Senior Week Co-Chairs

The Senior Week Co-Chairs are directly supervised by Campus Life staff and work with a variety of campus partners in planning and executing activities to celebrate the senior class, primarily events occurring during Senior Week. Due to the scope of the work, at least two Senior Co-Chairs are hired into position. Generally, Co-Chairs may expect to work 2-5 hours a week, with workload increasing as the end of the academic year approaches. Please note that the Co-Chairs work with their class and the Office of Advancement after graduation, through  and including their five-year reunion, however only responsibilities undertaken during senior year are paid. The position transitions to volunteer after graduation. Two Co-Chairs are typically selected each year.

Leadership Development

Campus Life embeds the Bates Leads Framework into its student leadership and employment positions. The following competencies are most relevant to this position:

Consciousness of Self & Impact: Awareness of one’s beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions; recognition that these are shaped by cultural context and other external forces. Self-awareness, including one’s inherited and positional power and privilege. Awareness of one’s impact on individuals and community, recognizing the impact of each action and inaction

  • Senior Week Co-Chairs will be most successful if they are able to know their own strengths and apply that knowledge to their work with peers and campus partners.

Commitment: The passion, energy, creativity, and follow-through one brings to ideas, pursuits, and collective goals.

  • This position involves a high level of responsibility, and requires individuals to capitalize on their passion for making a difference in the Bates community. Persistence and follow-through are often necessary to making initiatives a reality.

Collaboration: Working reciprocally with others. Working across differences to achieve a shared goal. Bringing multiple perspectives, diverse experiences, and individual creativity to bear on a pursuit.

  • This position requires working with the other Co-Chair, Campus Life staff, Advancement staff, Dining, Conferences, and Campus Events staff, constituents, and other members of the Bates community.

Common Purpose: Cultivating a shared goal, direction, and sense of responsibility.

  • This position requires creating a shared vision for Senior Week, and a shared sense of purpose and responsibility.

Controversy: Acknowledging conflict, controversy, and dissent as opportunities for new insight, or new direction or deeper relationships. Disagreeing with others in a spirit of curiosity and learning. Disagreeing or dissenting from the norm without dehumanizing others.

  • At times, Co-Chairs may disagree with each other or with the Bates community members they are working with. It is crucial in these moments to communicate honestly, openly, respectfully, and to work to resolve conflict through collaboration and compromise.

Senior Year Responsibilities

  1. The Senior Week Co-Chairs serve as event/program coordinators for the senior class from the date of their selection until commencement, utilizing an equity and inclusion lens in planning all events/programs.
    1. Typically, Senior Co-Chairs do not staff large-scale Senior Week events, but they do serve as important communicators, planners, and point people. 
  2. The Senior Week Co-Chairs organize class events, including Senior Week, in collaboration with the Office of Campus Life, the Office of College Advancement, and the Office of Dining, Conferences, and Campus Events.
    1. This includes planning event details, networking with on- and off-campus partners, assisting with marketing of events to the senior class, and serving as on-site resources to event attendees.
    2. This includes providing support for the selection of the Ivy Stone and senior events hosted by the Office of College Advancement.
  3. The Senior Week Co-Chairs serve as a bridge for communication between members of their class and a variety of campus offices.
  4. The Senior Week Co-Chairs serve on the student Baccalaureate Committee to assist the Multifaith Chaplaincy to plan the Baccalaureate service.
  5. The Senior Week Co-Chairs act as advisors to BCSG, particularly for business relating to seniors and senior class programming, attending General Body meetings as needed and/or requested.

Post-Graduation Responsibilities

  1. Senior Co-Chairs will transition after graduation to become Class Officers, which are unpaid positions.
  2. Class Officers are class leaders who cultivate alumni connections for Bates alumni and students through volunteering and attending Bates events in their cities.
  3. Class Officers communicate class news to Bates for class notes in the Bates Magazine.
  4. Class Officers serve as lead volunteers for planning for their 5th Reunion.

Requirements

  • Timely in presence and communications (ability to respond to emails within 24 hours unless special circumstance arises).
  • Should be honest, flexible, responsible, dedicated, and level-headed.
  • Willingness to learn and make changes based on recommendations of constituents, partners, and/or Campus Life staff.
  • Passion in cultivating a fun, equitable, inclusive, and safe environment at Bates. 
  • Ability to work with and center diverse populations in event planning. Events and programs planned must reflect the diverse interests and identities of Bates seniors.

Reporting

The Senior Co-Chairs report primarily to the Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Life & Student Leadership as well as the Senior Associate Dean for Campus Life.