1. Bates receives $450,000 Mellon Foundation grant for faculty development
Bates College has been awarded a three-year, $450,000 grant for faculty development from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York, N.Y. The Mellon Faculty Innovation Fund will support Bates faculty in implementing the college's new General Education curriculum and in the infusion of diversity into the overall academic program, as well as with continuing support for scholarship and research. www.bates.edu/x169433.xml

2. Board of Trustees welcomes four new members
President Elaine Tuttle Hansen has announced four appointments to the Bates College Board of Trustees:Alison R. Bernstein of New York, N.Y., H. Scott Bierman of Northfield, Minn., Scott D. Freeman of Newton, Mass., and Kathleen M. Whelan of Boston, Mass. www.bates.edu/x169154.xml

3. Report from the road: Bates' Zipcar program
"Driving a Prius is . . . a little bit of an adjustment." But once she's past the unfamiliarity of operating the hybrid, a Bates student finds new freedom through Bates' Zipcar program. www.bates.edu/x169434.xml

4. Harward Center has great year for community engagement
The Harward Center for Community Partnerships' annual snapshot of the last academic year has just been posted online, with some exciting findings: The number of students doing academically-based community work increased by 15 to 20 percent over previous years, and the number of faculty teaching or advising such work has increased by about 25 percent. More than 10 percent of senior theses were grounded in community-based or participatory research. www.bates.edu/x168705.xml

5. MacArthur 'genius grant' recipient Corey Harris '91 returning to campus
Corey Harris, the world-class roots musician holding both bachelor's and honorary doctoral degrees from Bates, will return to his alma mater for two weeks in spring term as a Mellon Learning Associate artist in residence. Harris will speak in courses across the curriculum on cultural history, musical composition, and anthropological methodology; perform concerts, provide evening lecture-demonstrations on African music and blues culture; and run guitar performance master classes. (Harris' MacArthur Foundation award was posted in last month's newsletter.) www.bates.edu/x168125.xml

6. Campus Construction Update
A soon-to-be completed Bates construction project isn't inspiring like Alumni Walk, magnificent like the new dining Commons or heartwarming like the new student housing. But this new parking lot behind Merrill Gymnasium expected to open around Thanksgiving will come in very handy, easing the campus parking squeeze Bates motorists have felt the past six months. www.bates.edu/x169202.xml

7. Did You Know?
Two of the four officers on the Harvard Graduate Council this year are 2005 Bates alums. Christopher Laconi is president, and Jason Rafferty is vice president for student advocacy. www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=519091

8. Bates Dance Festival book celebrates 25 years
Growing Place: Interviews with Artists, 25 Years at the Bates Dance Festival features interviews with renowned choreographers Danny Buraczeski, Sean Curran, David Dorfman, Rennie Harris, Liz Lerman, Bebe Miller, Doug Varone and others. The book captures the artists' thoughts on choreography, methods of training, the meaning of community and how the Bates Dance Festival experience has influenced their dance histories. Proceeds will go to the Bates Dance Festival to cover costs of publication. http://store.batesbookstore.com/grplinwiar.html

9. Alumni events feature 50th anniversary Deansmen reunion, author night
On Nov. 3, Deansmen of the last half century will perform at Olin Arts Center. On Nov. 8, the New York City Bates Business Network invites Erica Rowell '87 to discuss her new book The Brothers Grim: The Films of Ethan and Joel Coen. http://community.bates.edu/s/209/index.aspx