David PesciSeptember 26, 20121min
In a Sept. 5 op-ed for The New York Times, Wesleyan President Michael Roth discusses the recent calls to further specialize education and narrow what we teach students from K-12 and on to college at the exclusion of the liberal arts, especially the humanities. Roth says this drive to turn students into “human capital” is not a new. In fact, the esteemed 19th century educational philosopher John Dewey argued against the very same calls, saying, in part, “that learning in the process of living is the deepest form of freedom.”

David PesciMay 27, 20123min
President Michael S. Roth’s remarks: Members of the board of trustees, members of the faculty and staff, distinguished guests, new recipients of graduate degrees and the mighty Class of 2012, I am honored to present some brief remarks on the occasion of this commencement. When most of you began your Wesleyan education in the fall of 2008, the world was in a precarious state. It was an odd time to be investing in the future. But that’s what education is, as Kennedy said: a hopeful investment in the future. When you began here, America was waging two distant wars, the…

Lauren RubensteinMay 9, 20122min
On April 21, Wesleyan President Michael Roth spoke at the inauguration of Anna M. Wasescha as Middlesex Community College's sixth president. Roth joined Senator Richard Blumenthal, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew and many others to welcome the new president. In his speech, Roth said: “Middlesex Community College and Wesleyan have common ground … literally. Last September members of our institutions stood together on Main Street Middletown to celebrate Moving Planet Day, and to join in the commitment to reduce fossil fuel use. Supporting that celebration was Wesleyan’s College of the Environment, which we have begun in the…

Bill HolderFebruary 20, 20122min
President Michael S. Roth and Professor Kari Weil have made a $100,000 gift to Wesleyan in support of endowment for financial aid. In announcing the gift, Joshua Boger ’73, chair of Wesleyan's board of trustees, said:  “I can’t thank Michael and Kari enough for their generosity. Their gift represents the kind of ‘stretch gift’ that we are frequently soliciting from other alumni and their families, and I hope that all members of the Wesleyan community will follow their lead in making Wesleyan a philanthropic priority. Their support of financial aid underscores Michael's and Kari’s superb leadership and dedication to Wesleyan’s…