Living On Campus

Residence Life

Colorado School of Mines offers eight residence hall options: Weaver Towers, the four Traditional Halls (Morgan, Thomas, Bradford, and Randall), Maple Hall, Elm Hall, and Spruce Hall. Each is staffed with Resident Advisors (RAs), who are upper-level students who will be mentors and guides while your student lives on campus; Community Directors (CDs), experienced RAs who offer additional support in the halls; and professional Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs) who help build a positive, academically focused, and socially supportive community for our students. We are professional educators who design our residential curriculum to meet the needs of our developing students to support their learning in and outside of the classroom. One of our signature programs is the Theme Learning Community (TLC) program. First-year students may opt to apply to live on one of the TLC floors, where they will live with other students who share an interest or identity with them. Some of our TLCs include honors communities, a community for First-Generation students, Visual and Performing Arts, and many more. First-year students are required to live on campus within the Mines residence halls to ensure a smooth transition into college and provide each student with a structured support network. After a student’s first year, they have the option to apply to our upper-level housing options. Students entering their second year have the option of applying for our second-year Themed Learning Community on Environmental Justice housed in Maple Hall, and in 1750 Jackson, an apartment building where students live in suites of primarily four people. Both Maple Hall and 1750 Jackson have programming specifically designed for students in their second year. For more information on the Department of Residence Life, please visit: mines.edu/residence-life.

Mines Dining

We know a student’s life can be hectic, and sometimes meals take a backseat to classes, homework, clubs, sports, meetings…the list goes on. With convenient locations on campus and flexible dining hours, Mines Dining is here to make sure that students get delicious, nutritious food when and where they want it!

All students living in the Residence Halls are required to purchase a Residential Meal Plan. Students living off campus, in Greek Housing, 1750 Jackson or at Mines Park, may purchase a Commuter Meal Plan. Special dietary requests can be accommodated for students with food allergies or religious or medical dietary needs. Students simply use their BlasterCard (campus ID card) to access their dining plans. To purchase a meal plan, signup through the Housing Portal on Trailhead. For more information on Mines Dining, please visit minesdining.sodexomyway.com.

BlasterCard Program

The BlasterCard is the official identification card for the Colorado School of Mines and a student’s key to accessing life on campus. It is the policy of Colorado School of Mines that each on-campus student possess a valid BlasterCard. The BlasterCard is a multi-function ID card and employs both proximity chip and magnetic stripe technology. A valid BlasterCard will be needed to access dining services venues, assigned residence halls, assigned academic buildings, library services, and the student recreation center.

Currently there are three different ways to receive a BlasterCard depending on if it is a new or replacement card. If you need your first card, please visit myphoto. mines.edu/myphoto and follow the instructions for the online process. Or you can visit us at the Student Life Services Office located in the Student Center (Room E140). If you need a replacement card, you can come to the office or send an e-mail to blastercard@mines.edu.

To learn more about the BlasterCard ID and its functions, please visit our website at mines.edu/student-life/blastercard.

RTD Passes

All registered students are eligible to receive an RTD Transportation pass. This pass allows students to make use of all RTD transportation services. This pass can be requested AFTER the ID process is complete and a student receives their BlasterCard. All RTD Pass requests should be sent to blastercard@mines.edu.

Public Safety and Safety on Campus

Creating a safe environment is of utmost importance to the Mines community. The Mines Department of Public Safety is a full-service police department providing 24/7 police services to the campus community. The Department of Public Safety works closely with federal, state, and local public safety and law enforcement agencies. In addition, the Mines Department of Public Safety works collaboratively with a variety of campus offices to enhance the overall safety and quality of life. To promote student safety, police officers are focused on getting to know students, staff and faculty through a strong commitment to community policing. Officers routinely attend campus events and support Residence Life staff with safety programming initiatives. In addition, Police Officers often accompany Residence Life staff members on their building walks and offer a variety of classes and training to students, staff and faculty throughout the academic year. Additionally, Public Safety and Residence Life share a communication network for emergency purposes and work closely with Mines Department of Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S) Office, the Office of Emergency Preparedness in planning, drills, exercises, and training opportunities.

The Mines Police Department also offers the following services:

• Vehicle, bike and foot patrols by sworn police officers • Escorts to and from campus facilities and parking lots provided by officers 24 hours a day • Training and education, to include alcohol and drug awareness, personal safety classes, and crime prevention tips • Investigation and reporting of crimes and incidents, and traffic enforcement • Mines Emergency Alert, which allows students to be immediately updated by text, phone, email and the campus public address system about any emergency situation on or near the campus • Additional services to the campus community such as: vehicle unlocks and jump starts, building and office security, and assistance in any medical, fire or other emergency situation • Ride alongs • Free bicycle registration • Free firearms storage for students residing on campus

For questions and a description of additional police services, contact Public Safety at (303) 273-3333 or check out their website: mines.edu/campus-safety. We also encourage you to review the Annual Safety and Security Report: 2021-ASFSR-Final-updated-9.22.21.pdf.

Parking

Parking is limited for first-year students living on campus. All first-year students have the opportunity to enter a permit lottery. Emails will be sent to first-year students with more information in June. Lottery winners will be notified on or about August 1. Non-lottery winners may receive a permit waiver from the committee. Waivers are only approved for extreme circumstances. Please visit the parking website at mines.edu/parking/ students for more information regarding the waiver process, permit prices and other parking information.

Transportation

The Golden Shuttle is a shuttle service operated by RTD, providing service to the Golden community. This includes the Colorado School of Mines campus. Students receive an RTD pass at the beginning of each semester for access to RTD services. The CollegePass allows students to enjoy unlimited rides on RTD buses and light rails including all the way to DIA! Colorado School of Mines has also partnered with Zipcar, a car share program. Students can enroll online and be ready to go when the need arises. You can find this link near the bottom of the Parking Services website, mines.edu/parking.