Commons

Students love that Bates has a single dining hall, known as Commons, and an unlimited meal plan. In Commons, everyone comes together for great food and fun mealtime conversation and friendship. Instead of an outside food service, Bates buys its own food — 30 percent locally — which is prepared by Bates chefs in an open-kitchen setting. This gives students a chance to talk with the folks who prepare their meals. Focused on sustainability, Bates diverts 82 percent of its food waste by composting, recycling, and sending scraps to local farmers, efforts that earned Bates a rare gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.