Office of the President

South College

Middletown, CT 06459
presoffice@wesleyan.edu
860-685-3500

Bylines

Below are links to some recent bylines by 911±¬ÁÏÍø President Michael S. Roth.
April 22, 2026 - The New York Times

The retreat from public purpose will not enhance trust; it will further erode it. A lack of public engagement and an air of cloistered privilege are a big part of why so many people now view universities with suspicion. Retreating further behind the gates will make a bad situation much worse. [ ]

April 5, 2026 - The Forward

Through the teaching that we were slaves in Egypt, we are meant to feel how it is to be oppressed and to consider our obligation to claim our freedoms, an essential step in developing a people. [ ]

March 4, 2026 - The New York Times

Inspired by those volunteers seven decades ago, 911±¬ÁÏÍø and a network of hundreds of schools and allied organizations are uniting for Democracy Summer, a nationwide program to educate citizens and protect our elections in the coming year. [ ]

January 25, 2026 - MS NOW

Although many university presidents are accommodating the president by cloaking themselves in neutrality, other higher education leaders, including those at George Mason, Princeton, Bard, Harvard and Mount Holyoke, are resisting federal pressure. [ ]

January 15, 2026 - The Washington Post

While President Donald Trump wants schools to align their work with his priorities, [Lee C.] Bollinger underscores higher education’s potential to challenge the priorities of whoever is in power. He paints an idealized portrait of institutions that offer transformational opportunities to students while advancing knowledge in ways other organizations cannot. [ ]

December 29, 2025 - The Washington Post

We should look for examples of people who just say 'no,' refusing to cave to social pressures or power moves intended to force us to live at odds with our values. Despite the prevailing winds, plenty of teachers are doing just that while motivating their students by challenging rather than coddling them. [ ]

December 9, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Obsequiousness and collaboration spread like viruses to weaken our republic, but the choice to support one another and defend our institutions strengthens it. We have been and can again be a country that refuses to get used to authoritarianism. We can choose instead to work with our neighbors, co-workers and fellow citizens to build our more perfect union. [ ]

Read older bylines here.