With the graduation of a larger-than-usual Feb class and an increase in students studying abroad, the on-campus student population is expected to decrease for the spring semester — but will still be more than 150 students larger than an average year.
There will be about 2,660 on-campus learners during the upcoming semester, according to an email to The Campus from Dean of Students Derek Doucet. The total number of students is not yet finalized, as some students may be unable to go abroad or may choose to take a leave of absence. This estimate is down from the approximately 2,865 students on campus in the fall, though still higher than the roughly 2,500 that is typical for Middlebury, according to an email sent to the Middlebury community on Aug. 30, 2021.
There will be 190 graduating Febs, with an incoming Feb class of 115 students, according to Doucet. The graduating Feb class is larger than in previous years, incorporating into its ranks students who took time off due to the pandemic. There is also one exchange student arriving in February.
Ten students who were abroad in the fall will be on campus for the spring semester, and 47 students will depart for study abroad after J-Term who did not already do so.
The abnormally high number of enrolled students in the fall meant that the college had to arrange housing at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Middlebury, and at the Bread Loaf campus. The college also purchased the Inn on the Green and converted it to student housing.
On Jan. 20, Bread Loaf residents received an email from Residential Life that said there will be enough housing on the main campus to accommodate current Bread Loaf residents, and therefore the college does not need or plan to offer housing at Bread Loaf for the spring semester.
Available housing options for these students include being pulled into existing suites with open beds, finding an open space in specialty housing or participating in a housing process during the final week of J-Term with other students changing housing mid-year. Facilities will offer support for transporting belongings.
The email also stated that the incentives offered to Bread Loaf residents — such as discounted room and board fees, priority in housing for next year, premium parking access and free access to the Snow Bowl and Rikert — would be honored for the entirety of the school year.
Cat McLaughlin is a super-senior feb from Gilford, NH. As a political science major, she became interested in journalism through media studies. In her free time she enjoys alpine skiing and sailing. She also has worked as a ski coach at the Middlebury Snow Bowl, is a lover of Proc dining hall, is hooked on iced coffee, and watches the Pride and Prejudice movie at least 20 times per year.
