Comments on: Looking back, Looking forward http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/ Michael S. Roth became Wesleyan University's 16th president on July 1, 2007. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:17:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Marisa Suescun '00 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-305 Marisa Suescun '00 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 02:40:04 +0000 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/#comment-305 President Roth, I graduated from Wesleyan in 2000. During my time there, I embraced my learning fully and reflected on it often. In the seven years since, my ideals, my ideas, my identity as a learner - indeed, my very way of approaching the world - have stretched and bended, sometimes broken, sometimes transformed or melded or layered, sometimes become deeper and brighter. What keeps me grounded - what helps me know what is productive change and what is erosion of integrity - I learned, and was steeped in, at Wesleyan. Coming across your blog this evening by happenstance, I see that same commitment to learning, solid, unshakable through the openness to change. Your words - honest, intelligent phrases like, "What an important subject, but what a dumb way to articulate it!" - struck a chord with me, though I had started off skimming through the blog with half-attention, while mostly watching Monday night football. It is invigorating, a source of exhilaration and comfort, to have my alma mater continue as a place of instruction and guidance. thanks for that! And best of luck. President Roth,
I graduated from Wesleyan in 2000. During my time there, I embraced my learning fully and reflected on it often. In the seven years since, my ideals, my ideas, my identity as a learner – indeed, my very way of approaching the world – have stretched and bended, sometimes broken, sometimes transformed or melded or layered, sometimes become deeper and brighter.

What keeps me grounded – what helps me know what is productive change and what is erosion of integrity – I learned, and was steeped in, at Wesleyan. Coming across your blog this evening by happenstance, I see that same commitment to learning, solid, unshakable through the openness to change. Your words – honest, intelligent phrases like, “What an important subject, but what a dumb way to articulate it!” – struck a chord with me, though I had started off skimming through the blog with half-attention, while mostly watching Monday night football. It is invigorating, a source of exhilaration and comfort, to have my alma mater continue as a place of instruction and guidance.

thanks for that! And best of luck.

]]> By: Ashley Casale '10 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Ashley Casale '10 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:52:29 +0000 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/#comment-304 Thank you for taking sustainability at Wesleyan and beyond seriously! -Ashley Casale '10 Thank you for taking sustainability at Wesleyan and beyond seriously!

-Ashley Casale ‘10

]]> By: Nate Kaufman '08 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-303 Nate Kaufman '08 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:56:16 +0000 http://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2007/10/07/looking-back-looking-forward/#comment-303 President Roth, Thank you for agreeing to sign the Climate Commitment! I am especially encouraged by your acknowledgment that your signature on this document does not mean nearly as much as a concerted effort on the part of everyone at Wesleyan to think about these issues. While a top-down approach is necessary to implement some of the greatest single changes that will make Wesleyan a more environmentally sustainable institution, we also need to understand the value and indispensability of a bottom-up approach; that is, an effort by all members of the Wesleyan community to think about all of our day-to-day actions from an environmental standpoint. I hope that over the next few years, the thinking at Wesleyan—among students, faculty, and staff—will fundamentally change in a way that reflects not the culture of overconsumption and waste that currently exists in our country, but one of thoughtfulness, consideration for the consequences and implications of all our actions, and sustainability and conservation of all our resources. Thank you again! Nate Kaufman '08 President Roth,

Thank you for agreeing to sign the Climate Commitment! I am especially encouraged by your acknowledgment that your signature on this document does not mean nearly as much as a concerted effort on the part of everyone at Wesleyan to think about these issues.

While a top-down approach is necessary to implement some of the greatest single changes that will make Wesleyan a more environmentally sustainable institution, we also need to understand the value and indispensability of a bottom-up approach; that is, an effort by all members of the Wesleyan community to think about all of our day-to-day actions from an environmental standpoint. I hope that over the next few years, the thinking at Wesleyan—among students, faculty, and staff—will fundamentally change in a way that reflects not the culture of overconsumption and waste that currently exists in our country, but one of thoughtfulness, consideration for the consequences and implications of all our actions, and sustainability and conservation of all our resources.
Thank you again!

Nate Kaufman ‘08

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