October 2, 2022
Greetings, Colleagues,
Jay Phillips from Facilities Services wrote to remind us of their survey, and ask that we take a few minutes to participate if you haven’t already done so. They plan to have the survey available for one more week and will close it out at the end of the day next Friday 10/07/2022. The survey can be found here.
Andrea Conklin Bueschel ’90 and Gregory Ehret ’91, P’23 (Co-Chairs of the Presidential Search Committee) wrote with two important pieces of news about the Bates presidential search: the membership of the search committee and a new online resource for information about the search process.
They have created a website to provide a comprehensive overview of the presidential search process, which is available here. The website has additional information about search committee members as well as other information related to the search. They encourage you to share your thoughts via this survey or by writing to presidentialsearch@bates.edu. Your input will inform development of the leadership profile (position description), which they will share once it is complete.
Brittany Longsdorf from the Multifaith Chaplaincy wrote with regard to Anam Cara. Anam Cara is a Gaelic term meaning ‘Soul Friend’ and is the practice of sharing in deep, thoughtful, intentional, conversations with another person over time. By signing up for Anam Cara you will be paired for the academic year with another Bates faculty or staff member to share from the heart on monthly prompts. You and your Anam Cara partner will find a time that works with both of your schedules to have tea, walk and talk, Zoom, or connect in whatever way you prefer. Sign up via this google form by Friday, Sept. 30th!
Steve Engel of the Dean of Faculty’s Office wrote with an update regarding the Academic Advising Portal.
First, you will note that it is now organized into more drop-downs. We have split the former “Additional Academic Resources” section into 2 sections: 1) Academic Policies and Procedures and 2) Additional Academic Resources. “Academic Policies and Procedures” contains information and links on policies and processes that relate to Academic Standing, Standard Academic Progress, Academic Integrity, Academic Appeals, and Course Attendance Policy. “Additional Academic Resources” is where you will find information and links for academic support services for our students, such as but not limited to Academic Resources Commons, Math and Statistics Workshop, Writing and Language Center, Library and Research Support Services, Math and Language Placement Information, Pre-Health information, and Global Education.
Second, you can now access recordings of any materials from the first 3 Advising Workshops. The recordings of Workshops from Sept 7, 14, and 21 are now posted in the link within the Advising Workshop Series drop-down. If you click on the link called “Videos and presentation materials from workshop sessions,” you should have access to a Google Drive where there is a google doc with all of the video links clearly labeled. The drive also contains PDFs or PPT files of the slide decks that were presented at the workshops.
The full schedule of workshops is on the Academic Advising Portal. If you would like to sign up to attend any of the workshops, you can do so by completing this Google Form.
Jay Phillips from Facilities Services wrote with news that they will start up the Central Steam Plant Monday 10/3/2022. We typically start up the central steam plant around mid-October each year, after carefully considering forecasted temperatures, and are starting a little earlier this year.
The steam plant light-off process will begin early Monday. We should have the heat fully operational by early afternoon. We heat up the boiler slowly to ensure proper operation, and gradually distribute the steam through our steam lines to make sure there are no leaks, that we flush out our condensate return lines and that our steam valves, regulators, and steam traps are working properly. This approach allows us time to address any problems we might encounter. During the start-up process, it is normal to hear small banging and clanging noises as the piping warms up and we come up to full pressure. Once the steam plant is fully operational, if your room is too hot or too cold, please check your thermostat and be sure it is set properly. Our website has an informative section – “knowing your heat” that will help you adjust your thermostat properly. If you still have a problem after checking the thermostat, we want to hear from you.
Please be sure to submit a work request by clicking here, or by e-mail to facility-work-request@groups.bates.edu, by phone call to our work request line at 786-6449, or now by text (include your name, and use all 10 digits please) at 207-786-6449. We are actively improving our heating control systems and sometimes they need adjustment. Please notify us if a room is too hot or too cold so we can work to correct the problem.
Geoff Swift from the Finance office wrote to inform us that Bates Health Services and the B Well Program will be offering students and employees COVID-19 Boosters and Flu Shots in the tent outside of Commons from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, October 4th, 5th, and 6th;
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, October 11th, 12th, and 13th;
This is a walk-in clinic, without appointments. Student volume will likely increase throughout the day, and you are encouraged to go early in the day. A registration table will be set up for you to pick up and complete a consent form. You will need to confirm your health insurance plan name, group number, and ID number; please have your health insurance information with you.
Kristen Cloutier from the Harward Center sent an email sharing a link to this week’s blog post. In this week’s blog post we scratch the surface of this provocative question by highlighting some of the messages new Bates students hear about their “new hometown,” and featuring one of the community leaders they might be lucky enough to learn from while they’re here. More info can be found here.
Steve Engel from the Dean of Faculty’s Office wrote with a reminder that there are a few more weekly advising workshops scheduled for this current Fall semester. They take place each Wednesday from Noon to 12:55 PM and each Thursday from 4:15 PM to 5:05 PM. They are a joint initiative of the Dean of Faculty and Dean of Students and they respond to faculty requests for more collaboration and support for advising as well as to the new tenure guidelines that the faculty adopted in 2021. If you would like to attend, please complete this Google Form.
The remaining workshops for Fall 2022 are as follows:
- Student Support Resources: Health and Wellness. (Oct 5/Oct 6)
- Student Leaders and Peer-to-Peer Community Building. (Oct 12/Oct 13)
- Making the Most of an Advising Meeting during the Advising and Course Registration Week. (Oct 26/Oct 27)
- Global Education and Study Abroad Opportunities. (Nov 2/Nov 3)
- Student Financial Services and Support Resources. (Nov 9/Nov 10)
Next, upcoming events.
CITL Events:
CITL OPEN HOUSE
Tues October 4th, 12-1 pm, Dana 216
Bring your lunch and we will provide the dessert at the last CITL Open House of the semester. Drop by to check out the new space in Dana Hall and say hello.
MENTIMETER AS AN INCLUSIVE TEACHING TOOL
Thurs October 6th, 3-4 pm, Dana 219
Lindsey Hamilton and Ben Peck will demonstrate how to use and explain the pedagogy behind why you may want to use Mentimeter, an interactive presentation tool, to engage your students.
GUILT-FREE BOOK CLUB: INCLUSIVE TEACHING
Tues October 18th, 8-9 am OR 2-3 pm, Dana 216
Join CITL’s Guilt-free Book Club. Our first book will be Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom by Kelly A. Hogan and Viji Sathy. We will offer this first session multiple times so you can join us for coffee/tea, initial conversation, and to pick up your free copy of the book. Later in the semester, we will come together to discuss further. This is guilt-free, no-strings-attached. You never have to have read to join the conversation!
CHILLING TEACHING TALES
Mon October 31st, 12-1 pm, Commons 221
Go through the Commons lunch line (charge CITL) and join us for the first event in CITL’s On the Menu Workshop Series, to be held the last workday of each month. Lindsey Hamilton will share terrifying teaching horror stories and provide practical tips on how to avoid these sticky situations.
CITL FACULTY FELLOWS
Apply now!
Bates’s Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning is seeking two inaugural Faculty Fellows. The Faculty Fellow Program is designed to offer a successful applicant the opportunity to serve in a leadership role in expanding campus capacity for inclusive and evidence-based pedagogical practices.
Additional Upcoming Events:
Measuring Ethnicity And Estimating Its Effects On Voting At Scale: Evidence From Uganda
October 3, 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
Pettengill G21
Aleksandr Michuda, Assistant Research Professor, Cornell University
All are Welcome! Sponsored by the Casey Lecture Fund – Department of Economics
Faculty/Staff Green Dot Intervention and Violence Prevention Program Overview Session
October 3, 1-3 p.m.
Commons 221-222
Sign up here.
Coffee and tea will be provided
Join us on October 3 or email the implementation team at GreenDot@bates.edu
Bates Votes lunch
October 3, 12-1 p.m.
Commons Room 221
Pick up voter registration cards or learn more.
Lunch is provided at no cost to you. Send an email to Jenna Dela Cruz Vendil to be added to the list.
Hosted by the Harward Center for Community Partnerships
Workshop on the use of Mentimeter as an inclusive engagement tool
Thursday, October 6, 3-4 pm.
Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning
Dana Hall, Room 219
You may register in advance here and we will send you a calendar invitation but all are welcome to attend without registering! Hosted by The Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning
Beyond Apologies: Coming to Terms with the Legacies of Indian Residential Schools
October 10, 2022, 4:15
Pettengill G52
With Esther Anne (Passamaquoddy), Wabanaki REACH; and Allan Tremblay (Wolastoqey), Elder and Educator. This talk is co-sponsored by Anthropology, Education, Gender and Sexuality Studies, History, and Religious Studies.
Historic Bates Campus Tour
Friday, October 14, 10 am
Meet on the front steps of Hathorn Hall.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/3syTD1X3YRNtM7vy8
Riverside Cemetery Tour
Friday, October 28, 10 am
Meet inside the front gates of the cemetery.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/3syTD1X3YRNtM7vy8
Join Archives staff for one and/or two historic tours in October. Come to one, or come to both!
International Open Access week
Tuesday, October 25 – 4:15 pm
Bonney Science Center (first-floor lounge)
Grab a beverage and snacks with your fellow faculty as well as Library, Grants, and Dean’s Office colleagues. The conversation will be lively and prizes (YETI mugs) will be up for grabs! Please register for this event here. For more information about publishing Open at Bates, please see our LibGuide: https://libguides.bates.edu/scholarly-communications/publishing-open
This event is co-sponsored by Ladd Library, Dean of the Faculty’s Office, and the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPaRC).