Mines COVID-19 Dashboard update—The Mines COVID-19 dashboard was updated today, revealing 11 active cases on campus. Since August 17, Mines has had a total of 83 cases reported among students, faculty and staff working and studying on campus. Additional details are available here.
Apple and Android users: Opt-in to CO Exposure Notifications this weekend—On Sunday, Colorado residents will receive a notice on their Android or Apple smartphones about opting in to a new statewide COVID-19 exposure notification system. CO Exposure Notifications is a free and voluntary system available to Android and Apple iPhone users across Colorado. The technology will alert participants who have been in proximity to someone with COVID-19 long enough to risk an infection. Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, “We are currently losing ground nationally and here in Colorado to this deadly virus, but we are just launching a new weapon to defeat it. Enable CO Exposure Notifications on your iPhone or Android to help save lives.” Learn more about CO Exposure Notifications at addyourphone.com.
Forbes calls out the Top 25 U.S. Universities. Mines? We’re #12—Mines sits at No. 12 in a new ranking of the Top 25 U.S. Universities based on the reviews of those best suited to evaluate a college or university’s quality—its alumni. The ranking appeared this week in the Forbes article, “The Top 25 Universities Based on Alumni Ratings.” Princeton University topped the list of U.S. universities, followed by Yale University (No. 2) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (No. 3). At No. 12, Mines appears three spots behind Harvard University (No. 9) and five spots above Stanford (No. 17). “We are proud to appear on this list,” said President Paul C. Johnson. “Alumni outcomes and affinity are key performance indicators that we measure ourselves against and that drive the unique education we offer at Mines.” Read more about this unique ranking on the Mines Newsroom.
Post-Thanksgiving and finals reminder—A week ago, Mines leaders announced that campus would remain open but all courses and finals would be delivered remotely post-Thanksgiving. A special webpage was created to offer additional details. Still have questions? Use the form at the bottom of this page to submit those, and we’ll work to answer them for you.
All together now!—In a flurry of enthusiasm and appreciation that brought to mind the Beatles’ “All Together Now” chorus, dozens of students, faculty, staff and parents last week shared their appreciation for Orediggers everywhere. Ben wrote that he is “beyond floored that we have made it this far. Great job, Orediggers! Keep up the good work.” Sydney shared thanks to those following the Oredigger Promise “so we can stay on campus,” before adding a special “thank you to all the professors who are working harder to teach for different styles of learning.” And Sam had a special message for the “Mines Park fam”: “The Park is the place to be when you see residents playing badminton outside, forming discussions on our Canvas page for fellow hikers and residents saying hello to each other in the community centers, all while distancing and masking up.” Have a shout out to share? Please do so via our Say Thanks form.
CASA is preparing information and resources to help you navigate the second half of the semester—This week marked a milestone in the semester with the arrival of midterm grades. Remember, the Center for Academic Services and Advising is here to help. Contact CASA with any questions or concerns at casa@mines.edu.
- Midterm grades are available in your Trailhead account. Midterm grades are collected for most core courses, and, as a reminder, are not final grades. They are only an indication of how you are doing in a class at one point in time. Please keep in mind that grades may reflect only one exam. We also know many new students are used to regular grade updates, and your midterm grade may be the first time you’re seeing a grade for a class. If you have questions about your grade in a class, reach out to your professor. You are also welcome to contact your advisor for academic support resources or withdrawal inquiries. Advisors will reach out with more information about midterm grades to individual students as well.
- Tutoring is ongoing and available both in-person and through Zoom. You can view the schedule here for full hours of operation, locations and Zoom links. We will continue tutoring both in-person and through Zoom after Thanksgiving but may have a modified schedule based on tutor availability. We will send out information once it’s finalized, and we’ll also post it on our website.
- The last day to withdraw from a course is Friday, Nov. 20. If you’re not passing a class and wondering if you should withdraw, please talk with your professor and your advisor about the possibility of passing the course and the potential impact on future coursework. All individual course withdrawals occur through Trailhead in the add/drop classes section.
- Advising and registration are approaching quickly. CASA first-year advisors are offering several group advising workshops for new first-year and transfer students, and CASA major advisors are partnering with their academic departments to support both individual and group advising. Be on the lookout for emails from your advisor, department and the Registrar’s Office about advising specifics. The spring and summer schedule should be available to view in early November, and students will have an assigned day and time for which to register during priority registration week, Nov. 16-20.