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Bates College - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.69

Diversity

C+
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 4%
Asian American 6%
Hispanic 3%
International 6%
Native American 0%
White 79%
Unknown 3%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 89%
Common States of Residence
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Foreign Countries
  • Massachusetts
  • New York
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 1%
18-19: 49%
20-21: 42%
22-24: 7%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 48%
Male Faculty 52%
Faculty Diversity African American: 6%
Asian American: 5%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 5%
Native American: 0%
White: 75%
Unknown: 6%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Bates was founded by abolitionists on the principles of egalitarianism, and Benjamin E. Mays, a Bates alumnus, was an important figure in the human rights movement. Still, Bates is a college in Maine, and the vast majority of students are white. Students here tend to come from two kinds of backgrounds: those who are able to afford the nearly $50,000-per-year comprehensive fee and those who are paying for their education through scholarships. Over the past few years, diversity has been a big issue at Bates, and after a swatstika and racist comments were seen drawn on walls and dorm room white boards, many students formed a rally to end existing discrimination and further diversity on campus. The administration was very receptive to the students’ views, and organized several forums about how to improve diversity at the College. In 2008-09, for the first time ever, the number of minority students on campus was in the triple digits. Bates also offers a rigorous Hughes scholarship program for first years interested in the sciences, and the program, which takes place over the summer, attracts many minority students, allowing them to acclimate to Bates, make friends, and get a leg-up on their science credits and GPA before their semester even begins. The program is selective and pays the participating students. Politically, Bates is mostly liberal, but there is a small conservative following, as well. Bates, without a doubt, is a two-party college—while there may be some independent party voters on campus, the break-down is mostly Democrat and Republican.

Bates students who aren't able to visit the school before they come here may be surprised by the uniformity of the student body. Even students who aren’t minorities but are used to living in a more diverse environment sometimes feel uncomfortable in such a homogenous student body. But despite the small numbers of minorities on campus, the International Club and other minority clubs are a definite presence. Many students, not just internationals or minorities, attend events organized by these clubs, such as the International Fashion Show and the Asian Dinner. Considering its location and the fact that Bates is a small, private school, the College is about as diverse as you’d expect it to be—which just isn’t very much.

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Bates Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Bates College

Henry520

'15

Biology

4.2
A-

Future of America

Students came from different countries, states in the United States. Each student have a unique talent.

Jun 22, 2011

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Diversity at Bates College

BatKS

'11

Social Sciences

Bates is not the most diverse...

Bates is not the most diverse school. Economically, the campus is home to middle-upper-class students. The dominant ethnicity is Caucasian, but Bates is working very hard to gather students from all walks of life. Ideologically, students are generally very liberal, which brings about a comfortable discussion environment.

Mar 05, 2009

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Diversity at Bates College

BatAF

'12

Social Sciences

Bates is more economically diverse...

Bates is more economically diverse than it seems. There are definitely individuals who are on near-full or full aid, but there are also the millionaires' children, and everyone in between. Ethnically, it's mostly white North Eastern Americans, but there's been a lot of push for more diversity. Ideologically, Bates is very liberal by American standards; however, they are very mainstream. It seemed like everyone was for Obama, and third-party activism is nil on campus. It's just the two-party system. I would probably describe Bates as a sexually diverse assortment of really friendly, bright people, who all love Bates, may wear Birkenstocks or Uggs, and could be from anywhere in the world,

Feb 18, 2009

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Page 1 of 4

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

Bates has a gay-straight alliance called OUTfront. OUTfront organizes events such as Lick-it, a dance in which students wear next to nothing, as a symbol of freely accepting sexuality in all its forms. As Bates is mostly liberal, students are generally accepting of the gay population. Many of the gay/lesbian students on campus came out for their first time to friends at Bates or in OUTfront, so there is support from students who are willing to share their experiences with each other.

Political Activity

The campus is overwhelmingly liberal, and many students are politically active. Many travelled to Washington D.C. to protest the war in Iraq, as well as to attend President Barrack Obama’s inauguration. The Bates College Democrats and Republicans help organize voting for students in local and national elections.

Economic Status

The student body contains representatives from many different economic groups. However, a majority of students are from wealthy families. This has led to some tension between Bates students and Lewiston “townies,” but on campus, differences between students’ economic backgrounds are hardly noticed, especially since many wealthy students choose to hold jobs on campus, which leaves few opportunities for differences in economic backgrounds to become apparent.

Most Common Religions

The campus has an ecumenical Christian Fellowship Group with a very diverse membership. Hillel services and events are also well-attended by the Jewish community. The chapel runs a variety of programs representing many different religions. Bates has a chaplain who welcomes religious diversity, organizes services for the different religions and often hosts dinners at his home. He and students run a multi-faith club on campus for people of all religions, including agnostics. There is also a group for the non-religious students on campus. A number of Bates students choose to attend religious services off-campus. The population of Lewiston is largely Catholic and several area churches offer masses in both English and French due to Lewiston’s large Franco-American population.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Bates has a Multicultural Center which is affiliated with the school's 11 cultural and ethnic groups. These include Amandla! which aims to promote understanding of African culture, the American Indian Awareness Organization, the Francophone Club, Solidariad Latina, and the Women of Color Organization.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Bates

Name: Jessie Sawyer

Hometown: Farmington, CT

Major: English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a Spanish minor

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