The Bates Board of Trustees held its fall meeting on the Bates campus from Thursday, October 23, through Saturday, October 25, 2025. Every standing committee of the Board met to conduct their work, which included the participation of a number of faculty, staff, and students. Trustees also held their annual fall meeting with the Committee on Faculty Governance and had dinner with a broader group of more than two dozen faculty.

The Board spent a significant portion of the meeting on the current strategic planning project, including hearing the preliminary findings of a recent market positioning study and discussing their implications for the college’s enrollment strategy and overall messaging. Trustees also engaged in an additional discussion of enrollment trends and retention matters at Bates, and heard early observations on academic affairs from Joanne Roberts, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, who joined Bates in July.

Trustees discussed the current national context as it relates to higher education. Updates were provided on a range of college events and initiatives, including leadership transitions, athletics, employee engagement, the arts, and strategic planning.

The Board also heard updates on the college’s finances, the endowment, fundraising, and capital projects. Actions taken by the Board included approving the FY25 financial audit results and naming representatives to the Bates–Morse Mountain Corporation.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held virtually and is scheduled for February 6, 2026.

Garry W. Jenkins
President

Gregory A. Ehret ’91, P’23
Chair of the Board of Trustees