AU in the News

Showcasing AU programs, professors, students and alumni in the news
Week of November 8 - 14

This week's top story...

Copyright in the classroom
A newly-released guide on copyright and fair use by the Center for Social Media was featured in a Chronicle of Higher Education story. The guide, titled “Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media-Literacy Education,” offers clarification on issues of usage in situations where, according to Washington College of Law professor Peter A. Jaszi, professors, educators, and students want to incorporate popular culture works and are unsure of what is legal according to fair use. (11/11/08)

Following Election Day, AU's politically-active community was part of the national discussion:

The president and the press
The School of Communication hosted An American Forum a panel discussion about the president and his relationship with the press and the presidential election. "Politics and Pundits: The Promises of the New Presidency and the Press" which featured professor Dotty Lynch on the panel, was broadcast LIVE on WAMU 88.5 and C-SPAN. (11/11/08)

Now the real work begins
James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, appeared on the NBC Nightly News to discuss the meeting between President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama. “This is a historic meeting between these two men,” he said. “It's never been done this early. It's necessary because America's facing an economic crisis and a serious problem with these two wars.” Thurber was also a guest on the Today Show to discuss the transition, and was quoted in a U.S. News and World Report story about the expectations of president-elect Obama after he officially takes office. "I see him listening closely to [his party's] leadership and the caucuses in the House and Senate," he said. "There'll be push-back about what they wanted, and he'll mold it into something he wants and call it his. But he'll know he has their support ahead of time."(11/10/08) (11/11/08)

Glass ready to shatter
Barbara Palmer, interim director of the Women and Politics Institute at the American University, was quoted in an Agence Press-France story about the possibility of more women in positions of power after the 2008 presidential campaign. "I think this idea of American exceptionalism has been a huge factor in the way that Americans see their president,” she said. “After all, we see ourselves as the leader of the free world.” (11/13/08)

A monumental win
Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian, was quoted in an Associated Press story about the impact of President-elect Barack Obama’s election victory. Lichtman said he envisions Obama as capable of launching "a new political era in America that changed domestic and foreign policy and led to the end of conservatism as we knew it in the 20th century." Lichtman also appeared in an MSNBC television news segment about Obama’s presidential transition. (11/7/08) (11/9/08)

The voter turnout that wasn’t
According to a recent study by professor Curtis Gans, an expert on voter trends, which was featured in Politico, the turnout for the 2008 presidential election defied predictions of a new record, due to a smaller number Republicans going to the polls and record disapproval of President Bush and the financial crisis. “When you have that backdrop, you will get a rise in turnout, but it’s not durable,” he said. “We have a long-term disengagement problem that will not be solved by a singular election.” Gans was also a guest on NPR’s All Things Considered to discuss the voter turnout. (11/8/08)

White House job requirements
Barbara Bird, business professor and human resources expert, appeared in a Fox 5 News at 10 news segment about the lengthy White House application for employment. Bird said most are discouraged by the form, leaving only the most serious applicants. “If you're going to do this and take it seriously, you're going to think about what you're going to say and use correct spelling to signal you're a serious contender,” she said. (11/13/08)

The financial crisis remains in the media spotlight, and our experts were on the money shedding light on the problem:

Fixing the leaks
In an opinion piece for the Legal Times, Alan B. Morrison, a visiting professor at American University's Washington College of Law, wrote about the role of the financial bailout plan and what is needed to make it work. “Now that the dust has settled there are serious questions about how the bill will operate and whether the protections supposed to benefit taxpayers and homeowners will work as planned,” he wrote. “When Congress reconvenes, it needs to take a fresh look at what it has done so that the $700 billion it has appropriated will be used as effectively and as reasonably as possible.” (11/10/08)

Selective inclusion for a global crisis?
In an opinion piece for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, professor Robin Broad wrote about the upcoming G20 summit on the financial crisis, which is being hosted by President Bush and will include leaders from 19 countries, a list too selective according to Broad. “Bush's reluctance to face a more representative group reflects his elitism as well as his discredited views on how to solve the crisis,” she wrote. “As long as U.S. officials continue to refuse to face the reality of a post-market fundamentalist world, they will further contribute to the crisis.” (11/13/08)

And when we're not talking business or politics, we make news in other ways...

High expectations
The American University men's basketball team was featured in a Washington Post story about the high hopes for the year. “It's probably safe to say expectations have changed, although I don't think in any way, shape or form our approach will change or should change," said head coach Jeff Jones. "For our team, the big question is: How do you handle success and how do you deal with a little bit of attention?" (11/12/08)

The journey continues
American University professor Akbar Ahmed appeared in an ABC News television segment in San Francisco about his Journey into America project, where he and a group of students travel across the country to study the current state of Muslims in America and the American opinion of them. “The stereotypes about Muslims that Americans have are Muslims are violent, they are terrorists, The Qur'an preaches violence, Muslims treat their women very badly," he said. “We're telling their stories, we're helping them understand and sometimes people tell me we have never talked to a Muslim before, we have no idea about their customs.” Follow their journey at www.journeyintoamerica.wordpress.com. (11/13/08)

Is an LLM program right for you?
Daniel Bradlow, professor of law, was quoted in a Financial Times story about the importance of choosing the right law school with an accredited LLM program. Bradlow suggested that applicants considering the LLM program to “do it outside your home country if you can afford it,” as well as outside the legal tradition in order to have a broadening experience. (11/10/08)

2009
Mar	6	13	20	27
Feb	6	13	20	27
Jan	4	9	16	23	30
2008
Dec	5	12	19
Nov	7	14	21
Oct	3	10	17	24	31
Sept	5	12	19	26
Aug	1	8	15	29
July	4	11	18	25
June	6	13	20	27
May	2	9	16	23
Apr	4	11	18	25
Mar	7	21	28
Feb	1	8	15	22	29
Jan	4	11	18	25
2007
Dec	7	14	21
Nov	2	9	16		30
Oct	5	12	19	26
Sept	7	14	21	28
Aug	3	10	17	24	31
July	31
June	30
Feb	2	9
Jan	5	12	19	26