Parent & Family FAQs | February 16th Incident Response

Answer: UCCSAlerts provides information about campus emergencies, closures, and other incidents which may impact the safety of our campus community.  By keeping your emergency notification information up-to-date, you can be informed when you need it most via text and email alerts sent directly to your mobile device and inbox. To see more information about the text alerts and to sign up, please visit UCCSAlerts.

Answer: All students are automatically opted in to receive UCCSAlerts with their UCCS email.

If there is a mobile phone listed in their student portal, that number is automatically included. Students can ensure that they receive text alerts by logging into their student portal and making sure an updated mobile number is listed or they may log into rave.uccs.edu.

As with any text messaging platform, students may opt-out of receiving text notifications. Students can also download the UCCS Safe App, and it sends the same alerts to their phone.

Answer: While the threat on campus is no longer present, the feelings around uncertainty and safety can make it difficult to feel safe returning to the residence halls/campus.

While it can be hard to return to the residence halls/campus, we certainly encourage our students to take advantage of our wellness center resources and find healing in the community. Returning to a routine can help students find their new normal.

Answer: If a parent hears this, it is important to first listen and empathize without trying to fix it, and acknowledge how difficult it is. Hear their feelings that are coming up, remind them there are people on campus who can help if they don’t want to go to class., and try to take care of the reason they don’t want to go (such as sadness, anxiety, fear). Redirect them to the resources and assure them that our faculty and staff are here to support our students and will work with them.

Answer: The suspect, Nicholas Jordan, has been taken into custody by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). They are continuing investigative efforts.

Answer: This was an isolated act of violence, and the suspect is now in custody.

Answer: From different community spaces and events to support one another, to therapy and counseling services, students are encouraged to take advantage and connect with the many resources available to them. An online guide to many of these resources can be found on the student resources page.

Answer: It is completely understandable that you may be worried about your student. It is normal for students to be hesitant to reach out for support. You can support them by continuing to check in with your students and asking them how they are doing or what they need. If they are ready to share, let them know that is okay but also let them know that at some point it may be helpful to connect with resources, other students, their faculty, staff, and others as we all work together to develop our new normal.

If you're worried about your student and you need someone from the University to check in with them or provide them and/or you with resources, please reach out to the UCCS CARE Team (719-255-3091 or dos@uccs.edu). If it is urgent or after hours, please contact UCCS Police at 719-255-3111.

Answer: Make connections with your student on a regular basis. Make a plan to meet/talk with them regularly on FT especially. The more visual the more live it can be, the better. Meet with them regularly and know their schedule so there is carved out time for connecting. Families know their student best so care packages are helpful and things to hold even cards or handwritten letters in the meanwhile. Let them know of all the resources on campus. Guide the student to find the resources and have access to them when they are expressing difficulties. They may not be able to problem solve in the moment, it’s helpful as a parent from afar to mention the resources you know about and have you considered. Let’s call them together etc. Please encourage them to utilize campus resources, which can be found on the student resources page.

When the university gets a report of roommate conflict, the university investigates it. University staff, including RAs, successfully resolve roommate conflicts regularly.

For example, if there is a complaint about someone smoking marijuana in housing in violation of university policy, that complaint is investigated. If it can’t be proven during the investigation, the student will receive counseling and a reminder that using marijuana in university housing is a violation of university policy. Subsequent complaints of the same nature will result in a CARE Team referral, and the student will be required to complete a course called Choices. Of the students participating in the Choices course, only 5% re-offend. Additional proven offenses would result in a removal of the student from housing.

Sometimes roommates have other types of conflicts. If there is a report of a conflict that results in a threat, it is investigated. If a student reports feeling unsafe in their current housing assignment, they will be offered an opportunity to immediately be placed in alternate housing. That housing may be temporary until a permanent housing arrangement may be made. It is also possible that roommates do not want temporary housing, or they resolve the immediate dispute and do not want to proceed with a move until a later time. In this situation, students are not forced to move.

UCCS and other CU campuses do not conduct background checks on students. On the application for admission to UCCS, students are asked to attest to their own past and current behavior. And that attestation is taken at face value. This is common among most universities across the country. We do ask students to answer questions under a pledge of conduct. The questions are:

• Are you currently under any pending investigations, facing allegations OR have you been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at any educational institution you have attended for the final four years of secondary schooling (e.g., 9th grade and forward) for stalking, sexual assault and/or domestic violence?
• Are you currently under any pending investigations, facing allegations OR have you been found responsible for an academic misconduct violation at any educational institution you have attended for the final four years of secondary schooling (e.g., 9th grade and forward)? You need only to report findings of responsibility for academic misconduct if your educational record reflects that you were assigned probation, suspension, removal, dismissal and/or expulsion from the institution.
• Do you have any pending criminal charges?
• Have you been adjudicated guilty or convicted of assault, kidnapping, voluntary manslaughter or murder within five years of submitting your application for admission?
• Have you ever been adjudicated guilty or convicted of stalking, sexual assault and/or domestic violence?

Students are not required to answer "yes" to any of the following questions if the criminal adjudication or conviction has been expunged, sealed, annulled, destroyed, erased or otherwise required by law or ordered by a court to be kept confidential. If a student does answer yes to any of the questions, follow up is conducted with that student.