Nov. 2 Email from President Davis

Dear Linfield community,

It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to be your president. We have accomplished much together in the past 5+ years, and I treasure the time we have worked, cheered, laughed and cried together.

It is with profound sadness that I write to let you know that today I informed the board of trustees and the university leadership team that family and personal concerns preclude me from continuing on as Linfield University president. I can’t be bi-coastal, traveling back and forth to the eastern seaboard and remain an effective president here. Nor can I neglect my obligations there.

I have informed the board and Linfield’s vice presidents that I will remain in office until an interim president has been identified and there has been time for an adequate transition period, which is likely by early 2024. I intend to remain fully committed to the office and the functions of my position until that time.

Board Chair Lucinda Day Fournier has said the board will undertake a relatively quick process to identify and appoint an interim president, before conducting a national search for my successor. She will be sending out more information, including how to make nominations or otherwise participate, in the next 24 hours. I believe strongly that Linfield’s next president has much to look forward to, at a university poised to remain a leader in higher education for a long, long time.

You will hear more from me and university leadership in the days ahead about transition plans and our continued efforts to follow the mandates of our most recent strategic plan. The board of trustees will also be on the McMinnville campus next week for regularly scheduled meetings.

I came to Linfield because I was awed by our students: How committed they are to building bright futures; how engaged they are in the present. This is not a place where anyone is halfway in or out. We are all fully committed to Linfield and to continued student success.

Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of it, and this beautiful place, since 2018. Linfield will be forever in my heart. It’s always a great day to be a Wildcat!

Be well and be blessed,

Miles K. Davis, president