AU in the News

Showcasing AU programs, professors, students and alumni in the news
Week of January 10 - 16

This week's top story:

After the inauguration…now what?
The American University Washington College of Law, in conjunction with WAMU-FM, hosted a town hall discussion about the global challenges facing the incoming presidential administration following inauguration. The segment, which featured WAMU talk show host Kojo Nnamdi and BBC World Service presenter Owen Bennett-Jones and a panel of guests, was broadcast LIVE on C-SPAN and on the web by BBC. (1/12/09)

With the presidential inauguration next week, AU's politically-active community was part of the national discussion:

A speech most worthy
Allan Lichtman, a professor of history, was quoted in an Associated Press story about President-elect Barack Obama’s challenge to present a memorable and historic inauguration speech. “The great task of Barack Obama is to be a John F. Kennedy or to be a Ronald Reagan — truly inspire the American people and in a few succinct, memorable lines, lay out for the country your new vision for America," he said. (1/10/09)

A lasting legacy
James Thurber, a political scientist, was quoted in a Boston Globe story about the legacy of outgoing President George W. Bush. "We've used [up] the political capital of what the United States means to the world, which is freedom, democracy, and support for human rights, as a result of this war," he said. (1/12/09)

Lift the embargo
In his opinion piece for the Los Angles Times, William LeoGrande, dean of the School of Public Affairs, wrote that now is the time for developing better relations between the U.S. and Cuba. “For perhaps the first time in the last half a century, both the policy logic and political realities of U.S.-Cuban relations are aligned to allow President Obama to cut the Gordian knot that has bedeviled so many of his predecessors,” he wrote. “During the campaign, Obama pledged to meet with Raul Castro as part of a new policy of engagement. Summits require careful preparation, of course, but Obama should keep his pledge sooner rather than later.” (1/12/09)

A nomination snag
Donald Williamson, chair of the accounting department, was a guest on NPR’s All Things Considered to discuss the tax mishaps of Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner, who owed thousands in back taxes, which has all been paid. “I would’ve thought that someone in Mr. Geithner’s position would’ve been aware that this responsibility was upon him,” he said. “Those returns that he did were self-prepared, and sometimes it’s difficult to properly prepare them, and a mistake was made.” (1/13/09)

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

Leading with confidence
Barbara Bird, an associate professor in the Kogod School of Business, was quoted in a Washington Post Express story about the keys to confidence when climbing the corporate ladder. "Charisma is, I think, a little bit learnable," she said. "Some of us are never going to be Barack Obama, but we can be just an eensy bit more [compelling]. “ Bird also said that time should be spent building concrete skills rather than on concern about being a natural-born leader. “An aptitude [for leadership] doesn't mean you will become a leader, and it doesn't mean you can't develop aptitude,” she said. (1/13/09)

United Central American nations
Robert Pastor, professor of international relations, was quoted in a CNN.com story about a Central America summit, which four presidents from four Latin American countries will attend, to discuss the surge of violence and drug trafficking in their countries. "It's a recognition that there is a shared problem and that they can't solve that problem independent of each other," he said, adding that the United States are a part of the problem. “The demand is coming from the United States. The arms are coming from the United States. We ought to have a clear recognition that that we are part of their problem, and they can't solve it without us." (1/16/09)

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