The mission of the Residence Life program at Bates is to foster and sustain inclusive and accessible residential communities where all students can foster meaningful relationships, develop skills for collegiate and life-long success, and engage in the essential work of self discovery. With support and mentorship from Junior Advisors and Community Advisors, we aim to empower student residents to explore the intersection of identity and experience, to engage in meaningful dialogue around community norms and values, and to take an active role in building the kinds of communities they wish to see reflected in the wider world.

Residence Life staff members at Bates work to support student residents as peer advisors, advocates, and mediators. Every on-campus residential space has a designated Junior Advisor or Community Advisor who, with the support of a diverse professional team, is responsible for empowering residents to solve problems, for mediating issues that require additional support, and for elevating ongoing or acute challenges to the appropriate department.