The Bowdoin College Board of Trustees elected a new member, re-elected four members, named three faculty members, three staff members and a trustee to emeritus status, and appointed a Presidential Search Committee during meetings held May 9-10, 2014, on campus.
New and Re-elected Trustees
The board elected Iris W. Davis, of Medford, Mass., and a member of the Class of 1978. Davis is section chief and environmental analyst for the Risk Reduction and Enforcement Division of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Having earned her master’s degree in public health in environmental science and epidemiology at Boston University, Davis has been involved with large projects including the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel and the remediation of Spectacle Island; she was also state project manager for the EPA’s residential lead removal project. Davis previously served as president of the Alumni Council, and received the Alumni Service Award in 2000. Davis was elected to a five-year term, effective July 1, 2014.
The board re-elected Deborah Jensen Barker ’80, P’16; Ronald C. Brady ’89; Scott B. Perper ’78 and Robert F. White ’77, P’15 as trustees, each for a five-year term, also effective July 1.
For her years of service to the Board of Trustees, Tamara A. Nikuradse ’84, first elected to the board in 2004, was named Trustee Emerita.
Retiring Faculty and Staff Awarded Emeritus Status
In recognition of devoted service to Bowdoin, three retiring faculty members were elected to emeritus status.
Jorunn Buckley, Steven Cerf, DeWitt John
Jorunn J. Buckley, who came to the College in 1999, was elected Professor of Religion Emerita. Steven R. Cerf, who arrived in 1971, was elected George Lincoln Skolfield Jr. Professor of German Emeritus. DeWitt John, who started at the College in 2000, was elected Thomas F. Shannon Distinguished Lecturer in Environmental Studies Emeritus. Read more about the three retiring faculty members.
Three retiring staff members were also recognized for their dedication and years of service to the College. Stephen H. Joyce, who came to the College in 1991, was elected Director of Student Aid Emeritus. Leanne Pander, who arrived in 1987, was elected Public Services Librarian Emerita. And Rick Disch, who had hoped to quietly retire after 33 years by telling only one person he was leaving, was surprised to learn while working Saturday’s Trustee Breakfast that the board had awarded him the status of Dining Service Steward Emeritus.
Presidential Search Committee
Trustees also signed off on the official membership of the Presidential Search Committee, which is charged with leading the work to identify the 15th president of Bowdoin College.
The Presidential Search Committee convenes for the first time, May 10, 2014, in the Faculty Room at Massachusetts Hall.
“These members of our larger community were selected for their experience, expertise, and deep understanding of Bowdoin and to represent the many constituencies of our College,” wrote Deborah Jensen Barker, Board of Trustees chair, and Trustee Jes Staley ’79, P’11, Presidential Search Committee chair, in a joint letter to the Bowdoin community. Read more about the Presidential Search Committee and view the list of members.
Trustees also re-elected Heather Hietala ’83 Secretary of the Trustees for a five-year term.
