Frequently Asked Questions
HOUSING APPLICATION & TERMINATION
HOW + WHEN DO I APPLY FOR HOUSING?
Housing Applications can be accessed through the Housing Portal on Trailhead.
Follow our guide: Navigate to the Housing Portal
Please select the appropriate timeline page below for more information:
ARE THE ROOM SELECTION TIME SLOTS IN MOUNTAIN TIME?
Yes, the room selection time slots are on a 24-hour clock (military time) in the Mountain Time Zone.
CAN I CHOOSE MY ROOMMATE(S) AND/OR SUITEMATES?
ELM HALL, TRADITIONAL HALLS, SPRUCE HALL
You can search for and choose your roommate(s) through the Roommate Selection section of the First-Year Housing Application, if desired.
MAPLE HALL + WEAVER TOWERS
You can search for and choose your roommate(s) through the Roommate Selection section of the First-Year Housing Application, if desired. If you find folks that you would like to live near, all parties can coordinate to try to live near one another or in the same suite. Because you choose your own room (not suite), there is no guarantee about suitemates, but you can choose your roommate.
1750 JACKSON STREET APARTMENTS
Through the 1750 Jackson Housing Application, you an up to 11 other friends can choose to live with and near one another in a “neighborhood,” if desired.
MINES PARK APARTMENT
ARE THE HOUSING PREFERENCES IN MY APPLICATION GUARANTEED?
No, the housing preferences submitted within your application(s) are reviewed by Residence Life staff and taken into account for manual assignments, but location, room type, roommates, suitemates, and neighborhoods are not guaranteed.
HOW + WHEN DO I CHOOSE MY MEAL PLAN?
All students living in the Residence Halls (excludes 1750 Jackson Street and Mines Park Apartments) are required to have a meal plan. You have the opportunity to select your meal plan during the housing application process. The meal plan you have in the fall semester will be the same in the spring semester unless you change it. You will have the first week of the fall and spring semesters to change your meal plan if you decide a different meal plan will better suit your needs. Information on how to change your meal plan will be sent to your Mines student email. Please visit the Mines Dining Website for more information.
CAN I TERMINATE MY HOUSING CONTRACT MID-YEAR?
Residence Halls: Once Housing Contracts are signed, there is a penalty for terminating your housing. Students will be responsible for 60% of the remaining balance of their contract. If the termination is mid-semester, they will be prorated back 40% of what is remaining in the semester .Please see your contract for the full terms and conditions.
Mines Park: Once Housing Contracts are signed, there is a penalty for terminating your housing. Students will be responsible for paying a penalty fee equal to 2-month’s rent if they cancel mid-term for a non-qualifying event. Qualifying events include graduation, withdrawal/transfer, study abroad, etc. Please see your contract for the full terms and conditions.
If you are wanting to move forward with the process, please ensure you are following these steps:
- Email housing@mines.edu AND your Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) to cancel your housing contract in writing and to ensure proper check-out and vacating processes are completed.
- Follow your RLC’s direction on how to check out of your space. You will not have access to the Residence Halls after moving out and all items must be removed from your room
- Your housing contract will be terminated from the date of your check-out. The appropriate cancellation penalty fee will be charged to your student account for the remainder of your academic year.
CAN I TERMINATE MY HOUSING CONTRACT MID-YEAR TO STUDY ABROAD?
Yes, qualifying events such as studying aboard or graduating enable residents to terminate housing contracts with advance notice and no penalty applied.
GENERAL HOUSING QUESTIONS
WHAT ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FRONT DESKS FOR CHECKOUT?
All community front desks have the following items:
- minor tools
- vacuum cleaners
- dust pans and brooms
- buckets and mops
- cleaning supplies
- ironing boards and irons
- cooking utensils
- recreational and athletic equipment
- board games
You can also pick up your mail and packages at the front desk. If you see a need for something we do not have, please see your Resident Advisor (RA) or Residence Life Coordinator (RLC).
HOW MUCH DOES LAUNDRY COST?
For students living on campus, there is no additional cost to use the laundry machines. You will need to provide your own laundry detergent (high efficiency detergent or pods preferred).
WHAT IF I WANT TO SWITCH ROOMMATES?
You need to speak with your current roommate, Resident Advisor, Community Director, and/or Residence Life Coordinator to begin the process. If you are having roommate problems, we will always ask you if you have talked to your roommate(s) about the issue. If you have not talked to them, they may not be aware that there is an issue and talking through a problem is a life skill that living with a roommate will encourage you to develop.
If a roommate conflict cannot be mediated with the support of Residence Life staff, your Residence Life Coordinator will help you explore other room options.
HOW BIG IS THE ROOM AND FURNITURE?
To view Residence Hall room dimensions information, please visit: http://mines.edu/residence-life/room-dimensions/
To view Residence Hall provided furniture measurements, please visit: https://www.mines.edu/residence-life/provided_furniture/
WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE BED?
Typical mattress size is 36 inches wide, 80 inches long, and 6 inches high. Usually, extra long twin sheets fit the best. You must supply your own mattress pad, sheets, pillow, pillow case, blanket, towels, washcloths and toiletries.
Mines partners with a company called OCM to provide a linens service which allows parents and students to find many products including extra long twin sheets, comforters, bath, & storage items. Go to http://www.mines.ocm.com to see the wide selection offered.
CAN I LOFT MY BED?
All of our bed frames are loftable, meaning they can be raised or lowers. All of our bed frames can also be bunked. In a triple room two beds are bunked and the other bed is loftable. In single and double rooms all beds are loftable. No additional materials or tools are needed to loft the beds; our Residence Life staff can provide you with everything you need.
WHAT ELECTRICAL ITEMS CAN I USE IN MY ROOM?
- hot pots
- slow cookers
- coffee pots
- irons
- stereos
- gaming systems
- computers
- TVs
- popcorn poppers
- hair dryers
- curling irons
- any other unexposed heating element items (no open coils)
No cooking is allowed in the residence hall rooms due to the odor, pests, and fire hazards. All cooking must be done in kitchen areas of all buildings and individual units in Mines Park and 1750 Jackson Street.
CAN I BRING MY OWN MICROWAVE AND/OR REFRIGERATOR?
MICROWAVES:
Yes, it must be a small portable microwave, preferably 750 to 1000 watts.
REFRIGERATORS:
Yes, it must be a mini-sized refrigerator, less than 3.2 cubic feet.
CAN I USE OVER-THE-DOOR HOOKS?
Yes, over-the-door hooks are permitted.
WHAT CAN I USE TO HANG THINGS ON MY WALLS?
We would prefer students not use command strips. we recommend blue painters tape for posters and tacks if they are needed. The command strips tend to not be taken down the way they are meant to and therefore pull paint off with them.
Please refer to our Resident Handbook’s policies on decorations for more information.
WHAT'S MY MAILING ADDRESS?
Colorado School of Mines
[Residence Hall, Room Number]
1301 19th Street
Golden, CO 80401
CAN FURNITURE BE MOVED OUT OF MY ROOM?
No, you may disassemble your bed but it must stay in your room during the year. If you disassemble furniture it must be properly reassembled upon checkout of the room. You may bring your own bed, desk, or dresser, but all furniture that comes with the room must stay in the room at all times. The school does not have storage space for the furniture that belongs in the rooms.
IS SMOKING ALLOWED IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS?
Smoking is not allowed in any building on campus. By law, smoking outside the Residence Halls needs to be at least 50 feet from any entrance, windows or ventilation systems. Use of marijuana is prohibited by Federal Law and by school policy. There is a zero tolerance policy for drugs of any kind, including marijuana.
IS TOILET PAPER PROVIDED? DO I HAVE TO CLEAN MY OWN BATHROOM?
Toilet paper and paper towels are provided in all communal restrooms. Communal restrooms will be cleaned daily and restocked by Mines custodial staff. Suite and personal restrooms (Maple Hall, Weaver Towers, 1750 Jackson, Mines Park) are expected to be cleaned by the residents who reside there. Toilet paper is provided at the Weaver Towers and Maple Hall front desks. Basic cleaning supplies and additional paper products are provided for use at the front desk of each community.
CAN I SHIP MY PERSONAL ITEMS IN ADVANCE OF MOVE-IN?
Yes, Residence Life will communicate the earliest date that we can accept packages prior to move-in. Items that arrive prior to this date will be returned to sender.
When you ship your items, please put your name and building you will be living in on the address. When the package is ready for pick up, the Desk Assistant’s in your community will send you an email. Please do not attempt to pick up your package without the front desk emailing you, as there is a delay between delivery and when they are accessible.