Housing and Campus Life

A full calendar of student activities and programs will be offered to both commuter students and students living on campus this fall. Check out Mountain Lion Connect for the latest updates about student events and programs.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to open the UCCS campus to non-students at this time for events and programming for the fall semester.

Yes! UCCS has a menu of close to 200 registered clubs and organizations from which students can choose to join. The Student Government Association (SGA), Sororities and Fraternities, as well as The Scribe student newspaper and the UCCS Radio are great options for students to consider getting involved in this fall.

Explore Student Life updates here. 

• Face coverings or shields will be a requirement in any space involving multiple people. Face coverings will be available in certain high-traffic locations across campus. Exceptions to wearing a face covering or shield include: 
  • When in a private office alone, individuals are permitted to remove a face covering 
  • For faculty at least 12 feet away from the nearest person in a classroom or laboratory 
  • In limited health care settings like counseling when body language is important 
  • When eating or drinking 
  • When swimming or while exercising in Campus Recreation facilities
  • At the Family Development Center, for children younger than 3 years old. Additional details for children older than 3 is available through the FDC. 
  • When outside and at least six feet away from the nearest person 

Campus Recreation will re-open in phases, with operating status levels allowing the Recreation Center to pivot from one level to another, as necessary. The four levels include:  

• Operating Status 4: No facility operations, only virtual programming. 
• Operating Status 3: Base operations including social distancing, one-on-one services only, limited programming, personal protective equipment and sanitization requirements. 30% occupancy and groups of 10 or less. 
• Operating Status 2: Programming and services expanded. Hours of operation expanded. 50% occupancy and groups of 100 or less. 
• Operating Status 1: Regular operations, programming and services. 100% occupancy. 

Equipment Spacing 

• Fitness center cardio and strength equipment will be spaced no less than six feet apart to allow for appropriate social distancing.  
• Some equipment may be moved or removed to facilitate appropriate distance.  

During operating status 3 or 4, should a CPR rescue be necessary, staff may elect to perform a compression only rescue, and/or use provided face shields.  

If staff or patrons begin to demonstrate signs of COVID-19, that may occupy a designated quarantine room until they are transported to their residence or medical personnel arrive to assist

UCCS believes in delivering high quality, personalized support services to all students.  

These services are vital to assist students with success in their courses and ultimately to reach their academic goals. Services for all students include but are not limited to Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Career Center, Excel Centers (tutoring services), Student Employment and the Dean of Students/CARE team. This also includes services for specific student populations such as MOSAIC (multicultural center)/LGBTRC; International Affairs; Veteran and Military Affairs; Disability Services; the Graduate School; and First-Year Experience.   

Student services will be delivered both remotely and in-person following social distancing guidelines. Offices will communicate open in-person hours to students on websites and social media with messaging that indicates that students can always receive service remotely during standard business hours. The open hours for each department will depend on available staffing, physical layout of office and type of services delivered to students. It may not be possible to staff offices for all open hours during a typical semester, but departments will maximize a positive student experience. Departments may also consider extending hours if it is helpful to achieve social distancing or provide services to students. Departments should be prepared to deliver services entirely remotely if public health guidelines change.  

Departments will be encouraged to work with OIT on a live chat feature, but other options, such as Microsoft Teams, Starfish and frequent checking of a departmental email inbox can be methods of ensuring students are supported and communicated with, as well as tracking student attendance and traffic to offices. Contact Web Services at web@uccs.edu to begin the process of implementing the live chat feature on your website. 

Flyers, handouts and other giveaways will be removed from public spaces.  

In-person group meetings and gatherings are discouraged and are restricted to 10 people unless appropriate social distancing can take place, in which case the capacity is dictated by 50% of the room capacity and not to exceed 50 people. 

All dining facilities: 

• No cash will be accepted at any dining facilities, only meal plans, Clyde’s Cash and credit cards. 
• All food will be served on disposable plates, cups and flatware.  No self-service items will be offered until further notice. 

Roaring Fork and The Lodge 

• Residential dining facilities will only be open to residents and residence hall staff. 
• The Lodge Dining Hall in Summit Village will be designated as the single “All You Care to Eat” facility open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  
• Roaring Fork Dining Hall will be open for limited hours during set meal periods. It can be converted into the primary dining facility in case of the need to close the Lodge down for disinfection.  
• Alpine Express convenience store will be open extended hours with mobile ordering available to facilitate pick up of to-go meals  
• Mobile ordering and delivery will be available to quarantined and high-risk students in residence hall. 

Clyde’s Pub, Café 65, Sanatorium Grounds Coffee Shops and other café areas 

• Meal plans will be accepted at Café 65. 
• Students will be encouraged to take food to go. On-site dining may be limited, based on public health guidance for restaurants. Tables will be spaced as required by El Paso County Public Health, with up to four individuals will be allowed per table. 
• To control crowding during high traffic times, reservations may be offered. 
• Sanatorium Grounds in the University Center and Clyde’s Pub will be opened when campus opens on August 10. Outdoor seating will be available at Clyde’s Pub and on the University Center Upper Plaza.  
• Mobile ordering with pick-up will be available at Clyde’s Pub and UC Sanatorium Grounds.  
• Dwire Hall and Columbine Hall Sanatorium Grounds coffee shops may not be open as determined by building occupancy, class status and remote work status.  
• University Hall and Pinney’s Café will not open for the fall semester.  
• The Café @ Hybl will be open based on clinic and classroom status.  

Residence halls will re-open with reduced capacity. No more than two students will share a bedroom and no more than four students will share a bathroom. Single rooms with private bathrooms will be prioritized for high-risk students that receive accommodations for their medical condition through the Disability Services Office. 

Move-in will be spread out over Aug. 16-19, with assigned days and times to limit number of students moving in across campus to 20 per hour. Students will be limited in the number of people allowed to assist with move-in. Campus volunteers will be utilized for check in and to help with transportation of items to rooms. For housing move-in, boxed meals will be provided to families, rather than typical buffet.   

Residents should report, test and self-quarantine if symptomatic. Students who become sick and live within driving distance of UCCS will be encouraged to go home for self-isolation and quarantine. For those that become ill and have no option to return home, 25 single suites with private bathrooms will be reserved for self-isolation and quarantine, with meal delivery provided.  

International students will need to arrive to campus or Colorado Springs two weeks early and self-isolate. 

Guests will not be allowed in the residence halls. 

Cleaning supplies will be provided to residents to assist with cleaning of shared spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms. CDC guidance for cleaning will be provided to each student. 

Resident Advisor training will be mostly online, and the in-person component will follow social distancing and capacity limitations. 

Athletic activities will plan to resume in the fall of 2020. UCCS will implement best practices and guidance from campus, state, federal, NCAA and NATA guidelines. NCAA Center for Sports Science “Principles for Resocialization” will be implemented including phasing and attendance criteria.  

• Travel Guidelines 
  • Only essential, in season team travel will be permitted, and schedules have been remade for 2020-21. This will limit hotel stays, restaurant visits, time at other campuses, etc. 
  • Guidelines and principles for best practices while traveling will be distributed to all student-athletes (i.e. wearing a face covering, hand washing, social distancing, contact tracing, etc.) 
• Events and Competitions (Team Personnel, Spectators - Phasing) 
  • Attendance criteria will be utilized as to when spectators will be allowed to watch events live. Indoor spaces will be evaluated differently than outdoor spaces. 
  • Social distancing will be implemented in team and spectator areas. 
  • Sanitation protocols will be evaluated in all spaces. 
  • Fans will be encouraged to watch games online or remote. 

The Bookstore will offer online ordering, curbside pickup and mailing options. 

• It will develop a new service for delivery to student housing through campus mail services and a lower flat-rate shipping rate. 
• Students will be incentivized to shop online. 
• Return times will be extended to encourage students to purchase textbooks earlier and spread out foot and vehicle traffic. 

The Bookstore will be open 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. depending upon University Center hours, available staff and customer feedback. It will be open select Saturdays, especially during the rush at the beginning of the semester, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

The FDC has been working with the Colorado Office of Early Childhood, Colorado Department for Public Health and Environment, El Paso County Public Health and other local governing agencies to ensure we offer the same high-quality childcare during this time. All policies and procedures are subject to change according to the center, university and regulating agency’s guidelines and needs. Each decision made will be for the health and safety of every child, staff and family member. 

August 3, 2020. Staff return to the center to prepare for reopening. 

• Staff members undergo training on new COVID-19 pandemic procedures regarding health, safety, cleaning and revised guidelines for drop off/pick up procedures, naptime arrangements, food program and more. 

August 10, 2020. Center opens for children of students, staff, faculty and community members. 

Facility Considerations: Hours of operations and staffing plans have changed to meet the Revised State Childcare Licensing Rules and Regulations for Childcare Centers due to COVID-19. 

• Hours of operation: 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. 
• Drop off/pick up times: These times will be staggered to adhere to social distancing guidelines. 
• Enrollment in classrooms: The FDC will maintain enrollment of 10 children per group until it determines that full enrollment of 12 children per group aligns with health and safety guidelines. 
• Preschool playground: This playground will be split into two areas to allow for more outdoor time and for multiple groups to be outside at one time while staying separate. 
• Personal belongings: Children may not bring personal belongings from home into the center.