W&M Board of Visitors’ unanimous decision to extend President Rowe’s contract
William & Mary Rector John Littel sent the following message to the campus community on Nov. 19, 2021. — Ed.
Dear W&M Community,
Earlier today, the Board of Visitors voted unanimously to extend President Katherine Rowe’s contract through June 2028. The Board made this decision based on our strong confidence in President Rowe’s abilities to lead this university community. As we finalize Vision 2026, our new strategic plan, this fall, William & Mary must couple nimbleness and creativeness with our strong traditions of liberal arts education and civic responsibility. President Rowe has proven that she is the right person to lead this work at our university. We are grateful to President Rowe for her commitment to continue to serve this university.
Katherine Rowe was an obvious choice to select as president in 2018. She combines academic and management experience, commitment to stellar teaching and research, success in improving student and faculty diversity and, most importantly, a compelling vision of the importance of liberal arts in today’s world and economy. Those qualities have certainly been evident during the past few years as we successfully concluded the For the Bold campaign and addressed the challenges raised by the global pandemic. She and her husband, Bruce Jacobson, have immersed themselves into all that is good about William & Mary.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the contributions and commitment of so many individuals to our students, mission and community. For this, we are extraordinarily blessed and grateful.
On behalf of the Board of Visitors, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful close to the Fall 2021 semester.
Sincerely,
John E. Littel P’22Rector
William & Mary