Middlebury Handbook

1.       Fundamental Purposes

2.       Housing Options on Campus

3.       Student Responsibilities and Expectations

4.       Use of Residential Spaces

a.       Living and Learning

b.       Guest Policy

c.       Entry by College Officials

d.       Housing Regulations & Resources

5.       Requesting Changes or Off-Campus Housing

6.       Termination of a House

7.       Graduating Winter Athlete Housing Policy

(1) Fundamental Purposes

Middlebury College’s Community Standards speak directly to the goals and values that underlie all of Middlebury’s residential life policies: safety; respect for self, others and our shared environment; individual responsibility; and fostering a diverse and inclusive community committed to civility, open-mindedness and finding common ground. Enrolled students are required to live on campus for all 8 eight semesters and participate in the dining plan.  A small number of upper class students may be permitted to live off-campus as authorized by the office of the Residential Life Dean of Students (DOS).  The procedure to request permission is below. The College assigns housing and reserves the right to change and alter housing assignments to better serve compelling community interests.

(2) Housing options on Campus

At Middlebury College, students are offered more than 60 on-campus buildings for student housing. As a residential college, Middlebury requires that students live on campus until they graduate. A limited number of seniors are released to live off campus for their senior year. First-Year and sophomore students live in traditional residence halls, typically in double rooms with shared community bathrooms. Junior and senior students are able to choose from a variety of housing options, including traditional singles and doubles, and single and double rooms within shared suites, small houses, and a variety of themed communities.

In addition to class year housing, the College also offers Academic, Special Interest, and Social Houses that students can join if they are on campus to pursue common academic, co-curricular, and special interests. Oversight of these houses is the shared responsibility of the Office of the Dean of Students and the academic (in the case of Academic Interest houses) or administrative (in the case of special interest and social houses) department sponsoring the house. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to reside in Academic, Special Interest and Social Houses.

More information on housing options and housing selection processes can be found at: https://www.middlebury.edu/residential-life/housing-overview

Middlebury reserves the right to reassign, restrict, and, suspend student housing where that decision will serve a compelling community interest, or in instances where a student has demonstrated a flagrant and/or repeated disregard for the principles set forth in the Handbook. This includes the restriction from participating in room draw and housing selection.

(3) Student Responsibilities and Expectations

Residential Living Spaces are provided for actively enrolled Middlebury students only.

Middlebury’s housing spaces provide students the opportunity for independent, adult living, within Middlebury’s residential campus, providing certain facilities to allow students to dine together, do their laundry, study and gather socially, etc.  It is the student’s responsibility to maintain their person, their belongings, and clean and sanitary conditions in dormitory rooms, and they must clear common spaces after personal use. Students are responsible for what takes place in their rooms and common suite space, including parties and other activities, whether or not they are present.

Students cannot switch rooms and room codes/keys or change residences without permission from the Office of Residential Life

Students are not expected to be in areas that are not regular living spaces. They should not use areas outside of their living spaces for storage unless authorized. The list of spaces excluded from student use includes any roof or outer surface of any Middlebury building. Accessing a roof in any manner or climbing on a building is considered dangerous behavior and is prohibited; fines will be assessed.  Unauthorized access to prohibited areas of Middlebury buildings (e. g. basements, closets, crawlspaces and/or attics) will incur fines (see section on fines and fees).

Students are expected to be considerate of others with respect to noise in the residence halls; see Noise Policy for more information. Conduct that creates a public disturbance in a residence hall or interferes with another student’s ability to study is prohibited.

Students are expected to be responsible for their personal valuables and belongings. Middlebury does not accept responsibility for loss of money or other personal property or damage thereto which may occur in residence halls and elsewhere on campus. Students may wish to insure their property against such loss.

Students may not remove Middlebury-provided furniture from their bedroom for any reason, including but not limited to bedframes, mattresses, dressers, bookcases, chairs, desks and wardrobes. It is not permitted to move furniture designated for indoor use outdoors to porches, balconies, or lawns. This includes but is not limited to: couches, armchairs, beds, or other upholstered items. Removal of any College furniture without proper permission will result in a fine. Limited medical or ADA exceptions may be granted with appropriate approval. For a list of furniture that are not allowed on campus, please read here.

Pools, hot tubs, saunas or soaking tubs are prohibited inside and outside of campus buildings. Trampolines of any size are not permitted. 

To maintain a safe living environment for all students, maximum room occupancy at any time has been established for all room types as the number of two guests per assigned resident plus the total number of residents of the space. For example, a four-person suite with all residents present can have up to eight additional people in their space. Therefore, the total number of people allowed in the suite at once is twelve.

Students are prohibited from engaging in sporting activities, including but not limited to using dartboards, skateboards, bikes, roller skates, scooters, or sleds, and throwing/hitting any type of ball or frisbee in hallways, lounges, common areas, basements, and private spaces of the residence halls. 

Camping/Overnight Occupancy of Unauthorized Locations

Students are expected to reside in designated residential spaces overnight. Overnight occupancy of any non-residential space, inside or outside, is prohibited. Camping, defined as the setting up, construction, or overnight occupancy of tents or any other unauthorized structures, or overnight occupancy without tents or structures, of any unauthorized outdoor campus location, without prior written approval of Events Management. See Handbook policy I.C.9 Camping/Overnight Occupancy of Unauthorized Locations for more information.

(4) Use of Residential Spaces

(a) Living and Learning

Residential spaces are ordinarily entitled to a higher degree of privacy than public spaces. Residences are provided to support the co-curricular learning.  However, the overall safety of our campus and our community justifies balancing individual expectations of privacy vs. community interests.  Solicitation in residence halls for any purpose by persons outside the Middlebury community is prohibited.

(b) Guest Policy

A guest of a student may stay in a dormitory no more than three days in any one term. All guests must register in advance with the Department of Public Safety.  Residential Life staff must be told in advance where the guest is staying. No guests may stay overnight in residential lounges, or stay overnight on campus during academic breaks or when Middlebury is closed. Students are responsible for the behavior of their guests. Middlebury reserves the right to remove any guest whose behavior is not appropriate, and to rescind the privilege of hosting guests. Failure to follow the guest policy will result in fines and loss of privilege to host guests.See guest policy.

(c) Entry by College Officials

i. Entry into Student Residence Halls, Houses and Suites
The Department of Public Safety is responsible for patrolling residential areas on campus and may enter student residence halls and houses in order to perform their duties (examples: locking the building, responding to complaints and calls for service, party checks, etc.). Since many residential houses need to be patrolled and may require checks or locking (examples: Homestead, Jewett, Weybridge, The Mill), officers may enter the communal areas as appropriate. Public Safety officers respect a student's right to privacy and do not enter more private areas such as suites or very small houses without knocking and gaining permission to enter, unless conducting an event with alcohol party check, addressing significant Middlebury policy violations, or in accordance with the other entry policies listed above.

ii. Possession and Securing of Evidence 
The Department of Public Safety is authorized to enter a student's residence to take possession of and secure evidence of a serious Middlebury policy violation. Department of Public Safety and other Middlebury officials should enter a student's room only under certain circumstances and in conformity with the procedures outlined in Entry into Residential Rooms. In the event that stolen property or prohibited/illegal goods are observed, the items will be confiscated, notice will be sent to the Commons for appropriate action, and the occupants of the room will be notified.

Procedure for Entry in Non-Emergency Situation

• Community Service
  Middlebury officials may enter a student dormitory room to perform a community service: e.g., to turn off an unattended alarm clock or radio, to mitigate property damage, or to allow authorized designees to retrieve residents’ belongings.
• Routine Inspections and Repairs
  Middlebury conducts routine inspections of student rooms in the dormitories to check on violations of health and safety regulations and to recover misappropriated property. Inspections are held at reasonable times, in a manner that will least inconvenience residents. Students are notified by voice-mail and written notice at least 24 hours but not more than two weeks prior to the inspection. Students discovered in violation of health and safety regulations, or in possession of stolen property or illegal goods, are subject to normal Middlebury disciplinary action as appropriate. During vacation periods, student rooms in Middlebury-owned housing are inspected to check heat settings, to ensure that lights and appliances are turned off, and that windows are closed. Following such inspections, or at other times, facilities services personnel may enter student rooms to make repairs. (See Notification of Entry, below.) Occasionally, Middlebury officials may need to enter a room for reasons other than those listed in this section, such as to evaluate a room for planning purposes and space needs. In these circumstances, 24-hour notice will be given and the requester will attempt to coordinate a mutually agreeable time with the student.
• Communications Infrastructure Maintenance
  Improperly configured or malfunctioning computer or communication equipment can seriously degrade the operation of Middlebury's communication networks. It may be necessary for personnel to enter a student room to confirm the location of such a device, and, if necessary, disconnect it from the network until the situation can be resolved. ITS will attempt to contact the student before entering the room, but time-critical situations, where significant network services are impacted, may require entry without prior approval. Students' computers will not be touched without their prior consent; room entry will be only for the purpose of confirming that the misbehaving computer has been properly identified. For the protection of the student, the Department of Public Safety will be notified if entry is made without prior approval. Any temporary disconnection will be made in the network equipment closet, without directly handling students' property.
  • If students request assistance from ITS to repair a problem with their network connection, they may give ITS permission to enter the room and disconnect equipment for testing and troubleshooting in their absence. Similarly, Telephone Services personnel may enter student rooms in the residents' absence to effect repairs to voice telephone equipment or infrastructure. (See Notification of Entry, below.)

Procedure for Entry in Emergency Situation

• Emergency Entry 
  Middlebury officials are authorized to enter a student's room without prior notice in emergency circumstances, such as a fire, fire alarm, fire drill, an immediate threat to health, safety or property, a call for help, report of weapon(s) or what reasonably seems to constitute an emergency situation. Middlebury officials may search the room and/or take other additional steps as necessary to reduce the risk of harm to individuals.
• Special Room Inspection
  In addition to the circumstances described above, Middlebury officials may initiate entry of a room and/or a room search when there is reason to believe that a serious violation of Middlebury policy has been committed and/or the evidence may be found in a student's room. Searches of this nature will not be conducted without prior authorization of an appropriate senior Middlebury official. When possible, the student or students concerned and a witness shall be present when a room search is conducted. (See Notification of Entry, below.)
  • Students living in Middlebury-owned housing have the right to be free from unlawful room searches conducted by law enforcement officials. In most instances, a lawful search must be conducted pursuant to a warrant issued upon a showing of probable cause. Middlebury officials must arrange with law enforcement authorities to obtain a search warrant before searching a student's room for evidence which they intend to turn over for purposes of criminal prosecution. If a police officer sees a student commit what reasonably appears to be a criminal offense or violation of local ordinances, however, Middlebury will not interfere with the officer's legal pursuit of the student into a dormitory and into a student room. Similarly, a Department of Public Safety officer who sees a student commit what reasonably appears to be a crime or a violation of Middlebury regulations has the right to pursue the student into a dormitory and into a student room.

Notification of Entry {#notification}

Whenever a student's dormitory room is entered by a Middlebury official to meet an emergency, to make a repair, to carry out a community service, to conduct a routine inspection, or to conduct an authorized search, a note will be left indicating the time, date, reason, and name of the Middlebury person or office responsible, unless the occupant of the room is present at the time of entry.

(d) Housing Regulations & Resources

Fire Safety Regulations

Any violation of fire safety regulations will result in a fine.  Students found responsible will have to pay the additional cost(s) of repair or replacement of damaged equipment or property.  Students will be subject to disciplinary actions as well.

• Room entries, exits and hallways must be kept clear and free of potential obstructions.
• Gaming tables, including but not limited to ping pong, foosball, and pool tables are prohibited in residential spaces unless provided by the college in designated residence hall lounges.
• Tables, including sheets of plywood or other large boards (decorated or undecorated, set up or stored) and bars/counters, are never allowed in rooms, suites, or lounges of residential buildings. Tables and plywood found in unauthorized areas will be considered in violation of fire safety regulations and will be confiscated and disposed of by Middlebury officials, and fines will be assessed.
• Nothing may be hung from a sprinkler apparatus or sprinkler piping.
• Only two walls of any room may be draped. Ceilings may not be covered with tapestries or other materials. Other wall hangings and posters may be prohibited if a fire or egress hazard is created.
• Nothing may be built or placed over or around a room radiator that will interfere with the free flow of air around the radiator or prevent easy access to service it.
• The following items are prohibited: halogen lamps, portable heaters, fuel, wood pellets, dangerous chemicals, flammable liquids, and fuel such as lighter fluid, propane, gasoline, kerosene, and isobutane, fireworks, hazardous materials, new or burned candles, incense, oil lamps, oil/wax diffusers that sit on lightbulbs or other items with the capability of an open flame or burning embers.
• String lights are prohibited, with the exception of LED lights in good working condition (no frayed or bare wires, cracked sockets, loose connections or damaged insulation).  LED lights are acceptable ONLY if they are labeled with Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approval. Tags with this information are required to be on each string of lights. LED string lights may not be placed over doorways, on ceilings or wrapped around any sprinkler piping, furniture or other cloth items such as curtains or wall hangings. LED lights may not be attached with nails or staples. LED lights must be plugged directly into an outlet or surge protector and may not be strung together.  If it cannot be verified that the lights are LED, the College has the right to remove them.
• Storage of large modes of personal transportation including but not limited to bicycles, scooters, canoes, and kayaks in the students’ rooms or other locations within the residence hall including halls, stairwells, landings, and lounges, is prohibited. Students must utilize the bicycle racks located outside of their residence hall or designated bicycle rooms on campus to store bicycles and scooters. Kayaks and canoes may not be stored in residence halls.
• Smoking is prohibited in all campus buildings, including the small residential houses. This includes porches, balconies, decks, or within 25 feet of any part of the building structure. E-cigarette smoking is also prohibited in campus buildings.
• The use of portable fire pits is prohibited.
• Use of fire, or lighting a fire without an authorized fire permit, inside or outside of buildings, other than smoking in authorized outdoor spaces, is prohibited. The use of outdoor grills is limited to authorized locations at small houses and must be approved before use.
• Possession and or use of grills, electric grills, camp stoves, and portable fire pits are prohibited on campus unless utilizing approved, college provided grills or fireplaces with prior approval from Residential Life and the office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Compliance. Grills used by approved caterers are excepted from this policy.
• Lighting a fire without an authorized fire permit, inside or outside of buildings, other than smoking in authorized outdoor spaces, is prohibited. Outdoor fires may be approved for the Atwater Dining outdoor fireplace and The Knoll (Organic Farm) in Cornwall. Outside burning in other locations requires advance review and approval from Middlebury College and the Town of Middlebury. The location must be reserved and Middlebury College Burn Permit approvals must be obtained in advance of the event.
• Several College residence halls and lounges have working fireplaces which are inspected annually. Fireplaces deemed safe for use can be confirmed by emailing facmanage@middlebury.edu.  Fires in fireplaces should never be unattended and there should always be a fire extinguisher present in the vicinity when there is any fire in the fireplace. The use of chemical fire starters is prohibited.
• Tampering with fire- or life-safety equipment is prohibited and subject to fines. These charges will be borne collectively by the residence hall if the responsible individual(s) cannot be identified. “Fire- and life-safety equipment” includes fire alarms, fire doors, pull stations, extinguishers, hydrants, smoke detectors, smoke detector batteries, carbon monoxide detectors, and sprinklers.
• Students must exit a building when a fire alarm sounds; fines may be assessed for failure to do so. Fire escapes may only be accessed during fire drills or a fire emergency.
• Appliances that have exposed heating elements, including but not limited to toasters, toaster ovens, hot plates, sandwich makers, electric frying pans or grills, electric woks, deep fryers, popcorn poppers (other than hot air poppers) and irons without automatic shutoffs may not be used in student rooms. Air fryers, electric griddles or frying pans, waffle makers, and irons without an automatic shutoff may not be used in student rooms. Only small, dorm-sized, Energy Star-rated refrigerators and microwaves are permitted and need to be plugged directly into an outlet and not a powerstrip/surge protector. Small cooking appliances without exposed heating elements, such as rice cookers, steamers, and crockpots may be used in residential kitchen spaces.  These items must be attended while in use.  Such appliances may not be used in student rooms.  Please also see a list of allowable items on the Residential Life webpage.
• The use of fog and smoke machines in campus residential buildings is prohibited.
• Possession of flammable decorations including but not limited to combustible vegetation such as wreaths, sawn trees, tree branches, dried out plants, corn stalks and shucks, dry leaves, hay straw, as well as other flammable decorations such as paper streamers, sawdust or wood shavings are prohibited.
• Covering windows with items such as plywood, mattresses, paper, or anything other than college provided window shades/treatments is prohibited due to fire safety and egress concerns.
• Possession of large appliances such as refrigerators in excess of 3.8 cubic feet, freezers, washers, or dryers is prohibited.
• Construction of partitions, subdividing rooms, construction of additions, installation or modification or electrical wiring or plumbing, or altering means of egress is prohibited.

Fire Safety inspections will be organized and conducted on an on-going basis as deemed appropriate.  Students will be reminded that inspections will occur at the beginning of each semester, and will be advised of the conditions following the inspections.  Any material in violation of the fire safety regulations will be confiscated at the time of the inspection, and the student fined.

Noise Policy

Middlebury seeks to promote the quiet, comfort, and health of the campus, the Town of Middlebury, and surrounding communities. Students are required to be considerate of others with respect to noise in the residence halls. Students should neither cause nor condone excessive amounts of noise, but should strive to be considerate and respectful of others and to be good neighbors. Conduct that creates a public disturbance in a residence hall or interferes with another student’s ability to study is prohibited.

Students must also abide by all applicable town noise ordinances, including but not limited to the Town of Middlebury Ordinance for the Regulation of Noise. This ordinance prohibits excessive or unnecessary noise, including vocal disturbances and loud music, and includes fines for non-compliance. Procedures on Noise Complaints can be found here. Students who violate Middlebury policy or local ordinances will be subject to Middlebury's student conduct process.

Storage Regulations

Students leaving Middlebury College at any time during the academic year are responsible for packing their belongings and arranging for storage or shipping. Storage during the regular academic year for undergraduate Middlebury students:

1. Regular dormitory storage (trunks, suitcases, boxed items).
   i. Storage for some student belongings during the academic year is provided in some campus buildings. Interested students should consult with their resident assistant.
   ii. At the end of the school year, Facilities Services staff will clean out these storage areas and will dispose of any items not removed by students.
2. House Storage
   Houses may only store house items, such as pool tables and composites, in their houses over the summer recess. Personal items may not be left in the social houses. The president of each social house is responsible for supervising the storage area.

(5) Requesting Changes or Off-Campus Housing

Changing Housing Assignment

Students are assigned housing by the College through the room draw process. If students are experiencing a roommate conflict, they are highly encouraged to speak with their Residential Life staff member or RD before approaching the dean or submitting a room-change request.

Procedure to Request Room Change

Mid-term room change requests may be submitted following the end of the second week of classes and will be considered in mid-October and mid-March.  Requests submitted during J-Term, and after the fall and spring deadlines will be considered on a case-by-case basis.   End of Term room change requests (fall and J-term) should be submitted to the residential systems coordinator by the assigned date.

If a student is offered a mid-semester room change, the student has 48 hours to accept or reject the offer. If students have a double as a single for whatever reason, they must find an eligible roommate, or the residential systems coordinator will assign someone to fill the space. Students will always be encouraged to resolve any conflicts before considering a room change.

As noted above, switching rooms and keys or changing residences without authorization is prohibited and subject to fines.

Procedure to Request Off Campus Housing

Off campus housing
A limited number of releases are available for senior students to live off campus with prior approval from Residential Life. Students with special medical needs that necessitate a housing accommodation should address their concerns to Residential Life and the Disability Resource Center. Students who are married or have dependent children living with them are exempted from the residency and board requirements upon providing documentation to Residential Life.

Procedure to Request Living Off-Campus

Middlebury permits a limited number of seniors to live off campus. Permission is granted by a process coordinated by the Office of the Dean of Students. Students with the status of "special students" are required to live off campus. The number of off-campus residents is based on our commitment to the residential experience and an evaluation of the rental market in the town of Middlebury. Off-Campus status requires the approval of the Student Life Dean. Approval may not be granted if a student has been subject to official College discipline or academic failure.  Students living off campus must provide their local address and phone number to Residential Life within the first five days of the term or the Off-Campus Fee Reduction will be forfeited.

All Off-Campus forms must be submitted to the residential systems coordinator by the determined deadlines. Any student wishing to move off campus after the Off-Campus application deadline must notify the residential systems coordinator to be placed on a waiting list. Off-campus permission is granted through a random draw each term for the subsequent term. Applications are submitted electronically; students may apply as individuals or in groups up to three members.  Students who accept off-campus housing status are ineligible to participate in further fall term housing processes.

Permission must be granted for each term a student wants to live off campus and an Off-Campus Fee Reduction Form must be submitted by the posted deadline.  A form submitted one term will not automatically transfer to the next term. Students living off campus for one term will be given priority to live off campus for the next term as long as there have been no disciplinary, academic or behavioral concerns raised during the previous term. Completing the form every term provides the Office of the Dean of Students with up-to-date residential information.

Students who accept off-campus housing status and then request to move back on campus will be placed on a waiting list and will only receive on campus housing if it is available following the completion of the housing processes for the semester in question. There is no guarantee of housing for these students.

If housing is available, students returning from off campus residency will be assigned housing by Residential Life. 

Students who choose to live off-campus without authorization - that is, students who are not granted off-campus status but move off-campus nonetheless - will be subject to Middlebury's student conduct process.

Students who live off campus are expected to be good neighbors. Students who violate Middlebury policy or local ordinances will be subject to Middlebury's student conduct process.

Living on campus is an essential component of the educational experience at Middlebury. Request for off-campus housing on the basis of a medical or ADA-certified need will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require appropriate documentation.

(6) Termination of a House

The Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA) will recommend to the President of the College termination of a house at Middlebury in the following circumstances:

a. for disciplinary reasons if there is an extraordinary violation by a house of Middlebury’s rules and regulations for students in houses.

b. for disciplinary reasons if there are repeated violations by a house of Middlebury rules and regulations.  The VPSA may issue appropriate sanctions to a house for violations of rules and regulations. Sanctions may include disciplinary probation, which will involve the loss of the right to hold parties and of other privileges to be specified by the Office of the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students and/or the VPSA will report to the President persistent violations of guidelines and regulations by a  house on probation.

c.  on the grounds of loss of student support and extraordinary expense to Middlebury if room occupancy of the house by members fails to meet the capacity requirements established by the Office of the Dean of Students and the IHC or dorm damages for the house exceed normal wear and tear.

d. The President may seek input from appropriate bodies, such as the Community Council. The President is not required to consult other offices or bodies, however, and reserves the right to take whatever action is necessary, including immediate, indefinite suspension of the house or termination of the house. Indefinite suspension shall mean suspension of the house as a social organization at Middlebury, including loss of the right of members to reside in the house.

(7) Graduating Winter Athlete Housing Policy

Winter season athletes graduating in February and eligible to continue competing with their teams for the remainder of their seasons are welcome to do so, subject to approval by the Director of Athletics.

Since only enrolled students are permitted to live in Middlebury College housing, these athletes may not live on campus and are responsible for arranging their own off campus housing.

Athletes for whom this poses a significant financial hardship may petition the Athletic Policy Committee for an exception to this policy. Petitions will only be considered if there is available housing as determined by Residential Life.

Petitions, submitted by email to the committee chair, are due by November 1. Late petitions will not be accepted and there is no appeal of the committee’s decisions. In addition to the athlete’s level of financial need, their conduct history as recorded with the Office of Community Standards will be considered in rendering a decision.

To preserve petitioners’ privacy, student members of the committee will not be present for deliberations and will not vote. Petitions are decided upon by simple majority of the non-student members of the committee. Approvals to remain on campus may require moving to temporary campus housing if the athlete’s fall or winter term room is needed for students enrolled in the spring term.