Michael
Bates

Bio:

Dr. Michael Bates has worked in community colleges since 2004 and currently serves as dean of science, business, and computer technology at Moraine Valley Community College in the south suburbs of Chicago. In that role, Dr. Bates provides leadership for a portfolio of career and transfer programs while supporting faculty in the use of inclusive, evidence-based teaching practices. Previously, he served as associate provost of curriculum and instruction and dean of teaching and learning at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. During his time at Harper College, he provided strategic oversight for teaching and learning initiatives and served as administrative lead for the Academy for Teaching Excellence and Center for Adjunct Faculty Engagement. His key accomplishments included the implementation of communities of practice, the adoption of the OSCQR rubric and peer-review process for the review of all online courses, Small Group Instructional Feedback, Hyflex modalities, and the Level II Adjunct Faculty Engagement Program, which provides promotion opportunities for adjunct faculty. These programs have made measurable impacts on the student experience and student outcomes. He is particularly interested in working with centers for teaching and learning to design high-quality professional learning experiences and measuring their impact on teaching practice and student success. Dr. Bates started his career in community colleges as an adjunct faculty member at Morton College in Cicero, Illinois, and taught as an assistant professor of physics at Moraine Valley Community College.