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As controversy over the measles vaccine continues to grow, and prominent politicians weigh in with their views, Assistant Professor of Government Erika Franklin Fowler writes in The Washington Post's "Monkey Cage" blog about the dangerous consequences that politicization of vaccine issues in the news media can have on public support for vaccines in general. In an article co-authored with with Sarah Gollust '01, now an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, Fowler considers the the 2009 dust-up over mammography screening recommendations, and the 2006-07 debate over whether to require girls to get the HPV vaccine. Though neither started…

On Feb. 5, the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) Community Committee (CoCo) hosted a Student Activities Fair in Beckham Hall. This video documents the diverse range of clubs at Wesleyan, including activism, interests, identities, politics, publications, sports and more. The purpose of this fair was to create a centralized location where clubs could promote themselves to students who may not be aware of what this diverse campus has to offer. CoCo is chaired by Elizabeth Shackney ’17, who is featured in the video that can be seen below: [youtube]http://youtu.be/L5TG4T79yj0[/youtube]

Winter Storm Juno created light blizzard conditions on Feb. 5. Wind gusts reached 29 mph. (Photos by Olivia Drake MALS '08) (more…)

The meeting ran much later into the evening than usual, and you are walking back to your car alone. The parking lot is both dark and deserted. Suddenly a figure steps out of the shadows not five feet in front of you. What do you do? Thanks to a special training course on campus, a dozen members of the Wesleyan community have a new set of skills to use in both assessing and responding to threatening situations like the one described above. Rape Aggression Defense—or RAD—training, was recently offered to the university's female staff members, coordinated by Krystal-Gayle O’Neill, a residential life area coordinator. Lieutenant Jay Mantie was the lead…

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Assistant Professor of Government Erika Franklin Fowler recently had two new articles on advertising in the 2014 elections published. Co-written with her Wesleyan Media Project co-director Travis Ridout of Washington State University, "Political Advertising in 2014: The Year of the Outside Group" was published in The Forum: A Journal of Applied Research in Contemporary Politics in December 2014. The paper notes a plateau in political advertising volumes and levels of negativity this election cycle, and an increasingly prominent role played by outside groups, especially in competitive races for the U.S. Senate. It also tracks the most competitive races, looks at issues featured in ads,…

President Roth recently spoke to The Washington Post about current level of anxiety over the job-readiness of college grads, and what colleges' roles and responsibilities really are to ensure their students are prepared for the workforce. “The erosion of the middle class,” he said, “has put a lot more pressure on parents and students to make it big in the world or the consequences are dire.” Roth told the Post that he believes universities can do more to prepare students for the job market "without abandoning their traditional role to provide a broad education." He said Wesleyan is investing more in its career services.…

Stray dogs are everywhere in Santiago, Chile. They lie on sidewalks, wander the parks, and even cross busy streets unaided. No one seems to mind; they’re just part of the culture. For Kari Weil, University Professor of Letters, they also were a striking reminder of the purpose of her recent trip to Santiago. At the invitation of the U.S. Embassy there, she visited the Pontificia Catholic University of Chile Jan. 6-9 to discuss current trends in American animal studies. Although academics have studied animals from various perspectives for a long time, animal studies as a cross-disciplinary field has come into its own…

Michael Whalen '83, who returned to his alma mater as head football coach and associate athletics director in 2010, has stepped down as head football coach, effective Feb. 1, to devote his full attention to his post as athletics director. He assumed that position in July 2012. Dan DiCenzo, who has been associate head football coach and defensive coordinator at Wesleyan the last five years, is taking over the head coaching position, succeeding Whalen. “Coach Whalen has dramatically improved Wesleyan’s football program,” said Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth, “and I am grateful for his remarkable service as coach. Now it’s…

#THISISWHY For many years, pilots in the Air Force, scientists conducting research with high-powered lasers, and others have struggled to protect their eyes and sensitive equipment from being damaged by intense laser pulses. In many cases, this was achieved by intense power filters, which offered protection, but self-destructed. Now they have a solution, which provides protection without damaging the filters themselves, thanks to a research collaboration between the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and a team of researchers in Wesleyan's Physics Department. The research, led by Tsampikos Kottos, the Douglas J. and Midge Bowen Bennet Associate Professor of Physics, is included…

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Wesleyan employees increased both giving and participation in this year’s campaign to support the Middlesex United Way, raising more than $111,000 for the local community. More than 400 Wesleyan staff and faculty members gave this year, about a 36 percent participation rate, according to Campaign Coordinator Cathy Lechowicz, director of the Center for Community Partnerships. An online auction also raised more than $600, and some lucky employees won gift certificates to local restaurants—including Haveli India Restaurant, Esca Restaurant, Luce, Nardelli’s, Mondo, and Sweet Harmony Café & Bakery—a night at the Inn at Middletown, a golf foursome at the Yale Golf Course…

Fowler on the Effects of Politicization of Vaccines in the Media

Video: Wesleyan Student Assembly Hosts Student Activities Fair

Bright and Blustery Morning at Wesleyan

Public Safety Holds Rape Aggression Defense Training for Staff

Faculty Curate Picture/Thing Exhibit in Zilkha Gallery

Fowler’s Articles on Advertising in 2014 Midterm Elections Published

President Roth on the Responsibility of Colleges to Make Students Job-Ready

Weil Leads Workshops in Chile on Trends in American Animal Studies

Whalen ’83 to Devote Full Attention to Athletic Director Position; DiCenzo Becomes Head Football Coach

Wesleyan Physics Lab, U.S. Air Force Partner on Groundbreaking Research

Panelists Speak at Martin Luther King Commemoration

Wesleyan Campaign Raises Funds to Support Middlesex United Way