Michael Roth: A Biography of Wesleyan University's President

Michael S. Roth has distinguished himself as an influential figure in higher education, serving as the 16th president of Wesleyan University since 2007. His career reflects a deep commitment to liberal education, interdisciplinary studies, and public engagement. This article explores his life, academic contributions, and leadership in the context of contemporary challenges facing universities.

Early Life and Education

Born on April 8, 1957, in Brooklyn, New York, Michael S. Roth was the second person in his family to attend college. He enrolled at Wesleyan University in the fall of 1975, marking a transformative period in his life. Roth designed his own major in the history of psychological theory and completed his studies in three years, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1978. His undergraduate thesis, titled "Freud and Revolution," laid the groundwork for his first book and a major exhibition. Roth later earned a Ph.D. in history from Princeton University in 1984.

Academic Career

Roth began his teaching career in 1983 at Scripps College, where he became the Hartley Burr Alexander Professor of the Humanities in 1989. He also founded the Scripps College Humanities Institute, which fostered intellectual exchange across disciplines. Additionally, he served as the Director of European Studies at Claremont Graduate University, contributing to the establishment of the Ph.D. program in Cultural Studies.

In 1994, Roth participated as a visiting scholar at the Getty Research Institute, focusing on memory. Two years later, he led the scholars and seminars program at the Getty, researching the history, architecture, and arts of Los Angeles, the representation of traumatic events, the artistic expression of passions, and the role of the humanities in public culture.

During his time at the Getty, Roth curated two exhibitions: "Irresistible Decay" (with Claire Lyons and Charles Merewether) for the opening of the new Getty Museum and "Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture," which opened at the Library of Congress in 1998. The Freud exhibition, praised for its balanced view of Freud's intellectual and cultural heritage, traveled internationally. Research at the Getty also led to publications such as "Looking for Los Angeles: Architecture, Film, Photography and Urban Landscape" and "Disturbing Remains: Memory, History, and Crisis in the Twentieth Century," both co-edited with Charles G.

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Presidency at California College of the Arts

In 2000, Roth became president of the California College of the Arts (CCA). He revised the school’s curriculum to emphasize interdisciplinary work and liberal learning through the arts. CCA added new academic programs, including undergraduate degrees in community arts, creative writing, visual studies, and animation, as well as master’s programs in curatorial practice, visual criticism, interactive design, writing, and architecture. Roth also developed the Center for Art and Public Life, which fostered community partnerships in the San Francisco Bay area, and strengthened the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts.

Presidency at Wesleyan University

Roth became the 16th president of Wesleyan University in 2007. His tenure has been marked by enhancements to the university’s educational program, increased financial stability, and improvements to the physical campus, including the Frank Center for Public Affairs and a life sciences building.

Curriculum and Interdisciplinary Colleges

Energizing the curriculum has been a priority for Roth. He has overseen the launch of seven new interdisciplinary colleges:

The College of the Environment
The College of Film and the Moving Image
The College of Education Studies
The College of East Asian Studies
The College of Integrative Sciences
The College of Design and Engineering Studies
The College of Science and Technology Studies

These colleges aim to bring different disciplines together to address complex problems from multiple perspectives. For example, the College of the Environment might include biologists, dancers, anthropologists, and economists, all collaborating on environmental studies.

Other Initiatives

Other notable initiatives under Roth’s leadership include:

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The Shapiro Center for Creative Writing and Criticism
The Patricelli Center for Entrepreneurship, which builds students’ capacity for developing sustainable organizations
A program for military veterans in cooperation with the Posse Foundation
The Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life
New homes for the College of Letters, the Department of Art History, and the Gordon Career Center

Roth has also expanded the faculty and created more internship opportunities for students.

Financial and Accessibility Efforts

Roth has undertaken initiatives to make a Wesleyan education more affordable, including a three-year degree program. He has also eliminated loans for students on financial aid, replacing them with grants. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action, Roth ended Wesleyan's program that gave preferential treatment for “legacy applicants” and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to a diverse learning environment.

Wesleyan celebrated a record-breaking fundraising effort, raising over $482 million primarily for financial aid.

Stances on Social and Political Issues

Roth has taken public stances on several social and political issues, sometimes sparking controversy.

Fraternities and Coeducation

In 2014, Roth required all fraternities at Wesleyan to become fully coeducational, with women represented in the body and leadership. This decision followed reports of sexual assault in frat houses. The Wesleyan chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) filed a discrimination lawsuit against Wesleyan, leading to a legal battle that eventually reached the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement

Roth publicly condemned the academic boycott of Israeli institutions as part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement. This stance attracted protest from Wesleyan alumni.

Divestment from Fossil Fuels and Private Prisons

Following a 2015 protest demanding that Wesleyan divest its endowment from the fossil fuel industry, private prisons, and the Israeli occupation, Roth stated that divesting stock would not affect climate change or contribute to peace in the Middle East.

Scott Backer Scandal

In October 2016, Associate Dean of Students Scott Backer was fired after a Boston Globe article revealed his past predatory behavior with a student at Vermont Academy. The handling of this situation led to protests and calls for Roth's resignation.

Custodial Working Conditions

Custodial working conditions have been a recurring issue during Roth's presidency, with protests and letters from custodians decrying mistreatment and exploitation.

Zonker Harris Day

In 2008, Roth removed the annual music and arts festival Zonker Harris Day from the University's calendar, deeming it "stupid." This decision earned him an appearance in a Doonesbury comic strip. The decision was reversed in 2011.

Views on Higher Education

Roth advocates for a "pragmatic liberal education," emphasizing its importance in a fractured, polarized culture. He believes in broad, integrative learning and intellectual exchange across disciplines. Roth has expressed concern about the rising costs of higher education and the need for colleges and universities to rethink their business models.

Roth's books, including "Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters" and "Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist’s Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness," explore these themes.

Publications

Roth has authored and edited numerous books and articles on intellectual and cultural history. Some of his notable works include:

"Psycho-Analysis as History: Negation and Freedom in Freud" (1987, 1995)
"Knowing and History: Appropriations of Hegel in Twentieth Century France" (1988)
"The Ironist's Cage: Trauma, Memory and the Construction of History" (1995)
"Irresistible Decay: Ruins Reclaimed," with Clare Lyons and Charles Merewether (1997)
"Looking for Los Angeles: Architecture, Film, Photography and The Urban Landscape" (co-edited, 2001)
"Disturbing Remains: Memory, History, and Crisis in the Twentieth Century" (co-edited, 2001)
"Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters" (2014)
"Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist’s Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness" (2019)

Awards and Recognition

Roth's contributions to higher education have been recognized with several awards, including the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ Frederic W. Ness award for "Beyond the University."

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