As a residential institution, life in residence halls, student organizations, and community- engaged programming is integral to the academic experience at Bates. Residence Life is dedicated to the development of inclusive communities that foster a sense of belonging for all students. Intentional programming, mentorship, and holistic well-being are at the heart of our residential model. Guided by our values, we promote accountability and skill-building to encourage individual growth and prepare students to engage in community. 

Residence Life student staff members work to support 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, mediating issues that need additional support, and for elevating ongoing or acute challenges to the appropriate department.

Our values are:

• Inclusive Community: All community members deserve to feel a sense of belonging. In order to encourage student success, it is our duty to promote stewardship of shared spaces and relationships by connecting students to our professional and student staff, campus resources, and each other. Most importantly, intersectional identities are at the forefront as we intentionally cultivate community because all students should be respected, celebrated, and embraced at all times.
• Growth: With student support at the core, we provide space for open and transparent dialogue with a focus on relationship building. We use formal and informal feedback to evolve our systems and programs. We are continuously learning as individual and community needs change.
• Curiosity: We lead with curiosity to respond to our students’ perspectives and needs. We ask non-judgmental questions and listen with empathy when encountering any situation. In response, we develop creative, open-minded solutions to residential and interpersonal challenges.
• Reliability: In both our day-to-day operations and after-hours support, we prioritize building trust in all interactions by centering equity and consistency across our messaging, policies, and behavior.

Recognizing the transformational power of residential experiences, all first-year, sophomore, and junior students are required to live on campus, with rare exceptions. Following three years of campus residency, seniors may apply to live off-campus. Seniors residing off-campus experience independent living while remaining engaged in community activities. Whether a student lives on or off-campus, all students are active participants in the campus community and are responsible for establishing and supporting a positive campus environment.