The Bates Board of Trustees held its spring meeting on the Bates campus from Thursday, May 4, through Saturday, May 6, 2023. Standing committees of the Board met in person during this meeting or virtually in the weeks preceding to conduct their work.

This meeting was Clayton Spencer’s last as president of Bates. The Board hosted a celebration of her 11 years of service and she delivered her final President’s Report. Trustees also met with members of the Committee on Faculty Governance, toured the Chase Hall renovation project, and honored retiring Trustee colleagues. An expert on the Harvard/University of North Carolina admissions cases currently before the Supreme Court offered a presentation to Trustees on potential outcomes and implications for college admissions practices.

The Board received the annual report from the Alumni Council, which was presented by Council President Kevin Moore ’93 and Vice President Leah Elsmore ’12. Trustees also heard updates on the incoming Class of 2027, equity and inclusion, communications and marketing, fundraising, the endowment, the budget, and college infrastructure.

Trustees also took a number of important annual actions, including:

• Voting of degrees for the Class of 2023, conditional on their completing all requirements of the degree
• Voting of the 2023 honorary degrees
• Approving the FY24 budget
• Approving academic personnel appointments and reappointments
• Electing officers of the corporation, Executive Committee members, and vice presidents for the 2023–24 academic year
• Formally acknowledging the service of Trustees retiring on June 30:
  • Lisa Barry ’77
  • John Gillespie ’80, P’13, P’18
  • Stacey Kelly P’21
  • Jeremy Sclar ’88

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for October 26-28, 2023, and will include the inauguration of President-elect Garry W. Jenkins on Friday, October 27.

Clayton Spencer
President

John Gillespie ’80, P’13, P’18
Chair of the Board of Trustees