For a PDF summary of the academic support and student support resources at Bates, click here.
For a PDF summary of the general education requirements and the members of a student’s advising team, click here.
Advising Guides for Particular Fields of Study
The Peer Learning Commons (PLC): The PLC is students’ central hub for academic support at Bates. Located in the ground level of Ladd Library, the PLC houses the Student Academic Support Center (SASC) and the Student Writing and Language Center (SWLC). Each of these Centers are staffed by peer tutors and professional staff to assist students in engaging their academic work across the curriculum as well as in developing study skills ranging from time management and note-taking to inclusive study group practices.
Student Research Support and Funding
Pre-Health Professions Information and Pathways: Students interested in pursuing a health profession should be sure to review all of the resources at this site put together by the pre-health advisors at the Center for Purposeful Work. It is important that students considering a pre-health pathway take CHEM 107, which is only offered in the Fall semester.
Purposeful Work in the Curriculum.
Academic Policies are discussed in the Bates Catalog. To review these policies, go to the Catalog, ” click on “Academics at Bates” on the left, then “Academic Policies.” Other policy information may be found on various webpages. The following policies may be of particular interest:
Medical Leave. If a student is seeking to take a medical leave of absence from Bates, they should connect with their Student Support Advisor (who is listed at the top of their Degree Audit) and their Academic Advisor (who is also listed at the top of their Degree Audit). Degree Audit can be accessed at Garnet Gateway. Full information about Medical Leave policy is here. A student may consider or be encouraged to take a voluntary medical leave in the event that physical and/or mental health concerns are significantly interfering with their ability to succeed at Bates and/or the demands of college life are interfering with the student’s recovery or safety. Involuntary medical leaves are meant to be utilized only under extraordinary circumstances, when a student is unable or unwilling to request a voluntary medical leave. Such a leave may be necessary when a student’s behavior is disruptive to the college’s learning environment, the student’s health concerns have compromised the student’s health, safety, or academic success, or the behavior poses a direct threat to the safety of one or more members of the college community. Before an involuntary leave is considered, efforts will be made to encourage the student to take a voluntary leave.
Information on How to Register Timeline for Winter 2026 Course Registration Process
(NOTE: These dates are also visible at the Important Dates and Deadlines Calendar at the Student Advising Portal)
If you have questions, please see your academic advisor first. Your academic advisor is listed at the top of your Degree Audit; they are also included at the landing page (called “My Success Network”) at BatesReach.
Bates utilizes an “Advising Team” approach whereby each student has a network of support. In the BatesReach system, this network is referred to as “My Success Network,” and it includes 1) a student’s Academic Advisor, 2) Student Support Advisor, 3) Athletic Coach (if the student is a student-athlete), and 4) all of the student’s faculty instructors during a given semester.
Each first-year student has a set of three advisors–their Academic Advisor, their Student Support Advisor, and their Junior Advisor–and each has a different role. The Academic Advisor is most often a student’s First-Year Seminar until the student declares a major. Then the academic advisor is a faculty member in that major field of study (if a student declares two majors, they work with an Academic Advisor in each field of study, and if a student declares a minor, they also have an Academic Advisor in that minor field of study). Here is a bit more information about each role:
Academic Advisor: Until a student declares a major (no later than March 1 of their second year), their pre-major academic advisor is most often their First-Year Seminar instructor. Once a student declares a major, a faculty member within that academic unit becomes their academic advisor. The academic advisor helps students explore the curriculum to discover their interests and to fulfill general education requirements, e.g., 5 Mode of Inquiry credits, Major + 1 (where the “+ 1” can be a second major, a minor, or a General Education Concentration), 3 W credits, 32 total credits toward degree (including 2 short-term courses, each short-term course counts as 0.5 credits).
Student Support Advisor (SSA): The Student Support Advisor supports student success by ensuring they know whom to go to when they need guidance, assistance, or just someone to talk to. Students are assigned a Student Support Advisor prior to their matriculation and remain with their advisor for the duration of their enrollment at Bates. While your pre-major academic advisor – who is your First-Year Seminar (FYS) instructor – provides the primary academic advising for students, Student Support Advisors are an additional point of contact and support for students who have concerns or questions about their academic plans.
Residential Junior Advisor (JA): At Bates, all first-year students live within First-Year Centers in the residence halls. Each FYC has an assigned junior advisor (a residential advisor often a sophomore or junior) who serves as a key peer resource to assist students in navigating opportunities at Bates. Most common questions about residence life at Bates, e.g., housing accommodation, roommate information, etc., are answered at the Office of Residence Life and Health Education website.
Writing Course-Attached Tutor (W-CAT): At Bates, all first-year students enroll in a First-Year Seminar (FYS) during their Fall semester. Each FYS includes a peer writing tutor, who is a sophomore, junior, or senior who serves as a key resource to assist students in developing their writing and communication skills within the FYS. First-year students can meet with their FYS W-CAT throughout the Fall semester to review FYS assignments with them as well as to get assistance on the First-Year Experience Workshops, which are tethered to the FYS. The W-CATs are part of the student staff at the Student Writing and Language Center, which is part of the Peer Learning Commons. The Peer Learning Commons is on the Ground Level of Ladd Library.
Campus Map. This interactive campus map shows the locations of all buildings, parking lots, emergency “blue phones” and other locations of interest at Bates College. Click on the links below for more information about important resources to which your students have access.
Overview of Student Support Resources: This brief document summarizes a range of health and wellness and other support resources at Bates. It provides information on health-related, community, confidential, and emergency response resources and can be a good first step in identifying the appropriate resource for your student.
Student Conduct and Community Standards
Counseling and Psychological Services.
Confidential Resource Advisor (CRA).
Additional Financial Resources: Bates offers financial support for academic and creative endeavors including but not limited to academic research, summer internships, community engagement projects, and student organization events. For a summary of those resources and whom to contact for more information, please go to this document (Bates community only).
Office of Title IX/Civil Rights Compliance.
Information on the Multi-faith Chaplaincy and Support It Offers.
Please watch the short 5-minute video below, which provides information on how to make the most of the Student Advising Portal.
This week Bates President Garry W. Jenkins joined Stefanie Manning, Maine Trust for Local News’ managing director, for a public conversation about his leadership and journey to Bates.