Alex Kagan, '27 12/5/25 Alex Kagan, '27 12/5/25

President Dudley To Resign, Take Claremont McKenna Presidency

The longtime Washington and Lee president’s tenure is set to end in the summer of 2026.

“[T]his will be my final year at Washington and Lee,” President William (Will) Dudley said in a message to the university community, which has been uploaded to the W&L website.

Dudley, a Virginia native, is in his ninth full school year as president, his last after accepting the presidency at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. “Ten years is long enough to grow deeply attached to the people and the place,” he said.

“I will miss it and, most especially, all of you. … Ten years is also long enough for a university community to accomplish a great deal, which we have done together,” he added. “I take pride in leaving Washington and Lee in a strong position,” Dudley said, touting that “W&L is now need-blind in undergraduate admissions,” that “[o]ur community has become much more diverse, in meaningful ways,” and that “the academic credentials of our law students have never been higher.”

The Spectator Editorial Staff 10/13/25 The Spectator Editorial Staff 10/13/25

W&L Must Live by Its Mottos

Washington and Lee’s presentation of history violates the goal of a liberal arts education.

Alex Kagan, '27 9/23/25 Alex Kagan, '27 9/23/25

Introductory Note from the Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief Alex Kagan describes his goals for The Spectator.

Andrew L. Thompson, '25 9/16/25 Andrew L. Thompson, '25 9/16/25

The Menace of Mandatory On-Campus Senior Housing

A plan for 100 additional beds poses an existential threat too close for comfort.

Simon Rózsa, '28 9/14/25 Simon Rózsa, '28 9/14/25

W&L Community Endures Summer Power Outage

Staff, faculty and students faced the construction mishap in the middle of a heat wave.

Will Wright, ‘28 9/8/25 Will Wright, ‘28 9/8/25

W&L’s Free Speech Ranking Slips

The recently published report shows a renewed dip in the university’s openness and freedom of expression.

Andrew L. Thompson, '25 9/7/25 Andrew L. Thompson, '25 9/7/25

Farewell Note from Former Editor-in-Chief

Former editor Andrew Thompson reflects on his time at W&L and its future.

Will Wright, ‘28 7/31/25 Will Wright, ‘28 7/31/25

Interim Dean Youngman Discusses W&L’s Future

Paul Youngman addresses his goals as dean of the college and the future of academia.

The Spectator Editorial Staff 12/5/24 The Spectator Editorial Staff 12/5/24

The Numbered Days of DEI

Let’s hope this year brought the last round of DEI training.

The W&L Spectator 12/5/24 The W&L Spectator 12/5/24

Lord of the Deans: They’re Too Townward

Nathan Gilbert, '27 5/15/24 Nathan Gilbert, '27 5/15/24

From the Archives: Presidential Interviews, 1995 and 2016

Segments from interviews with Presidents John Elrod (1995-2001) and William Dudley (2017-)

Andrew L. Thompson, '25 10/5/23 Andrew L. Thompson, '25 10/5/23

The Bureaucratic Quashing of Free Speech

The University can deter events through vague rules, despite pro-speech statements.

an anonymous student 10/5/23 an anonymous student 10/5/23

"One Bad Apple Spoils the Bunch"

Henry Haden, '25 7/16/23 Henry Haden, '25 7/16/23

University Installs New Headstone, Releases Statement

The Spectator Editorial Staff 7/14/23 The Spectator Editorial Staff 7/14/23

Traveller’s headstone removed, not yet replaced

The headstone, placed over fifty years ago during the interment of Robert E. Lee’s favorite horse, was removed this morning, on June 14, 2023. The removal came just days after university officials removed three other plaques across campus, including one on the Lee House stables honoring Traveller’s last home.