Welcome to Life on Campus at the South Dakota Mines!
Residence Life at the South Dakota Mines provides on-campus housing for almost 1,100 students. Living on-campus can be one of the best experiences of your college years - getting to know your neighbors and yourself is fun, exciting and sometimes challenging.
The South Dakota Mines is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR). The
BOR Housing Policy requires all students who have graduated from high school in the past two years to live on-campus, see the complete policy to know if you are required to
live on-campus or not.
More than 45 students are employed each year by Residence Life to provide in-hall support services to the residents of all of our residence halls. These Resident Advisors, Residential Peer Mentors, and Assistant Area Coordinators are paraprofessionals
who have had extensive training so that they are able to create and help build (along with residents) an inclusive, safe environment that encourages learning and personal growth. In addition to these student employees, Residence Life has full-time
staff of two Directors and one Area Coordinator dedicated to the well-being of our students and our residential communities.
Housing Application Information: 2023-2024
The housing application for the 2023-2024 academic year will be available from your
New Student Checklist or from the Residence Life website menu, under the "Housing Information" section starting February
13, 2023. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with a preferred deadline of June 1, 2023. For students who have submitted an application and paid the application fee on or before June 1, housing assignments and roommate information will be sent to student emails on June 10. Applications submitted/fees paid after June 1 will be processed on a rolling basis. Please be aware that completion of this application legally
binds you to the
Residence Hall Agreement for the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters). Read the terms and conditions of the application and contract carefully
before submission.
New Student Move-In Date
New student Move-In will be offered Thursday, August 17, 2023 from 8:00AM-4:00PM. More information will be available online and via email throughout the Spring and Summer.
Housing Options
New freshmen and transfer residents have two types of housing during their first year on campus - Community Living or Peterson Interest Communities. See below for more information. Upperclass student housing is available in Rocker
Square I and Rocker Square II apartments for those who have graduated from high school prior to January 2022. Please make sure you learn more about our residence halls/apartments and their amenities by visiting their web pages under "Housing Information."
Community Living
Located in double-occupancy rooms in Connolly and Palmerton Halls, Community Living provides strong community development through a variety of programs, events, and meetings with the Resident Advisor. Community Living in Connolly and Palmerton provides
a wide range of activities and learning opportunities for all students to enjoy.
Peterson Interest Communities (PIC)
South Dakota Mines offers two PICs: Outdoor Pursuits & Exploring Rapid City (and beyond). These communities are housed in Peterson doubles, triples, quads, and study quads. PICs provide programs, events, and activities around their
specific themes, allowing students with a common interest to explore together. Interested students must complete an essay on the housing application and space in the program is limited. More information about specific communities is below.
— Outdoor Pursuits Community
The Outdoor Pursuits community will focus on the many outdoor activities that are available in the Black Hills area. Students who enjoy the outdoors are encouraged to apply for this community. Possible events/activities include:
- Hiking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Rock climbing
- Snow-shoeing
- Social activities to meet others on the floor and in the community
— Exploring Rapid City (and Beyond) Community
Exploring Rapid City (and beyond) will focus on the many events and activities that take place in the Rapid City area as well as service activities available in the Rapid City area. Students who are interested in exploring what Rapid City has to offer are encouraged to apply for this community. Possible
events/activities include:
- Exploring Rapid City’s local restaurants, museums, and performance venues
- Touring popular locations such as the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Bear Country, and local caves
- Performing Arts activities & events (theatre, music, art openings)
- Hockey games and other sporting events
- Social activities to meet others on the floor and in the community
- Participating in service activities on campus
- Partnering and working with on-campus and local community service organizations
- Participating in community events and fundraisers
- Organizing service events as a floor based on the interests of the students
Housing Accommodations
In limited circumstances, the University approves students for housing accommodations. Students requesting a disability-related housing accommodation should contact the Office of Disability Services at disabilityservices@sdsmt.edu or call 605-394-2533. The deadline for New Students to submit a request for accommodation is June 1, 2023. Requests submitted after that time and processed/approved will be accommodated but may result in limited options.
What To Bring - What Not To Bring - What Is Provided
A list of items provided, items you should consider bringing, and a list of items to leave at home is
online here.
Mail and Mail Room Information
Each residential student is assigned a mailbox by Residence Life. A mailbox assignment email is sent to new students before move-in. The mailroom is located in Surbeck Center; it is accessible 24-hours a day and is staffed for package pick-up by the Surbeck
Center Front Desk during specific hours (adjusted each semester). Students will receive their mailbox combination during check-in.
Bed Linens and Room Supplies
Residence Life partners with Dormify (formerly OCM) to provide students with an easy way to get essentials for your room. Learn more about
Dormify and our linen program online here.
Your Grubby ID & Laundry Information
All South Dakota Mines students utilize a Grubby ID to use across campus to open doors, check-out books, eat, and much more. Important to residents, Grubby ID has a built-in debit card system -- Grubby Gold. Grubby Gold is
the
only way to do laundry on campus, plus it is accepted around campus (bookstore, vending machines, mailroom). Learn more about Your Grubby ID before your arrival on the
Grubby ID website.
Bikes on Campus
If you are thinking of bringing your bike to campus, we encourage you to
register it and lock it with a U-lock -- other locks can be easily broken.
Online Forms and Online Communication
Residence Life uses electronic communication for most of our business. Look for emails from Residence Life about housing assignments, Room Condition Reports, and much more! In addition, we utilize online forms for everything from facilities work orders
to housing applications. Make sure you bookmark our website--you will need to visit often. As a new, incoming student you will find the below links helpful:
Title IX/Sexual Assault Training Requirement
Because we are committed to the safety of our students, all students are required to participate in an online Title IX safety program. More information will be emailed to students about this program.
Online Fire Safety & Emergency Education Requirement
All new residential students are required to participate in an online fire and emergency education program. This program must be completed before you arrive to campus. More information and the online link will be available through your New Student Checklist
once your housing assignment has been emailed.