The following emails were sent to Mines students in on-campus housing on 3.13.20.

Dear Mines Residents,

In the past 24 hours, Colorado Governor Polis further clarified statewide public health expectations for both K-12 and higher education. As a result, the vast majority of K-12 schools in the Denver metro region have closed for significant periods of time (e.g. two to three weeks). These changes are impacting the lives and availability of our professional staff in the residential communities. In addition, we are beginning to see stresses on our local health care system and professionals. In light of these developments, we are less confident in our ability to meet the health and safety needs of our on-campus residential community when we have our first COVID-19 case.

As a result, we are now asking students residing in Residence Halls and the Fraternity & Sorority Houses to vacate and return home (or a safe location off campus) for the rest of the semester by March 30, 2020 if possible.

Residence halls and other communal living settings inherently present unique challenges during a pandemic due to students living in close quarters, but our main concern is our ability to isolate and quarantine students when COVID-19 cases occur on campus and we have high occupancy.

A secondary concern, and the one driving the timing aspect of the request, is that the occurrence of a COVID-19 case could trigger local health officials to quarantine entire floors or residence halls, thereby restricting our students’ ability to move home and possibly their ability to complete their coursework.

Returning home represents a gesture of care from you for others who can’t leave campus. It gives us more flexibility to reduce the density of students living on campus and to quarantine if needed. We appreciate your generosity and your understanding as you support your fellow students and other more vulnerable members of the campus community.

Permission to Remain: Permission to remain in campus housing will be prioritized for those students who face housing insecurity (e.g. homelessness or precarious living situation); students with financial insecurity; students who are unable to return home; and students with essential research obligations or campus positions as approved by their academic or employment department.

For questions regarding these permissions and instructions, please contact housing@mines.edu.

We recognize that many of you would like to stay on campus as you have built strong study and social networks that have been important factors in your lives and academic success at Mines.  We are working on remote options to support continued community interactions for studying and group projects, and will provide more information on that in another communication. In addition, the faculty are working hard now to prepare their course materials to ensure an effective and successful remote learning experience.

Departure Planning:

Students must reply (via a form distributed to students) no later than Friday, March 20.  We are asking departing students to vacate by March 30. If you are planning to travel prior to March 30th, you are asked to vacate your residence before departing for travel. If this presents a hardship, please contact us to work out an alternate plan.

As previously communicated, Mines has offered to prorate your room and board charges, and will apply the residual to your Mines account. Your completion of the above form guarantees our ability to prorate your account. The exact rates will vary by room type, location and meal plan (if applicable). Those rates will be posted within the next few days to the Residence Life website.

Students who wish to store some of their belongings rather than take them home may use local storage services.  Storage on campus is not available.

Mines plans related to Coronavirus/COVID-19 are continually changing. For the latest information, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 website: https://www.mines.edu/emergency/coronavirus/

Thank you for your understanding and assistance with this unprecedented situation. The role you are playing in keeping our campus community as healthy and safe as possible is appreciated.

We wish you all our best,

Mary Elliott
Director of Residence Life at Colorado School of Mines

Dan Fox
Vice President of Student Life


The following email was sent specifically to Mines Park residents on 3.13.20.

Dear Mines Park Residents,

As news related to COVID-19 changes by the minute, we are continuously updating our plans. We appreciate your patience and support as we make decisions in response to changes in the world around us.

In the past 24 hours, Colorado Governor Polis further clarified statewide public health expectations for both K-12 and higher education. As a result, the vast majority of K-12 schools in the Denver metro region have closed for significant periods of time (e.g. two to three weeks). These changes are impacting the lives and availability of our professional staff in the residential communities. In addition, we are beginning to see stresses on our local health care system and professionals. In light of these developments, we are less confident in our ability to meet the health and safety needs of our on-campus residential community when we have our first COVID-19 case.

As a result, we are now asking students residing in Mines Park apartments to vacate and return home (or a safe location off campus) for the rest of the semester by March 30, if possible. Residence halls and other communal living settings inherently present unique challenges during a pandemic due to students living in close quarters, but our main concern is our ability to isolate and quarantine students when COVID-19 cases occur on campus and we have high occupancy.

A secondary concern, and the one driving the timing aspect of the request, is that the occurrence of a COVID-19 case could trigger local health officials to quarantine entire floors or residence halls, thereby restricting our students’ ability to move home and possibly their ability to complete their coursework.

Returning home represents a gesture of care from you for others who can’t leave campus. It gives us more flexibility to reduce the density of students living on campus and to quarantine if needed. We appreciate your generosity and your understanding as you support your fellow students and other more vulnerable members of the campus community.

Permission to Remain: Permission to remain in campus housing will be prioritized for those students who face housing insecurity (e.g. homelessness or precarious living situation); students with financial insecurity; students who are unable to return home; and students with essential research obligations or campus positions as approved by their academic or employment department.

For questions regarding these permissions and instructions, please contact housing@mines.edu.

We recognize that many of you would like to stay on campus as you have built strong study and social networks that have been important factors in your lives and academic success at Mines.  We are working on remote options to support continued community interactions for studying and group projects, and will provide more information on that in another communication. In addition, the faculty are working hard now to prepare their course materials to ensure an effective and successful remote learning experience.

Departure Planning:

Please complete this residential life form as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, March 20, regarding your plans: https://tinyurl.com/sz2tc8t. We are asking departing students to vacate by March 30. If you are planning to travel prior to March 30th, you are asked to vacate your residence before departing for travel. If this presents a hardship, please contact us to work out an alternate plan.

Those departing will not be assessed rent on April 1 or May 1.  Your completion of the above form by the March 20th deadline, will guarantee that you will not be assessed rent. *If you are a student renewing your lease at Mines Park and you are vacating you will complete an express check out and turn in your keys to the Mines Park Office in Community Center 2. You may leave your belongings in your apartment while you are away.

Students who are not returning to Mines Park and need to store some of their belongings rather than take them home are encouraged to use local storage services. Storage on campus is not available.

Mines plans related to Coronavirus/COVID-19  are continually changing. For the latest information, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 website: https://www.mines.edu/emergency/coronavirus/

Thank you for your understanding and assistance with this unprecedented situation. The role you are playing in keeping our campus community as healthy and safe as possible is appreciated.  We wish you all our best,

Mary Elliott

Director of Residence Life at Colorado School of Mines

Dan Fox

Vice President of Student Life