Date Restrictions

Consequently, events cannot be scheduled during these time periods. These are periods when standing College events occur which take priority over ad hoc events; when College staff is unavailable to support events on campus because of peak workload; or when College staff is unavailable to support events on campus because of planned downtime in support services departments. Support services departments include, but are not limited to:

• Facilities Services - Trades (i.e.: electrical needs), Custodial, General Services (i.e.: space set-up and equipment needs;
• Dining/Catering - food and beverage service, alcohol license;
• Media Services - audio visual needs, recording or live-streaming services;
• Public Safety - building unlocks, traffic control.

Designated Blackout periods and Grey-Out periods are outlined below in this policy. Additionally, there may be special College celebrations or commemorative events which only occur in one year (e.g., dedication of a new building), that will be designated as a Blackout period for that year. The list of specific dates for all Blackout and Grey-Out periods each academic year is maintained by the Department of Event Management.

Please note: blackout and grey-out periods may not apply at certain times of the year to the following auxiliary spaces: Kirk Alumni Center, Hadley Barn and Lawn, Twilight Auditorium, Bread Loaf campus, Middlebury Snowbowl, and Rikert Outdoor Center. 

Blackout Periods

Scheduling of events on campus is prohibited for all groups, both College groups and non-College groups. Small College meetings and department meetings, of less than 25 participants, are permitted in the following spaces if they are otherwise available: Mitchell Green Lounge, Hadley Barn and Lawn, Adirondack Coltrane Lounge, and Axinn 229. Small departmental meetings can only be scheduled if they do not require support from aforementioned service providers.

• Fall Orientation Days
• Thanksgiving Recess
• December Holiday Break (the day after the last day of fall semester, through January 1)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Senior Week (starts after last exam of spring semester week)
• Commencement/ Reunion/Start of Language Schools session
• Day of Language Schools Commencement
• Week after Language Schools Commencement (7-day period following commencement)

Grey-Out Periods

Scheduling of non-College events or events by non-College groups is prohibited. Scheduling of small College events on campus by College groups is allowed (if support services are available). 

• February Orientation Days
• Last Week of August
• October Break
• Fall Family Weekend
• Clifford Symposium
• Homecoming
• Winter Term Break / Spring Term Orientation
• Winter Carnival
• NESCAC/NCAA Championships
• Campus Preview Days
• Spring Student Symposium
• Last week of June (7 calendar days preceding the opening of the six-week Language Schools)
• Trustee Weekends