Top Story Faculty Authors Expertise
AU Newsmakers 1.5-1.12, 2018
Top Story
Women's Voices Festival 2.0 Launches With Caleen Sinnette Jennings's Memoir
The Washington Post interviewed Theatre Professor Caleen Sinnette Jennings about her new play, “Queens Girl in Africa,” a semiautobiographical play about her time living in Nigeria during its civil war. Describing her script, Jennings said it was “a little bit of both [research and memory]. When you're 15, you don't know how incredibly important the history that surrounds you really is.” “Queens Girl in Africa” is the first play in a lineup kicking off the second Washington Women's Voices Festival. (1/5)

Faculty Authors
Employers Are Showing Workers the Money- Finally
Economist-in-Residence Evan Kraft wrote an opinion piece for The Hill about the recent rise in U.S. wages. Kraft wrote, “It has been very difficult to gauge how many of those who are counted as out of the labor force actually would be willing and able to come back.” (1/5)
New Year, Same College Graduate Skills Gap
Krista Tuomi, professor in the School of International Service, co-authored an opinion article for The Hill about the growing “skills gap” facing college graduates as they enter the job market. Tuomi and her co-author wrote, “Additional emphasis on technical skills would benefit students, their future employers and the economy writ-large.” (1/5)
An Apology to My Sons' Salvadorian Caretaker
Washington College of Law Professor Ezra Rosser wrote an opinion piece for The Hill, reflecting on how the decision to revoke the Temporary Status Program has affected those close to him. Rosser wrote, “I am sorry that we are not yet the country we should be… We are not yet a country that welcomes strangers and, worse still, we are a country intent on kicking out people who have already become part of the American family.” (1/8)

Expertise
El Salvador Again Feels the Hand of Washington Shaping Its Fate
Charles Call, professor in the School of International Service, spoke to The New York Times about the impact of the ending of the temporary status program for an estimated 200,000 Salvadorans. Call said, “This policy does something rare: It has a negative impact for everyone concerned.” (1/9)
Trump-Appointed Regulators Reject Plan to Rescue Coal and Nuclear Plants
Paul Bledsoe, professorial lecturer at AU's Center for Environmental Policy, spoke to The Washington Post about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's rejection of a plan to save coal and nuclear plants. Bledsoe said, “This outright rejection of subsidies for coal and nuclear shows that Commissioners of both parties have little interest in manipulating electricity markets in favor of any fuel source.” (1/8)
As Rival Koreas Thaw Relations Before the Winter Olympics, U.S. Could Get Frozen Out
Jordan Tama, professor in the School of International Service, spoke to CBC about possible talks between North and South Korea, and how that might affect the U.S. Tama said, “South Korea is much more united behind the notion of pursuing talks with North Korea than the U.S. is.” (1/10)
Fact-Checking Michael Wolff
Professor of Communication W. Joseph Campbell spoke to CNN about some of the claims from Michael Wolff's tell-all book, “Fire and Fury.” Campbell said, “Unless they can independently or thoroughly confirm the information, journalists would do well to sidestep claims in Michael Wolff's book… that are attributed to unnamed sources or have been disputed…” (1/8)
Axios: Trump's Official Schedule Getting Shorter
Distinguished Professor of History Allan Lichtman appeared on CNN to discuss reports that President Trump's official schedule has gotten shorter. “In a sense, executive time might be considered a good thing- but not for this President.” (1/8)
Oprah 2020? Why the Political Appeal of Celebrities Endures
Chris Edelson, assistant professor of public affairs, spoke to Christian Science Monitor about calls for Oprah Winfrey to run in the 2020 presidential elections. Speaking of Winfrey's ratings as a political candidate, Edelson said, “To the extent people are excited, she is starting from a high point right now.” (1/9)
D.C. Dissonance: Why Good News Isn't Coming Out of Washington
Capri Cafaro, executive-in-residence in the School of Public Affairs, spoke to Fox News about the state of the U.S. economy. Cafaro said, “Obviously while there is a positive trend, there is still a lot of America that is being left behind.” (1/5)
UPDATE: 'Fire and Fury' Is No. 1 on Amazon- Will Trump Make America Read Again?
School of Communication Professor Aram Sinnreich spoke to Marketwatch about whether the popularity of Michael Wolff's new book, “Fire and Fury,” might be enough to get Americans reading again. Sinnreich said, “It's unlikely to change American habits or literacy levels.” (1/6)
Is Washington's Local Economy in Trouble?
Dawn Leijon, executive-in-residence in the Kogod School of Business, spoke to the Washingtonian about the health of D.C.'s economy. Leijon said that D.C.'s commute and high cost of living are pushing young people out, because “they just can't see how to [raise a family in D.C.]” (1/7)
How It Became Normal to Ignore Texts and Emails
Professor of Linguistics Naomi Baron spoke to the Atlantic about people's increasing tendency to avoid replying to texts or emails. Baron said, “Americans have far fewer manners in general in their communication than a lot of other societies.” (1/11)



''Online, consumer'' news refers to online news outlets and blogs such as Huffington Post, NY Times
"Online, consumer" news refers to online news outlets and blogs such as Huffington Post, NY Times
Both charts are based on the week's Newsmakers highlights only, not total AU mentions for the week
Both charts are based on the week's Newsmakers highlights only, not total AU mentions for the week

Prepared by University Communications

American University's faculty, staff, students and programs appear in regional, national and international print, online and broadcast media regularly. Each week, AU Newsmakers provides highlights of AU in the news. For prior weeks, go to: http://www.american.edu/media/inthemedia.cfm

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