WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) - Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates will stay on as the chancellor at William & Mary.
The university in Williamsburg, Virginia, said Thursday that it will appoint Gates to a second seven-year term that begins in July.
The post is mostly ceremonial, but it has a long tradition that dates back to 1693. Former chancellors include George Washington, Margaret Thatcher and Sandra Day O’Connor.
The chancellor participates in major campus events and meets periodically with students and other members of the campus community. Since he became chancellor in 2012, Gates has given public talks, participated in forums on international affairs and led a scholarship initiative.
Gates majored in history and graduated from William & Mary in 1965. He served as defense secretary under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
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