By Danielle Beckwith. Published on September 14, 2022

2026 Families: Life Outside the Classroom

This Sept. 13, 2022, webinar for new Bates families included panelists from the following campus departments:

This webinar is password protected, and the password was sent to all incoming families whether they registered for the webinar or not.

To request that we resend the password, please email parents@bates.edu.

Athletics

Are there yoga or tai chi classes?

Yes, we offer a few yoga classes throughout the week and have an online database of recorded classes students can access from anywhere. We also have a student that hosts pop-up yoga classes around campus in unique spots.

Do the sports teams have houses and sponsor parties?

None of our campus residences are designated for a specific sports team.

How successful are your athletes in engaging with community volunteer opportunities and/or shadowing opportunities through career exploration and purposeful work?

We have really great engagement from our athletes and Purposeful Work. We have a number of peer advisors and office assistants who serve as great ambassadors for our programs. We also have a staff member serving as a dedicated athletic liaison, so she’s constantly connecting and speaking with coaches and teams. Athlete alumni are constantly in touch with our coaches and staff regarding potential internship/employment opportunities as well.

Additionally, each athletic team has a community liaison serving their program and helping with engagement opportunities in the community.

Bias reporting

What is the bias reporting system at Bates?

We have many professionals trained to support individuals affected by bias, discrimination, and harassment based on any measure of identity, including racism, homophobia, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. You can find more information on Bias Reporting at this link:

www.bates.edu/here-to-help/make-a-report/reporting-bias-harassment-discrimination/

Campus Life

How do the students know what is going on?

Bates Engage is a great resource for finding information on all kinds of activities. Please encourage your students to keep an eye on Bates Today as well, which is pushed daily to their emails!

How would a student go about starting a club based on a unique interest?

Students can find this information via the Bates Engage App or at www.bates.edu/clubs/start/

Will there be a late-night dining option this year? [Note: The Den is closed because of the Chase Hall renovation.]

Yes! There is a new option for late night dining arriving over the next few weeks. It’s not quite ready to be announced yet, but students will be excited when it arrives.

Harward Center

Are there global community-engaged learning programs available?

The Center for Global Education offers an International Education Week in November in association with several campus partners, including the Harward Center, and offerings that week including student presentations on their engaged learning projects around the globe. Bates Today is a great way to find out about these kinds of opportunities.

It’s important to note that Bates is very careful to connect students with engaged learning opportunities globally – as well as within the US – that ensure students are connected with ethical programs that are not exploitative of the communities in which they learn and serve.

Wellness

Is the flu shot available at the health center?

Bates will host a flu shot clinic later this autumn. Please encourage your student to keep an eye on Bates Today for announcements about that.

Will the college help facilitate COVID booster shots for the students, either by offering it on campus or by helping them get to vaccine centers or pharmacies?

Bates will be communicating with students about accessing the new bivalent booster and will provide students with transportation to local drug stores to get the booster. The college is exploring whether or not we may be able to operate our own booster clinic in parallel to our on-campus flu vaccine clinic; that, of course, depends on the booster supply.

What mental health supports are available?

You can find information about mental health supports at this link, and we’ll talk more about this topic at our Sept. 20 session: https://www.bates.edu/counseling-psychological-services/

International Circle

What kinds of students participate in International Circle field trips and social gatherings?

The International Circle wants all students to participate. Out of the 600 names on our email list, around half have international attachments. Students from outside the US, US citizens who may never have lived in the US, as well as students who are from the US and simply have great interest in our activities and discussions – all are welcome.

Office for Intercultural Education (OIE)

Are there any GSAs on campus (gay/straight alliance)?

Yes! There is a student-run club called Outfront which is similar in structure to a GSA. Students can get connected with this group through Bates Engage.

Is OIE open to students who are of Hispanic heritage?

Absolutely, the OIE welcomes all students who are invested in creating inclusive communities. We provide cultural programming and support to student affinity and identity based clubs including our Hispanic student community.

Transportation

Can Bates make transportation to Amtrak in Freeport more available?

We will pass this request along to our Transportation Coordinator. Here is a link to some additional transportation options: www.bates.edu/campus-safety/transportation-to-portland-boston-and-beyond/

Is there transportation available to and from the airport?

Here is a link to transportation from the Portland Jetport: www.bates.edu/campus-safety/transportation-arriving-students-from-portland-jetport-to-bates-campus/

Any chance Bates might reinstitute Zipcars?

We will forward this question to our Sustainability Manager