Top Story
| American University Announces Anti-Racism Center |
| WRC-NBC4 featured coverage of AU's announcement about a new faculty member, historian Ibram X. Kendi, who will join AU in August and serve as the founding director of AU's Anti-Racist Research and Policy Center. Last fall Kendi delivered a talk at AU that inspired a partnership between College of Arts and Sciences Dean Peter Starr and School of International Service Dean James Goldgeier to bring Kendi and the center to AU. Starr told NBC4, “We're hoping to have students, faculty and staff work together with Dr. Kendi to begin to craft positive, forward-thinking solutions to problems that are centuries old." AU student Autumn Grant, also interviewed, said, "I think having this announcement come out at the time it did shows that there is long-term work going on the campus to better the university as a whole.” The Washington Post editorial board wrote about AU's efforts to end racism on campus in the wake of the on-campus hate crime, and an ABC News Online story discussed AU's advisory to students on cyberhate and Facebook Live event to help students be proactive after notification of possible online threats against student government leaders. (5/11, 5/5) |
Additional Features
| Foon Sham's Wood Tunnel Takes Viewers on Dual-Natured Journey |
| The Washington Diplomat featured a participatory sculpture exhibit on view at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. The reviewer wrote, “The massive wood sculpture at the American University Museum offers a fun escape from the outside world, allowing visitors to wander through a fairytale-like woodland tunnel.” The Washington Post reviewed another exhibit on view, the work of contemporary Cuban artist Carlos Luna. (5/8) |
| "Audience dogs" help students reduce anxiety over public speaking |
| Director of Kogod Center for Business Communications Caron Martinez spoke to CBS Interactive News about how the business school uses dogs to help students overcome their fears of public speaking. Martinez said, “Being with the audience dog makes you happy and relaxed and you do a better job." (5/7) |
Expertise
| American University Experts Provide Insights Into the Firing of FBI Director James Comey |
| James Goldgeier, dean of the School of International Service, spoke with McClatchy about the firing of FBI Director James Comey and its potential impact. Goldgeier said, “To me the big issue is how does the president put out coherent messages on his domestic and foreign policy when there is so much incoherence in his White House.” History Professor Allan Lichtman spoke with CNN International, Hearst TV and Al Jazeera English. Communication Professor Leonard Steinhorn talked with CGTN TV and Jordan Tama, professor in the School of International Service, authored an opinion article for The Conversation. Chris Edelson, professor of public affairs, also discussed Comey's firing with The Christian Science Monitor. (5/11, 5/7, 5/9, 5/10) |
| What's Up With Melania Trump's Cyber Bullying Campaign? It's 'A Work in Progress' |
| Anita McBride, executive-in-residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs, spoke to USA Today about First Lady Melania Trump's role in the White House and her anti-cyber bullying initiative. McBride said, “With Mrs. Trump, who's not living here yet and who's just starting to assemble her team, it may take a little longer to roll out her first initiative, but it will be done with a level of full knowledge, research and careful attention to the important data out there on this issue." (5/9) |
| Puerto Rico to Close 184 Public Schools Amid Economic Crisis |
| Distinguished Economist-in-Residence Arturo Porzecanski spoke to The Los Angeles Times about Puerto Rico's economic crisis. Porzecanski said, “Government agencies should have been whittled down proportionally, and now this is all happening during one of the worst moments in Puerto Rico's history.” (5/6) |
| The Many Rewards of Paying Bills Late |
| In a story about corporations paying bills late, Bloomberg cited the writings of Washington College of Law Professor Jonathan B. Baker. Baker wrote, “The U.S. economy has a “market power” problem, notwithstanding our strong and extensive antitrust institutions.” (5/10) |
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