Mission Statement: The Bates Student is the weekly student newspaper of Bates College that seeks to provide interesting, timely news to everyone in the Bates community. As a school with no journalism courses, we provide students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in every aspect of putting out a newspaper including reporting, editing, layout, website design and business management. We serve as a forum for student opinion and a liaison between the administration and the student body. We commit ourselves to ethical principles of journalism and believe that the media serves a vital function in any community. Founded in 1873, The Bates Student is one of the oldest student groups on campus and a staple publication for the College.