We love that President Michael Roth is charming, personable, a great public speaker and a sincere man who doesn’t give us the usual administrative jargon. It’s great to see him in attendance at soccer and football games, Yom Kippur services, the queer student reception, and buying cupcakes from the WeSTAND bakesale. We’re proud that in his one month on campus, Roth has found many ways to make his presence felt and seen.

But while it seems that Roth can talk the talk, we are left wondering whether he will actually walk the walk.

Roth came to the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) meeting this past Sunday to discuss the University’s future. Among his many thoughts, Roth stressed the need for a unified image of what defines the Wesleyan experience. To achieve this goal, Roth wants to focus on communicating what the University has to offer and bring this to people who may not normally hear the message. He stressed the importance of creating one unified image of Wesleyan that can be brought to the MIdwest, Southeast, Southwest, and abroad, increasing its presence across the nation and around the world.

We fully support Roth’s goal to launch an international public relations campaign to spread Wesleyan’s message, and we have faith in his potential as an ambassador. But for this to happen, the essence of what makes the University distinct must be determined and brought to the forefront.

At the same time, to achieve his goals of spreading our name and doubling the endowment in the coming years, we can’t let Roth get too distracted. While we applaud the Environmental Organizers’ Network’s (EON) outreach to Roth on environmental issues, and Roth’s response, we must realize that our president doesn’t make all of the administration’s decisions and will not be able to solve everything alone.

Michael Roth has set the bar high as a role model for the rest of the administration. HIs straight talk and down-to-earth attitude make him incredibly approachable. Hopefully, this sort of attitude will permeate throughout the entire administration and open up real dialogue, allowing a free discussion of real issues, working toward legitimate change.