The University of Colorado Denver will move to remote classes and work “until further notice” because of the ongoing anti-war encampment on the Auraria Campus, university officials said in a message to students, faculty and staff Friday.
CU Denver and “our Auraria Campus partners” will move online, all Auraria campus events are canceled through next week and all campus buildings will be locked starting at 6 p.m. Friday, according to a CU Denver email and an alert from Auraria officials.
Moving to online classes impacts 23 of CU Denver’s “Maymester” classes, which run from May 13 to 30, spokesperson Jennifer Woodruff said in an email. The university’s summer term begins June 3.
Metropolitan State University of Denver, which shares the campus with CU Denver and the Community College of Denver, is operating “in a limited capacity” over the weekend and will provide more information about campus operations before Monday morning, university officials said in an announcement online.
The Community College of Denver moved to remote operations April 29 after students and employees raised safety concerns about the encampment, President Marielena DeSanctis said in a message to the campus.
Some essential employees were allowed to return to campus this week, campus officials said Thursday.
Police have arrested or cited 80 pro-Palestine protesters since the student-organized encampment began April 25, according to Auraria spokesperson Devra Ashby.
Students for a Democratic Society organizers are demanding the University of Colorado system and MSU cut ties to funding, companies and programs related to Israel in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which the Associated Press reports has killed more than 35,000 people, mostly women and children.
In a statement Thursday, University of Colorado’s Board of Regents said no regents are offering any police changes in response to the demands.
The encampment has grown to approximately 110 structures since students first set up tents on the Tivoli Quad on April 25, Ashby said in a media briefing Thursday.
Campus officials estimate the demonstration has cost $290,000 between damages, canceled events and other costs, and that only 16 of the 80 people arrested or cited by police were students or employees, Ashby said.
Protesters have occupied campus offices and buildings on three separate occasions since April 25, leading chants and refusing to leave until police handcuffed them and cited them for trespassing, interference and disturbing the peace.
“We will not tolerate chronic intimidation, campus chaos and business disruptions,” Ashby said.
Protesters marched across campus and blocked traffic at Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway for nearly an hour Friday night ahead of the Colorado Avalanche game at Ball Arena.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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