{"id":80877,"date":"2014-09-02T16:25:59","date_gmt":"2014-09-02T20:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=80877"},"modified":"2017-02-23T13:27:17","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T18:27:17","slug":"your-job-is-to-discover-and-learn-convocation-speaker-matt-auer-tells-class-of-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2014\/09\/02\/your-job-is-to-discover-and-learn-convocation-speaker-matt-auer-tells-class-of-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Your job is to discover and learn,’ Convocation speaker Matt Auer tells Class of 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

The days are long gone when the phrase “Here be dragons” on a navigational chart warned captains away from unknown and perilous waters.<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a>

From left, Dean of the Faculty Matt Auer, Student Government President Alyssa Morgosh ’15 and college President Clayton Spencer relax after speaking at Bates’ 2014 Convocation. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

At Bates, though, “the professor-navigator knows where the dragons are and…might actually lead you into them,” Matt Auer told the college’s Class of 2018 during Convocation on Sept. 2.<\/p>\n

And that’s good because, in fact, there be things you can learn from the dragons.<\/p>\n

“The whole dragon question is about probabilities, choices and moments where you have to decide how to proceed in the absence of complete information,” said Auer, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.<\/p>\n

“Bates\u2019 navigators can help you think through the risks and benefits. But at the end of the day, and the days are short here in the winter, it\u2019s your analysis and it\u2019s your decision.” And learning to make such decisions, and to own the results, is one of the greatest rewards.<\/p>\n

Likening the Bates experience to a voyage of discovery, Auer’s address was the centerpiece of the midday ceremony. Also addressing the assembly on the Historic Quad were Acting Multifaith Chaplain Emily Wright-Magoon, Student Government President Alyssa Morgosh ’15 and college President Clayton Spencer, who opened Convocation with her remarks.<\/p>\n

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Convocation video, including address by Dean of the Faculty Matt Auer:<\/h3>\n