Commons Dining Policies

Meeting & Tabling Spaces

Commons serves as home to the dining hall and multiple meeting and dining spaces which can be reserved through the Event Management System (EMS). This broad range of rooms allows students to meet with friends and peers, faculty and organized groups in a comfortable setting. Designated tabling spaces can also be reserved through EMS.
  • Tabling is available  in-front of Milts
  • Tabling is available outside Commons to the right of the main doors.
Please refer to the Space Reservations/EMS section of the DCCE website for more information.

Access to Commons

Each student on the board plan gains access to Commons by swiping their Bates ID. Board plan members also receive five bonus meals per semester to be used for themselves over a break or for a guest, as permitted by dining policy. Students not on the board plan can eat at Commons by paying at the door per meal or by purchasing a meal card in advance.

Conduct in Commons

  • Shoes and shirts are required.
  • No pets allowed. Service animals are permitted.
  • Access to Commons is limited to:
    • Bates students
    • Faculty and Staff who charge their meals to a Bates Department org number or pay at the door, as permitted by dining policy.
    • External community members, as permitted by dining policy.
  • Students who give their ID card to another person, share meals with someone not on the meal plan, carry food out of the dining hall or otherwise create a disturbance therein may be subject to fines, loss of dining privileges or the performance of community service hours in Dining Services, as determined by Student Affairs.

Meal Accommodations

  • Students With Class Conflicts
    • If you have a class conflict and need a bag lunch, a grab n’ go meal is available in Commons beginning at 7:00 am. If your particular conflict precludes you from taking advantage of this, please contact Kelly Perreault at 207-786-6299 or kperrea2@bates.edu in the Commons Main Office at least two days prior to when the lunch is needed.
  • Students Leaving On Approved Academic, Athletic Or Organization Trips
    • If your approved student organization will be away from campus and requires food, contact Catering Manager Donald Desrosiers at ddesrosi@bates.edu or x6298 at least five business days prior to your desired pick-up date.
    • Catering arranges food orders for academic field trips, athletic events, and student organization trips at no charge for all participants on the board plan. These orders should be placed for the entire group by the person in charge of the trip (eg. a professor or designee, a coach or responsible person of a student organization) giving at least a five business day notification prior to the event. The organization, team or department will be charged only for those who are not on the board plan.
  • Special Dietary Needs
    • If you have food related questions or specific dietary needs, contact Kelly Perreault, EMS and Support Services Manager at 786-6299 or via email at kperrea2@bates.edu. For more information, please see the Nutrition & Dietary Needs section of this website.
  • Ill Students
    • Students who are confined to Health Services will be provided with meals. Those students who cannot go to Commons due to medical reasons should contact Health Services or Kelly Perreault at kperrea2@bates.edu, to make dining arrangements.

Board Plan Food Policy

Board Plan Students: Patrons may eat as much as they’d like while in the dining room, but the packing out of bulk food is prohibited, as is the removal of Commons china, glasses or silverware. A limited selection of Grab ‘n Go items is available at breakfast and lunch and patrons are welcome to take a snack – such as an apple, bagel, or ice cream cone –  or a beverage in an RBC (reusable beverage container.)  If you have dietary restrictions that may require special accommodations or if you have a class conflict that cannot be met through the Grab ‘n go program, please contact Kelly Perreault, EMS and Support Services Manager, at diningaccommodation@groups.bates.edu or x6299. If your approved student organization will be away from campus and require food, please contact Donald Desrosiers, Catering Manager,  at bobcatcatering@bates.edu or x6298. At least a five business days notice is required for all orders.   

Posting Policy

Posting Inside the Dining Hall
  • There is no posting of any form allowed inside the dining hall except on the wall leading to the back exit in the area labeled “student posting”
  • Only items pertaining to student activities/academic events many be posted in the area.
  • Do not post over existing postings
  • All items must be dated and will be removed once the event is over. If the item posted is not dated it will be taken down after five days
  • No more than two of the same postings can be tacked to the board. Any more than two will be removed
  • Large “sheets” and postings larger than 24 in x 24 in are not allowed in this area
  • Bates community groups may advertise in the table holders on the tables in Commons/Den. To reserve a space reach out to Kevin Perry @ kperry@bates.edu. Ads are scheduled to a first-come-first served basis, are limited to no more than seven days and can not run consecutively.  Ads are limited to student activities/academic events
Posting in the Building
  • Posting is allowed on the tackable surfaces located in the lower and upper hallways only, not on any other walls/windows/doors. Items posted elsewhere will be removed
  • All items must be dated and will be removed once the event is over. If the item posted is not dated it will be taken down after five days
  • Large “sheets” and postings larger than 24 in x 24 in are allowed in this area
  • No more than three of the same postings can be tacked to the board. Any more than three will be removed
  • Do not post over existing postings
  • Items are to be tacked to walls, not taped or stapled. Tacks are available at the clicker station located at the entrance to Commons. Improperly hung items will be removed

Tailgating Policy