New Employee Programs

New Employee Programs

The department of Human Resources offers three programs for new employees at no cost and are intended to be taken in the first year of employment. Our onboarding programs are designed to help employees reach higher levels of productivity and foster a sense of belonging at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder.

QuickStart is CU’s virtual campus-wide orientation that reduces the complexity of start-up tasks and enables new employees to focus on their work and impact. It is meant to be taken on the employees’ first day, or as close to it as possible, and is generally offered every Monday and the 1st of the month.

New Employee Welcome Experience (NewX) is a full‑day, in‑person walking tour that introduces new employees to the campus resources, traditions, and community elements that shape CU’s culture. It is designed for employees in their first three to six months and is generally offered every other Wednesday.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover are bimonthly lunch n’ learns to provide additional support, resources, and knowledge-gathering to new employees across their first year. Topics are repeated throughout the year for flexibility and attendance.Ìý

²Ï³Ü¾±³¦°ì³§³Ù²¹°ù³Ù is the dept of Human Resources virtual campus-wide orientation for new employees. Quickstart focuses on set-up in the employee portal, required training, enrolling in benefits and more. New employees should attend a QuickStart session on their first day or as close to it as possible.ÌýÌý

When: Take within the first two weeks of your start date. QuickStart is offered the first of every month and subsequent Mondays.Ìý

View the 2026 QuickStart calendar

Who: New Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder employees who are in a 50% or greater permanent position.Ìý

How: No registration necessary! Zoom link provided by supervisor. New Employees should discuss with their supervisor/hiring manager if and when they should attend QuickStart.Ìý

New Employee Welcome Experience (NewX) is a day-long in-person program for new employees to learn about the history of Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder, participate in a walking and bus tour of campus, and interact with campus leadership. Free lunch included!

What: Day-of details regarding the program will be emailed out after registration and via follow-up emails. Participants need to be prepared to walk approximately 2.25 miles with stops along the way and be outdoors in the elements for most of the tour.Ìý

If you require an accommodation, please contact newatcu@colorado.edu at least one week prior to the program and we will follow up with you to determine an accommodation to meet your needs.

When: Take within the first 3-6 months of your start date. Program is generally offered every other Wednesday from 9:00 AM-3:15 PM (Mountain Standard Time) in-person.

View the 2026 NewX calendar

Who: NewX is designed for new, permanent employees. This may include:

  • Employees who have worked at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØpreviously and returning after a period away
  • Students transitioning into staff/faculty positions
  • Temporary employees transitioning into permanent positions.

How: New Employees should discuss with their supervisor/hiring manager when would be appropriate for them to attend NewX. Employees can register via Skillsoft Percipio.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover are bimonthly lunch n’ learns to provide additional support, resources, and knowledge-gathering to new employees across their first year. Topics are repeated throughout the year in case employees are not able to make some topics.Ìý

What: The Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover series are virtual webinars designed to educate and connect new employees to Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder’s variety of resources and perks throughout their first year. Topics include:

  • Tuition Assistance Benefit
  • Demystifying Academic Traditions
  • Professional Development Opportunities
  • Employee Wellness
  • Staff Council

When: Take throughout the first year at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder. We offer about two sessions each month and most sessions are offered twice a year if an employee is unable to attend a session. Sessions are generallyÌýFridays from 12:00-1:00 PM (Mountain Standard Time) via Zoom.

Browse 2026 Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover sessions

Who: Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover is designed for all new employees to Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder.

How:ÌýEmployees can register via Skillsoft Percipio. Direct registration links included on 2025 Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØDiscover sessions webpage linked above.

SOAR (Starting off Achieving Results) Program

SOAR is an executive onboarding program for the following positions:Ìý

  • Provost, Vice Provost, Associate Vice Provost, Assistant Provosts
  • Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean
  • Senior Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Associate Vice Chancellor, Assistant Vice ChancellorÌý

Executives who are moving up through internal promotions are eligible to participate. HR collaborates with hiring departments to establish a three component onboarding program.ÌýÌý

For more information and to set up a consultation reach out to Elyse.Sutton@colorado.edu.ÌýÌý

Questions?

For any questions regarding our new employee programs, please email newatcu@colorado.eduÌý