Non-College Events

The purpose of the College’s facilities is to provide venues for the many curricular and co-curricular activities which are part of the vibrancy of a residential liberal arts college. When possible, Middlebury College may also make some of its facilities and grounds available for use by non-College groups under the following guidelines and conditions:

1. Non-College groups, organizations or events may not use College facilities and/or grounds for private or personal gain or profit, or for activities that are not complementary to the mission of the College. The College reserves the right to prohibit or cancel any event, without notice, if it deems the event contrary to the mission of the College. Fundraisers or other fundraising efforts at auxiliary event spaces (See policy Auxiliary Event Spaces - need to create web page) do not apply as private or personal events. 
    
2. Non-College groups are not required to have a sponsor within the College in order to request use of College facilities. However, any College department that wishes to be designated as a ‘sponsor’ for an event by a non-College group, must provide an EDORDA accounting code. All internal College costs associated with the event will be charged to that EDORDA. A College individual may not be designated as a sponsor for a non-College group. Only College departments may provide sponsorship.
    
3. The College maintains certain times of the year when non-College events cannot be scheduled. A ‘blackout’ period is a time period when no events whatsoever (neither College nor non-College) can be scheduled other than the programs/events that are specifically featured by the College at that time (e.g. Commencement). A ‘grey-out’ period is a time period when internal College events may be scheduled, but non-College events may not be scheduled. (See policy Events Scheduling: Date Restrictions). The Department of Event Management operates under this blackout and grey-out policy, and maintains the list of these specific dates for each year.  All College facilities (including athletics facilities, MAC, Middlebury Chapel, etc.) with the exception of auxiliary spaces, fall under the date restriction policy.
    
4. Use of College facilities for a personal event by a College-affiliated individual is regarded as a ‘non-College’ event, and is subject to the requirements of this policy, and of the blackout and grey-out period policy, as a ‘non-College’ event. Blackout and grey-out periods may not apply to auxiliary event spaces based on time of year.  
    

5. All non-College event requests should be directed to the Department of Event Management to determine whether the date requested is available; whether space and support resources are available for the event, and the appropriate space/facility for the event. When Tavern on the Tee is in operation, Kirk Center is operated as a retail business. Inquiries regarding Kirk Center while Tavern on the Tee is operational can also be directed to Middlebury Catering.

   Exception: For use of athletic facilities for athletic events, requests should be made directly to the Athletics Department.  Note: only athletic events or athletics-related events can be scheduled for any facility or room in the athletics complex. Requests for scheduling an event by a non-College group may be approved only if space and services are available. Middlebury College needs and events take first priority.
    

6. Non-College events may not be scheduled more than 6 months in advance unless they are being scheduled at an auxiliary event facility (Kirk Center, Bread Loaf campus, Middlebury Snowbowl, Rikert Outdoor Center, Hadley Barn, Middlebury Chapel, and Twilight Auditorium).
    

7. Middlebury College reserves the right to cancel any non-College event, up to 6 months in advance of the event. Every effort is made to avoid the cancellation of events but in the instance of circumstances beyond the College’s reasonable control: acts of God, accident, riots, war, terrorist act, epidemic, pandemic (including the Covid-19 pandemic), quarantine, civil commotion, breakdown of communication facilities, breakdown of web host, breakdown of internet service provider, natural catastrophes, governmental acts or omissions, changes in laws or regulations, national strikes, fire, or explosion.

   Exception: Wedding/civil union ceremonies can be canceled up to 9 months in 
   advance.
    

8. When a request for using a College facility is approved by the Department of Event Management, a representative from the non-College group must submit the following documents to the office:
   1. Letter of Agreement, provided by the College; [Needs to be reviewed by legal counsel]
   2. Facilities Use General Release [Hold Harmless release] form, provided by the College
   3. Proof of adequate insurance (as defined by the College’s Director of Business Services) may be required for certain events.
       
9. All services related to the event are coordinated through the Department of Event Management. For any contracted services through anyone other than the College, proof of adequate insurance coverages are required from those contractors as defined by the College’s Director of Business Services.  At no time is a contractor permitted to perform work on College property for a non-college event unless they have been approved by the College. More information about contracted services can be found here.
    
10. Effective July 1, 2024, a fee will be charged for facilities used for non-College events:
    Non-College groups will be charged a fee for the use of College facilities and/or grounds for their event. This fee defrays the additional costs of staff labor and facilities maintenance. Typically, the fee relates to the costs associated with use of the space and provision of normal services provided by Facilities/Custodial, Public Safety, and Media Services needed to make the space available for the event. An event that uses media equipment or technology such as computers, video/film projection, or sound systems, may require College technical staff support and therefore will be charged an additional technology fee per hour for the duration of the event. 
     
11. Employees of the College: College employees may submit a request to reserve College space for their personal use for a special event if the requested space is available and if the event does not detract services from other College sponsored events.  Approval is required from the Department of Event Management. A facility fee will be charged to the individual, consistent with the use of the requested facility. An event scheduled by an individual employee or other College-affiliated individual for personal use is considered a ‘non-College’ event, and is subject to the same requirements of this policy, and of the Date Restriction policy, as a non-College event.

Wedding/Civil Union Ceremonies at Middlebury Chapel

Individuals may request reservation of Middlebury Chapel for their wedding ceremony or civil union ceremony by submitting their request to the Department of Event Management.  This request may be submitted no more than 18 months in advance of the requested date, but will not be confirmed until 12 months in advance of the requested date. Use of Middlebury Chapel is generally intended for use by College-affiliated individuals. College-affiliated individuals are defined as student, parent, alumnus/ae, faculty, staff, or trustee.  Requests from non-affiliated individuals may be considered at the discretion of the Department of Event Management. 

Facilities for Non-College/Not-For-Profit Groups

Generally, only the following facilities may be made available for non-College events:

• Atwater Dining Hall and Terrace (seasonal)
• Kirk Alumni Center
• Twilight Auditorium (during non-class periods)
• Facilities on the Bread Loaf campus (seasonal)
• Middlebury Snowbowl (seasonal)
• Hadley Barn and Lawn (seasonal)
• A limited number of small classrooms and seminar rooms.
• Some athletics facilities for athletics events may be available at discretion of the Athletics Department.
• Some MAC facilities for performance events, and use of Middlebury Chapel may be available at the discretion of the Department of Event Management.