The Enhanced Access System uses Midd Cards issued to authorized students, faculty, staff, vendors, and guests, to control access to campus buildings.

The system electronically unlocks designated entrances when an active card with privileges for that building is presented to the card reader mounted beside the door.

Individuals with access privileges will gain immediate entry. An alarm will be activated at the Public Safety monitoring station if someone attempts entry with an invalid card, a door is forced or propped open, or if tampering with components of the system occurs. If an alarm is activated, the Public Safety telecommunicator will determine the cause and send an officer when necessary.

See below for a list of buildings with card access.

Public/Emergency telephones have been installed at the main entrances of residence halls equipped with the Enhanced Access System. These phones may be used for dialing campus extensions or a caller can be automatically connected to the Public Safety Emergency line by pressing the red button.

Hours of Operation

Middlebury College has defined hours of operation for the Enhanced Access System during academic and language school sessions. Residence halls are controlled by Enhanced Access 24 hours a day. Exit doors are locked at all times to prevent entry, however, people can always exit from any door, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Academic and mixed-use (residential and academic) building schedules vary depending upon department or needs. Hours are posted with the list of access buildings and may change when necessary.

Building Security

Campus academic facilities are open to members of the campus community and to guests and visitors during normal business hours Monday through Friday.

Some buildings and facilities also have limited designated hours in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate evening classes, research or other special programming needs. Faculty and staff are responsible for securing their own private office spaces and storage areas. Public Safety officers have responsibility for securing some buildings that remain open late or keep unusual hours. Public Safety officers, night watchmen, and building inhabitants share the responsibility for securing buildings. Public Safety officers routinely check buildings through the course of their patrols to maintain security.

After-Hours Access for Students

Periodically, students will need additional access to certain locations controlled by the Enhanced Access System for academic or organizational needs. Permission may be granted from department/faculty representatives by filling out and submitting the After Hours/Special Access Form.

Electronic copies should be kept on file with individual departments and the Department of Public Safety.

Temporary Access Cards

Vendors, certain guests of the college, and students auditing classes may have a legitimate need to enter access controlled buildings. Public Safety has temporary access cards available for sign-out on an as needed basis with prior authorization granted from the responsible department. It is the department’s responsibility to assist with determining access needs for the guest/visitor. Departments should contact Public Safety for more information.

Note: Personal guests of students, faculty, or staff members are not eligible for temporary access cards.

Non-Proximity Card Building Access

A few buildings on campus use the magnetic stripe on the ID card for access. This requires you to swipe your card through a credit card-style reader to gain entry. All other mag-stripe readers are programmed and maintained by Facilities Services.

Building Access Problems and Questions

If you are experiencing issues with building access or have questions, please contact the Department of Public Safety.

Please note: Tampering with any component of the Enhanced Access System may result in disciplinary action. Propping a door open is a breach of building security and is considered tampering with the system. This breach will activate both a local alarm (at the door) and an alarm at the monitoring station. 

Card Access Buildings

  • Student ID cards have been programmed to open academic buildings during set hours.
  • Student residence halls have limited access. Students are assigned access privileges to their own residence hall. There is an exception for laundry services.
  • McCardell Bicentennial Hall uses a building wide system maintained by the administration at that building.

Manual Access Buildings

There are a few buildings that require College staff to manually unlock the doors, including the following:

  • Mahaney Arts Center
  • Johnson
  • Wright Theater
  • McCullough
  • Robert A. Jones
  • Twilight Hall

Note: During academic recesses and some holidays, access will be further limited and some buildings will remain closed.

Building Access

75 Shannon Street (Academic) Classroom space is on the second floor.
Athletic Complex (Academic) Access is managed by Athletics.
Atwater Dining (Academic) Two (2) entrances on east and west sides. Loading dock for employees only.

Open limited hours. See Dining Services for updates.
Carr Hall (Academic) Two (2) entrances on east and south sides.
Centeno (Health and Wellness) Two (2) entrances on east and west sides, all with ADA access.

Open limited hours. See Health Center for hours.
Davis Family Library (Academic) Three (3) entrances on east and west sides, all with ADA access. East entrance requires card access for entry and exit. See Davis Library for hours.
Gifford (Residence/Academic) Eight (8) entrances on north, south, and east sides. ADA access on north entrance of the Annex. 
Hepburn (Residence/Academic) Three (3) entrances on west, north, and east sides. West entrance for the Middlebury Campus newspaper. 
Hillcrest (Academic) Three (3) entrances on north, east, and west sides. ADA access at east and west entrances.
Le Château (Residence/Academic) Four (4) entrances on north, south, and east sides. ADA access at north back door. 
Museum/MAC (Academic) Museum external and internal doors. See Museum for hours.  MAC door closest to the parking lot. 
Old Chapel (Academic) Two (2) entrances on east and west sides.
Proctor (Dining) See Dining Services for hours.
Ross Commons (Residence/Academic) Fifteen (15) entrances at Hadley, Kelly, LaForce, Lang, Milliken, and Ross dining hall. ADA access at LaForce north entrance. Loading dock for employees only. 
Starr-Axinn Center (Academic) Students have access to classroom space during set hours.
Sunderland (Academic) Main entrance on College Street (south side).
Voter (Residence/Academic) Three (3) entrances on north, south and east sides. Elevator, first floor internal doors, and 2nd and 3rd floor stairwell are access controlled separating. The academic space is only accessible by employees during set hours. Students who reside in the building have access privileges 24/7 during the term.
Warner (Academic) Two (2) entrances on north and south sides.

Department of Public Safety
125 South Main St.
Middlebury, VT 05753