I am a proud graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, and was a proud student-activist back in the day. Wesleyan has a long history of student-activism.
Under the subject heading Campus Protests, we Wesleyan graduates received this email today:
Dear Alumni,
The following email was just sent to the campus community from President Michael S. Roth '78.
Sincerely,
Frantz Williams '99
Vice President for Advancement
President Michael Roth is setting an example of how to navigate Pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Other college Presidents can learn from him. This is a textbook-perfect primer of how to do it properly, step-by-step:
HOW TO NAVIGATE DIVISIVE CAMPUS PROTESTS
That’s it. Set parameters; establish consequences; get buy in from the students that they will abide by the parameters or willingly accept the consequences; Allow opportunity students to listen and learn from each other.
It’s so simple. So why aren’t other universities doing this?
Here is the letter that went out from President Roth, in full.
This morning you can find pro-Palestinian protesters camped out behind North College. The students there know that they are in violation of university rules and seem willing to accept the consequences. The protest has been non-violent and has not disrupted normal campus operations. As long as it continues in this way, the University will not attempt to clear the encampment. The University will not tolerate intimidation or harassment of students, staff, or faculty. Protesters assure us that they have no intention of engaging in these kinds of actions. We will continue to monitor the situation to keep everyone safe and will send updates as necessary.
There will be many on campus who cheer on the protesters, and many who are offended or even frightened by their rallies and messages. But as long as we all reject violence, we have opportunities to listen and to learn from one another. This may not happen during the chanting and drumming, but it can happen during some of the planned discussion sessions and deep conversations that will take place throughout the week.
This is a challenging time in world affairs and in the lives of many—including college students—concerned about their own relation to the brutal war in the Middle East. May we at Wesleyan find ways to learn from this difficult moment—determining what it is we can do to serve the goal of a sustainable peace—even as we finish out this academic year.
Michael S. Roth
President