Gates to stay on as W&M chancellor

WILLIAMSBURG — Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates will stay on as the chancellor at the College of William and Mary.

The university in Williamsburg 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 campus events and meets 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.