Celebrating Clayton Spencer Telling the Story of the Eighth Bates College President, 2012–2023

I write to share news and plans at the start of a new academic year, my third as president of the college. As I have said before, serving Bates as president is a source of great personal joy, even as we tackle inevitable challenges. Every day I am struck by the dedication of our faculty, the energy of our students, the pride of our staff, and the solidarity and support of alumni, parents, and friends in sustaining the work and sense of common feeling that make Bates such an extraordinary college and community.

I write to outline important aspects of our institutional response to the urgent problem of climate change and to address the question of whether the college should divest its endowment from the fossil fuel industry.

On behalf of Bates College, I reject unequivocally the boycott of Israeli universities that was recently passed by a majority of the members of the American Studies Association.

Thank you, Brent, and thank you, Matt, for those very thoughtful reflections. I am going to direct my remarks today…

We built it, and you came: So far, hundreds of members of the Bates community have turned out to the…

Washington, D.C.–area alumni, parents and friends welcomed President Clayton Spencer on Feb. 6 for a reception and talk at the…

Boston-area alumni, parents and friends welcome President Clayton Spencer on Nov. 15, 2012, at the Museum of Science. This fall,…

New York City–area alumni, parents and friends welcomed President Clayton Spencer on Dec. 4 for a reception and talk at…

Below are edited clips from the Inauguration, followed by the full length video. Photographer and videographer Phyllis Graber Jensen offers…