Parties, Mass Gatherings Reported At CU Boulder

BOULDER, CO — Large student gatherings have been reported on the University of Colorado Boulder campus.

University officials have spent months working with Boulder County Public Health to plan students' safe return to in-person classes, but county officials told KVDR that they are "incredibly disappointed" by weekend gatherings on and around the campus.

One senior told KVDR he saw "hordes" of students heading to parties. He snapped a photo of around 100 students gathering at Farrand Field, and few were wearing masks and social distancing.

During the school's move-in week — Aug. 17 to Aug. 22 — 16 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed on the campus. Before students returned, the university warned that mass testing would result in more positive cases reported.

Earlier this summer, Boulder coronavirus outbreaks were linked to large student gatherings, and the city ramped up its enforcement of public health guidelines.

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Boulder police have increased staff in the city amid students' return to classes.

“If we were not in the middle of a pandemic, enforcement would have a tiered approach, starting with education and warnings,” Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said in a statement released during the back-to-school week.

“This year, anything less than enforcement of egregious behavior unfairly puts the health of our community at greater risk.”

Read the full KVDR report here.