Writings and Remarks

Staff Appreciation Day 2025

To the Williams community, Today, Tuesday, May 6, is Staff Appreciation Day 2025. Every spring the college honors staff who reach major milestones in their Williams careers. Today we celebrate 131 colleagues for such anniversaries, along with 25 others who are retiring. I am especially grateful for their dedication… Continue reading »

Williams joins “A Call for Constructive Engagement”

Dear Williams community, Today, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) issued a document called “A Call for Constructive Engagement.” This open letter, which I signed along with more than 200 fellow leaders in higher education, decries “government overreach and political interference” in regards to America’s colleges and… Continue reading »

Summary of the April 2025 Board of Trustees meeting

To the Williams community, Last week the Board of Trustees held their April 2025 meeting. Given the Board’s fiduciary role, the agenda was focused on Williams’ financial position for the year ahead and beyond. Throughout various sessions of the meeting the Trustees also engaged in significant discussions of the current… Continue reading »

Speaking up for the liberal arts and higher education

To the Williams community, On Saturday, the New York Times editorial board published a powerful defense of American higher education, entitled, Colleges Are Under Attack. They Can Fight Back. Such a defense is urgently needed given recent governmental intervention. The Times board focused their piece on large universities. But… Continue reading »