Clayton Spencer

Clayton Spencer

Spencer speaking at a press event in 2014
8th President of Bates College
Assumed office
July 1, 2012 (2012-07-01)
Salary $465,170 (total compensation)
Preceded by Elaine Tuttle Hansen
Personal details
Born Ava Clayton Spencer
(1954-12-15) December 15, 1954
Concord, North Carolina
Nationality American
Children 2
Residence Lewiston, Maine
Alma mater Williams College (B.A.)
University of Oxford (B.A.)
Harvard University (M.A.)
Yale University (J.D.)
Occupation Academic administrator
Profession
Website The Office of the President

Clayton Spencer (born December 15, 1954) is an American academic administrator, policymaker, and attorney. She is the 8th and current President of Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine; the second woman to hold the office. Born in Concord, North Carolina, Spencer is a graduate of Williams College, the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Yale Law School, where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She was an attorney in Boston, before becoming the chief education counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources from 1993 to 1997.

In 1997, Spencer returned to Harvard as a consultant for federal policy issues. The following year she was appointed associate vice president for higher education policy of the school. Soon after, Spencer became the Institutional Dean of the newly founded Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As an institutional dean she grew the accessibility of Harvard’s financial aid programs and expanded the university policies. During her time at Harvard she created the Crimson Summer Academy, a multi-platform educational program that caters to a selective amount of high achieving students from secondary schools in the Boston and Cambridge areas. After the establishment of the program, she integrated Radcliffe and Harvard College. While at Harvard she served under four presidents and ended the Early Action Program, as well as initiated the Task Force on the Arts alongside the current President of Harvard, Drew Faust. On Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, after some media speculation, Spencer was appointed the President of Bates College. Her installation drew 2,500 students, faculty, alumni, and distinguished members of the American collegiate educational system to Lewiston.

During her first four years in office, Spencer ordered changes to the Short Term Program by creating Practitioner-Taught Courses and redesigned course structure.[1] In 2016, she appointed committees to expand the college's curriculum, received applicants that were the strongest academically and most diverse in the history of the college,[2] increased the market value of the school's endowment and expanded the campus by building new residential dorms. She currently jointly serves on the board of directors of the American Council on Education.

Early life and education

Ava Clayton Spencer was born in 1954 in Concord, North Carolina, to Ava Spencer and Samuel Reid Spencer Jr., a Harvard-trained historian who served as president of Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, from 1957 to 1968 and Davidson College in North Carolina from 1968 to 1984. “I grew up as the daughter of a college president. I used to sneak across campus to watch commencements as a kid, dinner conversation was about the issues facing the college” Spencer has stated of her childhood.[3]

In 1977, Spencer earned her bachelor’s degree from Williams College, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with highest honors in history and German, then earned a B.A. in theology from Oxford University in 1979. She received a M.A. in religion from Harvard University in 1982 and a law degree in 1985 from Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal and winner of the Moot Court competition.

Government career

Upon graduating law school, she clerked for Judge Rya W. Zobel of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts from 1985 to 1986 and then practiced law at the Boston firm of Ropes & Gray from 1986 to 1989. Spencer served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Boston from 1989 to 1993 until becoming chief education counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources from 1993 to 1997 under U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy's chairmanship.[4] She spoke highly of Kennedy stating, “He was hugely progressive and relentless in pursuing his goals, but very pragmatic. That was formative. You can be idealistic and get nothing done; or you can be idealistic, keep your eye on the ball, and take a set of practical steps to advance your goals.”[5]

Harvard career

Spencer joined Harvard in February 1997 as a consultant for federal policy issues. The following year, she was appointed associate vice president for higher education policy reporting to the President, and quickly rose through the ranks. Spencer was widely known for “her collaborative approach, effectiveness in getting things done and passionate commitment to access and affordability.”[6]

Harvard Financial Aid Initiative

One of Spencer's most notable accomplishments is her involvement in the 2004 Harvard Financial Aid Initiative. Her initial contributions spanned the formulation of the program and subsequently expanded the initiative across all of Harvard's outlets. The Harvard Magazine characterized her contributions as "[making Harvard] more affordable to middle-class and upper-middle class families, and to eliminate the family contribution to the cost of attending for many students from lower-income households."[7]

Harvard-Radcliffe merger

Main article: Radcliffe College

In this capacity she advocated for the merger of Harvard College and former women's college, Radcliffe College. She along with the executive board of the college merged the two institutions and founded the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She became the executive dean of the newly founded institute and a frequently lectured at Harvard's Graduate School of Education.

While at Harvard she ended the Early Action Program, initiated the Task Force on the Arts along with Harvard president Drew Faust and increased financial aid dramatically. Already widely considered as one of the most influential figures at Harvard, in 2005 she was appointed vice president for policy at Harvard University, serving until her appointment as president of Bates College in 2012.[8][9]

Bates College

Inauguration

On Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, Spencer was installed as the eighth president of Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine. Her inauguration speech, “Questions worth asking” drew 2,500 students, faculty, alumni, and distinguished members of the American collegiate educational system in Merrill Gymnasium.[10]

Spencer delivered her installation address, saying:

“At Bates, we claim this union of excellence and opportunity as a core element of our identity, and we need to continue to build on this deep aspect of who we are. As a practical matter this means redoubling our efforts to recruit students from a wide range of backgrounds, and it means maintaining an unwavering commitment to financial aid."[11]

She serves as the chief administrator of the college and the ex officio chairperson of the serving board. She is also the chief executive of the Bates College 'corporation' and principal academic of the college.[12]

Presidency (2012 - present)

Endowment and funding

At the conclusion of the second semester of the 2012/13 academic year, the Bates College Board of Trustees announced a totaled pool donation of $11.5 million to start the Catalyst Fund. Spencer would go on to expand the financial aid program by expending more of the college's endowment and indirect funding.[13] With the start of the 2016 academic year, she appointed committees to expand the college's curriculum, after a donation of $19 million was given to fund new areas of study and support incoming professors in the computer sciences.[14]

Spencer speaking at the 50th Reunion Class of 1964 Breakfast

Academics

Spencer ordered changes to the Short Term Program in late 2013, by creating Practitioner-Taught Courses and redesigned course structure.[1]

Public outreach

At the 2014 White House Summit on College Opportunity, Spencer joined other U.S. higher education executives to meet with President Obama. She used the event to highlight the college's financial aid program, and recent donations, as well as calling for educational and financial reform.[15]

In June 2015, Spencer hosted a panel discussion New York City, to speak at the Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Her event drew 2,100 viewers online and Bates College alumni Bryant Gumbel and Michael Chu. The off-campus event was one of the most attended in the history of the college.[16]

Student life

Students participated in a late-night social event where seniors hosted themed parties in their off-campus houses which included underclassman touring the different houses and sampling various drinks.[17][18] The administration, headed by Spencer and Dean of Students, Joshua McIntosh, banned the tradition in 2014, citing "hundreds of noise complaints", student safety, underage drinking, multiple instances of destruction of property, student arrests, and police violence.[19][20][21][22][23][24]

Spencer said in an internal memo issued to students and faculty:

"[Trick or Drink is] just inherently alcohol-based and disruptive to neighbors, the loudest feedback has objected to the decision, but there’s been important feedback from others suggesting that this is exactly the way a college should function on how to move forward together."[25]

Spencer went on to announce that more funding was to be allocated for late-night programming stating, "part of the job is figuring out what the alternatives are."[26]

Residential expansion

In 2015, she received applicants that were the strongest academically and most diverse in the history of the college,[2] increased the market value of the school's endowment. With the newer students adding to residential density, Spencer moved to construct two new LEED-certified residential dorms to house the first years of the 2017 academic calendar. The Campus Avenue Project saw the construction of 56 Campus Avenue and 65 Campus Avenue, which are expected to be operational at the start of the 2016/17 academic year.[27]

Compensation and benefits

Spencer's compensation as of 2013 included a base salary of $432,000, with overall compensation totaling $465,170.[28] She is the second highest paid president of the CBB schools off of base pay, and the third highest paid president of the CBB schools off of overall compensation.[29] The presidency of the college is afforded an official residence, and various other expense free benefits.[30] Her salary has her as the 7th highest paid president (in base pay) in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.[31]

Outside of the presidency

In April of 2015, Spencer was appointed to the American Council on Education, "the nation’s largest and most influential advocacy organization representing colleges and universities."[32] Her appointment was commented on by the council's president saying: "[Spencer] has been a part of almost every major discussion involving higher education policy over the last 20 years, her work on Capitol Hill, at Harvard and now at Bates gives her a unique and important perspective — particularly during this time of dynamic change in higher education. We are extremely pleased to have Clayton join the board and greatly appreciate her commitment to helping guide the work of ACE."[32] Her term on the board is set to expire in 2018.

Spencer has been elected numerous boards and committees, most notably Williams Colege,[33] and Phillips Exeter Academy.[34]

Public image

Due to her national prominence in U.S. higher education, her installation drew 2,500 students, faculty, alumni, and distinguished members of the American collegiate educational system to Lewiston.[10] Her educational upbringing has been hailed as a paragon of academic excellence, in that she attended Phillips Exeter Academy, (ranked #1 in private secondary schools),[35] Williams College (ranked #1 in liberal arts),[36] Oxford University (ranked #1 in the UK),[37] Harvard University (ranked #1 in graduate studies),[38] and Yale University (ranked #1 in Law Schools).[39] Due to her attendance and performance at these institutions she has been dubbed as "the most educated college president in the United States."[40]

Leadership style

In her capacity as an academic administrator at Harvard University, Spencer has been noted for her collaborative approach and effectiveness by The Harvard Crimson, and other media publications. Often referred to as "the Right Hand Woman",[41] she was considered one of the most influential figures at Harvard, behind its President Drew Gilpin Faust. When asked about her work ethic and leadership style, U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd said "there are groups where people care about things but nobody is willing to do the work. Clayton is willing to do the work.”[41]

Personal life

Spencer resides in Lewiston, Maine. Spencer was married to United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, with whom she has two children, William and Ava Carter.[42]

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "President Spencer talks Purposeful Work, campus culture, and Short Term innovations with WRBC | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  2. 1 2 "Students admitted to the Class of 2019 are the academically strongest, most diverse in Bates history | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  3. ↑ "Wow! Clayton Spencer begins a new relationship with her new college | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  4. ↑ "Wow! Clayton Spencer begins a new relationship with her new college | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  5. ↑ "Clayton Spencer". themainemag.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  6. ↑ "Wow! Clayton Spencer begins a new relationship with her new college | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  7. ↑ "A. Clayton Spencer Appointed President of Bates". Harvard Magazine. 2011-12-04. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  8. ↑ "Biography – Office of the President – Bates College". bates.edu.
  9. ↑ "Right-Hand Woman". thecrimson.com.
  10. 1 2 "‘Questions Worth Asking’ — President Clayton Spencer’s inaugural address | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  11. ↑ "Inaugural Address Bates President Clayton Spencer" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Charter and Bylaws | Office of the President | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
  13. ↑ "$11.5 million Catalyst Fund will support ‘transformational change’ at Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  14. ↑ "Bates announces gifts of $19 million to create six new endowed professorships and launch the college’s new digital and computational studies program | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  15. ↑ "President Spencer attends today’s White House summit on college opportunity". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  16. ↑ "Multimedia: President Spencer’s event in New York City with Bryant Gumbel ’70 and Michael Chu ’80". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  17. ↑ "President and Dean of Students meet with students about changes in student life | News | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  18. ↑ "Bates cancels popular holiday party to limit binge drinking — The Bowdoin Orient". The Bowdoin Orient. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  19. ↑ "Bates College administrators squash popular Halloween-time party". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  20. ↑ "The year without Trick or Drink: Tradition unexpectedly cancelled | The Bates Student". www.thebatesstudent.com. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  21. ↑ "Bates Students Up In Arms Over Abrupt Cancellation of "Trick or Drink" | In The 'Cac". Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  22. ↑ "Bates College Cancels Trick or Drink Tradition | Higher Ed Hot Topics". higheredhottopics.com. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  23. ↑ "This week in NESCAC news: Bates College cancels Halloween tradition - The Colby Echo". The Colby Echo. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  24. ↑ "The Spectator - News archive - Hamilton College". students.hamilton.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  25. ↑ "Bates College administrators squash popular Halloween-time party". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  26. ↑ "Students unsatisfied with forum | The Bates Student". www.thebatesstudent.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  27. ↑ "Campus Facilities Planning | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  28. ↑ "Executive Compensation at Private and Public Colleges". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2015-12-06. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  29. ↑ "Executive Compensation at Private and Public Colleges". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2015-12-06. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  30. ↑ "President’s House | Campus Tour | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  31. ↑ "Mills among lowest-paid NESCAC presidents — The Bowdoin Orient". The Bowdoin Orient. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  32. 1 2 "President Spencer joins board of leading higher education group". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  33. ↑ "Spencer Elected President of Bates | Scene & Herd | Winter 2012 | Williams Magazine". magazine.williams.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  34. ↑ "Phillips Exeter Academy | Profile: A. Clayton Spencer ’73". www.exeter.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  35. ↑ "The 25 Best Private High Schools In America". Business Insider. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  36. ↑ "Williams College | Best College | US News". colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  37. ↑ "World University Rankings - 2015 | UK Universities in Top 500 universities | Academic Ranking of World Universities - 2015 | Shanghai Ranking - 2015". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  38. ↑ "World University Rankings - 2015 | USA Universities in Top 500 universities | Academic Ranking of World Universities - 2015 | Shanghai Ranking - 2015". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  39. ↑ "Yale Law School - TLS wiki". www.top-law-schools.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  40. ↑ Associated Press (2013). "A Ushering of New Blood in the American Colligate System". The Washington Times. ... following that Spencer paces before her legacy as the most educated college president in the United States..
  41. 1 2 "Right-Hand Woman | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  42. ↑ "Ashton Carter Fast Facts". CNN. December 11, 2014.
  43. ↑ "A. Clayton Spencer, Class of 1977 | Alumni Awards". alumni-awards.williams.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
  44. ↑ "Biography | Office of the President | Bates College". www.bates.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-24.

External links

Preceded by
Elaine Tuttle Hansen		 President of Bates College
2012–present 		Succeeded by
current
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