Wes in the News

In a New York Times piece examining some of General McChrystal’s more austere habits, William Pinch,  professor of history, discusses from a martial perspective McChrystal’s habits of sleeping little, eating one meal a day, working out to exhaustion and yet maintaining the energy and focus to run the Afghanistan campaign. Pinch says such methods of “self-denial as…a cultivation of power” are consistent with the warrior ethos of the past.

John Rhea ‘87, an investment banker with an expertise in corporate finance, has been selected to head the New York City Housing Authority, which has been racked during recent years by claims of troubled financial practices. New York Mayor Bloomberg has selected Rhea in part because of his proven track record in finance and management

A piece in The New York Times discusses how applications for the Class of 2013 remained strong at the nation’s most competitive colleges, despite the economy’s recent economic recession. Mentioned in the article was Wesleyan which, unlike several liberal arts colleges, saw an increase in applications this year. In fact, Wesleyan’s dramatic increase set a record: 10,065 applications, which is up 22% over last year’s admissions cycle (which was also a record). The Times had previously written about Wesleyan’s increase in applications during the November early decision application period, which was also up a record 40% over the previous year. President Michael Roth has also written a piece for The Huffington Post on the economy’s impact on the Class of 2013 both nationally and here at Wesleyan.

This year, Wesleyan has gone to a web-based notification system for admissions. In addition to the traditional notification letters, mailed March 26, applicants received an e-mail from the university with a link to a website. The online site was created in part to give admitted students rapid access to their admissions status, and to provide them with more time to schedule a visit to the University in April.

Once at the online site, applicants were able to log in to see their admission status. The long-awaited online letters  went “live” on the afternoon of Friday, March 27. The response was brisk. Within the first two hours, the site received more than 3,000 visitors. During one point the rate was over 250  visitors per minute and more than 5,600 unique log-ins the first weekend. In addition, as of Monday, March 30, 521 accepted students had joined Wesleyan’s frosh Facebook group.

Approximately 22 % of this year’s applicants have been admitted to Wesleyan, including some 350 students who were admitted during the early  decision period. The class of 2013 is expected to comprise approximately 745  students.

The new Wesleyan University Press book, The Old Leather Man, was 20 years in the making, and as this story in The New York Times illustrates, its author’s journey to the finished work was as intriguing as the book’s subject.

For Julia Celeste, her support of Barack Obama for U.S. President was never in question. Her parents had other inclinations. But today, as The New York Times reports, they are all at the Inauguration together.

Michael Bennet ‘87 has been nominated by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to replace Ken Salazar in The United States Senate. Currently the Public School Superintendent in Denver, Bennet has also served as deputy U.S. Attorney General under former President Bill Clinton. Salazar has been nominated by President-elect Obama to be Secretary of the Interior and Bennet would become Colorado’s junior senator once Salazar’s nomination is confirmed. More about Michael Bennett can be found in his official biography. Additional news coverage on Bennet’s nomination includes The Washington Post and The New York Times, among others.

A piece by Andrew C. Rivken in The New York Times discusses the risk-management approach toward climate change that has been done by Gary Yohe, Woodhouse/Sysco Professor of Economics. Rivken wonders if this approach is something politicians will rally behind.

Jeanine Basinger, Chair and Corwin-Fuller Professor of film studies reviews, Michael Sragow’s Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master. Fleming directed such Hollywood classics as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind and yet remains curiously “forgotten” by most in the business according to Sragow.

A story by Tamar Lewin in The New York Times examines the increase in early decision applications at several colleges and universities, highlighting Wesleyan, which has seen a near 40% increase over last year.

Political scientists Daniel Drezner of Tufts and Elvin Lim of Wesleyan explore the appeal of politicians who shun intellectualism.

Related Links:

http://www.elvinlim.com/