Michael S. Roth '78

I received the following message from a student concerning a campus drive to support relief efforts in Haiti on Monday, November 7.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

The Haitian Student Collective (HSC) is holding an electronic drive this Monday, November 7th, as part of an immediate contribution to the relief efforts for those recently affected by Hurricane Matthew. On top of the numerous lives taken, the hurricane caused severe physical damages as properties/personal belongings of many got destroyed.

Many groups and organizations are helping out with the distribution of water, food, and health supplies so response to some of urgent needs of people has been going well. However, assistance in other areas also heavily affected by the Hurricane is practically non-existent.

Professor Elizabeth McAlister, who’s maintained close ties to Haiti for a very long time, informed members of the HSC about the urgent needs for electronics, especially in the academic community. She is traveling to Haiti on November 9th for a conference and offered to carry the electronic devices that we collect during the drive. They will be distributed at a university in Haiti and make their way to many individuals in need of a new device.

The electronic drive will happen from 11am until 5pm in Usdan and we will be having bins to collect smartphones, tablets, and laptops in good working-condition.

Thus, throughout the week you can gather your devices and then on Friday stop by our table to drop off your items. The devices need to have their charger. You will receive a couple of reminders later this week so that we have a successful turn-out! We’re also asking you to spread the word to as many people as possible who might be interested.

We hope that you will participate in our efforts to ensure that Haitians continue to have access to resources essential to their livelihood. We sincerely appreciate your solidarity during these tough times and thank you in advance for your donations.

Kind regards,

The Haitian Student Collective (HSC)

On Saturday night this Family Weekend, the College of Film and the Moving Image is screening Hamilton’s America, a film directed by Alex Horwitz ’02.

Hamilton’s America shows just how timeless the hot-button issues of today’s America are: immigration, States’ rights, debt, income inequality, and race relations. These were the same fights that defined Hamilton’s time, and they are the driving force of Miranda’s historic work. The film endeavors to brush the dust off American history, much as the musical does, and provide a unique new way for us to view our national heritage and current political landscape.

A unique window into the artistry and research involved in making the show, viewers will witness Miranda at the White House in 2009 performing an early version of what would become “Alexander Hamilton,” the first number in the musical, and they will also be given an inside view of Miranda as he composes songs in Aaron Burr’s Manhattan bedroom. They will travel to Virginia with Christopher Jackson – who was Tony^®-nominated for his portrayal of George Washington in the musical – as he reveals his personal struggle preparing for the role, while grappling with our Founder’s legacy of slavery. Back in New York, Miranda, who originated the Tony^®-nominated role of Hamilton in the musical and Leslie Odom, Jr. – who won a Tony Award^® for his portrayal of Aaron Burr – visit the Museum of American Finance to get a deeper understanding of the historical figures they are depicting on stage, including a memorable moment from this research trip, when the two actors brandish authentic 19^th-century dueling pistols.

It will be wonderful to see this film on the big screen. If you can’t make it Saturday night, you can still watch the film here.

Two other recent documentaries directed by Wesleyan alumni were recently brought to my attention. Randy McLowry ’86 has a new film airing on PBS’s American Experience on November 1st. Professor Scott Higgins tells me that “Randy is a terrific filmmaker who continues to produce and direct interesting work for PBS and others.” The Battle of Chosin tells the story of a crucial, and harrowing, battle in the Korean War.

“The Battle of Chosin contains remarkably compelling archival footage and photographs, but its real strength is its cast of veterans, who recount their experiences in intimate detail,” said Mark Samels, American Experience executive producer. “Representing a cross section of America, these men tell stories that are often heartrending, but which affirm the valor and dedication of those who served during the brutal days and nights at Chosin. It’s important that we capture their stories now, in their own words, before we lose them.”

You can read more about the film here.

Finally, Roger Weisberg ’75 directed Dream On, which also premiered this fall on PBS. This film examines what’s happened to the American Dream in the age of downsizing and disinvestment from the public good.

Dream On investigates the perilous state of the American Dream after decades of rising income inequality and declining economic mobility. In an epic road trip, political comedian John Fugelsang retraces the journey of Alexis de Tocqueville, whose study of our young country in 1831 came to define America as a place where anyone, of any background, could climb the ladder of economic opportunity.

Roger has a long list of distinguished documentaries to his credit, and Dream On powerfully demonstrates his continued passion for filmmaking in the service of social justice. You can read more about the film (and see it!) here.

Wesleyan documentary filmmakers challenge the world as they envision it for the screen. I’m so proud of the work they are doing!

A few weeks ago a Wesleyan student asked me if the University would be willing to fly the Black Lives Matter flag as a sign of our commitment to deal with the persistent effects of systemic racism on campus and off. When he posed this question, I had already been thinking about how to turn Wesleyan’s attention to the importance of the coming election. Perhaps raising the flag would remind all of us of what’s at stake on November 8th.

Black Lives Matter has been the most significant civil rights movement in decades. It has raised questions fundamental to American democracy, law enforcement, mass incarceration, voting rights, access to resources and much, much more. I know very well that not everyone agrees with its tactics or its goals — and the movement itself has many components with different points of view. We raise the flag at Wesleyan not to tell people what to think but to remind people that the time to think, to discuss, to act…. is now.

The Anthropology Department is sponsoring a panel discussion on Black Lives Matter at 4:30 Nov 1st in the Russell House. The Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life has put together a series of panels on election issues more generally. The first one is on the Role of Religion in Politics and takes place October 27 at 7pm PAC 001. More information on the series can be found here.

Whatever one thinks of Black Lives Matter, I hope by raising the movement’s banner we are instigating more discussion, more engagement, more efforts to promote civil rights and to eradicate racism. We will fly the flag until Election Day.

Homecoming this year was marked by some valiant efforts by teams that fought hard every step of the way. From field hockey to soccer, Wes athletes competed with energy and smarts. There were heartbreaking losses and terrific winning efforts.

Special shout outs go to the women’s volleyball team that had some dominating performances. The remarkable Nicole Hilton ’20 was named NESCAC Volleyball Player-of-the-Week. Congratulations!!

And the football team was glorious in its convincing win over a strong Amherst team, 20-0. Ike Fuchs ’17 was named NESCAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Week, and there were great performances on both sides of the ball on Saturday. Congratulations to all on this wonderful team effort.

At the end of the weekend we received news of another triumph. The Wesleyan Women’s Crew Team had taken a first place at the prestigious Head of The Charles Regatta. Congratulations!

Now onward to the rest of the semester!!

Thousands of alumni will be heading to campus this weekend to celebrate Wesleyan and Middletown. There are athletic contests galore, seminars and lectures….lots of things to remind us of the resources and creativity of alma mater. Our university thrives in the context of a great community, and we will be celebrating our city and its residents. Find out more here.

Eiko Otake, who for many years has taught dance and performance at Wesleyan, was recognized this week with a “Bessie” Award for her work in 2015 at Danspace Project Platform. “A Body in Places,” photographs of which (taken by Wes historian and photographer WilliamJohnston) were exhibited here, was recognized with this prestigious award. The jury cited Eiko “For making herself ‘radically available’ in public and private spaces over several weeks, actively engaging with pressing political and environmental issues of our time. For collaborating with a wide range of artists through performances, readings, films, discussions, and rituals to evoke the power and meaning of the human body inhabiting a planet in crisis.”

Congratulations Eiko, for this important recognition of your extraordinary work!

This afternoon I sent the following message to the Wesleyan community:

Dear friends,

The news that a former staff member of the University had been fired by his previous employer for grossly inappropriate behavior has led to student protests and powerful expressions of pain. At a time when we are confronted by cavalier discussions of sexual abuse even in the presidential campaign, the revelations here have reopened wounds of many on campus who are survivors. Their anguish is all too real, and we must work to change the conditions that gave rise to it.

What can we do? What will the administration do? As I’ve listened to campus concerns, they seem to fall into three key areas: transparency; Title IX issues; and following up on task force recommendations on equity and inclusion.

Transparency only exists with communication, and we are reaching out to student representatives in a series of meetings throughout the rest of the semester and beyond. We are also putting together resources where all students can find information on what we are doing to address major concerns. Are there other ways in which we can be more open about our decision-making processes? If you have ideas about this, let me or others in the administration know. I have office hours on most Monday afternoons, but I can make appointments to talk any day I’m on campus (contact presoffice@wesleyan.edu or 860-685-3500).

In regard to Title IX, we are meeting with students and bringing in a consultant to review all our procedures and help us decide if we should use outside personnel to handle accusations of sexual misconduct involving students. In the meantime, we are working hard to make sure that the procedures we have are put to best possible use in meeting the needs of our students.  If you would like to make a Title IX report or have questions about the process, please contact Debbie Colucci, Equity Compliance Director & Deputy Title IX Coordinator, dcolucci@wesleyan.edu or 860-685-2456, or Alysha Warren, Therapist/Sexual Assault Resource Coordinator, awarren@wesleyan.edu or 860-685-3217.

Finally, we are working on the Equity Task Force recommendations from last year. We have put in place a new Opportunity Hires policy to facilitate the diversification of our faculty and staff, and we have identified possible locations for the new Resource Center as well as allocating resources for a dedicated staff person. Next step: more student input.

These are only some of the initiatives underway to respond to the student concerns. But administrative initiatives, no matter how well-intentioned, can only do so much. We need to care for one another. Some of the most meaningful voices I’ve heard come from students describing the pain they are in, pain that haunts their lives, suffering that is heightened every time another attack is reported, every time we display the failure to have moved our campus far enough toward a culture of belonging and away from one of marginalization. Like so many others on the faculty and in the administration, I both want to acknowledge the awful reality of this anguish and pledge to work across the campus to address its sources.

Students, staff and faculty desire and deserve a transparent, responsive, and respectful community. This is work in which we all have a part. It depends on listening, on caring for one another, and on work that leads to real results. As president, I pledge to do my part.

Michael S. Roth

President

I spent yesterday observing Yom Kippur – absorbing the wise words and expressions of deep feeling of others, engaging in self-reflection and consideration of forgiveness and responsibility. In the Jewish traditions in which I participate, we speak of “turning,” of positioning ourselves to live a more just and meaningful life, of listening to others and acting on our values. I will continue this turning.

I have tried hard to listen to the concerns of all members of the Wesleyan community, and especially to those students who want our school to do more to acknowledge their experience – their accomplishments, to be sure, but also their pain and vulnerability. Over the years I have heard from countless young people who have found at Wesleyan – through their friends, teachers and staff mentors – the path to developing the capacity to do work they find fulfilling, to live lives they find meaningful. But I have also heard from many who believe alma mater can do much more — that we must do more if we are to become a truly equitable and inclusive place.

I’ll have more specific things to say about this early next week with specific ideas of how to increase transparency, to improve our disciplinary and Title IX adjudication processes, and to follow up on recommendations concerning faculty/staff diversity and a student resource center.

These are some of the areas in which I know we can improve. But we all need to see results and not just rhetoric. By working together, by making real changes that matter to students, I hope we can rebuild trust while building a campus culture in which everyone takes pride.

UPDATE:

I received an email from Noah Kahan, of the Student Life Committee of the WSA. He wanted to share some information about student work on voter registration:

This past month, Josh Nodiff and I have worked on a voter accessibility page for the WSA website, which provides an easy way for students, faculty and staff to access to registration forms, absentee request forms, as well as any other information about the voting process. You can check out the Voter Accessibility page here: 

http://www.wesleyanstudentassembly.org/voter-form/

This action is in accordance with Resolution 20.37 or the

Voter Accessibility Act (VAA) passed last semester.

In addition, this Wednesday, from 11-1pm, the WSA, along with the Allbritton Center for Public Life, will be holding tabling in Usdan where students can print out voter registration and absentee ballot request forms. We will be supplying stamps and envelopes so students can send out your voter registration or absentee request forms right away!

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Lots of folks will gather tonight, Sunday, to watch the Presidential Debate in 150 Science Center — the Tishler Auditorium. The debate starts at 9:00 pm, but come early!

It’s not too late to register to vote. Some students sent me some information on voter registration deadlines.

You can find out more at vote.gov

We are watching news reports from the Caribbean with deep concern. The images from Haiti and other areas in the region are heart rending. We are reaching out to our students from the affected areas to see what we can do to be helpful. Thankfully, our students studying in the Caribbean are okay, but we remain concerned about the impact on students and families from that region and from Southeastern U.S. coastal areas. If you would like support or have questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office.

If you want to find ways to be helpful, you might look at the work Partners in Health is doing. You might also check out what Professor Gina Athena Ulysse has been writing on Haiti.

As always, let’s reach out and check in with one another.

As of now, we are monitoring weather forecasts for Middletown, and we will keep folks informed if we think the storm will have an impact here.