Michael Roth ’78, current president of California College of the Arts and Wesleyan’s next president, announced on Monday that he would be adding a few more things to his first year agenda including membership to five varsity sports teams and two intramural squads.

“My experience working across disciplines and investigating the production of knowledge has prepared me to fully engage the University’s sports program,” Roth said. “I’d like to become as integrated as possible, not only raising the level of play of the various teams but what better way to learn the intricacies of the University than smelling them day-to-day in the locker room.”

Roth will play and start on five separate varsity squads including men’s basketball, women’s basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. He will also play two intramural sports including innertube water polo and broomball.

Several members of the Wesleyan community have expressed their doubts about the feasibility of Roth’s goals which include doubling the endowment in five to seven years, tripling fundraising, making University facilities “second to none,” and earning all-NESCAC honors in at least four sports.

“I just don’t know why he thinks he can accomplish all this,” said President Doug Bennett. “Especially since he has never played any of these sports. Do they even have hockey in California?”

Despite negativity in some circles, it seems the Wesleyan community will suspend judgment until it gets a chance to see Roth in action both in/on and out/off the court, field, rink, or pool.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Zach Mudson ’09. “If he can contribute the way he says he will maybe I’ll finally find peace with my Brown rejection letter.”

Roth also plans to teach a history course in the fall.