Dear Members of the Bates Community,

I write to share with you that earlier this week, I informed the Board of Trustees of my decision that the upcoming academic year will be my last as president of Bates. When I step down on June 30, 2023, I will have had the profound honor of serving the college in this role for 11 years.

I have loved my time at Bates. On my first trip to campus in December 2011, when I was introduced to the Bates community, I was so impressed by the students I met and thrilled to get a sense, firsthand, of the beautiful work our faculty and staff do every day to make Bates the extraordinary place it is. I have felt so lucky to be part of this community, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished together. 

Of course, these past two and a half years COVID has put us through our paces, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to position our students and the college to come through the pandemic in strong form. I very much hope that in the coming year COVID will begin to recede as a factor in our lives and psyches, to be managed as one among other health issues. I hope, as well, that opportunities to experience the joy that comes from being together in three dimensions will become, once again, an expected and treasured part of our lives and work on campus.  

I spend a lot of time thinking and talking with students about how one constructs a life, one decision at a time. I am not at all sure what this next chapter will bring for me, but I am excited to explore new interests and ways of being. There is also much to be accomplished here in the year ahead, and I am grateful that I will have the joy of continuing to work with all of you who make Bates possible.

With gratitude,

Clayton