Housing & Campus Services

Welcome: Housing basics

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• Houses at a Glance

  • Colonial: Bingham, Booth, Canfield, Kilpatrick, Dewey, Leigh, Franklin, Stokes, McCullough, Swan, Welling, Woolley (1930s)
  • Barnes: Fels, Noyes, Sawtell (1970s)
  • Woo: Merck, Paris-Borden, Perkins (2000s)
  • Co-op/Alternative Housing: Welling Townhouse (co-op), Longmeadow (intentional living house). You must live on campus for one year before you are elgible to live in the Welling Townhouse or Longmeadow.

• House Chairs

  Each house has two House Chairs, who are undergraduate students serving as community leaders to house residents. They are knowledgeable about resources available on campus, serve as liaisons between campus services and your house, and run a weekly house meeting called Coffee Hour. Whether there’s a problem with noise or cleaning the kitchen, a discussion about campus issues, or a house dinner to coordinate, Coffee Hour is where it will be addressed. Your House Chairs will be here to greet you when you arrive and will be available throughout the term to help with any housing issues you might have.

• Room Assignments and Roommates

  All first-year students and most sophomores are paired with one or more roommates. Sharing a room is a great way to develop friendships, share experiences, and build critical skills in living and working with other people. Shortly after you move in, your House Chairs will ask you and your roommate(s) to develop a Roommate Agreement, which will serve as a framework for how you share your space and establish living preferences.

• Furnishings

  Student rooms are approximately 10'x13', with variations depending on the architecture of the house. You and your roommate(s) each will have the following furnishings for your room:

  • Twin-size bed (mattress, box spring, and frame)
  • Desk and chair
  • Bookcase
  • Dresser
  • Closet or wardrobe
  • Telephone (available by request)
  • Internet access (wired and wireless)

  Note: College furnishings cannot be removed from student rooms and storage space is limited, so you are strongly discouraged from bringing large furnishings (e.g. sofa, futon, etc.) with you to campus.

• What to Bring

  We encourage you to coordinate with your roommate(s) if you plan to bring certain electronics or small appliances, such as TVs, stereo equipment, and refrigerators.

  • Seasonal clothing (heavy coat, hat, boots, gloves, and rain gear)
  • Bedding—pillow, comforters, blankets, mattress cover, and linens (all beds require twin extra-long sheets)
  • Hangers
  • Towels and shower caddy
  • Toiletries
  • Laundry bag/basket and detergent
  • Iron
  • Pictures, posters, and other decorative items
  • Alarm clock
  • Lamps (desk, floor)—lamps are not furnished and most rooms in the Colonial Houses do not provide overhead lighting; 13-watt or 19-watt compact fluorescent light bulbs are encouraged, or incandescent bulbs of 60 watts or less
  • Power strips (UL listed only); extension cords are not permitted
  • Computer; see recommended standards
  • Stereo equipment
  • Dorm-sized refrigerator (less than 3-cubic feet); refrigerators are also available in house kitchens
  • TV and VCR/DVD player; cable television is not provided in student rooms or houses
  • Curtains and area rugs
  • Broom and other cleaning supplies
  • Bicycle and lock

• What Not to Bring

  • Pets (other than fish)
  • Hot plate or other appliances with an exposed heating element
  • Halogen lamps
  • Electric, kerosene, or gas heaters
  • Air conditioners
  • Any heavy-use appliance that exceeds 1,000 watts
  • Candles or incense of any kind (note: candles and incense of any kind are not permitted in campus houses; fines and disciplinary action will result for students who have candles or incense in their room)
  • Firearms/weapons
  • Anything else that could be harmful to you or others

• Vehicle Registration

  • Automobiles: You may bring a vehicle to campus; parking permits are $120 annually. All vehicles must be registered with Campus Safety by September 7, which requires a valid operator’s license, proof of registration, and proof of insurance (the State of Vermont also requires these to be carried in all vehicles).
  • Bicycles: If you bring your bike to campus, you are encouraged to register your bike with Campus Safety. Bicycles must be stored either in bike racks outside the houses or in your room. During Field Work Term, free storage space is available on campus for bicycles.

• Bike-Share Program

  Bennington College community members can check out one of ten hybrid bikes, a helmet, and a lock. Bikes can be checked out at no cost through the Crossett Library.

• Safety

  Campus Safety officers are on duty seven days a week, 24 hours a day to provide protection and assistance to all members of the College community. In addition, Campus Safety enforces non-academic rules and regulations established by the College, oversees vehicle registration, and works to promote a cooperative and safe environment for students, faculty, and staff living on campus. Campus Safety personnel regularly make rounds of all College buildings and patrol the campus. For more information regarding safety on campus, contact Campus Safety, 802-440-4420.

• Guests

  Your guests must sign in with Campus Safety upon arrival. The College’s complete guest policy is outlined in the Student Handbook. Note: You are not permitted to have guests during Orientation or during the last week of each term.