Office of the President

South College
229 High Street
Middletown, CT 06459
presoffice@wesleyan.edu
860-685-3500

Bylines

Below are links to some recent bylines by Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth.
April 5, 2026 - The Forward
Passover liberation and US liberty both summon us to remember and renew

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. [ Read More ]

March 4, 2026 - The New York Times
This Summer, Students From Hundreds of Colleges Will Heed One Urgent Call

Inspired by those volunteers seven decades ago, Wesleyan University 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. [ Read More ]

January 25, 2026 - MS NOW
My fellow university presidents have just been shown how to stand up to Trump

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. [ Read More ]

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 ]

Read older bylines here.