The following message was sent to all Mines students on 3/25/20:

Dear Orediggers,

With each daily news cycle, the seriousness of the health threat posed by COVID-19 becomes clearer, as does the expectation on each of us to help slow its transmission and protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Governor Polis has asked us all to be part of the solution, through school and business closures, sheltering in place, and restricting festivals and public gatherings.

While the Mines Activities Council (MAC) and many of us were holding out hope of staging even a reduced version of E-Days this spring, given the Governor’s directives, we have all reached the conclusion that it won’t be possible.

While it is disappointing, we believe that all of us understand that cancelling our E-Days activities is the right thing to do given our responsibility to our friends, family, and community. That said, MAC, Blaster, and other creative geniuses at Mines continue to brainstorm on virtual alternatives that might still allow us to celebrate being uniquely Mines and reunite the community, even if at a distance. Updates and additional information regarding events will be provided as they become available. Also, MAC will be in touch with those of you that already purchased an E-Days packet.

As we look ahead at the spring calendar, Commencement is also on our minds. While many universities have already cancelled their spring ceremonies or are transitioning to virtual ceremonies, we remain committed to a we-all-cheer-while-you-walk-across-the-stage on-campus ceremony. Delaying that ceremony may be required, but we’re not there yet. As we’ve shared previously, we will reach a decision by April 6 and, if delayed, will seek input from our graduating students on preferred alternate dates.

In parting, we want to tell you how impressed we are with how well you are adjusting to the new reality.  No doubt your spring break plans were impacted, your sports seasons and championships were cut short, leaving campus and your friends came way earlier than expected, and your summer plans might have been thrown up in the air. But you are Orediggers and Orediggers are resilient. The faculty and staff feel for you as we all are experiencing a similar sense of loss, disruption, and unease. That’s why these days we need to support each other more than ever.

So let’s stick together. Stay connected to your friends, classmates, advisors, faculty and even to us. Soon we’ll all be experts with Microsoft Teams and Zoom and those tools can be used exceptionally well to maintain collaborations and friendships (here’s a new webpage if you need help getting started). We’re even going to use one of those for a virtual Pizza-with-the-President event (hopefully real pizza + a virtual meeting). Want in on that?  If you do, keep an eye out for more information through our social media and other communication channels.

Let’s do all we can to kick this coronavirus thing, so we can all be together again on campus soon.

Now, back to prepping for those remote classes…

Go Orediggers!

PCJ, Dan, and Derek

Paul C. Johnson, President and Professor

Dan Fox, Vice President Student Life

Derek Morgan, Dean of Students