Residential Policies

Residency requirement

Out of a commitment to student development and success, Bennington College requires all students enrolled in classes full time to live on campus in College housing. Part-time students, except those in their last term, are not eligible for campus housing.

Exception to the residency requirement

The College recognizes that a few students may need an exception to the residency requirement. The College will grant exceptions for an enrolled student who is:

• 23 years old or older
• Living at one’s parents’ home, within a 25-mile radius of the College
• Married or in a civil-union recognized by the state of Vermont
• A parent or legal guardian of a child. (Bennington does not provide family housing for students.)
• Exempted from the residency requirement as an accommodation for a disability. For more information see the Accommodations and Support section.

Right to assign

The College reserves the right to assign any vacancy in College housing and/or to reassign any student’s College housing placement at any time. This includes consolidation of students living alone in multi-occupancy rooms. Efforts will be made to keep students within the same house during consolidation when possible.

Occupancy

Students are allowed to occupy their assigned rooms and to use the common space in their houses and all other College facilities when the College is in session. Students cannot access College facilities between terms except in specific situations. These situations require advance permission from the College.

Information about dates and times that College residences open and close are published in the Academic Calendar, and various communications sent out from the Office of Residence Life to all students during the term. Students are expected to arrive and depart campus in accordance with the set deadlines. Late departures and early arrivals are not permitted unless approved in advance by Buildings and Grounds and/or Office of Residence Life. Unapproved early arrivals and/or late checkouts are subject to the student conduct process.

Non-Term Residency

On campus housing is limited when the College is not in session (Winter break, Field Work Term, and Summer break) and requires an application process that certifies employment or specialized study at the College. Information on how to apply is made available at the end of each term. Students must be in good academic and financial standing to apply for non-term housing. 

Assignment Information

Each spring, upperclass students enrolled and continuing at the College choose housing for the next year by participating in the Housing Selection Process that is run by the Office of Residence Life. Housing assignments  can be found in StarRez.

First-year and transfer students are assigned to housing based on their preference form and space availability. Late applicants or students returning from time away are housed on a space-available basis.

Students who withdraw or become part-time during the term, except those in their last term, must vacate their housing within 48 hours.

 

Room changes

The Office of Residence Life will notify the student body about the room/house change process and any housing assignment changes at the beginning of each term. Students are encouraged to address any conflicts directly with their roommates/housemates. They can then seek assistance from House Chairs who may serve as mediators. The official room change request process starts by the student meeting with Residence Life staff. Failure to obtain permission from Residence Life may result in referral to the student conduct process.

Returning from leave of absence/abroad programs

Returning students who were on leave, or are re-entering after being considered withdrawn by the Office of the Provost will be assigned based on availability and the housing preference questionnaire. Students returning from study-away programs will receive an email from housing prior to their return. Students should complete a Student Housing Preference form by March 15 for the upcoming academic year and November 1 for the spring term. Both of which can be found on StarRez.

Exchange Students and Visiting students

Students in this category are placed according to their term standing (determined by the Office of the Provost). Exchange students and visiting students should contact the Office of Residence Life as soon as possible to discuss housing options and availability. Exchange students who apply after August 1 or February 1 are offered space on campus based on availability.

Welling Town House and Longmeadow House

Students who wish to live in these houses must complete an application from the Office of Residence Life. Notification about the application process is sent during the spring term. Students will be selected and notified prior to the regular housing assignment. Welling Town House, although located off campus, is subject to all policies applicable to on-campus housing.

Paran Creek Apartments

Students residing in Paran Creek Apartments are subject to the same Community Standards as those students living in other College-owned and managed housing including, but not limited to, room changes, occupancy, smoking, safety, room damage, and access. Residents are responsible for the cleaning of individual rooms, as well as the common areas, kitchens and bathrooms in the individual apartments. Buildings and Grounds (B & G) staff will maintain the general common areas, hallways and laundry rooms on each floor. Each apartment will be issued a 4 digit key code to access their outer apartment door. This code should not be distributed to any resident who is not officially assigned to the apartment. New key codes will be issued after room changes and between academic years. Students who have forgotten their key codes should contact Campus Safety for immediate entry and then contact Buildings and Grounds to report a forgotten code. Fees may be assessed if a key code is reset multiple times due to lost codes.

Residents of Paran Creek apartments are not permitted to host events in the general common areas. No loud noises are permitted after 10:00 pm. 

Selection of Paran Creek apartments as a housing option will be available in the spring housing selection process.

Paran Creek apartments are also used as summer housing for students. Only students who will return in the fall term are eligible for summer housing. Students interested in staying in the summer must complete an application, and those receiving approval will be charged a housing fee. The Office of Residence Life will send more information each spring.

 

Personal Property

The College assumes no responsibility for theft, loss, or damage to a student’s personal property. Students are encouraged to take appropriate steps to safeguard their property and to maintain their own personal property insurance. Any loss or theft of property should be reported to Campus Safety so that an official record is available if needed.

Storage

The College offers limited short-term storage for students assigned to houses that are used during Winter Break and Field Work Term or under renovations during this time. The College does not offer storage for personal property during the regular term or over the summer break. 

Students who study away or withdraw from the College are not permitted to store items on campus during their time away. Students who withdraw during the term are required to remove all belongings from campus housing within 48 hours. If personal items are left, the Office of Residence Life will consider the items abandoned and donate them to local organizations or dispose of them. The Office of Residence Life can provide students with information about local storage options.

Accountability

Students are responsible for all activities taking place in their room, whether they are present or not. Each occupant will be held responsible for any prohibited activity(s) or illegal item(s) found in their room.

Student Rooms

Students are responsible for maintaining their rooms in a healthy, safe, and livable condition. Students may contact Building and Grounds with concerns about their room or housing condition as well as place a work order by email. Students may also contact the Office of Residence Life with their room concerns.

Students are not allowed to alter any feature of their rooms or furnishings nor are they allowed to remove any college issued furniture from their room. Students are responsible for any costs associated with restoring their assigned rooms to the condition in which they were found at the start of each term. College staff members inspect and document the condition of student rooms and the College furniture in that room before the start and just after the end of each academic year. This information is recorded on Room Condition Reports. Restoration charges may include, but are not limited to: the repair or replacement cost(s) for damage to the room, College furniture, or equipment provided; repair, labor, replacement, or costs of any extra work necessary to restore the room to its original condition including extra cleaning, moving, or rebuilding of furniture. Students are not allowed to repair any damage to their rooms or to common areas of the houses.

Room Condition Reports

The most current policies for reporting existing damage are in the student handbook under Room Condition Accountability. Damage that predates your occupancy of your assigned space should be reported using the “Maintenance Request” link on StarRez PortalX and should be specified as “existing damage.” Buildings and Grounds staff will get an alert to your request and respond in a timely manner. Students will receive an email with this information at the beginning of the term and will be given the first two weeks of each term (or within two weeks of completing a move to a different space). This link will also serve as the hub to submit any other maintenance support requests that occur throughout the year. Some examples of things to look for/report through the maintenance request link upon moving in are: damage to the walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, and doors (holes, chipped paint, door/lock not closing properly, missing or damaged furniture), any damage to the windows or window shades, condition of the mattress, etc. It is the students’ responsibility to document and submit any maintenance requests for damages or missing items that occurred prior to your move in within the two week timeframe of each term or within two weeks of changing rooms. If the student fails to report damages that are in the space prior to them moving in, the student will be subject to any costs associated with repair, restoration, and/or replacement within the assigned housing space at the end of the term or when the student separates from the College.

Washers and Dryers

All of the washers/dryers in the student houses are serviced by CSC Laundry - (with the exception of Faculty Row Student Houses and Orchard Student Houses).   

If service is required for the washers/dryers in the Faculty Row Houses or the Orchard Houses - the students should send an email to:  buildingsandgrounds@bennington.edu

If service is required for the washers/dryers in the student houses, the students need to contact CSC Laundry with this information: (there is an "888" number on the machines along with a license plate number).  Please note that you will need to provide the alpha-numeric id located on the machine to submit a service request. You may also submit a service request online through the following link: CSC Service Works, or by downloading the CSC Service Request app on your phone.

Common areas

Common areas are to be used and enjoyed by all members of the Bennington community. House common areas include living rooms, kitchens, hallways, bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc. Residents are individually and collectively responsible for the condition of their common areas and the College furniture provided. House common areas are expected to be kept in a clean, healthy, safe, and livable condition, and alcohol or alcohol bottles not permitted. Personal items may not be stored in common areas (including hallways). Furniture should not be removed from the common areas.

Common area inspection

The Offices of Residence Life, and Buildings and Grounds, reserves the right to inspect all common areas without notice throughout the term. The House Chairs and/or Residence Life, and Buildings and Grounds staff members inspect all house common areas before the start and at the end of each term to assess the condition of those areas and the status of College property, in addition to regular checks during the term. House residents are accountable for any damage beyond normal wear and tear, repair or replacement costs, or extra work necessary to restore the house to its original condition.

Damage and Restoration Charges

Students are responsible for all restoration charges to cover the costs of repair or replacement of any damage beyond normal wear and tear or missing items from their room. If damage is discovered during move-in, it must be reported immediately. 

When College furniture is moved from its designated location or common areas within a house are damaged, House Chairs will be consulted. The House Chairs will have a subsequent discussion with the members of their house within 24 hours of notice. The house will have an opportunity to identify the responsible individual(s). If no individual is identified, the cost to repair or replace the items as well as moving charges will be divided among the residents of the house and billed to each student account. If residents of a house believe they know who is responsible, they should notify their House Chair, a member of the Residence Life staff, or Buildings and Grounds staff as soon as possible.

If a student moves any common area furniture into their own room, they will be charged for the misappropriation of College property and moving cost.  A list of estimated damage fees is available through Buildings and Grounds.  

Confirmed damage charges will be added to a student’s bill at the end of the year or after a student departs or graduates.

 

 

Damage Charge Appeals

After the end of each academic term, damage billing, including the cost of each individual’s room damage as well as the prorated cost of all common area damage, will be added to the student’s Populi account. Any damages to the student’s space prior to their arrival/move in should be documented/submitted by the deadline through StarRez PortalX and specified as “existing damage”.

Any charges associated with room/house damage and or missing furniture will be sent to students via their bennington student email account. Should a student wish to dispute a charge, within the email will be instructions on how to do so. This will also apply for any charges assessed due to late check out and moving into a space early and/or without authorization. It is the students’ responsibility to follow the instructions to dispute a charge/request an appeal, and to submit within the stated deadline (typically two weeks or 14 days from receiving the email about a charge). Appeals should explain in specific detail the reasons for contesting the charge(s) and to provide any supplemental documentation, i.e. pictures. Appeals will be accepted by Buildings and Grounds within 2 weeks from the date of the charge and will be reviewed. Students will be notified of the decision. 

The decision to grant or deny a housing charge assessed by Residence Life and Buildings and Grounds is final. Charges being appealed will appear on the student’s bill and will be credited or upheld based on the decision.

 

End of Term House Closing

At the end of the fall term, students in selected houses need to remove all of their personal belongings from their rooms and the house common areas. Over the summer break, rooms and common areas in every house must be completely emptied. Residents will receive information about what is expected at check out and off-campus storage options in the End-of-Term Announcements. If residents leave items in a campus house they will be charged for the removal of those items. The College will not store items and items left may be removed and/or disposed of. Additional information will be included in announcements distributed prior to the end of each term. House Chairs will discuss this information with residents at Coffee Hour. Students who fail to comply with the deadline will be subject to the student conduct process, including incurring a late fee.

Storage

There are limited short-term storage options for students who have to move out of their spaces during the Winter Break/Field Work Term and no short-term or long-term storage available on campus during move out. However, Bennington College has partnered with Boomerang Storage to provide students with storage options and services. You can click here to go to the Boomerang/Bennington website for additional information.

Additionally there are other local storage options available:

• All Purpose Storage, Bennington 802.481.3615
• Bennington Self Storage: 802.447.3238
• Mi-Box Storage: 802.536.1738

Space Jam Storage: 802.459.4499

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals

Bennington College recognizes the importance of service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), and the broader category of “assistance animals,” which includes emotional support animals under the Fair Housing Act. Service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) provide physical and/or emotional support to individuals with disabilities. 

The College allows individuals with disabilities the use of a service animal on campus to facilitate their access to, and participation in, the College’s programs and activities. The College also permits emotional support animals (ESAs) for students who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major activities. An ESA is prescribed by a  mental health professional and an integral part of a student’s treatment. The ESA must demonstrate excellent temperament and reliable, predictable behavior.

The following policy explains the specific requirements applicable to an individual’s use of an ESA in college housing. Bennington College reserves the right to amend this policy as circumstances require. This policy does not apply to “Service Animals” as defined by the ADAAA. For a full overview of the Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals policy, it can be found in the Bennington College Student Handbook under the ‘Residential Policies’ and the ‘Accommodations and Support’ sections.

Students wishing to have an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) must complete an accommodation request. ESAs are not permitted on campus until the accommodation request has been made and acted upon, which may take up to 90 days to complete. Owners of service animals or emotional support animals are responsible for cleanup and any damage caused by their animals, and must take appropriate precautions to prevent property damage or injury. The care, supervision, and well-being of a service/emotional support animal are the sole responsibility of the owner at all times. Students found with unauthorized animals in the houses or classroom or failure to clean up will be subject to the student conduct process.

A request for an ESA may be denied as unreasonable if the presence of the animal: 1) imposes an undue financial and/or administrative burden; 2) fundamentally alters College housing policies; and/or 3) poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or would cause substantial property damage to the property of others, including College property. 

Please note that:

• Bennington College may approve your request to have an ESA, but not approve the specific animal you were hoping to bring. For example, most reptiles and rodents may be rejected because of safety and health concerns, as they can carry zoonotic diseases which pose a threat to the general welfare of residents in the communal living environment. 
• ESAs are restricted to the student’s immediate living space. They are not allowed in academic spaces or common areas in the house or apartment as others may have allergies. Moreover, the ESA must be contained (caged or crated) any time the student is not in the room.
• The ESA may not be left in the care of other residents. If the student leaves campus overnight or at the end of term, the ESA must be taken along.
• Students bringing ESAs to campus are fully responsible for the animal’s behavior, and for any damage done. If the ESA is disruptive to the living environment for others (for example, barking or other loud noises, or significant odor from litter boxes or cages), or if there is damage done to housing facilities, the ESA will need to be removed from the premises within 48 hours of notice being given. The student will be responsible for paying for property damage.
• Generally, the presence of only one ESA will be approved for a student, in order to fulfill the intent of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) requirements in providing support to a student with a mental health disability.

Room Keys

At the start of each term and throughout the room change period, keys are distributed from the Office of Residence Life.

Each student is expected to sign out a room key before taking occupancy of their assigned residential space. Leaving rooms unlocked is a safety concern. If the room is found unlocked, Campus Safety should be notified. The College urges students to lock their rooms when away and to carry their room key and ID card at all times. Please see HERE for information on the check in/move in process.

Students must vacate their rooms during Winter Break, unless they meet the criteria to stay on campus. Students living in the designated houses must remove all of their belongings for the duration of Winter Break and Winter Field Work Term. All students must return their keys to Residence Life when leaving for Winter Break. Upon return to campus students will collect their keys from Residence Life. All houses not in use by outside groups during Field Work Term will be locked and not accessible to students. Students found accessing their individual rooms or other areas of the College without authorization to enter may found responsible for violating the following Student Community Standards:

4. Unauthorized entry. Unauthorized entry into a private room, office, studio or other College space, or an electronic account. This also includes the unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of College keys, or tampering with College locks.

If a student is found in an unauthorized room, office, studio or College space a report will be made by Campus Safety, investigated by the Director of Campus Safety and referred to the Director of Residence Life and Community Standards for referral to one of the following: Restorative Practices for a restorative resolution, Administrative Resolution, or referred to a Judicial Committee. 

Keys must be returned prior to departure at the end of each academic year. Unreturned keys will result in a lock change fee that will be assessed to the responsible student’s account.

 

Expectations for House Events

Houses may host events in the common areas. These events must be registered with the Office of Residence Life. House members are expected to effectively manage their event and guests to abide by all campus policies and guidelines. Students must cooperate with College officials if a problem or concern is brought to their attention. If violations occur and/or the house members do not cooperate with College officials, the event may be required to end. Gatherings or events may not exceed the fire code capacity for the common areas, no loud noises are permitted after 10 pm, and events must end by 2 am. There are no house parties permitted during the final two weeks of each term. Solicitation of funds to support house events, including alcohol, is prohibited.

Individual residents who wish to host events or gatherings using their house common areas must have consent of all house members before the event takes place. These individuals are responsible for promoting a healthy environment and controlling attendance, noise, and cleanup. House events must be registered with the Office of Residence Life. The sponsor of the gathering will be held accountable for any violations and damages that may occur during the event.

Right to Enter

Bennington College reserves the right of College personnel to enter any College building or space within that building, including student rooms, at any time, to respond to an emergency; monitor health and safety standards and/or compliance with College rules and policies; make repairs; perform cleaning, maintenance, or inventory; conduct any inspection or search; enforce College rules and regulations; secure buildings; and for any reasonable purpose as determined by the College. The resident’s absence will not prevent such entry, nor is consent required.

Suspension, Dismissal, or Withdrawal

Once the Office of Residence Life has received notification of expulsion, suspension, dismissal, or withdrawal, the student’s housing assignment is revoked. The student must vacate the assigned room and return the room key and student ID to the Office of Residence Life within the time specified to the student.

Property remaining in an assigned space or left on campus after the deadline is considered abandoned and will be donated to local charities or discarded at the discretion of the College.

 

Door Access System

Exterior entrances of all student residence houses are locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All major residential houses are equipped with exterior door access control. Please note that doors should not be propped open or otherwise prevented from closing and securing. This compromises the health and safety of the occupants as well as damage the door mechanisms that will need to be replaced. Occupants assigned to any house with doors propped open may be assessed any and/or all costs associated with repair/replacement of the door/locking mechanisms. Students should ensure that doors for their house are unpropped or report the issue to Campus Safety.

Lost, stolen, or damaged business cards can be replaced at the IT@Bennington Help Desk.

Tampering with any component of the Enhanced Card Access System or propping a door open, which is a breach of the residential security system, is considered a violation of the community standards as follows: 

4.Unauthorized entry. Unauthorized entry into a private room, office, studio or other College space, or an electronic account. This also includes the unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of College keys, or tampering with College locks.