January 2022 D I and A Digest Header
Hello 2022!

Welcome back to campus, Orediggers. We hope you had a nice holiday season, however you decided to celebrate. As we start back to class and work in the new year, we are thinking about the Boulder community that continues to be plagued by devastating news and are experiencing heartache over loss. We know the Marshall Fire hits very close to home for many of you. Please know you are not alone, and that there are resources on campus (e.g., Mines Counseling Center, C-SEAP, emergency funds: student and employee, etc.) and in the local community to help you process and incorporate healthful coping strategies.

Next month, we are excited to celebrate our individual and collective contributions over the past year at the annual Celebration of DI&A at Mines, formerly known as the Mines DI&A Campus Symposium. We hope you will carve out time on February 15 to participate in the day-long, on-campus event. The day will be packed with interactive, skill-building workshops hosted by fellow Orediggers and invited guests. You can read about the Celebration and ways you can contribute your talent in this month’s DI&A Digest.

Join us in starting the new year and the new semester on a great note by getting involved in diversity, inclusion and access at Mines. There are many existing efforts you can join or receive guidance from our team in starting something new.

Dr. Amy E. Landis, Tammy Curry, Heather Houlton and Kelly Knechtel 
Mines DI&A 

Content This Month
D I and A Symposium audience with speaker Dr. Amy LandisCelebration of Diversity at Mines returns February 15th

Mark your calendar for a full day of DI&A learning and celebration. New this year! We want to showcase your DI&A activities! Submit your idea for a breakout session. Want to lead a discussion on a timely DI&A topic? Want to share DI&A efforts you’ve incorporated in your class to help foster a greater sense of belonging? We want to read your ideas. Proposals are due by January 24 and will be reviewed by a small committee of faculty, staff and students. Mines DI&A will cover all your expenses associated with facilitating your workshop and lead the marketing efforts to drum up enthusiasm for your session.

The day will include progress report updates (also known as “flash talks”) from each academic department and major campus unit, workshops hosted by your colleagues, students and industry representatives and a keynote lunch. Department and units, secure your 4-minute flash talk timeslot.

Updates made to your annual DI&A progress report template along with *new* due dates

The new campus unit and academic department DI&A progress report template and timeline were presented during December’s general Mines DI&A Council meeting. If you missed the meeting or need quick access to the 2021-2022 template, you can find it on the progress report webpage. This template and adjusted submission timeline reflect feedback gathered from the Council members. If your campus unit or department’s diversity committee is satisfied with how you gather data and report impact over the years, you are not required to switch to the new template. You are encouraged to review the updated criteria to make sure your current practice captures pertinent information. Information captured in the progress reports is shared throughout the Mines DI&A Annual Report.

Due dates timeline: Option 1

  • February 7: Instructions for accessing your DI&A data in Tableau Server (in lieu of Unit Reports)
  • April 4: Draft Implementation Plan progress reports due to Mines DI&A (email diversity@mines.edu)
  • April 18: Progress reports are reviewed, and comments returned to unit leads
  • May 2: Updates to progress reports made and submitted back to Mines DI&A and unit VPs/Supervisors
  • July 1: Final submitted progress reports reviewed by President Johnson

Due dates timeline: Option 2

  • February 7: Instructions for accessing your DI&A data in Tableau Server (in lieu of Unit Reports)
  • May 31: Draft Implementation Plan progress reports due to Mines DI&A (email diversity@mines.edu)
  • June 13: Progress reports are reviewed, and comments returned to unit leads
  • June 27: Updates to progress reports made and submitted back to Mines DI&A and unit VPs/Supervisors
  • July 1: Final submitted progress reports reviewed by President Johnson

Spring registration underway for the Oredigger Network, a Mines-wide mentoring program

January is observed as national mentoring month. This month we also open the platform to all Mines community members and invite them to join the fourth cohort. This professional mentoring community connects students, faculty and staff with one another, as well as with external business leaders, recruiters and alumni. Over 900 Orediggers, alumni and corporate partners have joined since the program’s launch in August 2020. If you’re looking for a way to advance some of your professional or academic goals in 2022, or help someone make headway on theirs, you can serve as a mentee, mentor or both. Enrollment closes February 11, 2022. For more information and to register, visit Mines Mentoring. The Oredigger Network is generously supported by Phillips 66.

New scholarship funds available

We are excited to announce a new scholarship program has been funded through the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Foundation. The mission of ARDC is to support, promote and enhance digital communication science and technology. ARDC has identified a critical need for high-performing scientists and engineers entering industry in these fields to solve society’s complex communication challenges.

Colorado School of Mines is excited to respond to these industry needs. The Electrical Engineering (EE) department secured $150,000 for four, $32,500 scholarships to students in Electrical Engineering who are studying topics related to the ARDC mission, such as Radio Frequency Engineering or Antenna Design. An additional $20,000 was funded for engagement activities, professional development, and recruitment of the next generation of scientists and engineers entering the discipline. The Electrical Engineering department is currently reviewing the process for awarding these competitive scholarships this spring 2022 semester. More information from EE is coming soon!

Nominate a colleague or peer for the 2022 DI&A awards

The annual award nomination window opened this week and runs through April 12. There are many outstanding faculty, staff, students and groups who are worthy of recognition. Consider highlighting their efforts by submitting a nomination not only to elevate their work across campus, but as a word of thanks. Award recipients demonstrate an exceptional understanding of diversity and inclusiveness as represented by their efforts to:

  • enhance inclusion through positive foster dialogue communication between people of diverse backgrounds,
  • promote an environment free from bias and discrimination,
  • raise awareness and lead initiatives that advance diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion,
  • support efforts in Mines DI&A Strategic Plan and/or
  • serve as a catalyst for change in the areas of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Learning communities resume in the new year

If increasing your knowledgebase of diversity, equity and inclusion is a new year’s resolution, we’ve got you covered with two learning communities this semester: Classroom Equity & Inclusion – designed for the academic faculty audience, and Unconscious Bias & Microaggression Bystander – designed for the entire Oredigger community. The scenario-based experience provides an opportunity to practice and receive feedback on ways to respond to incidents of unconscious bias or microaggressions experienced by fellow Orediggers. The communities also unite colleagues and peers across campus who are committed to fostering a more equitable and inclusive campus. The only homework is putting what you learned into practice. The communities are facilitated by Dr. Amy Landis, Dr. Amy Hermundstad Nave and Mines DI&A Ambassadors. Email diversity@mines.edu to receive the virtual meeting access information.

Support over 30 causes during #idigMines Giving Day – February 3rd

Show Your Mines Love! I Dig Mines Giving DayOur students are one of our most esteemed treasures on campus. They’re why many of us continue to invest so much of our time and resources in their success. Every year, campus encourages us to give a little bit of our treasure as a sign of support. Let’s show up BIG for our students. Mark your calendar for the return of #idigMines Giving Day on February 3 where you can donate to 33 causes throughout the 24-hour fundraising campaign. If you’re looking to support DI&A-specific funds, consider Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Student Emergency Fund, Humanitarian Engineering or Mines DI&A. New this year – you can designate your dollars to any active fund on campus with a write-in. Thank you for being an OreGiver!

Contribute to next month’s Mines DI&A Digest

Help us highlight the work you or your department is doing across campus to support DI&A at Mines by submitting a brief article to next month’s Mines DI&A Digest. Submissions must be received by the first week of the month in order to make it in that month’s Digest.

Save the Dates 

Hyperlinks = virtual meeting access information. All times are Mountain Daylight Time.  

  • 1/18 @ 11:30 AM MLK Luncheon. Student Center Grand Ballrooms
  • 1/20 @ 9:30-10:00 AM Bi-weekly Classroom Equity & Inclusion Learning Community
  • 1/24 @ noon-12:30 PM Bi-weekly Unconscious Bias & Microaggressions Bystander Learning Community
  • 2/3 @ all day. #idigMines Giving Day
  • 2/14 @ 11:00 AM Mines DI&A Council Monthly Meeting-General. Open to all Orediggers.
  • 2/15 @ 9:00 AM-4:00 PM A Celebration of Diversity at Mines

As always, we welcome your ideas, thoughts and feedback at diversity@mines.edu.
Thank you for being a member of an inclusive Oredigger community and an advocate and ally for positive social change.

Diversity, Inclusion and Access