The Student Activities Office is offering a great trip to go WHITEWATER RAFTING ON THE DEAD RIVER.  The trip will be on Sunday, May 24th.  The cost will be $75, and this will include rafting and all of the equipment, a roundtrip coach bus, snacks on the bus and a DVD of the rafting for each rafter to remember the trip. We are currently taking names and payments, so stop by the Student Activities Office in Chase Hall to reserve your spot. The trip is open to all students, staff and faculty, as well as affiliated friends and family members.  The recommended age is at least 14, in case you are interested in bringing children or siblings along for the ride. For students that are interested in going but are concerned about the cost, assistance is available - please ask if you are interested.

The College Store's "FABULOUS FRIDAY" SALE is here! Each Friday during Short Term, different items will be discounted 20%. (excludes already discounted items)Today’s feature:  SWEATSHIRTS, JACKETS & VESTS

Bates, let's GET DOWN(TOWN)TO BUSINESS!! 12-1:30 on Wed. May 6th!! Please come to a kick-off lunch event, in the Mays Center, for the "Get Down(town) to Business" campaign. Lunch will be available for those who RSVP to Aubrey Nelson (anelson@bates.edu) by today, May 1st before 2pm. The event will commence with a brief presentation of what steps are already being taken as a part of the 'get down(town) to business' campaign, and what options are already available for the Bates community to better connect with the downtown. Then the floor will be turned over to the participants, and we will ask for input about what else we could/should be doing to support our local community and economy, how to improve our current efforts and options, and who else could be involved. I hope to see you there!

LECTURE: The Office of Multicultural Affairs welcomes Philippe Boukara, a historian specializing in Jewish studies and professor at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris. He is the coordinator of adult education at the Memorial de la Shoah, the premier Holocaust documentation center in France and a member of the steering committee of the Christian-Jewish Friendship Association of France.  A native of Paris, Boukara is also Chairperson of the Eastern Paris Conservative Jewish Congregation (Dor Va Dor). He is the author of numerous contributions to academic symposia and journals. His books include: Précis d'histoire juive: Des origines à 1934, with Simon Drubnov and Isaac Pougatz and Une communauté au repúblique: histoire des juifs en france depois 1967.Tonight, May 1 at 3:00 pm in the Benjamin Mays Center

THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT Sponsors a Candidate Presentation  by Timothy Mangin - Speaking on “The Cosmopolitanism of Senegalese Pop” - Olin Arts Center, Room 128, today at 1 4:15 p.m.

CONCERT: The Jonathan Batiste Band - Tonight @ 7:30pm  - "Mr. Batiste has already been turning heads as an up-and-coming pianist with an ebullient style" - The New York Times - www.myspace.com/jonathanbatiste     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFyIaslIsiM - Tickets: $16 G.A., $6 for all students, seniors and Bates faculty and staff www.batestickets.com 207-786-6135  / olinarts@bates.edu - The Olin Arts Center

This weekend FILMBOARD proudly presents its first movie of Short Term: GRAN TORINO!!! Crusty, inflexible Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) must confront his Hmong immigrant neighbors – and his own long-held prejudices – when the family's teen son, Thao, tries to steal Walt's beloved 1972 Gran Torino. Walt soon assumes the unlikely role of guardian angel to young Tao and his sister, who are vulnerable to disturbing gang influences in this intimate drama from 78-year-old director Eastwood.  Show times are Friday at 7 and 9:30, Saturday at 2 and 7, and Sunday at 2 and 4:30 in Olin 104. As always, admission is only $1 No better way to catch up on movies from this past fall or watch them again! Free posters are also available for the fall releases W., The Rocker, and Transporter 3, so please come see a Filmboard member at the showing if you are interested. The complete list of movies for Short Term are Gran Torino (May 1-3), Revolutionary Road (May 8-10), Coraline (May 15-17), and Taken (May 22-24). There will also be a Drive-In movie on the Library Quad with time and movie still TBA!  Please remember, there is no food or drink allowed in Olin 104.

This Saturday the Student Activities Office will be offering a BUS TO FREEPORT for the day on Saturday  The bus leaves from in front of Chase Hall at noon and returns to campus by 5 pm.  Sign up in the Student Activities Office in Chase Hall.

Do you miss the Den?  Would you like to experience the Den on weekends?  Here is your chance!  There will be a CINCO DE MAYO PARTY in the Den.  $5 cover for food, bring additional money for beverages.  21+, bring photo I.D. and a Bates ID.  Future events will be held if this night is a success!  Saturday, May 2nd,  9pm - 1am, The Den.

Come have fun playing BADMINTON! All skill levels are welcome. Stop by for a quick game or stay for the whole two hours! Saturday, May 2, 4:00 pm to 6 pm

CONCERT at the RONJ THIS SATURDAY: Having formed only six months ago, DUSTY AND THE KNOW are rising at speeds unusual for any band their age. In such short time, their "soul roots and rock" sound has hit some of New England's top venues, bars, and colleges.  With a five song studio demo now recorded, momentum is incredible.  Their influences include Ray Lamontagne, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, and Paul Simon.  They play a solid and entertaining mix of covers as well as original music.  Tight, simple, and sweet, they get into a solid groove with everyone caught up in their energy, dancing to infectious bass lines and guitar solos, and singing along.  "They must be in possession of the pick of destiny" as "they rip to well for an opening act." Come one, come all, there's no excuse...it's short term!  *Also featuring a FREE root beer kegger*  WHERE: Ronj Coffeehouse  WHEN: Saturday May 2, 8-10

BRUNCH AND TALK: Bill Arata '65, Senior Vice President of Investments at UBS Financial in Bangor, ME will be on campus on Sunday, May 3rd, to talk on the subject of lifelong financial planning.  Please come join us at noon in New Commons 221 for a late brunch and Bill's presentation.

COMMENCEMENT WORKERS NEEDED:  Workers needed for Commencement exercises, Baccalaureate, Senior Semi-Formal, Midnight Madness and Commencement Weekend activities.  Must sign up in the Student Activities  Office.  Housing and Commons privileges are given in return.  Sign-ups are first-come, first served.

ATTENTION STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: Please submit names of new officers to the CSA Office as soon as you have elections. The CSA office is in the process of putting a list of all student organizations and their leaders for next fall’s directory. The following organizations have not submitted a list of new officers:

BATES BUILDING HOUSES – CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION –CRICKET CLUB – GOSPEL CHOIR– IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ADVOCACY GROUP– KITE SURFING CLUB – MEN’S LACROSSE CLUB – LIBERTARIANS –MERIMANDERS– MUSHAHADA ASSOC. –PAINTBALL BALL – PHYSICS SOC. –PUBLIC JOURNAL– SALAAM NAMASTE. – SECULAR STUDENTS ALLIANCE – SEXUAL ALLIANCE – SHOOTING ASSOC. – STEP CLUB – STUDENT– TABLE TENNIS – ULTIMATE FRISBEE – UNITARIAN UNIVER. – VIDEO GAME CLUB – VOLLEBALL W

2:30 pm  An overview of resources and effective strategies for finding jobs and internships presented by Bates    Office of Career Services. (Except Jan. 23 and March 27) in the Renyi Room #211
6:00 pm     Join Bates Hillel Friday nights for our Weekly Shabbat services and dinner in Frye Street Union.  Services start at 6:00 and are followed by dinner at 6:30.  All are welcome.
6:00 pm  COLLEGE SHUTTLE - The shuttle runs on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 pm - 12 am, and Sunday from 12 pm - 6 pm.  The shuttle runs to Auburn locations at the beginning of each hour, and runs to Lewiston locations on the half hour.
8:00 pm Biology 101B PALG session.  The session is open to all students of the class and is led by Hannah Mack.  PGill 162