Bad weather housing is now available for commuter students.

As winter approaches, the need for safe travel plans and resources that can be used in the event of unforeseen circumstances grows. Adopted from the NVU-Lyndon campus, commuter housing is now available on the Johnson campus.

“Having the option of occasionally having a place to stay is something that has come up as a request in past years. We have seen the success that the Lyndon campus has had and plan to mimic it,” says Jeff Bickford, who oversees on campus housing.

Bickford says that they plan to have forms out by mid-Nov. at the latest that allow students the information needed to rent a room. Dorm rooms that will be used for this are in both Senators and Governors hall. These rooms are all in the same general area.

Students can rent a room for up to three nights a week at a rate of $25 a night. Numbers from the Lyndon campus have been used to calculate the number of rooms that may be needed here on the Johnson campus. Bickford doesn’t plan on running out of space.

“If people are concerned they might not have commuter housing available, the best way to guarantee a room is to fill out a housing contract and get a room on campus,” he says.

Bickford says that there is no requirement as to the number of miles that someone lives in order to utilize this. If the demand for housing does become larger than the availability, they will consider prioritizing students who live farther from campus. Bickford also says, if the demand doesn’t get larger than the supply, students should be housed one person to a room.

“Commuter housing is a resource if someone really needs a place to crash for a couple of days, whether it’s because of weather or a car being in the garage, they can. The success of it really is creating flexibility for the commuter population,” says Bickford.

While housing is available, they don’t supply linens. Bickford recommends keeping a sleeping bag, pillow, and other emergency supplies in your car in case there is a need to stay on campus overnight.
If there are any questions or concerns, you can reach Bickford and the Dean of Students office at 802-635-1200. Students should also be on the lookout for a portal announcement and an email with housing forms and more information.