Wesleyan University
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation

There is a bike rental program run by Public Safety to promote sustainable transportation on campus and around Middletown. Working on a system of semester-long rental periods, the program caters to students who are unable to bring their own bicycles to campus.

The City of Middletown launched a bike- and scooter-share program in August 2022, which includes parking areas around Wesleyan's campus: https://www.wesleyan.edu/sustainability/resources/transportation-options.html#bird.

Any electric vehicle owner, regardless of assigned parking lot, is allowed to park in electric vehicle charging parking spaces while charging. Currently, all EV charging is free. A list of charging stations is available at https://www.wesleyan.edu/sustainability/resources/transportation-options.html#ev.

Wesleyan has 10 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations, which are open to the campus community and the public: https://www.wesleyan.edu/sustainability/resources/transportation-options.html#ev.

Wesleyan operates five local housing programs: the Wesleyan Rental Housing Program, the Wesleyan Houses Advanced Purchase Program, the Wesleyan Advanced Purchase Renovation Program, the Wesleyan Incentive for a Sustainable Campus and the Wesleyan Mortgage Program. Wesleyan owns and maintains a limited number of rental housing units near the campus for the purpose of providing transitional living space for newly appointed faculty, professional librarians, and administrative staff who relocate at the time of their initial appointment at the university. The Advanced Purchase Program and Wesleyan Advanced Purchase Renovation Programs were established to give eligible faculty and staff a chance to buy Wesleyan-owned houses when the houses are no longer required for University use. Houses purchased under this program must be the primary residence of the buyer for at least two years after purchase. Wesleyan provides first mortgage assistance on residential properties for the purpose of supporting and encouraging faculty on at least three-quarters time appointments (excluding visitors and retired faculty), professional librarians, and staff to secure home ownership within reasonable commuting distance of the campus. A sustainable campus is important to Wesleyan and to the environment. Increasing the number of faculty and staff who reside in the Wesleyan neighborhood and walk to work will promote sustainability and will improve the campus experience for all. Yet, despite historic low mortgage rates, many Wesleyan families remain unable to purchase homes due to a shortage of cash toward down payments and renovations. Most of the homes in the Wesleyan neighborhood are 100 years old and in need of renovations. To overcome this barrier to home ownership and to encourage Wesleyan faculty and staff to live on campus, a sustainable incentive program is available on these homes for sale by Wesleyan. The home purchased must be the primary residence of the faculty or staff member as defined by the IRS for at least the two year period following the purchase. Wesleyan will provide a $10,000 price reduction, to eligible faculty or staff who purchase a Wesleyan home.

Wesleyan is a member of CT Rides, which includes a ridematching platform and incentive program. This program is available to all students and employees: https://www.wesleyan.edu/sustainability/resources/transportation-options.html#ctrides.