University College academic courses will be held entirely online during winter quarter, which begins on Monday, January 4 as scheduled. If you do plan to return to campus, you will need to follow the three-step process:
- 1. If you have not already done so, get your free flu vaccine and provide documentation.
- 2. Complete a 10-day quarantine and log your dates
- 3. Receive and provide a negative COVID-19 test
Most University College staff and appointed faculty will continue to work remotely at the beginning of 2021. We will maintain our normal operational continuity, and you will likely not notice any difference in the level of responsiveness and service you have come to expect. We continue to be available by phone and email, with the opportunity to meet virtually via Zoom. Because we are working remotely, University College offices located at 2211 South Josephine will be closed until further notice. If you need to reach us, please contact our Student Support Center at 303-871-2291 or 1-800-347-2042 or ucolsupport@du.edu.
As we approach the final stretch of fall quarter, it's hard to believe winter quarter is around the corner! We're writing to let you know University College winter classes will begin on Monday, January 4, 2021 as planned. As always, the University College winter term will be ten weeks in duration, ending on Friday, March 12.
Please note other academic units at DU and their programs may have different start dates. We ask that you disregard any general University of Denver messages or calendars that indicate a later winter quarter start date.
As a reminder, registration is now open for winter quarter and you may view the course schedule here. If you have questions or concerns about the upcoming winter quarter, please contact your academic advisor for assistance (find your academic team here). We're here to support you!
The University of Denver and University College continue to closely monitor the impact of the pandemic on our faculty and students and follow guidelines from the State of Colorado and Centers for Disease Control. To help promote the continued health and safety of our students and faculty, University College will continue to deliver courses mostly online in the upcoming winter 2021 quarter.
- September 28 - Winter schedule goes live at universitycollege.du.edu/courses
- October 19 - Winter term open registration begins
- January 4 - Winter term will begin as planned
- Courses designated as campus and hybrid will have a synchronous component at some point during the time your course was originally scheduled to meet on campus, so please keep this time available.
Campus Access
Access to the University of Denver campus remains limited. Please see the message from September 2 below to learn more about the requirements to return to campus.
University College Remote Work Environment
In alignment with CDC and University of Denver guidelines about social distancing, most University College staff and appointed faculty will continue to work remotely through December 2020. The health and safety of our community remains our top priority, along with delivering an exceptional student experience.
We will maintain our normal operational continuity, and you will likely not notice any difference in the level of responsiveness and service you have come to expect. We continue to be available by phone and email, with the opportunity to meet virtually via Zoom.
Because we are working remotely, University College offices located at 2211 South Josephine will be closed until further notice. If you need to reach us, please contact our Student Support Center at 303-871-2291 or 1-800-347-2042 or ucolsupport@du.edu.
Academic Advisor Appointments
International Students
Veteran Students
If you are a veteran student receiving educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, you may question how the decision to proceed to online learning affects monthly housing stipends. Please contact the University of Denver certifying official at VACertify@du.edu for more information.
Course Modalities
As the University of Denver continues to offer different ways to deliver courses, including adjustments to course delivery due to COVID-19, we want to share with you the definitions for each course modality. We hope you will find this information useful as you choose which course modality works for you in the upcoming terms.
- Online Asynchronous Course: This course is offered asynchronously, and your instructor will employ a variety of different engagement opportunities that can be completed asynchronously such as discussion boards, presentations, or group work. To promote further engagement and community among students and the instructor in the course, your instructor may schedule optional, synchronous Zoom sessions. If scheduled, these synchronous sessions will be completely optional for students to attend and will be ungraded. Recordings of the synchronous sessions will be available.
- On Campus Course: Course is offered on campus on a regularly scheduled evening. Weekly attendance is required.
- Online Synchronous Course: (originally scheduled as on campus - running online with live, synchronous sessions due to COVID-19). This course is offered in a synchronous format, which means your faculty will host live ("synchronous") Zoom sessions on a regularly scheduled evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mountain Time. Since this synchronous format replicates on-campus class meetings, attendance is required. If there is a chance you will miss more than one synchronous session during the term, contact your academic advisor. Please review the syllabus for attendance policy. Recordings of the synchronous sessions will be available.
- Hybrid Online Course: (originally scheduled with on campus sessions - running online with live, synchronous sessions due to COVID-19). This course is offered in the hybrid format, which means some weeks you will engage asynchronously online via discussion boards, and other weeks you will participate in live, synchronous Zoom sessions. Your faculty will host the synchronous Zoom sessions from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mountain Time. Since synchronous sessions replicate on-campus class meetings, attendance is required. If there is a chance you will miss more than one synchronous session during the term, contact your academic advisor. Please review the syllabus for attendance policy. Recordings of the synchronous sessions will be available.
If you have questions about course modality, and how this may impact your schedule, please reach out to your academic advisor for assistance (find your academic advisor here).
As the pandemic impacts each of us, including our friends, families, and co-workers, the University of Denver (DU) has invested considerable time, energy, and resources into developing a plan to protect the health, safety, and well-being of every member of our community.
Of course, we should follow federal public health guidelines and those state and local guidelines in the jurisdictions in which each of us reside. In addition to these guidelines, it is important all students follow requirements the University of Denver has established to help prevent and manage the spread of COVID-19. Please carefully review the requirements below.
University Requirements for All Students
All students - regardless of where you live or the type of courses (online, hybrid, hyflex) you engage with - must follow these important guidelines:
- Follow all DU Honor Code policies and procedures.
- Follow DU's protocols for travel, social distancing, face coverings, testing, contact tracing and, if applicable, isolation and quarantine, especially if you are coming from "hot-spot" states.
- Keep your contact information updated in PioneerWeb.
- Practice good hygiene, including thorough and frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer, especially after entering a building, using the restroom, and before meals.
University Requirements If You Physically Come to Campus
If you visit campus for any reason (to attend class, physically access campus facilities, etc.), you must commit to the additional requirements both on and off campus.
- Identify the initial date you plan to be on campus by going to PioneerWeb and clicking on the link in the top left-hand corner.
- Complete the Pathway Back to Campus online course before Thursday, September 10.
- Quarantine for 14 days prior to your return to campus. You may log your quarantine here.
- As directed by DU, participate in frequent, routine COVID-19 testing and contact tracing and undertake daily symptom monitoring using the assigned app or via the website
- Complete a molecular test for the virus that causes COVID-19. Please log into myhealth.du.edu to submit your test records or schedule a free appointment for COVID testing.
- Share complete and truthful information if you test positive, including information on who may have been exposed.
- Make safe and responsible choices when gathering and attending events. Your behavior on and off campus impacts your health and well-being as well as those at DU and the surrounding community.
- Follow University protocols regarding the number of people at gatherings. Additional information can be found at Gatherings, Events, and Activities.
- Organizing, hosting, or attending an event, party, activity, or gathering where attendees are not required or intentionally fail or refuse to adhere to the DU's Honor Code and COVID-19 policies, procedures, and protocols—or state and local public health laws, regulations or orders, including but not limited to, social distancing and wearing a face covering—is subject to swift disciplinary action including interim suspension.
University Requirements If You Are Enrolled for Online Courses Only for Fall Quarter But Plan to Enroll in Campus Courses or Be On Campus in the Future
If you are enrolled for online courses for the fall and expect to be on campus at some point in the future, you must commit to the additional requirements both on and off campus. If the only time you plan to be on campus is for commencement exercises, you do not need to complete the following requirements at this time.
- Complete the Pathway Back to Campus online course before Thursday, September 10.
- Go to PioneerWeb and identify you do not plan to come to campus for Fall Quarter using the link in the top left-hand corner.
- As directed by DU, participate in frequent, routine COVID-19 testing and contact tracing and undertake daily symptom monitoring using the assigned app or via the website.
University Requirements If You Live Out of State and Will Never Come to Campus
If you reside outside the State of Colorado and will never come to campus, you only need to follow the general requirements for all students (above). You do not need to complete the Pathway Back to Campus online course.
Due to the potentially severe public health effects of noncompliance, the University will take disciplinary action in situations where students intentionally disregard these guidelines.
If you are enrolled in a course meeting on campus or need to physically access campus facilities and cannot adhere to these requirements, please contact University College Student Support at 303-871-2291 or ucolsupport@du.edu so we can explore options for enrolling you in an online course and/or assist with other campus related needs.
If you have other questions regarding coming to campus, please contact Student Support and we will be happy to assist.
Thank you for being a student at University College, and we look forward to a wonderful fall quarter.