Please also review our Student Event Planning for guidelines and other considerations for easy event planning!

Scheduling Events and Invited Speakers

Until it is replaced or superseded, the following procedures will be in effect for all of Middlebury’s locations.

  1. Those scheduling events (e.g., speakers, symposia, colloquia, performances, etc.) will be required to submit an event reservation request at least three weeks prior to the event date.
  2. Students, faculty, and staff seeking to make room reservations for events will be asked on the submission form whether the proposed event presents any special considerations or security concerns. Student groups scheduling events will be required to confirm that they have consulted with their group’s faculty or staff advisor.
  3. Requests to schedule an event will be reviewed weekly by staff from Student Engagement, Event Management, and Communications to identify any events that are a likely target of disruption, threats, violence, or other acts of intimidation, or are likely to draw unusually large crowds.
  4. In the event of a credible likelihood, based on prior incidents or current evidence, that an event is likely to be the target of threats or violence, the Threat Assessment and Management Team will conduct a risk assessment of the event, consulting with local law enforcement as needed, in order to advise the administration.
  5. Representatives from Public Safety/Campus Security and Risk Management will review the risk assessment and determine resources or measures that might be necessary to ensure that the event can proceed without undue risk to the speaker and/or members of the community. This review will include a consideration of Middlebury Emergency Preparedness Plan and Emergency Operations protocols.
  6. In those exceptional cases where this review indicates significant risk to the community, the president and senior administration will work with event sponsors to determine measures to maximize safety and mitigate risk. Only in cases of imminent and credible threat to the community that cannot be mitigated by revisions to the event plan would the president and senior administration consider canceling the event.

General Policy

The Department of Event Management (EM) handles all student requests for use of space. Request for space should be submitted via the online Event Reservation Request form. (You will need to log in with your Middlebury user name and password.)

All requests for support services, equipment, and/or room set-up should also be made through this request form. Requests for services from Facilities Management, Media Services, Catering Services, Public Safety, or Student Engagement must be submitted at least 7 days prior to the event.  Any requests submitted later than that will not receive support. 

Room requests submitted by student organizations are scheduled in the order in which they are submitted to the EM office. No student organization is given space or time priority. The use of spaces is a privilege, not a right. Groups seeking student organization status are allowed no more than 1 room reservation before they must receive approval as a recognized student organization from the SGA Constitution Committee.

Individual students wishing to schedule rooms must be sponsored by a registered student organization, the Student Engagement Office, or an administrative or academic department.

Time Limitations

Student organization events, meetings and rehearsals will not be scheduled during a time that conflicts with academic classes. Monday through Thursday reservations must start after 4:15 p.m. and on Fridays after 2:45 p.m., unless it is an approved lunch time lecture.

Evening events in dormitory lounges will be held to the same expectations as the town of Middlebury noise ordinance which is:

  • Amplified music/noise no later than 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday
  • Amplified music/noise no later than 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings
  • Unplugged events may go as late at they’d like

Date Restrictions

Blackout Periods

Scheduling of events on campus is prohibited for all groups, both College groups and non-College groups. This includes Bread Loaf campus. (Small College meetings and department meetings are permitted).

Grey-Out Periods

Scheduling of non-College events or events by non-College groups is prohibited. Scheduling of College events on campus by College groups is allowed (if support services are available). This includes the Bread Loaf campus.

Exam Periods

Per the Middlebury Handbook (Undergrad College/Undergrad Students/Academic Policies/Calendar/Final Examination Period):

During exam periods, “no activities, athletic events (games or practices), course registration, additional or makeup classes will be scheduled for this period of time. All class activities must be concluded on the last day of classes. A thesis defense may be scheduled during the final examination period. Events that do not require student attendance may be held during exam week. However, no events requiring service support from Facilities Services, Media Services or Midd Catering can be scheduled from Friday through Monday during exam week in May.

An exception may be granted only for student organization sponsored stress breaking activities which can be scheduled after 10 p.m. on an exam day followed by a reading day.  No activities can be scheduled on a reading day.

Other Policies

Crowd Control

Vermont State law requires that gatherings of more than 49 people have a trained and identified Crowd Manager on site. The number of required crowd managers will increase based on the number of participants at your event.

Catering

Visit the Middlebury College Catering website for current policies on catering, even if you plan to use a non-college caterer.

Film Screenings

When screening a film, you may be required to pay “Public Viewing Rights.” There is often a charge for any film or movie that is shown for a purpose other than an academic class. You must contact Sue Driscoll in the library to determine if you are required to purchase these rights before scheduling a screening on campus.

Outdoor Events on McCullough and Voter Lawns

No activities will be scheduled on the outdoor commencement site after April 1 of each year.

Overnight Visitors

When scheduling a large event that will draw students from another school, the college cannot provide sleeping accommodations in lounges, the athletic complex, or other non-dorm spaces. Vermont law prohibits lodging to occur anywhere there is not life safety equipment installed, inclusive of carbon monoxide detection. 

Publicizing an Event

No publicity for an activity or event may be published before the request for space has been approved and the event confirmation has been finalized.

Rehearsals and Meetings

Given the limited availability of rehearsal and meeting spaces, student organizations wishing to schedule space for rehearsal or meeting are initially limited to two times per week, until all recognized student organizations have submitted their reservation request. Performing arts-related student organizations are expected to submit requests for rehearsal time prior to the start of each semester. Once all organizations have had the opportunity to request space, organizations will be allowed to request more time. Remaining rehearsal slots and meeting times will be scheduled as equitably as possible.

The following lounges are set aside primarily for hall programming and are not available for regular meetings or rehearsals:

  • Hepburn Lounge
  • Gifford Annex Lounge
  • Stewart Lounge
  • Forest West Lounge
  • Coffrin Annex Lounge
  • Allen Lounge

Public Events

Any student performances, lectures, or meetings to which the general public is invited, cannot be scheduled in residential buildings as these spaces are not open to the public. These events can be scheduled in an academic building, athletics facility or the McCullough Student Center.

Tabling

Only recognized student organizations and approved concessions may set up tables for the purpose of distributing petitions, handbills, or other literature. Please review the Student Organizations Handbook “Resources” section for approved tabling locations, and complete policy on Tabling.