In 1995, the trustees continued the process of growth and change that has characterized Middlebury throughout its history by adopting a plan to increase the size of the undergraduate student body from 2,000 to 2,350 over the next decade, with a proportional increase in the faculty. The addition of new faculty has enabled the College to deepen and strengthen its academic programs in a variety of areas: in fields of traditional distinction like literature and language study; in popular interdisciplinary areas like environmental studies and international studies; and in rapidly developing fields like neuroscience, and film and media culture. Throughout these changes, Middlebury has maintained its traditional emphasis on general excellence in the liberal arts in a residential setting. As the College moves into its third century, it continues to build upon the tradition and experience of its first two hundred years to offer its students a liberal arts education adapted to the needs of the 21st century.
The plan adopted by the trustees also called for construction of major new facilities to serve the enlarged community. A new hockey rink (the Chip Kenyon '85 Arena), McCardell Bicentennial Hall (a state-of-the-art science center), and residential and dining facilities (Ross Commons and LaForce Hall) have opened since 1999. Projects completed most recently include a new, 143,000 square foot Library, which houses most of the College's collections, Library and Information Services, and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research. It opened in fall of 2004, the same year as the new Atwater Commons residential and dining facility.
In 2005, the College finalized an affiliation with the Monterey Institute for International Studies that offers new opportunities for collaboration and development. The Monterey Institute consists of four graduate schools that focus on preparing students for business, public sector, and non-profit positions in the international arena. Its commitment to foreign language competency as the cornerstone of international education makes it an ideal complement to our Language Schools and Schools Abroad. This affiliation solidifies Middlebury's position of leadership in international education.
THE COMMONS
Middlebury’s unique residential system exemplifies the College’s conviction that an excellent liberal arts education takes place around the clock, as easily over dinner as in the classroom. The residence halls are grouped into “living-learning communities,” called Commons. The Commons combine the academic, social, and residential components
of college and foster close and abiding relationships, not only among the student residents, but also between students and the faculty and staff who are part of their Commons.
There are five Commons on campus. Each develops its own system of self-governance, and each is staffed by an administrative team that is on site to provide support to student residents. The Commons Head is responsible for setting the academic and social tone of the Commons and for programming activities (lectures, field trips, social gatherings, and other events) that involve students, faculty, and staff. The Commons Dean administers the daily operations of the Commons and handles all residential issues, as well as academic and personal advising. First-year seminars are Commons-based, which means that the students enrolled in a particular seminar are assigned to live in the same Commons, with supplementary programming for the course also sponsored by the Commons.
The success of these programs and the College’s commitment to enhancing the facilities that support the Commons—residence halls, dining halls, and program space—mean that a great number of social and academic activities are centered in the Commons. Beginning with the fall of 2008, all incoming first-year students will remain in their Commons through their sophomore year. This continuing Commons residency will enable students to forge a strong sense of community, while allowing Commons teams an opportunity to develop vibrant programming and networks of support specifically tailored to students in these first two years at Middlebury. Juniors and seniors will be free to live anywhere on campus, while retaining membership in their Commons, where they will continue to find opportunities for leadership, intellectual life, and social programming.
THE SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
Being sustainable is not easy. How does a growing global society learn to meet its present needs while enhancing the opportunities for future generations to meet their needs? How can one person make a difference? Middlebury accepts this challenge and demonstrates its sustainability ethic in all its undertakings, from policy to practice. It is apparent from our commitment to reduce our emissions of climate-warming carbon dioxide to a net of zero by 2016, to the natural landscape design of the campus, to our award-winning campus-wide recycling program, and the dining hall waste that is turned into compost and used to nourish our landscape, organic garden and greenhouse plants.
Staff minimize paper consumption by routinely setting printers to print on both sides of paper that is made from 100% recycled paper. They contract with printing companies that use renewable energy and recycled paper and inks that are natural and non-health threatening for their employees. They make sure we are putting fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles in our car fleet, offering hybrid ZipCars for student rental (in lieu of bringing personal vehicles to campus), and using biofuels in our furnaces and diesel vehicles to further reduce our carbon dioxide emissions.
Faculty encourage and support student research about sustainable approaches to life—both on and off campus. Students respond with solutions, like a comprehensive portfolio of initiatives for making significant reductions in our emissions of carbon dioxide, a student-run bike repair shop to foster greater bike usage, a wind turbine that feeds renewable electricity to our recycling facility, or the recent decision to switch the fuel we use to heat, cool, and power the campus from #6 fuel oil to wood supplied from local forests—intended to provide a sustainable source of "carbon neutral" woodchips.
The Environmental Council, a committee of students, staff, and faculty, advises the president on sustainability policies—environmental purchasing practices, for example—and provides incentives through a grants program for students, faculty, and staff to keep sustainability at the forefront.
The commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices is clearly demonstrated by Middlebury's new and renovated buildings through the College's sustainable design and construction guidelines. Based on standards from the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), we have also added additional requirements that are unique to the Middlebury campus, aimed to address the challenges of becoming less dependent on automobiles and more pedestrian-friendly. These guidelines incorporate energy efficiency; locally harvested, green-certified wood; locally made furnishings; and renewable sources of energy. A recent example is the new Hillcrest Environmental Center that will be certified by the US Green Building Council's LEED certification program.
Middlebury's institutional commitment to sustainability extends well beyond College gateways through our leadership and our influence with our peers, parents, friends, alumni, and the global community—and by the deeds and actions of our students throughout the rest of their lives, using the lessons learned during their time here at Middlebury.