SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2015
PARENTS CONNECTION
Dear Parents and Families On behalf of all of us in Residence Life and Housing, welcome to Colorado School of Mines! I want to thank you for taking the time to explore Residence Life and the opportunity to serve you! We encourage you to learn more about the opportunities and benefits that are in store for you in this upcoming year. Why should your students live on-campus? Studies have shown that students who live on-campus at Colorado School of Mines are more likely to have a higher persistence and grade point average, take less time to earn their degree, and overall are more satisfied with their college experience. Residence Hall communities are safe, convenient, and engaging with social and educational opportunities. Our current and past residents will testify that living on-campus made adjusting to the Oredigger experience easier and set them up for success. Residents make life-long friends, and have easy access to campus without the hassles of commuting. From academic to educational programs to social justice to Theme Learning Communities and recreational events, we encourage your students to participate and take advantage of the opportunities within all of our living and learning environments. Please continue to explore our information within this newsletter, upcoming newsletters, and on our website to see what we have to offer. We also encourage you to stop by or call us to meet some of our team at any time. On behalf of Residence Life and Housing, we look forward to serving you and providing you with the resources to be successful as an Oredigger!
Sincerely, Brent Waller Director of Residence Life & Housing
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CONTENTS WELCOME . 4 CAMPUS LIVING OFFICE . 5 MOVE IN . 6 WHAT TO BRING . 7 DINING . 10 TRANSITIONS . 11 RESOURCES . 13 CONTACTS . 16
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Student Connection signing a sustainability pledge at Earth 2015 Hour, April 2015 Parents Newsletter SUMMER
WELCOME, PARENTS! Next month, your student will start a new chapter to their life, joining our Residence Life Family, and you, “our parents,� as well. We want to introduce ourselves to you before arriving onto campus next month. We are the Department of Residence Life and, along with the many other resources your student will have available to them during the year(s) living on campus and perhaps living up in the Mines Park Apartments in future years. We continuously update our mission statement at http://residencelife.mines.edu Colorado School of Mines Department of Residence Life is dedicated to student success through a superior living and learning experience that recognizes the unique challenges and opportunities our students face in their Oredigger experience. Our staff is committed to providing intentional learning through quality services and facilities, student support, as well as a safe, secure, and academicallyfocused environment. We believe campus living, in collaboration with the Mines community, fosters personal growth and development, encouraging students to become critical thinkers and civically engaged leaders in a diverse global community. As you can see from our mission statement: We are dedicated to our students in many ways, as well as our Parents. Our Department collaborates with our student staff (including, but not limited to: Hall Directors, Resident Assistants, Community Directors, Community Assistants, Desk Assistants), as well as with our RLCs (our professional live-in staff) and other campus departments to prepare these Parent Connection Newsletters throughout the year, keeping you informed of what your students, as well as our department, are doing. Our doors are always open to not only our students but to our parents, as well, for whatever your needs in order to help your student be successful. Thank you for being a part of our team, enjoy the newsletter, and we will see you all next month!
-Debi Pretz
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RESIDENCE LIFE IS LOCATED IN THE CAMPUS LIVING OFFICE The Campus Living Office (CLO) hours are:
Summer Monday - Friday: 8 am - 5 pm
Academic Year Monday - Friday: 8 am - 6 pm Saturday - Sunday: 10 am - 5 pm CLO Phone Number: 303 869 5433
YOUR RESIDENCE LIFE PROFESSIONAL STAFF
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MOVE-IN GUIDE HTTP://MOVEIN.MINES.EDU On Tuesday, August 4 from 7 pm – 8 pm MST, Residence Life will be hosting a webinar about the move-in process and what to expect. We will be presenting similar information at the four Orientations, occurring on July 24, July 27, July 31, and August 3 on the Colorado School of Mines campus. We recognize that attending an Orientation isn’t mandatory nor possible for all of our incoming students and their families. Thus we want to provide an opportunity for those folks to hear the information, as well as provide a refresher for those who were able to attend one of the Orientations. An email with sign-up and log-in information will be sent out shortly. Please follow directions on that message. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and get them answered during that hour time frame. We will also record the webinar and post it on our Mines Residence Life website and YouTube page to give everyone an opportunity to soak in the information. We are looking forward to welcoming all of our new Orediggers and their families to campus in a few short weeks!
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WHAT TO BRING
By Briceland Bleem
Packing for college can seem like a daunting task. You never know what your student will need for this new life they are about to embark upon. To try and aid in this packing adventure, we have created a list and some packing tips from Residence Life pros (combined we have seen over 100 move-ins) that will hopefully make this task seem a little bit more manageable. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Water bottle – Or get a Mines one when you arrive. We suggest a large Nalgene. Prescription Medications and things your student might need like Tylenol, ibuprofen, tums, vitamins etc. Small first aid kit & Ice Pack Sunblock, face cream w/ SPF, hat and sunglasses Lotion – it is really dry here! We are all fans of the Vaseline w/ Aloe as it doubles for sunburn relief Hair products, Makeup and Brushes Shampoo/Conditioner/body wash/deodorant – Studying is not an excuse for smelling bad. School Clothing – You can’t wear pajamas all day every day Activity Clothing – For climbing south table and going to the gym. 1 Interview Outfit for career day (Make sure they fit before packing) Close toed shoes, sandals, sneakers, dress shoes. Shower Shoes, towels (big towels are great for coverage) Shower basket – A simple one is the best. When they start adding a lot of compartments that just means space for mold. Go simple! School Supplies – Computer & Charger/Pens/Pencils/Eraser/Notebooks (you will love graphing paper notebooks)/ Calculator/ Mini Stapler/ Highlighters/ Dry Erase Markers (Lots)/ Post-Its/ Folders / Backpack Thank you notes Blue painters tape and tacks to hang posters. Sheets (Twin XL – if you can’t bring this to campus, there are many stores nearby and the Bed, Bath and Beyond near campus offers discounts just for Mines students!), Blanket, pillow Pool Noodle cut the long way to the center. This can be used on bottom bunks to avoid hitting your head on steel. 10 Pound Rock – It is more meaningful if it is from home U-Lock for your bicycle – Chain and cable locks are not recommended by Mines Police Dept.
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WHAT TO BRING, NON-NECESSITIES. • TV: if you need your own, then consider a smart TV as we are moving to streaming service in the fall. A Roku or other device for streaming may be needed to use on a non-smart TV. • Microwave & Small Refrigerator – Chat with your roommate and each bring one. A microwave is available in all hall kitchens so they are not a necessity. Refrigerators can be no larger than 3.2 cubic feet. • Small Desk Lamp • Small Fan • Surge protector power strip • Floor lamp that gives off a soft light that is easy to pack. This can help make the room feel more like home. • Playing cards or your favorite board game – Who doesn’t love Uno or Settlers? • Book Covers – Protect your books so you can sell them back online for more $ • Cleaning Supplies – Windex, paper towels, Clorox wipes • Big Mug for hot coco!
WHAT NOT TO BRING • 3M Strips, poster putty, anything besides blue painters tape that will adhere to the wall. • Toasters • Printer – We have free printing in CASA! – If you do bring a printer, disable the wireless function. We recommend Inkjet rather than laser. • Router – You may not set up your own personal network in the halls. A router is considered an illegal device for many reasons but the biggest one in Residence life is that they slow down the wireless for everyone. Don’t be that person! When CCIT finds a router they turn off your internet access indefinitely. • Mattress Topper – Our mattresses are all very new and very soft already. A mattress pad can be helpful to keeps sheets from sliding off. • Extension Cords – Surge protector power strips are fine and recommended. • Floor length mirror. Your room has a mirror already or has one in the bathroom. The number of shattered mirrors we see in rooms is astronomical. Don’t become a mirror statistic! • Whiteboard for your door – You room has a nice one already installed. • Vacuum seal packing bags. They help on the initial move but it can be very hard to find a vacuum with a hose attachment Parents Connection Newsletter SUMMER 2015
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WHAT TO BRING, TIPS Tips and Tricks 1. Wrap breakable items in clothing instead of bubble wrap. This is better for the environment and will save you a few trips to the dumpster during the unpacking process. 2. Plastic Rubbermaid, heavy-duty bins are your friends. The clear bins tend to break after one year. Plastic bins don’t need to be re-purchased each move-out, which makes life easy. 3. Don’t overload boxes. A heavy box is the worst. Distribute heavy items among a few boxes. 4. You probably won’t have to lift anything. Our goal in Residence Life is to have everything pulled out of your car and delivered to your student’s room by the time they get their key and have finished checking in. We have lots of student and staff volunteers that want to make your move-in day special, easy, and enjoyable. 5. If you are shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond, sign up for mobile coupons. They send you a 20% off coupon each month. Also, sign up for mailed coupons and ask friends/family to save coupons for you. They never expire and you should never pay full price for an item. 6. Just because a store (cough cough Target/Walmart/Bed Bath & Beyond) advertises something for college does not mean it is allowed in the hall. Extension cords and medusa lamps are some of the big offenders. 7. Don’t bring food/giant snack boxes from home. You have no need for cases of Gatorade and other giant items. They take up space in your room and the car. We have a Safeway and a King Soopers close to campus. Your meal plan will also cover these items on campus. 8. If you like your clothes on hangers, leave them on the hangers. Simply cut a small hole in the bottom of a large trash bag, place the trash bag over the bundle of clothes with the hangers sticking out of the hole. Tie the bottom of the trash bag. This will keep your clothes clean and organized during the move and all you need to do when you arrive is hang up the bundle and tear off the trash bags.
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DINING Welcome to Mines Dining! We look forward to providing your student with great food and fun in an inviting atmosphere. Below are links to more information regarding the meal plans, dining locations and frequently asked questions. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions and/or concerns. Our telephone number is 303.273.3358. Mines Dining Website https://minesdining.sodexomyway.com/? Meal plan information https://minesdining.sodexomyway.com/dining-plans/index.html Dining locations https://minesdining.sodexomyway.com/dining-choices/index.html Frequently Asked Questions
https://minesdining.sodexomyway.com/dining-plans/faq.html
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TRANSITIONS FOR PARENTS
By Mary Elliott
Transition isn’t just for your student! How to adjust to sending your child to college. Parents and guardians, this marks a milestone for you and your child. Whether you are sending your first child to college or your fifth, there is always adjustment. You may be worried about whether they will make friends, make the grades they need, live with a roommate they don’t know? What if they need you? How will they do their laundry? Your child will encounter excitement, joy, fear and uncertainty all at the same time in the weeks ahead. The transition to college is not easy, but the payoff for that period of transition is a growth into a confident, intelligent, capable, individual who will dazzle you with their abilities on the other side of this journey through college. This transformation doesn’t just happen. There is hard work in front of the child you are sending to school. They will struggle, they will be challenged beyond anything they have ever imagined both in the classroom and outside. Your student will fail, they will also have huge successes. This is exactly how they will learn and grow into the person you’ve always hoped for them to become. There are a lot of unknowns and that, of course, creates anxiety. It is not an easy thing to drop your child off at a campus 1000 or maybe just 1 mile away and leave them there, alone. You are no longer in charge of their days, you don’t tell them when to wake up, do their homework, take a shower, eat well balanced meals. Take this opportunity to look back on the years you worked to help raise and support this child and trust the parenting job that you’ve done. You have instilled a value system, work ethic, and sense of self in your child. Trust that they will carry those values through life with them. They will change, they will not agree with you on everything, they will learn more than you will forget, but they are good people, you can trust them. Encourage them to accept every invitation they encounter, to become involved in groups on campus, encourage them to leave their door open when they are home, and help them to see the value in inviting others to do things with them. This will help them build a social network and support network here on campus. It’s awesome that they have your support, but a huge skill is learning to build one’s own support system, and your help is needed in encouraging that.
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TRANSITIONS FOR PARENTS, CONT. Don’t worry, your child will still need you, but what they won’t need from you is to do things for them. Allow them to solve their own problems. They will call you when they are freaking out over a test or when their roommate is on their last nerve. Be prepared for that and realize that you will hear everything in its most dramatic state. Allow them to vent to you, listen to them, and give them advice. Resist the urge to fix things for them. They can do this, now, instead of solving their issues for them, is the time for you to be their cheerleader and let them know you’re supporting them, without doing it for them. They will need to learn to reach out to others to help them solve issues and they will need to learn to let folks know when something is bothering them. This is one of the biggest skills you can help your child build and it will be one that is needed for the rest of their lives. Get to know the resources on campus that exist solely to help your student be successful here at Mines. If they are struggling in class, talk to them about CASA, encourage them to go to Faculty office hours; the most successful students at Mines utilize both of these resources regularly, so help your student get a jump on their own success! Encourage them to talk to their roommate if there is a problem. If their roommate doesn’t know there is a problem, or that something they are doing is bothering your student, why would they change their behavior? Conflict is a natural, healthy way to communicate, so help your child to address things on their own, or go to a Resident Assistant (RA) or their building’s Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) for advice. Finally, allow your child to grow and change. They want to make you proud, they want you to respect them, show them that you trust them and that you are proud of them. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from them every day or if they don’t answer your emails once in a while, they are busy having a life! Isn’t that what you want for them? And don’t worry, they will shower, they will get up for class, they will make friends, they will eat a vegetable once in a while, and they will eventually wash their clothes. Congratulations, parents, you’ve raised them right, now let them go do what you’ve raised them to do!
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RESOURCES
By Lisa Latronica
By the time you help your student move in to their room on campus this August, you’ll likely have been bombarded with more information than you thought possible. Every office on campus wants to make sure you know what they can offer to both you and your student – especially in this exciting first year! But we know it can be overwhelming and difficult to make sense of these different resources. To help you navigate all of the acronyms and services that your student might need, keep this guide close! Here are a few of the most used resources for our students on campus: Residence Life http://residencelife.mines.edu No surprise that we’re on the list of resources! Not only does Residence Life give your student a room, but we work to help your student with whatever they may need. There’s a few levels of staff to be aware of: our student staff (Resident Assistants, Community Assistants, Hall Directors, and Community Directors) are full time students here at Mines and live right along side your student to help them with their day to day needs; Residence Life Coordinators are full-time professional staff that also live on campus and are available to help with anything that comes up; our administrative team works extremely hard to make sure that we are communicating with our students and parents/guardians, that our facilities are up and running, and that all of the information out there is up to date; and our Leadership Team makes sure that the whole department runs like a well oiled machine! When to encourage your student to contact us: Questions about housing, feeling overwhelmed or homesick, not knowing what office to visit with a specific question, or if they just want to talk to someone!
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RESOURCES, CONT. Student Health Center http://healthcenter.mines.edu At some point or another, your student is going to catch a cold or not feel like themselves. Luckily, our Student Health Center has numerous options to help your student feel their best! In addition to typical health clinic services, there is also a Counseling Center (more on that below!) and dentist services. Appointments can be made via phone or online, and in many cases, students can be seen same day if they need to be! When to encourage your student to contact us: If they are feeling under the weather, if they have a preexisting medical condition that needs follow up, if they think they may have an injury, if they need a check up or dentist appointment Counseling Center http://inside.mines.edu/CNSL-home College is tough, and your student will probably feel stressed at some point. The Counseling Center is located within the Student Health Center, and is staffed by 4 wonderful licensed counselors. In addition to individual conversations, the Counseling Center offers group therapy sessions where students can find support from peers sharing similar experiences. When to encourage your student to contact us: If they are feeling homesick, stressed, or overwhelmed, if they need support, if they want to talk to someone confidentially Student Activities Office http://studentactivities.mines.edu/ Student Activities is not just where all the fun happens, it’s where our students grow into leaders! SAO oversees all student organizations, Greek life, campus events, leadership development, and so much more! This is a great place for your student to find a group of friends, get involved on campus, and take a much deserved break! Parents Connection Newsletter SUMMER 2015
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RESOURCES, CONT. When to encourage your student to contact us: When they’re looking to get involved with something, if they have an idea for a campus event or student organization, if they want to gain leadership experience
Center for Academic Services and Advising http://casa.mines.edu CASA isn’t just where your student will meet with their advisor to pick classes and a major, it’s where they can really take their learning to another level. In addition to advising services, CASA offers tutoring, supplemental instruction, study skills workshops, and much more. It’s also a great place for studying if your student needs a place to work – students can access their study spaces after work hours by using their Blastercard! When to encourage your student to contact us: If they have a question about classes or degree progress, if they need a little extra support or help in a subject, if they’re looking to improve in any study skill CARE at Mines http://care.mines.edu Sometimes, your student may notice something about a friend or classmate that doesn’t seem right, and they may talk to you about it. All of our students can help us reach out and help others by reporting their concerns. Whether it’s noticing a change in sleep patterns or that someone seems sad all the time, any small concern can lead to help. CARE allows students, staff, faculty or even you to report worries online – at times anonymously if they wish – and is a wonderful way to help others. The CARE website can be accessed anytime at http://care.mines.edu When to encourage your student to utilize CARE: when they are worried about someone, when they notice a change in behavior, when they don’t know who to report information to. These are just a few of the many, many places your student can find support, help, and friendly faces at Mines. If you or your student ever have questions about where to go, reach out to Residence Life and we will work to point you in the best direction. And as always – we’re here to talk about anything! Parents Connection Newsletter SUMMER 2015
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CONTACTS RESIDENCE LIFE STAFF ELM HALL & WEAVER TOWERS 1811 ELM ST. GOLDEN, CO 80401 Erik Buol ebuol@mines.edu (303) 273-3994 MAPLE HALL & ASPEN HALL 1733 MAPLE ST. GOLDEN, CO 80401 Briceland Bleem bbleem@mines.edu (303) 273-3995 BRADFORD HALL, MORGAN HALL, THOMAS HALL, & RANDALL HALL 1222 W CAMPUS RD GOLDEN, CO 80401 Lisa Latronica llatroni@mines.edu (303) 273-3276 MINES PARK APARTMENTS Kevin Caputo kcaputo@mines.edu (303) 273-3922 MINES PARK HOUSING OFFICE housing@mines.edu (303) 869 5444
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE LIFE Brent Waller, bwaller@mines.edu ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE LIFE Mary Elliott mfelliot@mines.edu ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING OPERATIONS Katie Schmalzel kschmalz@mines.edu DEPARTMENT OF RESIDENCE LIFE AND CAMPUS LIVING OFFICE housing@mines.edu (303) 273-3351 HOUSING ASSIGNMENTS SPECIALIST Jackie Garramone jgarramo@mines.edu (303) 273-3928 ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR/ PARENT RELATIONS Debi Pretz dpretz@mines.edu (303) 384-2576 ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Maryann Kozar mkozar@mines.edu (303) 273-3181
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