Parents & Families
Welcome to the Hardrocker Family
Contact for Parents & Families
(605) 394-2416
deanofstudents@sdsmt.edu
Important Dates
To plan for future travel and holidays, check the South Dakota Mines Academic Calendar with key dates for this year and coming years. Visit our Events Calendar to find out all that's going on at South Dakota Mines.
2026 Move-In &
Parent/Family Orientation
Saturday, August 1 - Move-In
Sunday, August 2 - Student-Athlete & Parent Orientation
Monday, August 3 - Practice Begins
A detailed scheduel will be sent to each athlete. Please contact your athlete's coach if you have questions.
Friday, August 7 - Move-In and Student-Athlete & Parent Orientation
Monday, August 10 - Practice Begins
A detailed scheduel will be sent to each athlete. Please contact your athlete's coach if you have questions.
Friday, August 14 - Move-In and Student-Athlete & Parent Orientation
Monday, August 17 - Practice Begins
A detailed scheduel will be sent to each athlete. Please contact your athlete's coach if you have questions.
These dates are for all incoming students who are not involved in fall sports or special
groups that require an early arrival.
Thursday, August 20
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Residence Halls Open for Move-In.
Assignments and move-in instructions were emailed to each student's Mines email.
- Report directly to the assigned residence hall.
8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Complimentary Coffee for Parents and Families
(The Dean of Students Office & Student Health Services will be
available for questions during this time.)
- Surbeck Center, Outlaw Lounge (Main Level)
11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dining Hall Open for Lunch (Student meal plans begin.)
Each family will receive 2 complimentary lunch tickets. Additional meals will be charged
the door rate of $9.64 plus tax. (Pick up tickets at the Parent/Family Information
Table in the Surbeck Center Lobby.)
- Surbeck Center, Pearson Hardrocker Café (Lower Level)
12:30 - 1:45 p.m.
Parent/Family Session I (same as session II, only need to attend one)
Guidance on transitioning to college; overview of campus
services; and preview of sessions to be held on Friday.
- Surbeck Center, Beck Ballroom
2:00 - 3:15 p.m.
Parent/Family Session II (same as session I, only need to attend one)
Guidance on transitioning to college; overview of campus
services; and preview of sessions to be held on Friday.
- Surbeck Center, Beck Ballroom
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Parent Social (drinks & light appetizers provided)
Hosted by the Center for Alumni Relations and Advancement.
Please register for this event at the following link.
2026ParentSocial.eventbrite.com
- Pearson Alumni & Conference Center
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Hardrockers at Summer Nights
Free live-music event for all ages. Food can be purchased from local vendors. Various
Hardrocker CAMP and athletic teams will be
showcased, as well as a short Pep Band performance. *Students will have floor meetings before event.
- Intersection of 6th and Kansas City Streets Downtown
Friday, August 21
8:30 - 9:15 a.m.
Parent Keynote Address with Malcolm Chapman
Surbeck Center, Beck Ballroom
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions: Pick one of interest
1. Mental Health & Transitions (Classroom Building, Room 204 East & West)
2. Internships & Education Abroad (Surbeck Center, Noziska Meeting Room)
3. No Filters - Student Perspective (Chemical & Biological Eng./Chemistry, Room 2228)
4. Academic Success (Surbeck Center, Beck Ballroom)
5. Campus Ministries (St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Student Center - lower level)
6. Parents of Athletes (King Center, Hall of Fame)
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
Visit with Degree Program Representatives
Click Here for Locations
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions: Pick one of interest
1. Mental Health & Transitions (Chemical & Biological Eng./Chemistry, Room 2228)
2. Internships & Education Abroad (Surbeck Center, Noziska Meeting Room)
3. No Filters - Student Perspective (Chemical & Biological Eng./Chemistry, Room 2228)
4. Academic Success (Surbeck Center, Beck Ballroom)
5. Campus Ministries (St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Student Center - lower level)
6. Student Engagement (Surbeck Center, Hoffman/Quinn Meeting Room)
12:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own
The Dining Hall will be open. If you choose to eat there, your student will be covered
under their meal plan. The door rate for family members is $9.64 plus tax.
- Pearson Hardrocker Café or Off-Campus Location
Family Weekend
October 16-18, 2026
Stay Informed
Sign up for our E-News Mailing List and you'll receive a brief E- Newsletter, Monthly at Mines, Presidents Weekly Message, and The Forefront to update you on what's going on at South Dakota Mines. Other correspondence will periodically be sent as well. Look for our twice yearly Hardrock Magazine.
Additional Information
In An Emergency
In a campus emergency or weather event, students will receive an alert on their phone and/or email through our Campus Alert system. Encourage your student to sign up for this as soon as they have their Mines student email address. In their Campus Alert account, they can add multiple phone numbers, including yours, for the alert message delivery.
In the event of an emergency, our website homepage will include a red message bar with the emergency status and link to the Emergency webpage for more information. The university Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter will also be avenues where information is shared.
FERPA Release
South Dakota Mines cannot discuss a student's account or grades with anyone other than that student. Students may give written consent to release their protected educational records to a third party by filling out a Consent to Release Student Information Form and submitting it to the Registrar's Office. Students can rescind their consent at any time, which will prevent the release of that information from that point forward.
Authorization-to-Release-Information-Consent-Form
For questions about FERPA, please contact the Office of the Registrar. (605) 394-2400
Student Health & Help
Accountability - Consumer Information
Move-In & Move-Out Information
Your arrival on campus is an important step into another chapter of your life. We
are here to take these steps with you! More details and student-specific information
for Move-In & Move-Out will be sent via email.
Packing List
New to SDM for Spring 2026
- First Year and New to South Dakota Mines students Check-Ins will be Friday, January 9, 2026.
- Check-In will be from 8am to noon.
- New students moving in will check in at Residence Life in the Surbeck Center.
- Our Packing List (see above) gives details on what is provided, what not to bring, and what to bring to campus.
Returning Students
- Returning students may return directly to their housing location any time after 8:00am on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
- Students will not need to check in at a central location.
All campus housing closes Saturday, May 9 at noon.
Graduating Seniors living in campus housing have an automatic free extension through Sunday, May 10 at noon to accommodate commencement activities.
Residents must vacate housing 24 hours after their last final or by Saturday May 9 at noon, whichever occurs first. Students who are interested in staying late must complete the online Late Stay Application by April 16 at noon to avoid late charge. Please remember late stay/summer housing is not guaranteed. All requests are reviewed by Residence Life prior to approval or denial of requests. Late submissions may be impacted by limited space availability. The cost of staying over break is a nightly fee (see application for details).
Any applications submitted after noon on April 16, 2026 will include a $50 late charge.
Any submission providing less than 1 full business days’ notice (weekend not included)
will be a $75 late charge. Immediate access for late applications is NOT guaranteed.
All terms in this section apply to every submission type including those eligible
for discounts.
Staying for Summer? If taking summer classes or working in the area this summer, students may live on
campus in Rocker Square I. Visit the Housing Selection information page and click to expand the Summer Housing section for details/sign-up. Students who have graduated and will not continue enrollment
at SDM will need to work with/email SummerConferencing@sdsmt.edu.
Move-Out Checklist
A checklist will be placed on all resident doors that outlines specific items that must be done before leaving for the year. Please refer to this checklist for specific items in your residence hall. In general, all students must return their rooms to move-in condition and ensure the following is done before leaving for break:
- Beds set to room-type designation (see bottom of page)
- In-suite/room bathrooms: clean shower, toilet, sink to move-in condition
- Ensure all University furniture is in room
- Remove all personal belongings and personal furniture
- Set thermostat to 70 degrees and 'auto'
- Remove all trash and recycling to dumpsters outside building
- Donate unwanted items (tentative availability)
- Clean room: dust, sweep, mop, etc. to return room to 'clean' condition
- Close and lock all windows
- Close drapes/blinds
- Turn-off all lights
- Lock doors
- Return rented books to Rocker Shop
- Rocker Square Residents: refer to detailed checklist to ensure all items are cleaned - paying particular attention to oven, stove, microwave, refrigerator, and shower
Note: Any room damage, not returning your room to move-in condition, or improper check-outs will result in fines.
Check Out Options
- Express Check-Out: Connolly, Palmerton, Placer, and Peterson residents will automatically receive "Express Check-Out." Residents must return room to move-in condition and complete the checklist on their door. After they move out, Residence Life will inspect rooms. Rocker Square residents must sign the "Express Check-Out" envelope on their door and return all keys and cards to the Residence Life office. After move-out, Residence Life will inspect rooms.
- Staff Inspection Check-Out: Residents may request a Check-Out with Residence Life staff by contacting their Hall Director (HD) or Assistant Hall Director (AHD) by April 23. These check-outs must occur after the resident has removed all items from their room to allow for a complete inspection. During the HD or AHD Check-Out, staff and resident will review the RCR and collect all keys/cards.
Mail Forwarding: Mail will automatically be forwarded to the home address on file for up to 6 months. If another address is desired, visit the Online Forms Page
Donating Unwanted Items (tentative): Donation bins from Feeding South Dakota, Love Inc., and Salvation Army will be placed in each Residential area. Students are encouraged to donate items in these bins - look for fliers around campus about accepted items.
Bed Heights
Connolly Double return to bunked position (double rooms), not lofted
- Bottom Bed: bottom hook of the bed rail sits on the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
- Top Bed: top hook of the bed rail sits on the 4th slot/rung from the top
Connolly Single - standard height - bottom hook of the bed rail sits on the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
Palmerton Double - standard height - bottom hook of the bed rail sits on the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
Peterson Double & Study Quads - standard height - bottom hook of the bed rail sits in the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
Peterson Triples - one bed standard height - (bottom hook of the bed rail sits in the 8th slot/rung from
the bottom) & two beds bunked (not lofted)
- Bottom Bed: bottom hook of the bed rail sits on the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
- Top Bed: top hook of the bed rail sits on the 4th slot/rung from the top
Peterson Quads - return all beds to bunked sets (2), not lofted
- Bottom Bed: bottom hook of the bed rail sits on the 8th slot/rung from the bottom
- Top Bed: top hook of the bed rail sits on the 4th slot/rung from the top
Placer - Medium height - Bed end metal rungs toward the floor, bed rails as high as possible
on those rungs
NOTE: furniture should be pushed to the center of each room with desks under beds
for Building-wide paint project
Rocker II - standard height - top hook of the bed rail sits in the 6th slot from the top
New to SDM for Fall 2026 Move-In
- First Year and New to South Dakota Mines students Check-Ins will be Thursday, August 20, 2026.
- Check-In will be from 8am to 4pm.
- New students moving into Peterson, Palmerton, or Connolly Halls will check in at their housing location. Students moving into other areas will check in at Residence Life in the Surbeck Center.
- Tables for check-in will be set up at the entrances of each building with inclement weather adaptations as needed.
- Our Packing List (see below) gives details on what is provided, what not to bring, and what to bring to campus.
- Detailed Move-In Guide Emails will be sent in Late July/Early August.
Returning Student Move-In
- Returning students may check in between Saturday, August 22 - Sunday, August 23, 2026 between 8am and 4pm
- Students residing in Peterson, Placer, Rocker Square I, and Rocker Square II will check in at their housing location. Students moving into other areas will check in at Residence Life.
- Tables for check-in will be set up at the entrances of each building with inclement weather adaptations as needed.
- Detailed Move-In Guide Emails will be sent in Late July/Early August.
Early Arrivals
In very limited circumstances, an early arrival to campus may be approved if the room/space is ready. Early arrival requests will only be reviewed for move-in dates starting August 19, 2026.
To request early arrival housing, Application and Agreement (under revision) must be completed and submitted/returned to Residence Life by 8am, August 3, 2026.
Early arrival requests for days prior to August 19 will not be approved.
Specific & Unique Early Arrival Groups
Group members in housing will receive details on their check-in process, schedule, and more information from their coach or program coordinator. All information comes through athletics or the coordinator. Athletes are also required to attend the in-person community meetings and Rocker Ready Orientation.
Football, Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, Cheer - TBD
Pre-Orientation - TBD
Student Success & WiSE Mentors - TBD
Move-In Crew - Aug. 19