BatesReach FAQs

What is BatesReach?


In order to help students develop and maintain strong connections with faculty and staff across campus, and to enhance student success, a new online tool has been implemented called, BatesReach. The purpose of BatesReach is to help students succeed by connecting the student to faculty and staff that are in a position to help by virtue of their role with the student. For example, a student will have a connection with their instructor as well as their advisers in “My Success Network” within BatesReach, which will help to facilitate communication between them by using “flags” raised in BatesReach.

What is “My Success Network”?


Your Success Network is a central location where you can see all of your connections with faculty and staff that have a connection with you during that particular semester. For example, if you are taking courses during the Fall semester you will see a list of all of your instructors, your academic advisor, Student Support Advisor, department chair, as well as anyone else who has a connection with you during the semester.

Once you complete the Fall semester and move into the Spring Semester your connections may change based on the courses you are taking. You may continue to have the same advisers but you may have different instructors for that term.

Students will also be able to schedule appointments with their connections through their Success Network as well as see their contact information.

How does BatesReach impact students?

+Raising Concerns

If a student is having difficulty in a class, an Instructor can raise a concern (also called a flag) in BatesReach which will automatically send an email to the student, as well as their advisers, letting them know that the student needs additional help in order to be successful in the course. The “flag” being raised is part of the Early Alert System within BatesReach and could be based on a number of factors including:

  • Poor Attendance
  • Low Quiz/Test Scores
  • Missing Assignments
  • Danger of Failing
  • Co-Curricular Concerns

When a flag has been raised by an Instructor, the student will receive a notification in the form of an email. The student should reach out to the Instructor in order to discuss the reason for raising the flag and develop a strategy to improve. Advisers may also reach out to provide additional support.

+Assigning Tasks

Faculty and staff who have a connection with the student can also assign tasks to individual students within BatesReach, such as:

  • Meet with me (Instructor or staff)
  • Meet with Student Support Advisor
  • Meet with your Academic Advisor
  • Visit Academic Support Services

If you are assigned a task through BatesReach you will want to follow through with completing the task. Once the task is completed, BatesReach will show the status of the task as resolved.

+Scheduling Appointments

Students can login to BatesReach and schedule an appointment, with the faculty/staff in My Success Network, during the office hours as set by the individual, and include a description as to why they need to meet. Once the meeting is saved, all appropriate people are notified.

+Ask For Help

Students can also choose to ask for help within BatesReach. These are the current concerns for which a student can ask for help:

  • Academic Advising / Academic Requirements
  • Academic Performance
  • Medical / Mental Health Concern
  • Personal Concern

The appropriate individuals on campus (instructors or advisers) will be notified regarding the student’s need for help and will reach out to the student.

How will this help empower students?

Students can login to BatesReach and see all faculty and staff that currently have a connection with them by virtue of their role for that particular term. In BatesReach a student can schedule a meeting with those in their Success Network or click on the “Ask for Help” icon in order to facilitate someone reaching out to the student.

BatesReach can help students find the right people to reach out to for guidance regardless of the problem. Students can actively connect with faculty and staff who are in a position to help the student be successful in and outside the classroom.

Students can do the following in BatesReach:

  • Setup a profile and communications preference
  • Make and track appointments with advisers, instructors, or others in their “Success Network”
  • Review flags raised and respond
  • Find and connect to faculty and staff
  • Ask For Help

How will BatesReach notify students when a flag is raised?

When a flag is raised the student will receive an email from BatesReach@bates.edu notifying them and will include the following content:

  • Subject
  • Student’s name
  • Instructor’s name
  • Course Name
  • Comments
  • Information regarding your next steps

BatesReach will notify the student via email for other related events, such as assigning a task. However, a student may access BatesReach at any time to view their profile and see if there are any outstanding concerns that need to be resolved.

BatesReach will send notifications to your current Bates College email address.

How do students access BatesReach?

There are currently three ways in which a student can access BatesReach:

You must be an Active/Current student. If you access BatesReach through the link in either Lyceum or Garnet Gateway, you simply click on the link for BatesReach. However, if you access BatesReach via reach.bates.edu, you will need to enter your Bates College username and password.

Will there be training materials for BatesReach?


Absolutely. In fact, you can find additional resources to help you navigate BatesReach by clicking on one of the links below. This includes documentation, videos and training classes scheduled throughout the current semester. We will continue to update our training materials and schedule additional classes throughout the semester.