CU Advisory Updates

CU Advisory

CU Advisory: CU Boulder OIT continues to monitor a global Microsoft outage impacting Microsoft services across campus.

[7:02 p.m. Nov. 12, 2026]

CU Boulder OIT has been monitoring a global Microsoft outage that began impacting Microsoft services across campus at approx. 11 a.m. this morning. At this time, Outlook (including Outlook’s Calendar function) is unavailable, and Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive are experiencing intermittent outages. Microsoft does not have an estimated restoration time.

The campus will continue its normal operations tomorrow, Nov. 13, 2026. We understand that some students, faculty and staff will continue to experience impacts during this outage. 

  • Canvas is not affected and should be the main communications platform for faculty and students in the interim. This includes using the Canvas Inbox where users can send individual or group messages, Announcements where instructors can post course-wide updates on the course homepage, and Discussions where instructors can create discussion spaces for class-wide conversations, questions, and file sharing.
  • If faculty store teaching materials on SharePoint, access to those materials may be impacted. Please adjust your lectures and class activities as you are able. We also ask that you show understanding for students who may be impacted by their ability to access materials. 
  • If you have questions about how you can accomplish your work or academic duties, please use Teams, Canvas or other established channels within your department to communicate with your colleagues, peers or instructors.

Updates on the Microsoft outage will continue to be shared via OIT service alerts. Operational updates will continue to be posted to alerts.colorado.edu.

How to Receive Alerts

Anyone with an @colorado.edu email address is automatically registered to receive emergency and safety alert emails. To improve your situational awareness, it is also recommended to opt in with a mobile number during class registration or onboarding as a new employee.

If you're in Boulder regularly, sign up for city of Boulder alerts to ensure you’re receiving the latest emergency updates as they happen.

The Boulder Office of Disaster Management distributes emergency alerts for significant incidents, including natural disasters, via a system called Everbridge. Community members with Boulder addresses are automatically opted-into the Everbridge system. Those who live outside of Boulder but want to be aware of emergency notifications in the area must sign up for BoCo Alerts. 

Receive Alerts 

How to Find Information in an Emergency

In addition to receiving alerts directly to your cellular phone or email, a number of resources are available to keep you informed.

Find Information 

Alert Levels

 

  
CU Emergency Alert

What it is:
Emergency notification to the campus when there is a confirmed immediate threat to the safety of those on campus, or near campus in areas of high student populations, or if there is a change to the university’s operating status due to weather, etc. 

When we do it: 
Emergency threats include natural disasters, active harmers, severe weather, time-sensitive life safety concerns, campus closures, delayed starts and other on-campus emergencies.

 

  
CU Safety Alert

What it is:
Email notification to the community of a crime committed on or near campus (per Clery Act guidelines) that provides increased community awareness of ongoing or dangerous situations.

When we do it: 
CU Safety Alerts include criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, hate crimes, domestic violence, arrests and referrals for drug, alcohol or weapons violations.

 

  
CU Advisory

What it is:
Notification to the campus that does not rise to the level of an emergency notification or safety alert but is high-profile enough that our campus community benefits from awareness.

When we do it: 
CU advisories are for non-emergency events/incidents on campus or both emergency and non-emergency events off campus that could potentially impact campus, such as extended power failures, building evacuations, sudden road closures or other traffic/construction impacts on or near campus, as well as police activity near campus.

  
Follow @CUBoulderAlerts and @CUBoulderPolice on Twitter and enable push notifications for the latest alerts, warnings and advisory information for CU Boulder.