When DU students arrived on campus for fall quarter, they found an institution ready to challenge their brains and keep them healthy — even in the face of a global pandemic.
Working over the summer to ensure a productive fall quarter, a number of campus task forces crafted everything from safe housing plans to classroom protocols. In addition, the University launched a partnership with National Jewish Health to ensure state-of-the-art testing, tracing and treatment. Meanwhile, many faculty members adapted their courses to combine both face-to-face and online instruction, a model, known as HyFlex, that challenges professors to engage the students in front of them and those participating from afar.
“To open DU for fall quarter required an unprecedented commitment of time, energy, expertise and imagination from everyone on campus,” says Sarah Watamura, chair of the psychology department and DU’s COVID-19 coordinator. “It has been a complicated set of challenges tackled by people all across campus leaning into new roles and bringing diverse skills. I have been very proud of our collective effort, creativity and heart.”
