A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
UMW Dahlgren Campus Executive Director Mike Hubbard
UMW Dahlgren Campus Executive Director Mike Hubbard appeared on News Talk 1230 WFVA’s Town Talk to discuss partnerships with Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, area schools, businesses and the annual Innovation Challenges. Listen to the episode.
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus, who is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Center and Indo-Pacific Security Initiative, told VOA Chinese in an email that the Trump administration will pursue an America First foreign policy “but will put China first in its foreign relations, which I call ‘China Prima’ (Prima: Latin for “first” or “primary”).” Larus’ comments appear in an article entitled “Can’t it get get worse? Outlook for China-US relations in the new year.” Read the article.
Other media mentions for Larus include:
Trump, Tariffs and Global Security (NewsX)
Elizabeth Larus indicated that President-elect Trump’s proposed China tariffs are not about containing China but are an opening salvo in negotiations with Beijing over unfair trade practices, such as state subsidies of Chinese businesses. Trump also proposes to increase US military spending, with the intent to raise the cost of high enough to deter Xi Jinping from taking military action in the Indo-Pacific. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbbr0NKcAEw
Wang Keyin’s Column/Yin Xiyue’s “Martial Law” Will Destroy South Korea-U.S. Relations? Ishiba, who can’t see Trump, feels insecure about the United States (Taiwan World News)
Dr. Elizabeth Larus, emeritus professor of the Department of Politics and International Affairs at the University of Mary Washington and president of E Larus Consulting, analyzed that Trump also selects people based on professionalism and experience, but the so-called “loyalty” refers to, When Trump changes policy direction, even if the cabinet does not agree with the change of direction, he must still be loyal to the policy. https://ynews.page.link/Nr7JN
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a guest online lecture, “The Trump Presidential Transition: What is New and What is Not,” for the American Studies Program at the University of Warsaw, Poland. Dr. Farnsworth served as a 2024 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar at the University of Warsaw.
In addition, recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Virginia special election could decide control in Richmond (NBC Washington)
“The odds are that we are looking at a status quo,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/virginia-special-election-could-decide-control-in-richmond/3807999/
2025 Virginia Legislative Preview (Commentary, FXBG Advance)
If you like legislative gridlock, then you have come to the right place, Virginia.
https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/2025-virginia-legislative-preview?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true
New poll indicates Spanberger, Earle-Sears in tight Virginia governor’s race (Virginia Dogwood; CBS 19 News; WWBT)
“The poll shows that, once again, purple state Virginia, is in for a pretty compelling election season,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in an interview with The Dogwood.
https://vadogwood.com/2025/01/09/new-poll-indicates-spanberger-earle-sears-in-tight-virginia-governors-race/
https://www.cbs19news.com/news/state/spanberger-earle-sears-deadlocked-in-tight-virginia-governor-s-race-new-poll-finds/article_3412330a-26d1-58e3-ad43-44279111f92f.html
https://www.12onyourside.com/2025/01/09/spanberger-earle-sears-deadlocked-tight-virginia-governors-race-new-poll-finds/?outputType=amp
Virginia elections signal no major shift in voter sentiment in a state watched closely for clues (The Seattle Times; Newsbreak; WFMJ; MSN)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, said unlike the special elections, Virginia at-large is more competitive, rendering the races a better indicator of where voters are nationally.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/virginia-elections-signal-no-major-shift-in-voter-sentiment-in-a-state-watched-closely-for-clues/
https://www.newsbreak.com/wtvr-cbs-6-563678/3750373741389-virginia-elections-signal-no-major-shift-in-voter-sentiment
https://www.wfmj.com/story/52138648/virginia-elections-signal-no-major-shift-in-voter-sentiment-in-a-state-watched-closely-for-clueshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/elections/virginia-elections-signal-no-major-shift-in-voter-sentiment-in-a-state-watched-closely-for-clues/ar-AA1xc1N6?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1
Young generations honor late President Jimmy Carter’s influence and leadership (WJLA)
“He saw a partner in the District. He sent his daughter Amy to public school, something that presidents do not do other than Jimmy Carter in recent decades. You see, of course, with Jimmy Carter, he worshipped at local churches. He was very much connected to the community at a time that was really, really, important for the District in the rise of home rule,” Farnsworth said.
https://wjla.com/news/local/thousands-come-out-for-second-night-to-pay-tribute-to-president-carter-thousands-turn-out-to-honor-president-jimmy-carter-late-tribute-funeral-procession-us-capitol-security-presidential-mourning-national-day-travelers-washington-dc-capitol-hill-natio
Start of Virginia’s General Assembly session delayed because of Richmond water outage (Virginia Pilot)
“The big uncertainty going into the election today is the weather,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “Will people get out and turn out in sufficient numbers today to match previous special elections in January? My guess is that won’t be the case.”
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/01/07/start-of-virginias-general-assembly-session-delayed-because-of-richmond-water-outage/?share=sseowty2allawassegse
Trump doubles down on threats of U.S. control in Greenland as son visits country (Global News)
“There has been a pattern throughout Donald Trump’s career in politics and his business to ask for very extreme things in the hope that something less unreasonable will be part of an eventual compromise,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://globalnews.ca/video/10947886/trump-doubles-down-on-threats-of-u-s-control-in-greenland-as-son-visits-country/
Virginia’s legislative gridlock looms as Gov. Youngkin’s term nears end (WUSA 9; YourGV.com; Fauquier Now )
With a Republican governor and Democratic-controlled House and Senate, Dr. Stephen Farnsworth of University of Mary Washington said expect a legislative hurdle once again. “I expect a gridlock,” Farnsworth said. “The governor and the Democratic majorities in the legislature have shown little interest in working with each other since Gov. Youngkin first became governor. Year four will likely be marked with pushing things into next year.”
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/virginia-general-assembly-session-returns-this-week-with-gridlock-expected/65-601aa68a-b436-46ee-8cc5-30fa2cb4375d
https://www.yourgv.com/news/state/battles-loom-as-general-assembly-returns-to-richmond/article_c706ad92-cd29-11ef-9fbc-9b9e6e655be7.html
https://www.fauquiernow.com/news/government_politics/legislative-battles-ahead-in-richmond-as-session-kicks-off-this-week/article_84905fd2-ccff-11ef-8218-532f879fc2b8.html
Virginia special elections suggest no major political shift since November (Roll Call)
“You’re not looking at races that one would describe as swing districts or representative of larger trends in the commonwealth, much less nationally,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science and international affairs professor at the University of Mary Washington. “At most, you could say that the partisan divisions of November continue to exist in January.” https://rollcall.com/2025/01/08/virginia-special-elections/
U.S. House Passes Government Funding Bill (CTV News Canada)
“This was a big defeat for the president-elect,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “He engaged in this question to get an extension of the debt ceiling, and he wasn’t able to get it. He wasn’t able to get it in fact because a significant number of Republicans, members of Trump’s own party, said they weren’t going to go along with it.” https://review.bellmedia.ca/view/1373185395
Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal (Newsday; FOX 2 Now; The Minnesota Star Tribune; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Spectrum News; Los Angeles Times; WTOP)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business. “You ask something unreasonable and it’s more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character.”
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/trump-greenland-norway-panama-canal-canada-r07657
https://fox2now.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-trump-again-calls-to-buy-greenland-after-eyeing-canada-and-the-panama-canal/
https://www.startribune.com/trump-again-calls-to-buy-greenland-after-eyeing-canada-and-the-panama-canal/601198423
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2024/12/23/president-elect-trump-greenland-canada-panama-canal/stories/202412230066
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2024/12/23/trump-again-calls-to-buy-greenland-after-eyeing-canada-and-the-panama-canal
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-12-23/trump-again-calls-to-buy-greenland-after-eyeing-canada-and-the-panama-canal
https://wtop.com/national/2024/12/trump-again-calls-to-buy-greenland-after-eyeing-canada-and-the-panama-canal/
Trump reveals who he wants to replace Justin Trudeau: ‘It would be so much fun to watch’ (Daily Mail, UK)
“Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14226387/donald-trump-candidate-replace-justin-trudeau-canada-wayne-gretzky.html
Women lead the way in Trump’s second administration (Washington Times)
“One of the challenges that Trump’s press secretaries always have is the conviction that Donald Trump has that he’s the best messenger anyway, and so he tends to manage the public relations aspect of his presidency to a much greater degree than other presidents have,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a politics professor at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/dec/26/women-lead-way-donald-trump-second-administration/
Canada needs leadership to deal with a second Trump term (Niagara Independent)
Professor Stephen Farnsworth, author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character,” says that Trump makes such statements to keep his opponents off balance. “You ask for something unreasonable, and it is more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” he has been quoted as saying.
https://niagaraindependent.ca/canada-needs-leadership-to-deal-with-a-second-trump-term/
The White House of Palm Beach (Le Nouvel Observateur, France)
“During his first term, many people stayed at his hotel just outside the White House to do business with him or curry favor,” notes political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. “He uses his business to political advantage by rewarding those who pay him for privileged access to him. In truth, Trump is a transactional president.”
What to expect from the 2025 Va. General Assembly (Virginia Business)
“What can be put off will be put off,” says political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington. “Expect a session where not much changes. Everybody’s looking ahead to the next election, so they’re not really interested in doing anything that’s going to make their path to another term more difficult.”
https://virginiabusiness.com/inaction-packed/
Exit interview: Rep. Spanberger reflects on six years in Washington, looks ahead to gubernatorial bid (Inside NOVA)
Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, said Spanberger’s outreach to the ideological middle has been integral to her success in the “purple” 7th District. “She worked very aggressively at focusing on concerns in more rural parts of the area where Republicans are more numerous and basically did better in rural parts of the district than most Democrats usually do,” Farnsworth said. “Issues of importance to farmers, issues of expanding broadband, these are some key things that she focused on to connect with more Republican-leaning parts of the district.”
https://www.insidenova.com/news/exit-interview-rep-spanberger-reflects-on-six-years-in-washington-looks-ahead-to-gubernatorial-bid/article_df29b0d8-c4b2-11ef-975c-274a340fa020.html
Judge upholds Trump’s hush money conviction (CTV News Canada)
“There was no indication that this judge would not proceed with the sentencing relating to the conviction,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “This conviction was a decision reached by a jury.” https://review.bellmedia.ca/view/364064656
America Pays Tribute to President Carter (CTV News Canada)
If you think about the former president’s life after he left the Oval Office, you saw a commitment that was extraordinary,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “Most former presidents, they write books, they become consultants, and they figure out ways to give very profitable speaking tours. Jimmy Carter in contrast was focused on eradicating diseases, to building houses and to promoting human rights from start to finish of his political. It’s extraordinary record, one deserving of a great deal of respect.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=3056951
Trump has two years to cause real chaos and harm and only these people will be able to stop him (The Independent, UK)
Senator Marco Rubio is also someone who would be seen as credible on the international stage, says Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. “I’d make the same argument about the treasury secretary designate [hedge fund manager Scott Bessent] who is somebody with a long career in Wall Street, somebody who has been very, very successful in business and economics, and somebody who would be seen as very credible in the financial community. So when you’re looking at Trump’s picks, they’re not all monochromatic, blind loyalists.” https://www.the-independent.com/us/usa-trump-hegseth-rfk-musk-b2669070.html
Legislative battles ahead in Richmond as session kicks off this week (Virginia Mercury; Yahoo News)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said that Democrats are unlikely to make many concessions to Youngkin during an election year when the governorship and all 100 seats of the House of Delegates are on the ballot.
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/01/06/legislative-battles-ahead-in-richmond-as-session-kicks-off-this-week/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/legislative-battles-ahead-richmond-session-103037232.html
Biden’s Legacy (The Public Morality)
“The key thing to appreciate is the extent to which it is really hard to see in the moment what really the impacts are,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://soundcloud.com/the-public-morality/episode-346-stephen-farnsworth
Professor of English Eric G. Lorentzen
Professor of English Eric G. Lorentzen appeared on Virginia Humanities’ With Good Reason radio program in December discussing how holiday stories shape our experiences – from early classics like A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker and The Gift of the Magi to new traditions like How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The With Good Reason radio program brings the research and insights of Virginia’s top educators to audiences across the nation. Along with Lorentzen, this episode featured Diane Griffiths (Christopher Newport University), Sarah Hillenbrand Varela and Erik Varela (Longwood University), Sian White (James Madison University), and Laura Kimball (Radford University) to peek under the surface of some of the most enduring Christmas tales. Hear the episode.
UMW President Troy D. Paino
President Troy D. Paino discussed a range of topics during Biz Beat Banter (episode 4) with Bill Freeling of the Fredericksburg Free Press. The 45-minute conversation covered such topics as what drew President Paino from a career in law to one in higher education, what attracted him to Fredericksburg and UMW, what goals he has for the University, and what it’s like to be a University president. Listen to the episode.
Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds
Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds discusses data centers in Virginia on the podcast Coffee Shop Talk at Eileen’s Bakery & Cafe in downtown Fredericksburg. Bonds appeared on the show with Joey LoMonaco of the Fredericksburg Free Press talking about what LoMonaco calls “the buzzword of the current moment, and the coming decade, if we’re being real – data centers.” Listen to the podcast.
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley penned a new “History on the Hill” column for The Free Lance-Star entitled “Making Haste Slowly: Racial Integration at Mary Washington.” In the column he discusses racial integration at the University in the 1960’s and beyond. Read the article.
Associate Professor of Business Kashef Majid
Associate Professor of Business Kashef Majid was featured by WalletHub in an “Ask the Experts” piece entitled “Points on Driver’s License.” In the article Majid was asked about what advice he would have for people who are worried about the number of points on their driver’s license, saying “Points can impact your insurance premiums, but different insurers weigh the points differently. This is why you can shop around to see what the impact of the points will be and choose the insurer who places the least amount of weight on points. If switching insurers is not an option, raising your deductible can sometimes offset higher costs.” Read the article.
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley penned an article for The Free Lance-Star entitled “History on the Hill: Junior Ring Week: from romantic to rowdy.” In the article he discusses how student life at the University of Mary Washington was enlivened from its earliest days by a number of annual events that evolved into traditions. Read the article.
Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman
Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman was quoted by the Associated Press in an article entitled “Two Virginia women who came to Congress on a mission prepare to leave at a critical moment.” The article stated,”Wexton, previously a state senator and prosecutor, developed a reputation for taking care of her district, said Rosalyn Cooperman, a professor at the University of Mary Washington. Cooperman said she vied for funding opportunities and committee assignments that helped bring tens of millions of dollars in federal investments to northern Virginia.” Read the article.