<p>I know President Roth is well aware that leadership is best shown by clear and unequviocal personal example.</p>
<p>Earlier today, I read a pretty interesting idea on a Wesleyan blog (Wesleying?) in which one reader suggested that, given the current crisis facing his (and our) beloved Wesleyan, President Roth set the example by lowering his salary to $1 for a year or two, since so many of his family’s expenses are paid by the university in addition to his salary anyway, and the man is no pauper to begin with.</p>
<p>[Worth noting is that President Roth’s salary of approx. $300K per year is already substantially below average].</p>
<p>To me, this would be a great thing for Wesleyan’s president to do at this critical time. Imagine the effect such an act could have on fundraising efforts and student pride: </p>
<p>“President Roth gave up his salary for a year [to save Wesleyan as we’ve always known it]. What can you contribute?”</p>
<p>“OUR president gave up his salary for us. What has YOUR college president done for YOU lately?”</p>
<p>Given the unsustainability of college costs that Dr. Roth has been so outspoken about lately, it seems this kind of dramatic personal sacrifice by the head of the university would truly set an amazing example for other American colleges to follow. </p>
<p>Rather than axing so much of what makes Wesleyan Wesleyan, by forgoing his salary for a year or two Dr. Roth would be making indelibly clear those factors that have always distinguished Wesleyan University from its peers: dedicated service to others, bold and daring moral and ethical stands, contribution toward the common good; the notion that one committed individual can – through principled, committed, serious self-sacrifice and direct action – light a fire of inspiration and energy sufficient to create miraculous positive change within institutions and societies; giving till it hurts (till it really hurts, if necessary) rather than giving up who we are.</p>
<p>It’s all too easy for me to suggest that another man should give up his salary, of course!</p>
<p>But I think Dr. Roth may actually have the cohones, strength of character, sense of duty, and love of his university to do such a thing.</p>