Wes Digs Deep!

Everyone knows that colleges and universities are now under enormous economic pressure. From the decline in the number of high school age students over the next several years—the demographic cliff—to a national deterioration of trust in higher education, schools are facing a difficult future. Despite a robust application pool and an endowment that has grown significantly over the last 15 years, Wesleyan is not immune to these long-term challenges. Add to those the attacks on universities from Washington over the last two months and you have a recipe for financial disaster.

But given the dynamic creativity of our community and our insistence to regard every challenge as an opportunity, we have developed a plan to acquire new resources that will provide long-term financial stability to the university we love. We must dig deep, and so we will.

WES DRILLS!

Yes, while others are trying to placate the madness the Trump administration in March or to save money by cutting back on the ingredients essential to student success, we at Wesleyan are defying expectations. After careful consideration by our experts in wellness and working with our interdisciplinary alumni in the geophysical energy space, we have determined that there are enormous energy reserves directly under Andrus Field. We just have to drill to get at them.

The 80 or so wells planned above will be just the start. We have reason to believe that at Long Lane there are also energy (and chemical) resources buried deep beneath the soil. Although for the last several years we have advocated for not claiming the resources that are part of the earth itself, we have come to believe that true sustainability must come from within. Within Andrus Field. After all, how can something that is deeply part of the earth be really bad for us? We just need to find the technologies to burn it in “clean enough” ways.

The future is under our feet. To protect academic freedom and prove economic security: Drill, Wesleyan, Drill!

On ‘Day of Trans Visibility’: “What I Learned From My Trans Students”

The following essay, “A transformative education for my trans students and me” appeared earlier this month in The Los Angeles Times.

If you teach college students for a long time (I’ve been at it for more than 40 years at more than one institution), you get to see young people go through powerful changes. After all, most are leaving their teenage years behind and moving toward adulthood. For many, that means they are learning to think for themselves in the company of their peers and opening themselves to people and experiences they probably hadn’t even considered in high school. My wife, also a college professor, reminds me about her religious students from the South reading French existentialism for the first time. ‘How will I talk to my parents about this,’ they asked her. Many of my students have asked me to speak directly to their parents about the philosophy they’ve been reading or the history they’ve been learning. It’s a lot for a young person; it’s supposed to be.

Some students go through profound changes in personal identity. They come to see themselves anew, and in a few instances that means they come to see themselves as belonging to a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth. I’ve enjoyed having these students in class. It’s exciting to teach someone who is really going through what we in higher ed often say (in a broader sense) we want for our students: a transformative experience.

Some years ago, a young trans man asked if I’d do a tutorial with him on representations of trans people in popular culture. As a straight white guy of a certain age, I didn’t think I was the best choice for this, but I do teach in film studies and philosophy, and we decided to explore this topic together.

B. (not using full names here) and I would meet each week to talk about a film, a television show, a play. I wanted to look at older things, and he was eager to talk about the present. We compromised, and it was a productive class for both of us. Together we learned about different ways of making sense of identity and transformation.

I have to admit that at first I was afraid of saying the wrong thing, of inadvertently offending my student. He laughed at my worry and made clear he was still figuring things out, too. What does it mean to insist that one has always felt in the wrong body, and how did that compare with someone who quite suddenly found that they were able to have a new identity? What remained of the “same person” after the transformation, we asked ourselves. Was it ever complete? How would one know? These are canonical issues in philosophy, and we applied them to new areas.

That tutorial led us and some of my other students to think about how one publicly“performs” one’s identity. How much of one’s conception of self is produced by how others receive us, or refuse to receive us? Our discussions of recognition and acknowledgment were sometimes very serious, but at other times, quite funny. We talked about drag and burlesque, especially in the ways that excess could be liberating.The makeup would eventually come off, but one learned a lot when one had it on.Unpacking B.’s interpretations wasn’t like the usual discussions of nature, convention and authenticity in traditional political theory, and I was grateful for the new perspective.

I was grateful, too, when another student, E., screwed up their courage and offered a“trans reading” of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” a text I’ve taught often in Great Books courses. After hesitantly raising their hand, E. spoke of how the creature’s hybridity, its uncanny resistance to being put into any category, resonated with the experience of many trans people. They added that rejection by Dr. Frankenstein, the father figure, and the feeling of being an outcast from society, a figure of danger, was all too familiar to them. The class, at first surprised by this intervention, went on to build upon it — and acknowledged E.’s courage.

C., one of my students from years ago, seemed to take my course called “Virtue andVice” under duress. From the get-go they were critical of the syllabus, especially my emphasis on major texts in the Western tradition: Aristotle and Aquinas, Machiavelli and Rousseau, Wollstonecraft and Austen. But C. kept finding themes that spoke to their own struggles toward eudaemonia, to use Aristotle’s term for flourishing. C. was intent on being radically queer, as they might have said, but that did not, we both came to see, obviate the need to cultivate character traits — virtues — that would allow them to thrive. I’m not sure I convinced C. to share my love for the Western canon, but they did come to see that these texts were richly responsive to their probing questions.

My trans students have made me think hard about transformation and identity, about nature and convention, about character and performance.

When I consider how beleaguered my trans students, colleagues and friends are now that the White House is demonizing them, exposing them to hate and prejudice, I reflect back on the words of former Atty Gen. Loretta Lynch: “But no matter how isolated or scared you may feel today,” she declared in 2016, announcing a Justice Department action on behalf of trans rights, “[we want] you to know that we see you; we stand with you; and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward.”

I first heard those words sitting next to my colleague and friend Jenny Boylan, a tear rolling down her cheek. Simple words of compassion from a government official to a vulnerable population, including Jenny. That seems so distant now. That government-level recognition and reassurance were so important then. It’s even more important that we stand with trans people today.

 

Our Government Should Protect us from Terror Not Spread It

A few weeks ago, following the arrest of recent Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, I wrote an essay that appeared in Slate objecting to the government’s outrageous detention of someone for having been involved in campus protests. “You don’t have to be a fan of Mahmoud Khalil’s politics,” I wrote, “to protest this egregious violation of fundamental American rights.”

“So, what next? Is everyone protesting the actions of Israel in Gaza going to be subject to arrest? Does having protested U.S. support for the bombing of civilians now put one at risk? Not a few Jewish students have participated in campus protests against the war in Gaza; will they too be deemed to be in violation of the president’s orders prohibiting antisemitism?”

In the last couple of weeks we have seen Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown sent back to Lebanon, and Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown professor, detained. Neither was accused of any crime. Kseniia Petrova, an Anti-Putin Russian scientist who had fled her homeland, has been detained and is scheduled to be sent back to a regime well-known for its state-sponsored brutality. And then this week we saw Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts student, abducted by federal agents.

These actions have nothing to do with protecting the security of the United States. They are efforts to silence the Muslim community, international visitors to the country, and institutions of higher education. Our government is running a campaign of fear, and we must resist it in the strongest possible terms.

Authoritarianism is on the march in America. We must not stay silent in the face of these efforts to spread fear and demand obedience. We must stand firm in our conviction that the freedoms of civil society—freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion—are worth defending. Tyranny will prevail only if we stay silent and give in to these oppressive tactics. We will not do so.

Spring Break? What break??

It’s the middle of spring break, and there are plenty of Wesleyan students enjoying the respite from classes with friends and family. Many of our athletes are competing in warmer climes, though some are right here duking it out against tough opponents. As I write this, the men’s basketball team is preparing to play at home in the sweet 16 – our first appearance at this level. Theater kids are practicing their lines, and those who have recitals coming up are busy getting ready to perform.

[UPDATE: The basketball team won a nail-biter against Emory and is off to the FINAL FOUR in Indiana on Thursday!!! FIRST TIME IN WES HISTORY!!!]

And there are the senior theses writers hunkered down in a library or a bedroom somewhere…writing, revising, checking their data sets or fine tuning the plots of their creative writing projects. I remember vividly working on my own thesis back in the day, and it remains one of the most intense intellectual experiences of my life.

Each year I collect a small sampling of thesis topics from my colleagues. In the College of Letters I‘ve heard about a project that wrestles with disease and identity, fact, fiction and art (Maya Gray). Another that works through topics in animal studies, literature and performance (Malia Detar Cheung). Aristocratic women and the crusades is the subject of a medieval studies thesis (Beatrix Briggs), and one in religion looks at the alt-right, hate speech and violence (AJ Minzer).

A CSSer is looking at radio and propaganda in the Soviet Union (Czarina Yuffa). A study abroad trip in France has led a student to explore the symbolic status of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in the revolutionary period (Phoebe Robinson). Strangely topical is a project on a boundary dispute between Canada and Great Britain in the mid 1800s (Ben Sheriff). And straightforwardly relevant is a thesis on surveillance and technology (Jack Noble).

In Psych and Ed Studies, a student is writing on South Korean and US students’ educational experiences with an eye toward media, burnout, and mental health as common denominators in both cultures (Mika Zapf).  Speaking of Ed Studies, I’ve heard of two theses focused on curriculum development: one using Survivor as a game-based structure for an entire course (Jesse Herzog) and another using dance as a curricular framework (Cadence Rosenblum).

History theses include one on tourists in Thailand (Allie Pae) and on missionaries in Rwanda (Daniel Holt). Women’s clothing in Early Modern Europe (Greta Armbrust) and the peace process in Ireland (James Fitzpatrick) have attracted enterprising seniors, while others are working on University of California’s race-blind admissions (Aaron Finkelstein) and American theories of hysteria and neurasthenia (Katherine Petersdorf).

Good luck to everyone working through this break! Spring is here, soon your hearts will be dancing!

“The Winds of March that Make My Heart a Dancer…” or Spring Break (finally)

Although we are not quite halfway through the semester, this year it seems that our break couldn’t come fast enough. The national and international news has been especially disquieting, with each day seeming to demand some reaction. Of course, the practice of “institutional neutrality” would make things easier… See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. If only.

But let us take deep breaths in the cool March air, catch sight of the crocuses poking out of the soil, and generally find rejuvenation in this break from classes. Our athletes will be competing (men’s basketball hosting the NCAA tournament this weekend!), our theater folks will be rehearsing, and senior theses writers will be working away. We wish them all the very best, while we also gather resources that will propel us all through the rest of the semester.

Lola is ready!  

From:

To:

Stand With Ukraine!

Three years ago, Russia launched a brutal invasion of Ukraine. Many thought that the much smaller nation would be quickly overrun, but with extraordinary courage and resolve — and significant aid from the West — the Ukrainians have protected their country. Their struggle has deserved US support, and it has received it. But now with a Putin admirer in the White House, all bets are off.

Back in 2014, one of my Coursera students wrote: “what do we see now? It’s hard to believe that after everything that has been happening in my beloved Motherland during these 3 months, after all those people who were injured or died fighting for the freedom and democracy, Russia de facto declares a war against Ukraine. Please, wake me up, tell me it’s just a fucked up nightmare.”

Yes, the nightmare continues. It’s hard to believe, that after all the pain and suffering of the last three years of war, the American administration seems ready to betray Ukraine. Students led a demonstration three years ago to support the Ukrainians, and today there will be a vigil during the lunch hour. We can at least bear witness. I wrote with admiration about the work Professor Barry Chernoff and Katja Kolcio were doing to connect Ukrainian civil society with people here at Wesleyan. Katja told me that expressions of support and empathy were meaningful to her compatriots in Kiev. 

A feckless government will lose its allies, and a country that betrays its friends in favor of autocrats will eventually see its legitimacy disintegrate. Meanwhile, we can remind our friends in Ukraine that their many American admirers continue to support them, as we work together for a just, sustainable peace.

Wesleyan Giving Day

This Wednesday, February 12 is Wesleyan Giving Day and this year’s Giving Day theme is “We Are Wesleyan”—a theme that highlights the power of community among our students, families, staff, faculty, and alumni, on campus and beyond, wherever Wesleyans find themselves in the world.

Wesleyan is comprised of people with different views, different dreams, different concerns, and many kinds of hope. At Wesleyan we learn how to create solidarity among people who may not agree on everything – and to be energized by each other’s achievements.

This spirit is infused into every day on campus. I was recently invited by Maria-Christina Oliveras to attend the performance final for her musical theater course. I joined a group of spectators—including faculty from areas like Government and Economics and students who were friends of roommates’ friends. Together, we watched athletes, neuroscience majors, painters, and others on stage, performing songs ranging from spirituals to Broadway classics. It was wonderful and distinctly Wesleyan. Performers and spectators supporting one another, bound in community.

People ask me all the time if fundraising is the hardest part about being a university president. I tell them no, it’s the best part, because it’s all about supporting our amazing students.

In my 18 years in this role, I’ve seen our donors succeed in making Wesleyan more financially sustainable. I’ve seen them succeed in growing Wesleyan’s sense of community. But though our community has grown, so too have its financial needs. These are challenging times, and our students need our support more than ever.

Please show your pride in our community today by making a gift to celebrate that We Are Wesleyan.

Dynamic Pluralism in Chaotic Times

This morning I sent the following message to the campus community.

Dear friends,

It is so good to be back on campus with colleagues and students. I’ve met with my class a couple of times, and I still get a thrill teaching in the new Frank Center for Public Affairs. Early in the morning, Kari, Lola, and I see athletes heading to practice before dawn; there are art openings in the afternoon; and I’m told the libraries are abuzz late into the night. Wes is alive and well.

Yet looking around the world, we recognize these are anxious times. And sad times, too. Wednesday night’s plane accident in Washington, D.C., reminds us how suddenly an experience we take for granted can become a tragedy. In the chaos of this past week many of us have realized how much we, and our institutions, took for granted our dependence on the government. From Pell Grants and student loans to research support and so much more, universities across the country have relied on governmental support while maintaining their autonomy to teach and learn as they see fit. Freedom of expression—with respect to artistic practice or scholarly research—has long been compatible with government support. This has been good for the country, for our students and teachers—and for the wider world of learning.

Internationalization has also been good for learning. Each year Wesleyan welcomes hundreds of students from around the world, along with dozens of teachers, researchers, and artists. These visitors, along with immigrants to the United States, make an enormous contribution for which we are grateful.

If we hadn’t fully realized it before, we surely now recognize that elections have consequences. But that doesn’t mean that we should be silent in the face of intimidation, scapegoating, and violations of the rule of law. As I’ve said in the past, the University will do everything it can to protect the most vulnerable among us. We remain committed to principles of non-discrimination, including equal protection, regardless of gender, national origin, or citizenship. I am appalled by the attacks on trans people and immigrants. Defending the most vulnerable among us is a duty.

Our university has for decades worked to enhance the educational power of diversity, and we continue to do so. While powerful forces have demonized a caricature of DEI, we remain steadfast in our efforts to treat everyone in our community fairly while helping them feel they belong. These efforts are key to the dynamic pluralism that we seek to cultivate.

In the coming weeks and months, you may have questions about how you or how Wesleyan will be affected by changes in governmental policies. Please reach out to Human Resources or to Academic and Class Deans for help. My office stands at the ready to do what it can.

Wesleyan is almost 200 years old and has seen turbulent times before. We will navigate the current situation consistent with our mission to create “a diverse, energetic community of students, faculty, and staff who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit.” It is so good to be in your company!

Sincerely,

Michael S. Roth
President

Welcome to the New Semester!


This message was sent to the Wesleyan campus community earlier this week.

Welcome back to campus! As we prepare for the spring semester, we are mindful of the challenges faced by so many—from wildfires to war. We are also cognizant of signs of hope, whether it is rebuilding neighborhoods or building peace. A commitment to education, I’ve long believed, is itself a sign of hope, a sign that together we can learn to enhance our own capacities while contributing to making the world a better place. It is with this commitment and these hopes that I welcome you back to Middletown. Have a great semester!


Moving Toward that Goal with MLK

Today we celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. King never aspired to perfection, but he never let his personal trials, or the obstacles created by defenders of White supremacy, derail his efforts to live a life of practical idealism. That life and that idealism continue to inspire millions.   

King was deeply committed to pragmatic liberal education. He took for granted that students needed to acquire skills that others would find useful, but he also believed that students should be enhancing their capacity to participate in the political and intellectual culture of their time. Through thoughtful participation, we would learn to distinguish the lies told by the powerful from the path for genuine empowerment of all citizens. “To save man from the morass of propaganda,” he wrote while an undergraduate himself, “is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”

King also knew that a narrow education could do more harm than good. When we learn just to get things done, we may find ourselves efficiently destroying the welfare of others. “The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals,” he wrote in that same student essay. We know, as we say in our University’s strategic plan, that “education can reinforce privilege and divisions, or it can be a vehicle for social mobility and cohesion.”

Image of Martin Luther King, Jr. with Wesleyan students
In addition to King’s public lectures and sermons, the civil rights leader would also speak with smaller groups of students in more personal settings. Here he is speaking at a College of Social Sciences talk.

At liberal arts institutions, we believe wholeheartedly in holistic education – and we recognize there are many ways to deliver that form of learning to different kinds of students. Students and faculty put together a plan for the “education of the whole person” that should last a lifetime.  As we say in our Mission Statement: “The University seeks to build a diverse, energetic community of students, faculty, and staff who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit.”

This year MLK Day falls just as the new semester begins at many universities. It also falls on the first day of a new administration in Washington. I wonder what King would make of those about to take charge of the most powerful governmental apparatus in the world. Perhaps he would use the same words with which he brought his student essay on education to a close: “Be careful, brethren!”

We should all “be careful” as the federal government moves to implement some of the promises made during last year’s campaign. Vigilance is necessary as we safeguard our commitments to freedom of inquiry and expression. Energy and creativity are necessary as we “strengthen our commitment to fostering a spirit of care and belonging while increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.” When I wrote that phrase as part of Wesleyan’s strategic plan, it seemed uncontroversial. Who could be against learning from others different from oneself? Who could oppose fairness and belonging?  

Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at a Wesleyan Commencement
“Segregation is an immoral system and it is nothing but a new form of slavery covered up with certain niceties of complexity,” King said during his 1964 Baccalaureate Address.

These days the acronym DEI has plenty of detractors, and so we must remind people why increasing access to education, while trying to ensure that all those invited to campus feel welcome, is a basic principle of liberal learning in a democratic culture. We will continue to defend that principle and the freedoms that make it possible, but we should remain open to hearing perspectives quite different from our own. We will surely fail to convince some of our interlocutors, but we should try to learn from all these conversations.

Martin Luther King, Jr. came to know better than most that movements for social change experience frustrating setbacks. Still, he wrote later in “The Power of Non-Violence” that “we have a great opportunity in America to build here a great nation, a nation where all men live together as brothers and respect the dignity and worth of all human personality. We must keep moving toward that goal.” He always recognized that resilience and hope are essential in the attempt to build the nation to which we aspire. Resilience and hope are qualities that we should bring to the new semester and to this new year. Education is our way to keep “moving toward that goal” as Dr. King saw all those years ago.

We can cultivate those qualities together. They will help us be better students – and better citizens.