Bates College - Facilities

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Bates doesn’t have a student center, which is a heated issue amongst many students. There have been mumblings of plans to build one, but nothing is set in stone yet, and it could be some time before construction even begins. There is a newly built dining hall, which houses a convenient store/diner, but the mailroom and the bookstore remain in Chase Hall, where the old dining hall was located. The Den is also still functioning at Chase Hall, but hours have been shortened due to the opening of Milt’s Place in New Commons. There is discontent among the upperclassmen for this, and students have petitioned to have The Den open later on weekends—however, no action has been made to change the current hours of operation. The indoor track has been resurfaced with Mondo, the same surface used in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Some of the weight-lifting machines are rusty and out-of-date, but new free-weight stations and cardio machines have been installed. There are nowhere near enough cardio machines, and people often go to the gym at odd hours to avoid crowds.

The quality of facilities at Bates depends largely on the age of the building. Some of the classrooms have almost space-age technology, with remote controls for lights, projection screens, and even window shades. These classrooms are equipped with the technology to hook up a laptop and project images from it onto a screen. Other classrooms are not so fortunate and look like they haven’t been renovated since they were built decades ago. Some rooms are not big enough for the classes that meet in them—it’s not unheard of for students to have to sit on the floor if they arrive after all the seats have been taken. To be fair, the school is making efforts to improve matters—some of the desks in Pettigrew have been replaced, and there is some new equipment in the Cardio Room in Merrill Gymnasium. In a few years, if the new student center is built and most of the other facilities have been brought up-to-date, Bates will have a really impressive campus. For the time being, however, facilities here are still adequate and sometimes above average, but nothing more.

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Students Speak Out

BatKS says: Bates College 2011 Social Sciences

The athletic facilities are... The athletic facilities are definitely subpar. The gym is often crowded, and it's hard to find an open machine, especially after 3 p.m. on weekdays. However, we did recently get some new equipment. If you want to be an athlete at Bates, don't expect any free gear or special treatment—you pay for everything and wear outdated uniforms. 12345 Facilities: March 05, 2009 Report

katiswb says:

The athletic facilities aren't... The athletic facilities aren't that great, and they can get crowded at peak hours. There isn't a student center, but the one dining hall on campus acts as a place where students gather. Our dining commons is new, and it's very nice. The library is pretty nice too, but not anything to brag about. 12345 Facilities: February 28, 2009 Report

BatJT says: Bates College 2013 Arts, Visual and Performing

The facilities at Bates are great.... The facilities at Bates are great. There is a new dining commons that everyone seems to love. 12345 Facilities: February 15, 2009 Report

jsawyer says: Bates College 2013 English Language and Literature

There has been a lot of... There has been a lot of construction on campus over the past couple of years, so the dining hall and Rand Village are new. The athletic facilities have been refurnished with newer cardio and lifting equipment. The indoor track has just been resurfaced with Mondo, the surface on the outdoor track in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The off-campus houses need to be renovated. 12345 Facilities: February 15, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

Some of the computer labs... Some of the computer labs (Pettengill Hall and the library) have new computers and a well-lit, comfortable atmosphere. Some computer labs in other academic buildings are not as nice. 12345 Facilities Report

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