Exciting News about Earlier Vaccines for Higher Ed Employees

Sent: Feb. 26, 2021

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I’d like to share some exciting news just announced by Governor Polis: the state is moving higher education employees up in the priority order for receiving vaccines.

Student-facing faculty and staff in higher education will now be part of Phase 1B.4, eligible for vaccines starting in late March, possibly as early as March 21.

We’re grateful to the governor for listening to our feedback and making this important decision, which recognizes how crucial higher education is for our state’s economy and workforce.

This news bolsters our ability to plan for a return to in-person operations in the fall, which we just announced yesterday. The certainty of knowing when our employees can get vaccinated will aid immeasurably in our planning.

Vaccines will help our student-facing faculty and staff get back to the classroom that much quicker so we can safely carry on with important in-person activities that enrich our student body and help to ensure a more equitable educational experience for all.

As I mentioned in my video message yesterday, planning for a fully open campus is a change for us, but we are confident that we can do it together, as Lynx. Today’s news from the state only increases my confidence for a safe and effective return in the fall.

We will provide further communications in the weeks ahead on how student-facing faculty and staff can obtain vaccinations.

Michelle Marks
Chancellor
@MarksMichelleA