President Clayton Rose sent an email to the Bowdoin community discussing the "tequila" party and subsequent reactions, both on campus and off. The full text of the email is below:

To the Bowdoin community:

There is currently commentary in the press and social media about a “tequila party” on campus and the reactions of students and the administration. Some aspects of what has been reported have been accurate, others have not, and some facts and context are missing. Because of our legal obligation to protect student confidentiality, I cannot comment specifically on this party, although I will say that the issues we are dealing with are not really about hats or drinks. I do want to share with you how I consider these situations.

I understand that this issue and the standards to which we hold our community members creates debate here and in society more broadly, and I know there are differing reactions and views. I welcome thoughtful engagement on these issues. More on this later.Context matters, and over the last year or two we have had several incidents where students have engaged in racial and ethnic stereotyping—a violation of our Social Code—and there has been much discussion within our community about these incidents, as well as action taken by the administration.  Like our Honor Code and rules against hazing, our Social Code creates a set of standards that reinforce and embody our values, and that directly serve our intellectual mission, which importantly includes engaging with uncomfortable, difficult, and even offensive ideas. It is also important to note that the language of our Social Code is quite similar to the language found in codes of conduct for federal and state governments, as well as for most private sector employers.  We are a place with a history and culture of tolerance, respect, and warmth. Over the decades, our thinking and standards have evolved while remaining true to our values. Examples include opening the College to those of any religious faith, making Bowdoin a place where gender does not define who attends or teaches here, and recognizing that—notwithstanding a powerful and positive legacy—the time for fraternities at Bowdoin had passed. These were not easy moments. They caused debate, and each required that we confront and change attitudes and behaviors. As we have evolved Bowdoin to stay true to our values, we have become a better, more vibrant college and community.

Bowdoin’s essential mission is to teach, learn, and create knowledge, and in doing so to prepare our students for lives of leadership and for making a difference. This requires that our students arrive at Bowdoin ready to be transformed and to evolve their intellect and character through their four years on campus. To deliver on our mission, we must engage in “full-throated intellectual discourse,” including with challenging and disturbing ideas. As I said in my inaugural address, we must do this because:

It is only through this engagement with the most uncomfortable and difficult ideas that we can understand ourselves, our history, and understand the issues and challenges embedded in the hardest, fiercest problems we face today—natural, social, political, and economic. Addressing and confronting these problems requires individuals who are unafraid, who have honed their intellectual skills and are prepared to engage in the debate. If we are to tackle these tough problems, we must be willing to engage with those we disagree with in the strongest terms possible, whose ideas may offend us, and where we may have a deep emotional reaction. We cannot respond by turning away; rather, we need to confront and dig in, figure out what is flawed, incomplete, or wrong. We solve the hardest problems and defeat bad ideas not by withdrawing, but with well-honed logic, data, analysis, and rhetoric.

If we are to serve this mission then every member of our community, every one of our students, must know themselves to be an equal member. Anything less diminishes their ability to participate, to become educated, and it diminishes their ability to add to the learning and creation of knowledge for others. Social gatherings on our campus are generally not connected to our intellectual mission and the exchange of ideas. They are meant for fun, which is as it should be. However, in the context of the serious campus discourse about race, ethnicity, and identity that has been ongoing this year, actions in these social settings that caricature groups, that simplify a culture to some coarse or crude sense of its reality, or that use tokens of discrimination with deep and long-standing meaning, can have a profound effect on those in our community who identify as part of these groups, and can diminish their ability to engage academically. That’s when our values and our mission suffer.

Finally, as I noted above, I welcome open and thoughtful discussion on any number of questions related to this issue, including what constitutes stereotyping, the role race plays in determining opportunities and outcomes in our society, the definition of “political correctness,” the nature of a community and what it might owe its members, and how and why a community such as ours evolves its values. These are worthy topics for debate and learning.

I welcome your thoughts.

Clayton

Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster sent an all-campus email this evening announcing that the College will take disciplinary action against students who dressed up as Native Americans at an off-campus party before Thanksgiving. Student groups and faculty have made a concerted effort to educate students about cultural appropriation in the past year. Last May students organized a teach-in that specifically addressed concerns about the appropriation of Native American attire. The Orient will run a full story when it returns to press in Janaury.

Dear Members of the Bowdoin Community, I write to reinforce the principles of our College and to express my personal frustration and my disapproval of harmful behavior by students who should know better. Last month, just before Thanksgiving, students living at 83 1/2 Harpswell Road—the so-called “Crack House” rented by some members of the men’s lacrosse team—hosted a party known as “Cracksgiving,” for which students were encouraged to dress up as Pilgrims and Native Americans. The invitation urged students to attend “wearing your finest Thanksgiving attire.” Fourteen of the lacrosse team’s fifty or so members went forward with costumes, even after some of the team’s other members actively tried to talk them out of it. For some, wearing a headdress and “war paint” on one’s face and bare chest is just harmless fun. For others, it is cultural appropriation that demonstrates poor judgment and insensitivity. And for others still, it is a racist act that perpetuates prejudice, promotes hurtful stereotypes, and demeans others. Especially disturbing is that the hosts of this event knew—or should have known—that their actions would offend; yet they went ahead with their plans nonetheless. Unfortunately, none of this is new. Last year, there was a similar party that prompted members of our faculty and the Native American Student Association to create programming aimed at raising awareness about cultural appropriation and why it is unwelcome at Bowdoin. The event was covered in the Bowdoin Orient. And just a few weeks ago, in anticipation of Halloween and “Cracksgiving,” student leaders held a “Cultural Appropriation Fashion Show” hoping to educate students about inappropriate costumes. Many got the point and decided not to wear costumes to “Cracksgiving.” But others, including some of the party hosts who knew about and/or attended these educational efforts, chose to willfully ignore the message. So, what can we do when we educate about prejudice, ignorance, and insensitivity but continue to have people who engage in behavior that is hurtful and demeaning to others?  One thing we can do is to say loudly, clearly, and repeatedly that this behavior is not okay. Dean Amaez and I have had several conversations with leaders of the men’s lacrosse team, and the team and their coach have discussed this situation together. Members of the team now recognize that these actions were hurtful, and they have decided that the tradition of “Cracksgiving” has run its course. While I’m glad the team has begun productive conversations about this matter, we must continue to educate about these issues and the impact this behavior has on members of our community. We will take disciplinary action against those who recently dressed in Native American attire since this is “conduct unbecoming of a Bowdoin student.” And we will not tolerate attempts to silence the substantial ongoing student leadership and dialogue on these issues through malicious, personal attacks posted anonymously on Yik Yak and elsewhere—posts that cannot be described as anything other than cowardly. We are, to put it bluntly, better than that. The message must be clear: Bowdoin will not condone or tolerate behavior that divides our community and denigrates others, nor will we accept a plea of ignorance as license to avoid accountability. At this moment in America, as tensions run high about race, class, and inequality, we must continue to learn from one another, to think before we act, and to take responsibility for our actions and our mistakes. Sincerely, Tim FosterDean of Student Affairs

A week after President Barry Mills announced that he would be leaving Bowdoin at the end of the 2014-2015 school year, Chair of the Board of Trustees Debbie Barker wrote an all-campus email announcing the chair of the search committee. 

To Members of the Bowdoin Community,

I am very pleased to announce that Trustee Jes Staley ’79, P’11 has agreed to chair the search for Bowdoin’s fifteenth president, and that Eli Orlic, vice president for development and alumni relations, will serve as staff liaison to the search committee.

Jes has earned his place as a respected member of Bowdoin's Board of Trustees and as a principled leader in the world of finance. He understands the importance of the search process and we know that, under his leadership, the search committee will approach the task of identifying Bowdoin’s next president seriously, thoughtfully, and with great enthusiasm. We are so fortunate that he has agreed to lead this effort.

Jes graduated cum laude from Bowdoin in 1979 with a degree in economics. In the nearly thirty-five years since, he has built an extraordinary career in the highly competitive world of finance, while also serving our College and other important institutions and foundations. He joined BlueMountain Capital in New York City last year after thirty-four years at J.P. Morgan, where he was CEO of J.P. Morgan’s Investment Bank and CEO of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. In addition to his service on our Board of Trustees and as chair of the Board’s Investment Committee, Jes currently serves as a director of the Robin Hood Foundation, the Council on Foreign Relations, Code Advisors, and the Investor Advisory Committee on Financial Markets of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Jes knows Bowdoin well as a dedicated and engaged alumnus, as a trustee, and as a proud parent. His daughter Alexa graduated magna cum laude in 2011 with high honors in physics and with a minor in mathematics. Currently a graduate student in physics at Columbia University, her work was featured last week in the Bowdoin Daily Sun. Jes lives in New York City with his wife, Deby. Their younger daughter, Sophia, is a senior at Brown.

We will assemble the rest of the search committee in the coming days. It will be a group representing the many constituencies of the Bowdoin community that will move forward with great confidence in the strength of our College and in our ability to identify Bowdoin’s next leader. We will announce the full committee membership during the May 8-10 campus meetings of the Board of Trustees.

I am grateful to Jes for his willingness to lead our search process, to Eli for her able assistance, and to each of you for your enthusiastic participation in the life of the College.

Sincerely,

Debbie Barker ’80, P’16

Chair, Bowdoin College Board of Trustees

In an all-campus email, President Barry Mills announced this morning his decision to step down from his role at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 academic year. Mills has been at the college since 2001; in 2011 he announced plans to remain at the college for at least five more years. 

To the Bowdoin Community:

I informed the Board of Trustees this morning that I will step down as president of the College next June at the conclusion of the 2014-15 academic year. 

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love leading Bowdoin, and Karen and I and our boys are proud citizens of Brunswick. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as president of this fantastic College, which is as strong today as in any period during its proud history. In fact, it is because of this strength and because of my affection for the College that I choose to step down next year. Transitions are inevitable, and after what will be 14 tremendous years as president, I believe it is time for me to make way for new leadership to propel Bowdoin into its next period of greatness.

For me, this is not a retirement, as I fully intend to seek another professional challenge. I don’t know what life has in store, but I have reinvented myself several times during the course of my career, and I am eager to see what comes next.

When the time comes, the Board will name a search committee for my successor that will include representatives from the student body and from faculty, staff, and alumni. There will be plenty of time later to look back on our time together, but not now. For now, it must be full speed ahead to preserve access and opportunity, and to strive constantly for the excellence that sets Bowdoin apart.

So, back to work and Go U Bears!

With very best wishes,

Sincerely,

Barry Mills 

To Members of the Bowdoin Community,

I write with the tragic news that our former Board Chair, Don Zuckert '56, died last night at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack. Don was a devoted friend to Bowdoin who served this College for many, many years in vital leadership roles, as a colleague with a wonderful sense of humor, and as a trusted advisor to me and several of my predecessors. He assumed important roles in the Campaign for Bowdoin in the 1980s and served as chair of the New Century Campaign from 1996 to 1998. He was elected an overseer of the College in 1987 and trustee of the College in 1995. Don served as chair of the Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2005, and was elected trustee emeritus in 2005. A year later, in recognition of his loyalty and service to the College, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters at Commencement. His brother, Owen, is a member of the Class of 1954, and his son Timothy is a member of the Class of 1986.

From: Scott Hood

To: Students, Faculty, and Staff

Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2012 4:15

To Members of the Bowdoin Community, I write to ask that we each take a moment tomorrow morning at 9:30—wherever we are—to participate in the national moment of silence requested by Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy in remembrance of the victims of last week's shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Our Chapel bells will toll 26 times in honor of each life lost in this terrible event. I hope you will join me and the people of Maine in this national moment of reflection, as we remember this tragic loss of innocent life and resolve as a community, a state, and a nation to do whatever we can to prevent future tragedies like this from ever happening again.

To the Bowdoin Community, I write to express my deepest sympathies and the condolences of our College to the families in Newtown, Connecticut, who suffered such a horrible loss today. Once again, we witness a tragedy for so many families arising out of a senseless and horrific act. Life is unpredictable and fragile, and that makes it complicated and challenging for us all. That uncertainty makes these random, senseless acts of violence even more profoundly shocking and despicable. At Bowdoin, our commitment to humanity and to the common good nurtures us all in these difficult times. Today, we know that this commitment must result in more than words as we strive to build a just society that values and protects the human spirit.

To Bowdoin Students, Current weather reports estimate that substantial effects of Hurricane Sandy will reach Brunswick between 7:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight tonight. High winds could cause power outages on campus and in the local community. There are generators that will keep life-safety systems working, including heat in your buildings and emergency lighting in common hallways. Toilets on campus should continue to be fully functional. Moulton Union and Thorne Dining will be open regular hours today for all meals. Heavy rain may require Facilities to place sand bags near the main lower-level dining hall entrance on the north side of Moulton Union.

Greetings Pine Street Residents, I’m writing with a heads up about Hurricane Sandy and how it may affect the residents of Pine Street Apartments. The small root systems of some of the pine trees surrounding Pine Street Apartments may not withstand winds of more than 50 mph. In an overabundance of caution, we will evacuate Pine Street should the winds reach this level.

Dear Students, It was another weekend free of an alcohol transport. The last transport occurred over a month ago on September 16. I really admire the way people look out for one another at Bowdoin. It is part of what defines the culture of our community, but it all starts with personal responsibility and leadership. Thank you for stepping-up yourselves and thank you for stepping-in before a friend or peer needs to head to the hospital for a medical crisis.

Several weeks ago, the College launched a new homepage that was designed to create an updated look for the site and to improve functionality. Since the launch, we have carefully monitored web traffic trends and have received many, many comments and suggestions from students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Responses to the new design ran the gamut from high praise to deep dissatisfaction. Now that the site has settled in for a few weeks, we are analyzing what we have learned. Far and away, the biggest negative reaction involves the treatment of campus news and events. Many wrote that the homepage is their primary source for finding out what’s happening at Bowdoin. They missed the full rundown of news and events that appeared on the previous homepage. Moreover, while the new site works reasonably well on a computer screen, it works less well on mobile devices such as iPads, iPhones, and other smartphones. We’ve heard this feedback and we are responding.

Dear Bowdoin Students, As many of you know, four Bowdoin students were treated for alcohol poisoning last Saturday night at a local hospital. The transports stemmed from an off-campus gathering and a College House party, both of which were associated with the Men’s Rugby Team. In the course of investigating these parties, the College has determined that clear violations of Bowdoin’s alcohol policy took place in both venues. We have also determined that members of the Men’s Rugby Team engaged in activities that constitute hazing, which violate the Bowdoin College Social Code and the College’s Hazing Policy. Perhaps most disappointing is the obvious abandonment of sound judgment and the abdication of responsibility by leaders of the team.