Michael Roth – Page 6

The recent death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man killed while being forcibly detained by police, has ignited the United States and brought issues of inequality and violence against black people to the forefront of the national consciousness. Alison Williams ’81, vice president for equity and inclusion/Title IX officer, and Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78 hosted a panel discussion on Thursday, June 11, titled “Toward an Anti-Racist Community,” featuring six alumni of color who discussed how to move beyond the pain and trauma of the current cultural moment toward constructive action. “What I hope is that this will be…

After George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed during his arrest on May 25 in Minneapolis, sparking nationwide demonstrations, members of Wesleyan’s administration and alumni are speaking out against racial injustice and offering resources for community members. On May 30, Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78 shared a Roth on Wesleyan post titled "Build an Anti-Racist Community in Which Hatred and Intolerance Have No Place." Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd. We speak their names with sorrow and with anger. In recent weeks, we confront once again the fact that in America some people so radically devalue African Americans that…

Wesleyan in the News 1. The Chronicle of Higher Education: "Beware the Doyens of Disruption" In this op-ed, President Michael Roth '78 responds to predictions that COVID-19 is going to "change everything" in higher education with a reminder that "the desire of bright young people from all over the world for an on-campus education remains strong." He writes, "It’s because the connectivity among people and practices that takes place in person intensifies the learning experience." 2. HxA Podcast: "Michael Roth, Safe Enough Spaces" President Michael Roth '78 is interviewed on the Heterodox Academy's podcast about his book, Safe Enough Spaces:…

Wesleyan President Michael Roth ’78 made the following remarks (as prepared) during the 188th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 24. President Roth's remarks were delivered live on campus to a virtual audience: Members of the Board of Trustees, members of the faculty and staff, distinguished guests, new recipients of graduate degrees, and the mighty Class of 2020—I welcome you to the 188th annual Commencement of Wesleyan University! I am honored to present some remarks on this joyous occasion. First, let us pause to recollect those members of our community who have passed away over the last year. We hold them…

Wesleyan University held its 188th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 24. President Michael Roth ’78 delivered live, on-campus remarks to a large virtual audience and a small gathering of socially-distanced in-person groups of graduates and onlookers. Photos are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

Wesleyan in the News 1. Washington Post: "Biden Makes End Run Around Trump as the President Dominates the National Stage" Erika Franklin Fowler, associate professor of government and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, comments on Biden's unusual strategy during an unprecedented time for the 2020 presidential campaign. “There is not a ready off-the-shelf playbook for how you campaign in this environment if you are a nonincumbent, so that’s part of what you’re seeing,” she said. “We’re all being thrown into this new environment, where campaigns are going to need to reinvent, to some extent, how they go about things,…

In an April 16 campus email, Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78 outlined the cost of the current COVID-19 pandemic to the University to be between $11-12 million for the current fiscal year. On April 21, Roth and Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Treasurer Andy Tanaka '00 held a virtual All-Staff Community Forum to further discuss the pandemic’s impact on Wesleyan’s finances and take questions from the community. In his initial message, Roth wrote that the estimated loss is driven by "the cost of important measures like reimbursing students for prorated portions of their residential and comprehensive fees, emergency…

Wesleyan in the News Inside Higher Ed: "Contagious Civic Engagement" In this essay, Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth ’78 calls for a "virtuous contagion" to stimulate voting and other forms of civic engagement among young people, and writes about how this can still be possible at a time of social distancing. "The best way to attack cynicism, apathy or voter suppression is through authentic civic engagement between elections," he writes. "One of the great things about this kind of engagement is that it is contagious. As we replicate efforts to bring people into the political process, we create habits of engagement…

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…

Wesleyan in the News 1. Hartford Courant: "Jeanine Basinger, the 'Professor of Hollywood,' Is Wesleyan University's Homegrown Screen Legend" Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, Emerita Jeanine Basinger, whom this article notes has been dubbed “the professor of Hollywood” and “an iconic figure in American cinema, one of the most beloved and respected film history professors in the history of film studies” by The Hollywood Reporter, is interviewed on the occasion of her 60th year at Wesleyan, and the 50th since she created its film program. She talks about her next book on American film comedy, shares some of her favorite things,…

On Jan. 12, several creatives gathered in Mumbai, India, to share valuable insights on liberal arts and the impact of Indian cinema on global entertainment. The event, Liberal Arts + Film and Storytelling: A Wesleyan University Forum, brought together Wesleyan faculty, distinguished alumni, aspiring students and their parents, and the wider Wesleyan community across the globe. Speakers included Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78; Scott Higgins, Charles W. Fries Professor of Film Studies and director of Wesleyan’s College of Film and the Moving Image; and acclaimed global film- and entertainment-industry personalities Matthew Weiner '87, P '18, and Navdeep Singh. Weiner is…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Wesleyan in the News CNN: "What the ‘Woke Student’ and the ‘Welfare Queen’ Have in Common" "Every age seems to need a bogeyman, some negative image against which good people measure themselves," writes President Michael Roth '78 in this op-ed. Roth compares today's bogeyman, the "woke" college student, with those of past eras—the "welfare queen" and "dirty hippie"—and seeks to build understanding and dispel negative misperceptions of activist college students. "The images of the welfare queen and of the woke…

Alumni of Color Help Wesleyan Plot a Path ‘Toward an Anti-Racist Community’

Wesleyan Community Reacts to George Floyd’s Death

Wesleyan in the News

President Roth Delivers Welcome Address at 2020 Commencement

Graduating Seniors Attend President Roth’s Commencement Remarks on Campus

Wesleyan in the News

Roth ’78, Tanaka ’00 Outline Pandemic’s Financial Impact on Wesleyan

Wesleyan in the News

Wesleyan in the News

Wesleyan in the News

Alumni Gather at Liberal Arts + Film and Storytelling Forum in Mumbai

Wesleyan in the News