Bennington College has a limited amount of campus housing available to accommodate regular faculty and staff, temporary employees, guest faculty, and visitors sponsored by the College. The allocation of housing is reviewed and coordinated by the Business and Dean’s Offices in response to varying needs with the overall objective of serving the best interests of the College. The Business Office establishes rents and other housing charges.

Allocation of housing is based on a number of considerations, with the primary objectives of temporarily facilitating the transition of faculty and staff new to the Bennington area, accommodating long-distance commuting faculty and staff, and providing on-campus residency for some employees in conjunction with their employment responsibilities. In addition, the College must provide housing during non-term periods for faculty members and personnel engaged in programs sponsored by Bennington (e.g., Masters in Writing Program) as well as other groups contracting for use of College facilities (e.g., Chamber Music). There also may be periods when accommodations normally used for faculty and staff must be set aside to meet student housing needs or for other reasons as determined by the College.

All housing arrangements are extended to tenants at the sole discretion of the College. The use of campus housing by faculty and other employees is not intended to be permanent, and the College determines the length of residence for all tenants. The College assumes no obligation to continue providing housing to any tenant beyond that period specified in writing by the College. Tenants who have had extended stays in campus housing should expect to be required to release their accommodations to others when housing supply is inadequate to meet the College’s space needs.

College housing accommodations vary from separate houses with 3-4 bedrooms to apartments with 1-4 bedrooms and individual rooms in shared houses. Because the housing situation changes from term to term, based on College and individual needs, housing arrangements generally are made for periods of one year or less.

Housing is intended to be for the occupancy of the designated faculty or staff member and his/her spouse/partner and immediate family. While tenants may have guests, College housing is not to be used to provide accommodations to others on a regular basis.

Generally, housing is made available through one of the following arrangements: lease of up to one year duration; rental on a weekly, monthly, or term basis; or daily (rooms only) at a per diem charge. The Business Office sets these charges at the end of the spring term for the following academic year.

Tenants leasing houses and apartments are expected to provide their own furnishings. The College may under certain conditions, however, provide basic furnishings for tenants who do not have their own. Some housing arrangements may include utilities.

Tenants residing in rooms or apartments on a per diem, weekly, or monthly arrangement must remove their possessions and turn in their key during all periods not covered by the tenant’s occupancy arrangement. The College reserves the right to use such premises for accommodating other persons during periods not covered by the arrangement. (The daily rate will be charged for each day a tenant’s premises is not available for this purpose because the tenant’s personal possessions have not been removed.) Likewise, tenants residing in any housing facility for a full term must remove their possessions at the end of the term. Because housing not on an annual lease may be used to accommodate other tenants during the year, no storage of personal effects is permitted unless approved by the College.

Tenants are expected to exercise reasonable care in their use of College housing. Any damage to premises attributable to a tenant will be collectable as additional rent and deducted from the tenant’s salary check. Bennington College reserves the right to require an advance deposit from incoming tenants to cover damage or unpaid charges. Tenants living in shared housing also are expected to be respectful of others residing in the facility.

The College requires tenants to vacate College housing concurrent with a termination of employment. All tenants must comply with relevant College policies, including this Housing Policy and the Pet Policy. Tenants may be required to vacate housing during a lease or rental period for failure to comply with housing or related policies, or for inappropriate use or damage to the premises. Tenants may not sublease or arrange to have other persons occupy their housing in their absence without the written permission of the College.

July 1, 2003