To our readers,
We are in the midst of unprecedented times. Never has the need been greater for community-based journalism.
Robert Tann
We are all grateful to national and international outlets whose comprehensive work gives us the big-picture stories we need to understand and make sense of the pandemic around us. But where we truly feel our voice is heard, where we know about the decisions that may very well most impact our day-to-day lives, is at the local level.
This is where the CU Independent will step in. We want you, the University of Colorado Boulder community, to know that we are here and we are listening.
This is why despite having to suspend all in-person meetings, the CUI will continue to regularly publish online content as we navigate this crisis together. Our staff intends to work to bring you the most up-to-date, accurate information about the spreading COVID-19 coronavirus and its effects on campus life.
Things are moving fast. It’s no longer day-by-day but at times hour-by-hour as new information comes to light and university leaders make decisions about how best to respond to this crisis. As with most times of crisis, there is also the danger of misinformation.
Our job is twofold. We intend to bring you the facts and regularly update you on all current information relevant to the campus community. For the most recent news on the coronavirus, head to our tab here. We’re updating our live map so you can track all confirmed cases in Colorado.
The other aspect is serving as a community forum. We believe CU Boulder students, faculty and staff members deserve a voice and it is our mission to help provide that. We want to know how you feel and what questions you may have. We’ve published a form on our site for just that — a place where you can have your voice heard. Our managing staff is working to curate your responses and is publishing them here. We’ll answer your questions, address misinformation and provide the facts.
As student journalists, we are adapting to the needs of the time. As mentioned, we are canceling in-person full staff meetings, opting to use video calls instead. We are advising our staff to practice social distancing and work remotely with each other. We are unsure currently if this will impact the upcoming fall 2020 edition of our semesterly magazine and will provide more updates on that at a later point.
What we want you to know is we are still here and we are stepping up to the plate.
We are so proud of our staff who continue to do great work as they juggle online classes and other disruptions to their lives. Please use us as a resource and community forum. Local journalists are working around the clock to serve their community and papers like the Daily Camera and Denver Post also need your support. With these papers dropping their paywalls for certain coverage, consider becoming a subscriber. Our work relies on you.
Thank you for being a reader and know we are all in this together.
Regards,
Robert Tann, CU Independent Editor-in-Chief
You can reach Robert Tann at robert.tann@colorado.edu.
