Michael S. Roth
Encyclopedia
Michael S. Roth is a Jewish-American academic and university administrator. He became the 16th president of Wesleyan University
in 2007. Formerly, he was the 8th president of the California College of the Arts
(2000–2007), associate director of the Getty Research Institute
in Los Angeles, and Director of European Studies at Claremont Graduate University
. He was also H.B. Professor of Humanities at Scripps College
, where he founded and directed the Scripps College Humanities Institute.
Roth has described his scholarly interests as centered on “how people make sense of the past.” He has edited many volumes in intellectual and cultural history and is the author of five books: Psycho-Analysis as History: Negation and Freedom in Freud (Cornell University Press
, 1987, 1995); Knowing and History: Appropriations of Hegel in Twentieth Century France (Cornell University Press, 1988); The Ironist’s Cage: Trauma, Memory and the Construction of History (Columbia University Press
, 1995); and Irresistible Decay: Ruins Reclaimed, with Clare Lyons and Charles Merewether (Getty Research Institute
, 1997). His current book Memory, Trauma, and History: Essays on Living With the Past was published in the fall of 2011 by Columbia University Press. "[H]e is currently preparing his next book, Why Liberal Education Matters, for Yale University Press."
Roth co-edited Looking for Los Angeles: Architecture, Film, Photography and The Urban Landscape and Disturbing Remains: Memory, History, and Crisis in the Twentieth Century (both Getty Research Institute, 2001). Roth has published, in recent years, essays and book reviews in the Los Angeles Times
, the San Francisco Chronicle
, the Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education
, the Huffington Post, Book Forum, Rethinking History, and Wesleyan's History and Theory.
Roth graduated from Wesleyan in 1978, completing his studies in three years and graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. While there, he was a member and eventual president of the Alpha Delta Phi
Society; he designed his own major in the history of psychological theory. He later went to earn his Ph.D. from Princeton University
in 1984. Roth teaches every semester and, in May 2009, was appointed University Professor at Wesleyan.
He has undertaken several initiatives at Wesleyan, including growing the endowment, re-orienting fundraising and spending to emphasize support for financial aid and core academic programs, increasing grant support for University undergraduates who receive financial aid, providing scholarships for veterans of the military, working with faculty on interdisciplinary and curricular initiatives, and working "to anchor civic engagement and innovation within the University’s curriculum." With regard to the latter, the University announced in May 2011 a $2 million donation to establish the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, which will support students who want to create programs and organizations serving the public good anywhere in the world.
Roth has overseen the launch of "[t]he Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life, which links intellectual work on campus to policy issues nationally and internationally", "the Shapiro Creative Writing Center, which brings together students and faculty seriously engaged in writing" and the Usdan University Center. The former two opened in the fall of 2009. A College of the Environment also has been launched and serves as the University's third multidisciplinary College in addition to the College of Social Studies and the College of Letters.
Roth has been maintaining a blog about his experiences as president of the University.
In Winter 2008, he approved a decision to remove "the annual music and arts festival Zonker Harris
Day" from the University's calendar of events, saying: "The institution should make it clear that it's not supporting things that are stupid." The Wesleyan college newspaper noted: "The annual celebration references a perpetually-stoned character in Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury
comic strip, inspiring University participants to emulate Zonker Harris's drug habits." The day was renamed "Ze Who Must Not Be Named." The decision earned Roth an appearance in a Doonesbury
strip in Autumn 2010. On March 22, 2011, the university administration officially reversed its decision on the festival's name. The festival will again be known as Zonker Harris Day beginning with the 2011 festival in April.
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in 2007. Formerly, he was the 8th president of the California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts , founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA...
(2000–2007), associate director of the Getty Research Institute
Getty Research Institute
The Getty Research Institute , located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts". A program of the J...
in Los Angeles, and Director of European Studies at Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
. He was also H.B. Professor of Humanities at Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
, where he founded and directed the Scripps College Humanities Institute.
Roth has described his scholarly interests as centered on “how people make sense of the past.” He has edited many volumes in intellectual and cultural history and is the author of five books: Psycho-Analysis as History: Negation and Freedom in Freud (Cornell University Press
Cornell University Press
The Cornell University Press, established in 1869 but inactive from 1884 to 1930, was the first university publishing enterprise in the United States.A division of Cornell University, it is housed in Sage House, the former residence of Henry William Sage....
, 1987, 1995); Knowing and History: Appropriations of Hegel in Twentieth Century France (Cornell University Press, 1988); The Ironist’s Cage: Trauma, Memory and the Construction of History (Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
, 1995); and Irresistible Decay: Ruins Reclaimed, with Clare Lyons and Charles Merewether (Getty Research Institute
Getty Research Institute
The Getty Research Institute , located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts". A program of the J...
, 1997). His current book Memory, Trauma, and History: Essays on Living With the Past was published in the fall of 2011 by Columbia University Press. "[H]e is currently preparing his next book, Why Liberal Education Matters, for Yale University Press."
Roth co-edited Looking for Los Angeles: Architecture, Film, Photography and The Urban Landscape and Disturbing Remains: Memory, History, and Crisis in the Twentieth Century (both Getty Research Institute, 2001). Roth has published, in recent years, essays and book reviews in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, the Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty, staff members and administrators....
, the Huffington Post, Book Forum, Rethinking History, and Wesleyan's History and Theory.
Roth graduated from Wesleyan in 1978, completing his studies in three years and graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. While there, he was a member and eventual president of the Alpha Delta Phi
Alpha Delta Phi
Alpha Delta Phi is a Greek-letter social college fraternity and the fourth-oldest continuous Greek-letter fraternity in the United States and Canada. Alpha Delta Phi was founded on October 29, 1832 by Samuel Eells at Hamilton College and includes former U.S. Presidents, Chief Justices of the U.S....
Society; he designed his own major in the history of psychological theory. He later went to earn his Ph.D. from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1984. Roth teaches every semester and, in May 2009, was appointed University Professor at Wesleyan.
He has undertaken several initiatives at Wesleyan, including growing the endowment, re-orienting fundraising and spending to emphasize support for financial aid and core academic programs, increasing grant support for University undergraduates who receive financial aid, providing scholarships for veterans of the military, working with faculty on interdisciplinary and curricular initiatives, and working "to anchor civic engagement and innovation within the University’s curriculum." With regard to the latter, the University announced in May 2011 a $2 million donation to establish the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, which will support students who want to create programs and organizations serving the public good anywhere in the world.
Roth has overseen the launch of "[t]he Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life, which links intellectual work on campus to policy issues nationally and internationally", "the Shapiro Creative Writing Center, which brings together students and faculty seriously engaged in writing" and the Usdan University Center. The former two opened in the fall of 2009. A College of the Environment also has been launched and serves as the University's third multidisciplinary College in addition to the College of Social Studies and the College of Letters.
Roth has been maintaining a blog about his experiences as president of the University.
In Winter 2008, he approved a decision to remove "the annual music and arts festival Zonker Harris
Zonker Harris
Zonker Harris is the stereotypical hippie character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury. He made his first appearance as a perennial pot-smoking pest plaguing B.D.'s football team in 1971...
Day" from the University's calendar of events, saying: "The institution should make it clear that it's not supporting things that are stupid." The Wesleyan college newspaper noted: "The annual celebration references a perpetually-stoned character in Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury
Doonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
comic strip, inspiring University participants to emulate Zonker Harris's drug habits." The day was renamed "Ze Who Must Not Be Named." The decision earned Roth an appearance in a Doonesbury
Doonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
strip in Autumn 2010. On March 22, 2011, the university administration officially reversed its decision on the festival's name. The festival will again be known as Zonker Harris Day beginning with the 2011 festival in April.