Below are links to some recent bylines by Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth.
January 15, 2026 - The Washington Post
How universities can fight back against Trump
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. [ Read More ]
December 29, 2025 - The Washington Post
The epidemic of toxic flattery is spreading
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. [ Read More ]
December 9, 2025 - Los Angeles Times
Americans still have a choice whether to let the nation turn authoritarian
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 More ]
October 14, 2025 - The Nation
Join a Loyalty Club for Higher Education—While You Still Can!
In the decade or so after the end of World War II, higher-education leaders across the country collaborated with Senator Joseph McCarthy’s effort to rid the land of communists. For example, the president of the University of California, Robert Sproul, underscored that there was no constitutional right to a job, and if faculty wanted to exercise free speech by aligning with America’s enemies, then they would be fired. If you wanted to be paid to teach, you signed a loyalty oath. [ Read More ]
October 13, 2025 - The Bulwark
What’s a College President to Do in the Trump Era
For generations, conservatives have criticized programs that offer favors to people in ways that increase their dependence on the government. Now we have a president who wraps himself in the cloak of conservatism while insisting on obedience from those institutions and their leaders who depend on his largesse.
[ Read More ]
Read older bylines here.