Dear Colleagues, 

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Spring is a time for rebirth and growth and I see parallels between the season and what’s happening at Bates. The pandemic has eased, and soon we will celebrate the tenure of our current president as we prepare to welcome a new leader. Put simply, change is afoot. 

We are excited to share that one of those changes is a comprehensive employee engagement program intended to deepen the connection we feel toward our work, our teams, and the college. The effort will complement the many community events (Bobcat Breaks, Enrichment Weeks, and free lunches) that took place throughout the academic year. In the wake of the union election, we are working to address employee concerns about their part in the institution’s governance and campus culture.

Throughout the unionization effort, employees – faculty and staff – told us that they want more transparency, a greater voice in decision-making, more opportunities for professional growth, and community-building. We hear you. We also know that we have work to do and that it will take time to do this work well, and together.

Before we get started, though, we need to learn more.

In the weeks and months ahead, we will offer opportunities for all of us to share what’s on our minds and to participate in activities designed to better understand which of our current practices and policies promote engagement and where we may have gaps. With clarity in these areas, we will work together to find ways to deepen employee engagement at Bates.

We will begin next month by offering in-person and virtual sessions to share what’s on our minds. Information about how to sign up for the sessions will be shared in the coming days and input from the sessions will be analyzed and shared with employees. This fall, an in-depth survey that targets the specific concerns identified through the listening sessions will be distributed. This process will accommodate the involvement of every employee – faculty and staff – and will be built to last.

The feedback we receive from these activities will be used to identify priorities and develop plans to address employee concerns. Our goal is to establish clear, consistent, and enduring ways to be seen and heard; provide opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, advance career interests; and find purpose in our work and see the connection between that work and the college’s mission.

We thank you for your commitment to Bates. The work you do every day can be seen and felt across campus and for that we are grateful. 

This is an exciting time for all of us, and we look forward to seeing where this chapter leads us.

Sincerely,

Hope and Senior Staff