Campus News & Events

William Johnston, the John E. Andrus Professor of History, is a historian who studies disease and medicine, with expertise in epidemics of infectious diseases. In this Q&A, Johnston discusses the novel coronavirus outbreak and what can be learned from the past. Q: How and when did you start studying the history of disease and medicine? A: About 30 years ago, I wrote my dissertation on the subject, which became my first book, The Modern Epidemic: A History of Tuberculosis in Japan. Around that time, people were starting to consider epidemics of infectious diseases a thing of the past that were…

If a spacecraft were to quickly travel outside the solar system—potentially en route to a nearby exoplanetary system—it would need to pass through an atmosphere unfamiliar to scientists on Earth. As a recipient of a $415,000 grant from NASA, Seth Redfield, chair and associate professor of astronomy, hopes to learn more about the mysterious makeup of this "outer space." "There are several very early designs for an interstellar probe, but first, we need to understand the properties of the space in between the stars if you are traveling through it, especially at high speed," Redfield said. "Given the vastness of…

Wesleyan in the News 1. USA Today: “America Has a History of Lynching, but it’s Not a Federal Crime. The House Just Voted to Change That” Benjamin Waite Professor of the English Language Ashraf Rushdy is interviewed on the topic of legislation that would make lynching a federal crime. In the interview he called lynching “the original hate crime.” “Lynching is a blot on the history of America,” he said. “But it’s never too late to do the right thing." 2. The New York Times: “Starbucks Baristas Accuse Service Company of Abuse and Pay Gaps” Associate Professor of Sociology Jonathan…

For the safety of the campus community, amid the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting thousands of known cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) nationwide, Wesleyan is transitioning all classes to distance-learning models for the remainder of the spring semester. "As hard as we work to make the on-campus Wesleyan experience the best it can be, we must apply that same diligence and care to protecting our community’s well-being in light of this growing threat," said Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78 in a campuswide email. While there are no confirmed cases at Wesleyan, there are five confirmed cases in…

Seven faculty were conferred tenure by the Board of Trustees at its most recent meeting. Their appointments will be effective on July 1. They are: Ren Ellis Neyra, associate professor of English James Greenwood, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences Cameron Donnay Hill, associate professor of mathematics Daniel Licata, associate professor of computer science Rashida Shaw McMahon, associate professor of English Laura Ann Twagira, associate professor of history In addition, one faculty member was promoted: Naho Maruta, associate professor of the practice in East Asian studies Brief descriptions of their areas of research and teaching appear below. Ren Ellis…

Wesleyan English major Katie Livingston '21 is one of 12 young writers around the world who will be honored at the 36th Annual L. Rob Hubbard Achievement Awards on April 3 in Hollywood, Calif. She's a finalist for the Writers of the Future Contest, which was initiated by Hubbard in 1983 to provide “a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.” Based on its success, its sister contest, Illustrators of the Future, was created five years later to provide that same opportunity for aspiring artists. The grand prize…

On March 8, the men’s hockey team celebrated its first-ever NESCAC Championship with a 7-2 victory over Trinity College. Although the win secured the league’s automatic bid into the 2020 NCAA Tournament, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors decided to cancel all remaining winter championships as well as the spring sports season across all divisions (I, II, and III). Wesleyan had several winter sports scheduled to compete in their respective NCAA Championships, including men’s hockey, which are affected by this news. The Cardinals scored seven goals in just over 30 minutes of action, erasing an early deficit…

At its most recent meeting on Feb. 29, the Wesleyan Board of Trustees discussed how to better align endowment investment practices with the University’s broad sustainability efforts. In a recent campus-wide email, President Michael Roth ’78 and Board of Trustees Chair Donna Morea ’76, P’06 shared the following message: Given the climate emergency, the investment and ecological risks associated with fossil fuels and the Investment Committee’s own environmental, social and governance guidelines, there was broad agreement among trustees not to make new fossil fuel investments and to wind down current investments in this sector as quickly as possible while minimizing…

Wesleyan faculty frequently publish articles based on their scholarship in The Conversation US, a nonprofit news organization with the tagline “Academic rigor, journalistic flair.” In this article, Marc Longenecker '03, MA '07, assistant professor of the practice in film studies, explains the history of invisible characters in films. Longenecker '03 majored in film studies and physics for his BA, and film studies for his MA. A brief history of invisibility on screen What would you do if you could be invisible? Would this newfound power bring out the best in you, instilling you with the courage to discreetly sabotage the…

Wesleyan in the News 1. The Open Mind: "Democratizing the Jury" Associate Professor of Government Sonali Chakravarti is interviewed in connection with her new book, Radical Enfranchisement in the Jury Room and Public Life, in which she offers a "full-throated defense of juries as a democratic institution." "I am very interested in how ordinary people engage with political institutions, and juries are the place where ordinary people have the most power," she says. Chakravarti calls for more robust civic education, continuing into adulthood, in order to have a "more effective, modern jury system." 2. Hartford Courant: "Sen. Murphy, Aiming to…

At its meeting on Feb. 29, the Wesleyan Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition and residential comprehensive fees by 4.2% for the 2020–21 academic year. Tuition and fees for the 2020–21 year will be $59,386. The residential comprehensive fee for first-year and sophomore students will be $16,384, and for juniors and seniors the fee will be $18,626. The percentage increase in student charges aligns with the University’s average projected increase in total expenses. Wesleyan meets the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students seeking financial aid and devotes millions of dollars of its operating budget to the support…

Wesleyan's Chinese community (particularly students and parents) recently banded together to help their fellow citizens who are battling with the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. From Feb. 2–15, the student-initiated group WesInAction raised more than $23,000, which was used to purchase medical equipment for hospitals affected in the epicenter of the outbreak, Hubei province, China. WesInAction members also provide the campus community with facts about the outbreak and its prevention, and work to promote awareness of racial discrimination on campus. WesInAction student volunteers have done extensive research on COVID-19 and created a brochure that highlights key facts and statistics about it,…

Johnston: What History Can Teach Us About the COVID-19 Pandemic

Redfield Receives NASA Grant to Study the Properties of Outer Space

Wesleyan in the News

Wesleyan Transitions to Online Classes for the Safety of the Campus Community

7 Faculty Conferred Tenure, 1 Promoted

Livingston ’21 a Finalist in a Worldwide Writing Contest

Hockey Wins First-Ever NESCAC Championship

Wesleyan Vows to Divest from Fossil Fuel Investments by the End of the Decade

Longenecker in The Conversation: A Brief History of Invisibility on Screen

Wesleyan in the News

Board of Trustees Approves 4.2% Tuition, Fees Increase for 2020–21

Wesleyan’s Chinese Community Raises Funds, Purchases Medical Supplies for Hospitals Treating Coronavirus Patients