Professor Bailey currents serves as University Ombudsman and as Professor of English and Environmental Studies. His scholarly interests are varied, and he has published widely on such writers as John McPhee, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Frost and Mary Oliver. He is also a writer of non-fiction prose about the natural world, and has an essay forthcoming in ISLE [Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment] entitled "Listening to the Music of the Ompompanoosuc."

Bailey has served the University in many capacities: he has been active in the affairs of the WMU AAUP; he served the English Department for 8 years as its Director of Undergraduate Studies; he was University Ombudsman for five years [1994-99]; he was Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs from 1999 to 2002; he served as Director of Environmental Studies from 2002 to 2005.

He and his wife Katherine live in an old farm house on 65 acres a few miles northeast of Kalamazoo; their property is in the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, and its wildness supports birds, animals, and flowers in profusion. Dr. Bailey and Dr. Joslin live contentedly there, their dog and two ancient cats providing comradeship and entertainment.