Greetings, Colleagues,

Please find a round up of announcements and upcoming events below.

The Committee on Faculty Governance is currently seeking nominations (including self-nominations) for the role of Faculty Secretary. The Faculty Secretary, appointed by the President, is a critical position in our faculty governance structure and listed as a part of a faculty member’s service in CFG’s records. Professor Sylvia Federico, who served ably as temporary Faculty Secretary during winter semester and Short Term last year, has decided to step down this fall because of other pressing commitments. 

Please send any nominations or self-nominations for Faculty Secretary to cfg@bates.edu by Friday, September 30.  Meanwhile, we want to thank Professor Kathryn Low for her willingness to step in to take minutes at our first faculty meeting on September 12.

Judith Miller ‘91, Chair, Committee of  Honorary Degrees and member of the Bates Board of Trustees wrote on behalf of Bates’ Committee on Honorary Degrees to solicit nominations for honorary degree recipients for Commencement 2023 and beyond.  If you would like to nominate someone for an honorary degree, please write to honorarydegrees@bates.edu with the individual’s name, a brief description of why the individual would be a good honorand for Bates, and whether you have or know of a personal connection. Submissions are welcome throughout the year, but those received by October 17 will be considered at the Committee on Honorary Degrees’ fall meeting.  Click here to read more about the guidelines for honorary degrees and to find a list of past recipients.

The Multifaith Chaplaincy wrote regarding Anam Cara.  Anam Cara is a gaelic term meaning ‘Soul Friend’ and is the practice of sharing in deep, thoughtful, intentional, conversations with another person over time.  By signing up for Anam Cara you will be paired for the academic year with another Bates faculty or staff member to share from the heart on monthly prompts. You and your Anam Cara partner will find time that works with both of your schedules to have tea, walk and talk, Zoom, or connect in whatever way you prefer.  Sign up via this google form by Friday, September 30th! 

Lindsey Hamilton of the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning wrote regarding an opportunity to serve in a leadership role on campus. The Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning (CITL) is pleased to announce the call for two inaugural Faculty Fellows.

Faculty Fellows will develop an inclusive teaching action plan using the structure and support provided by CITL in the Winter 2023 semester. Then, in Fall 2023, Faculty Fellows will serve as a support for other educators on campus around their chosen topic, create workshops, and/or lead communities of practice on their topic as they enact their action plans. Fellows will also have the opportunity to attend and/or present at a teaching and learning conference as a Fellow cohort. Selected Fellows will be eligible for a course release each semester.  Who should apply? Any faculty member (all titles and all disciplines encouraged to apply) who has taught at Bates for 4+ consecutive years with a desire to learn about and support colleagues in implementing inclusive teaching practices.

Learn more about the Faculty Fellows Program and the application process here.

Kristin Cloutier of the Harward Center wrote with information about the Davis United World Scholars Program.  The Davis United World Scholars Program has decided to re-fund “Davis Projects for Peace” at Bates for the upcoming summer.  The awards will be made to a student or group of students at each college who design the most promising and do-able project, funded at $10,000 each, which they will implement during the summer of 2023 anywhere in the world.  This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the world.  Information and particulars on the project are available at the project website:  http://www.davisprojectsforpeace.org/

The award can go to an individual, or to a group of students working together.  Students are also allowed to supplement the grant with funds from other sources. Students from all years, including seniors who are finishing their Bates education this spring, are eligible to apply.  Intentionally, no guidelines for the projects are being provided, to encourage originality, imagination, and entrepreneurship.

To be considered, a student or group of students should submit a written proposal of not more than two pages describing the project with a one-page budget by 4:30pm on Friday, January 6, 2023.  The Bates committee will submit their recommendations to the Davis office by February 6, 2023 and the Davis UWC Scholars Office will announce their decisions by March 6, 2023.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact me (kcloutie@bates.edu). Direct communication with the Davis UWC Scholars office is not allowed.

Kerry O’Brien from the Dean of Faculty’s Office wrote regarding student deadlines for funding opportunities.  As you advise your students undertaking thesis, capstone, or class projects, or those whom you’ve advised in summer research, please let them know about these funding opportunities, with STUDENT DEADLINES OF OCTOBER 7:

Bates Student Research Fund: This fund supports student research in the context of courses or thesis/capstone work. Most of the funding requests come from seniors, but students in all classes and all disciplines may apply. Grants are typically not more than $300 but we sometimes fund at higher levels based on exceptionally high budgets. Grants cover research supplies, travel, subject reimbursement, datasets,  transcriptions and translators, etc. Students can contact me (kobrien@bates.edu) if they have a question about the application process or what we cover. I am happy to speak with them.  The application includes a faculty statement of support, which you can email to me or Alison Keegan (akeegan@bates.edu) or give it to the student to attach to their proposal.  Here’s the link for all the guidelines and the application: https://www.bates.edu/academics/student-research/academic-year-research-grant-information/bates-student-research-fund/  Due at 11:59 PM on Friday, October 7. Grants awarded within 2 weeks.

STEM Conference Grants support students who are presenting research at STEM scholarly conferences. Students working in the natural sciences and math division, DCS, neuro, environmental science, and biomedical psychology may apply for this support. Funding supports registration for online conferences; or registration, travel, hotel, and meals for in-person conferences.  Awards vary based on location. Students can contact me (kobrien@bates.edu)  if they have a question about the application process or what we cover. I am happy to speak with them.

IF YOU ARE BRINGING A GROUP OF STUDENTS TO A CONFERENCE, please submit to me a detailed budget of the costs for the entire group, rather than have each student create their own budget, as there are many opportunities for sharing costs. Happy to discuss with you.

The application includes a faculty statement of support, which you can email to me or Alison Keegan (akeegan@bates.edu) or give to the student to attach to their proposal.

Here’s the link for all the guidelines and the application: https://www.bates.edu/academics/student-research/academic-year-research-grant-information/stem-travel-grants/  Due at 11:59 PM on Friday, October 7. Grants awarded within 2 weeks.

Karen Melvin wrote on behalf of the Honors Committee stating that if you have any students who will be pursuing an Honors thesis and who will be graduating this December, please let her know. (kmelvin@bates.edu).

Jimmy Riley from Student Affairs wrote with an opportunity to engage in our community standards judicial process as a trained Judicial Advisor. The Judicial Advisor role is an important student support person built into our student conduct processes. Advisors may attend conduct meetings as a support person and should assure that their advisees clearly understand all questions asked and that their advisees clearly communicate their account of events. If you are interested in becoming a trained Judicial Advisor, please complete this form.

President Spencer wrote to us with thoughts on the year ahead.  Her message can be seen here.

Melissa Alden from Facilies Services announced that starting Tuesday 9/27, Facility Services will begin the process of removing all campus window A/C units for Fall and Winter.  The process usually takes two to three days to complete.  Please ensure there is a clear path to these units so we can make this process safe and efficient for our staff and customers.

Michael Rocque of Sociology wrote about our faculty liaison program.  As many of you know, we have a faculty liaison program, in which each of the varsity teams on campus is connected to a faculty partner who provides a bridge between the two worlds and acts as a supporter/mentor for the student athletes. You can read more about the program here.

Currently, we are in need of a liaison for the cross-country teams. You do not need to have been a world class athlete in college to participate. If you are interested in the sport at all, I encourage you to reach out. If you want to know more about this program, please let me know.

Committee on Faculty Governance wrote with results from last week’s special election for a one-year position on the Committee on Admission and Financial Aid. Wesley Chaney was selected for this position. Thanks to everyone who voted in this special election.

Laurie Henderson from Post and Print wrote to announce temporary USPS Holiday Shipping Rate Increases. This is in addition to the new postage rate increases likely to take effect in January 2023.  The temporary rates begin on October 2, 2022 and end on January 22, 2023. Like last year’s October increase, these price changes are seasonal and only affect certain shipping services.  See rates and changes here. 

Marianne Cowan from Purposeful Work wrote to inform us that her office will be reaching out to departments and programs in the next week to ask about departmental preferences with regard to sharing internships, jobs and program opportunities. We look forward to increasing our collaboration with academic departments and our faculty colleagues and we welcome your questions and outreach!

Steve Engel wrote about our BatesReach system.  Faculty new to Bates or returning faculty who may want a refresher on how to utilize the BatesReach system can access a set of text-based resource materials as well as a series of short video tutorials. BatesReach is a resource through which students can communicate with members of their “Success Network,” (which includes their academic advisor, student support advisor, the faculty with whom they work in a given semester, and, if they are a student-athlete, their coach), and faculty and student support advisors can communicate with their students by raising “flags.” Materials that detail how BatesReach can be utilized are accessible via the Academic Advising Portal. Once you are at the portal, simply open the “drop down” labeled Student Support Resources and scroll down to the section on BatesReach. Alternatively, you can click here.

Next, upcoming events.

Wheels Of Change: Transforming Girls’ Lives With Bicycles

Sep. 26, 2022 ~ Monday

4:15 PM – 5:30 PM

Pgill G21

Nishith Prakash, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Connecticut

Sponsored by the Casey Lecture Fund – Department of Economics

All are Welcome!

Live Webinar:  Supporting Students of Color Traveling Abroad: Address and Remove Barriers to Ensure Inclusion and Safety

Tuesday, 9/27/22

2:00pm – 3:30pm ET.

If you’re interested in attending live or receiving the recorded session – please RSVP directly to Darren Galland (dgallant@bates.edu) and indicate whether you’ll participate live or would like the recording. For the live session, take RSVPs until we hit our 25 login limit.

Oasis – A Confidential Conversation Circle

First meeting of five on Wednesday, October 5

7:30 p.m.

Multifaith Chaplaincy Living Room (first floor 163 Wood Street)

This group will meet for one hour every week on Wednesdays (except during Fall break) through November 9th.  The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAVA), Andee Bucciarelli, and Multifaith Chaplain, Brittany Longsdorf, facilitate a confidential conversation circle each semester called Oasis. This group allows survivors and friends a place to process if they or someone they love has been impacted by stalking, dating or domestic violence, sexual harassment, or sexual assault.   RSVP is encouraged but not required to Andee at sava@bates.edu or Brittany at blongsdo@bates.edu.

EACS/GEO Lunch

Tuesday, September 27

Noon – 12:20 pm Carnegie 219 PIZZA!

12:20 – 1:00 pm: Carnegie Science 204

Lightning Talks by Faculty in EACS

Come meet and learn about the research and teaching expertise of our department!

MENTIMETER AS AN INCLUSIVE TEACHING TOOL

Thursday, October 6

3-4 pm

Dana 219

Lindsey Hamilton and Ben Peck will demonstrate how to use and explain the pedagogy behind why you may want to use Mentimeter, an interactive presentation tool, to engage your students. REGISTER HERE

Active Ally Training

Tuesday October 4

4pm to 5:30pmActive Ally training is open to ALL students, staff, and faculty.  Space is limited for each training session. If you are interested in participating in this round of training please RSVP using this link.  If you have any questions or would like to be added to a list to be informed of future training opportunities. Please contact me at ahuber@bates.edu.