A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Academy of Technology and Innovation at UMW Director Rebecca Towery
Rebecca Towery, director of the Academy of Technology and Innovation at the University of Mary Washington, shared information on the new school with radio host Ted Schubel on WFVA’s Town Talk. Towery also spoke about the school’s goals and previewed its first open house, held Dec. 5 at the school’s new home at the Stafford UMW campus. Hear the episode.
Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented several community lectures on the 2023 Virginia Midterm Elections, including talks for Mary Washington Elderstudy, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, and the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Farnsworth’s analysis of the 2023 elections was published in The Conversation, a leading source of political analysis. Read the article.
In addition, recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Hunter Biden Defies Subpoena (CTV News)
Based on what we know right now, there has been no evidence that the Republicans have been able to release that suggests that whatever Hunter Biden did in his financial arrangements had anything to do with the president. Remember, the question is really about the president.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2828084
The Numbers Behind Virginia’s Most Diverse General Assembly (Williamsburg Young)
Professor of History and American Studies Krystyn Moon
Professor of History and American Studies Krystn Moon’s report on restrictive zoning covenants was referenced in an article titled “Alexandria discloses list of ‘racially restrictive’ covenants on city-owned properties,” which ran in ALX Now. Moon, who the city hired to gather information on the history of the covenants, found dozens more properties, in Alexandria as well as Arlington and Fairfax counties. Read more.
College of Business Professor Xiaofeng Zhao
Xiaofeng Zhao, professor of the College of Business, recently presented a paper entitled “Application of priority queuing system in service operations” at the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) 54th annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The paper has been published in the conference proceedings. Zhao chaired a Service Systems and Operations session.
University of Mary Washington Museums Executive Director Scott Harris
On Tuesday, Nov. 28, the James Monroe Museum and James Monroe’s Highland collaborated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to present a panel discussion, Spheres of Influence: Two Hundred Years of the Monroe Doctrine. The event took place at NARA’s McGowan Theatre and was streamed on YouTube. Executive Director of Mary Washington Museums Scott Harris co-moderated the program with Dr. Sara Bon-Harper, Highland’s executive director. Of all the exhibits and public programs pertaining to the bicentennial of Monroe’s presidency offered by the James Monroe Museum since 2016, this discussion of the Monroe Doctrine addressed what is arguably the most significant and enduring legacy of his administration.
Among the four panelists were Dr. Daniel Preston, founding editor (retired) of the Papers of James Monroe and Dr. Melissa Martinez, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Dan and Melissa contributed admirably to what all agree was a thoughtful and wide-ranging examination of the Monroe Doctrine’s place not only in history, but also in contemporary international relations.
James Monroe Museum’s public programs coordinator, Lindsey Crawford worked with participants and the NARA staff to facilitate the event. The JMM assistant director and curator, Jarod Kearney, led a group of the museum’s guides who attended in person. Approximately 150 people were present in the McGowan Theater, with another 750 viewing online. The archived recording has had nearly 500 views in just the last three days—a number sure to grow over time.
Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jared McDonald new book, Feeling Their Pain: Why Voters Want Leaders Who Care, was recently published by Oxford University Press. Learn more.
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, is coauthor of a new book, Producing News in a Time of Disinformation: Information Evaluation Strategies for Journalists and News Consumers, which has been published by the U.S. International Research and Exchanges Board. The book is Professor Farnsworth’s ninth, and it is designed to help citizens, journalists, and journalism students identify and respond to disinformation. The book will be available online for free in English and in Russian in the coming weeks.
In addition, recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
State Representation Tilts Toward Diversity With Historic Numbers (Royal Examiner)
“The legislature that takes office in January will look a lot more like Virginia than previous legislatures,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington.
https://royalexaminer.com/state-representation-tilts-toward-diversity-with-historic-numbers/
The Kennedys: a commitment to public service with great sacrifices (El Espectador of Columbia)
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science at the University of Mary Washington, spoke with El Espectador about the legacy of the Kennedy family in politics, two lives cut short in some of the greatest “what could have been” futures for the United States.
https://www.elespectador.com/mundo/america/los-kennedy-un-compromiso-con-el-servicio-publico-con-grandes-sacrificios/
The first Black speaker of the House of Delegates takes pride in his rural roots (Cardinal News)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said that Scott’s background and willingness to connect with Republican legislators from Southwest is unusual for a Democrat, but it could benefit both sides. “Given the fact that the Southwest Virginia delegation is almost entirely Republican, the political influence of the region is greatest when there is a Republican majority. And because Democrats tend to do poorly in the region, a number of Democrats might not be interested in focusing on the region’s concerns,” Farnsworth said.
https://cardinalnews.org/2023/11/17/virginia-next-speaker-of-the-house-forges-an-unlikely-friendship-with-a-southwest-legislator/
What Tuesday’s Democratic Win Means for Virginia Politics (The Center Square)
But if Republicans look to achieve gains in the commonwealth in the near future, they will have to change their tactics some, according to University of Mary Washington Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/virginia/article_71f48bfa-7fdf-11ee-bee1-bf3e981f6ba1.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20bottom%20line%20of%20Tuesday’s,reversal%20of%20Roe%20v.%20Wade.
Virginia Democrats lost in several key swing districts. So how did they win the General Assembly? (NBC 4 Washington)
“You’re not likely to see a lot of candidates in the national arena trying to imitate Glenn Youngkin,” said University of Mary Washington Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth. “This is not a strategy that demonstrated an effectiveness in this election cycle.”
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/virginia-democrats-lost-in-several-key-swing-districts-so-how-did-they-win-the-general-assembly/3466873/
As national political omens go, Republicans sought middle ground on abortion in Virginia − and still lost the state legislature (The Conversation; Times Union; Caledonian Record)
Polls, including a September 2023 statewide survey by the University of Mary Washington and Research America Inc., demonstrated that Democrats were far more likely to vote based on the abortion question than Republicans were.
https://theconversation.com/as-national-political-omens-go-republicans-sought-middle-ground-on-abortion-in-virginia-and-still-lost-the-state-legislature-216884
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/as-national-political-omens-go-republicans-18480016.php
https://www.caledonianrecord.com/opinion/conversation/as-national-political-omens-go-republicans-sought-middle-ground-on-abortion-in-virginia-and-still/article_9247035e-9364-5e4c-818e-e7d2c031a92d.html
Virginia Democrats take over House, maintain control of Senate following election (WJLA)
“The Democrats were able to get a majority, but you’ll note that many of the seats that they won, they didn’t win them by much,” said Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of Political Science at the University of Mary Washington. “Democrats didn’t win by much, and Republicans didn’t lose by much, so this sets the stage once again for Virginia to be a purple state into 2024 and 2025.”
https://wjla.com/news/local/virginia-democrats-take-over-house-of-delegates-maintain-control-of-state-senate-majority-2023-november-election-results-republicans-voting-community-va-governor-glenn-youngkin-local-state-government#
What to make of the Virginia election results so far? (WTOP)
Stephen Farnsworth, joined WTOP’s Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller and anchors Dimitri Sotis and Nick Iannelli on Tuesday to share what he makes of the results of the Virginia election results so far.
https://wtop.com/local-politics-elections-news/2023/11/qa-what-to-make-of-the-virginia-election-results-so-far/
Blue prevailed in Virginia’s elections. Now its red governor seeks compromise. (The Washington Post)
The issue cut against the polarization that otherwise grips Virginia voters, said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Beyond abortion, there wasn’t a lot that Democrats or Republicans could do to convince somebody on the other side to switch teams for the election,” Farnsworth said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/11/09/virginia-elections-youngkin-democrats-compromise/
Virginia’s big political lessons for Youngkin – and for the nation (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
“When you have people say they’re 100% pro-life and then support a 15-week ban, that makes people wonder what you really want … with Youngkin and the Republicans, people were skeptical about what they really wanted,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.
https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/virginias-big-political-lessons-for-youngkin—and-for-the-nation/article_41d2b42e-7e77-11ee-99b3-8b29554cee04.html
After Glenn Youngkin ‘bet big’ in Va. and lost, he faces uncertain future: Experts (ABC News; News Explorer)
“Republicans had hoped that the 15-week ban that Gov. Youngkin proposed would be a way to sort of blunt the damage that the Roe v. Wade reversal is causing for Republicans around the country,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/after-glenn-youngkin-bet-big-virginia-elections-lost/story?id=104720160
https://newsexplorer.net/after-glenn-youngkin-bet-big-in-va-and-lost-he-faces-uncertain-future-experts-s6797944.html
In Virginia, Redistricting Matters (WVTF)
“The public objections were particularly vehement,” said University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth, who lives near the Spotsylvania school district and saw some of the politicking firsthand. In his eyes, Youngkin’s early success with the “parents matter” movement hit a ceiling and what remained was disgruntled parents who supported their teachers over political claims of indoctrination.
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-11-09/in-virginia-redistricting-matters
Ivanka Trump Testifies in Civil Fraud Trial (CTV News)
“Well, this is one of the last witnesses expected to be called,” said Stephen Farnsworth. “This is the third child of Donald Trump who will be testifying. Ivanka Trump is not facing charges in this case but she is in a position to be offering information about what happened as the individual documents were being put together.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2803345
A study titled “Assessing the presence, concentration, and impacts of trace element contamination in a Chesapeake Bay tributary adjacent to a coal ash landfill (Possum Point, VA)” by Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel, Associate Professor of Chemistry Leanna Giancarlo and Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Ben Kisilia, along with UMW students, was published in the journal Environmental Pollution. Read the article.
The study also was publicized by Potomac Riverkeeper Network. Read more.
Dr.Dhar, Peter Lermo, and Jarad Ponce at the Dallas bank
This October Associate Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar, and students Jarad Ponce and Peter Lermo, traveled to Dallas, Texas. They attended the 17th Annual Economic Scholars Program Conference for Undergraduate Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
Economics major Jarad Ponce presented “The Sidewalk Effect: A study on the demand for homes in Fredericksburg, VA.” He looked at the relationship between two Fredericksburg neighborhoods and the effect that having uniform sidewalks had on the housing prices. He found at the .1% Significance level that sidewalks had a positive 8% effect on the housing prices. “My experience at the conference pleasantly developed a great sense of accomplishment and belonging amongst my peers.” – Jarad Ponce
Economics major Peter Lermo presented “Income and Opioid Overdoses.” Lermo used panel data from 2014-2020 and conducted two regression models. The first model is where state had fixed effects and the second model is where state and year had fixed effects. The first model found that income had a positive effect on overdoses to where for every 1% increase in income, overdoses increased by .7396 per 100,000 people. In the second model income also had a positive effect and for every 1% increase in income, overdoses would increase by .1351 per 100,000 people. Lermo came up with the topic because of the rapid increase in synthetic opioid overdoses that have occurred over the past decade.
A bookshelf of Wilde-related paraphernalia
Professor of English Chris Foss presented a paper entitled “ ‘The secret of life is suffering’: Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis as Hard Times Survival Guide” on Sun. Oct. 8th at The Victorians Institute’s Annual Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the paper Foss argued that (as an analysis of De Profundis, his tour de force letter written in Reading Gaol so powerfully relates) Wilde’s prison experience ultimately serves to bring his former life as a prince of pleasure “into harmony with the wounded, broken, and great heart of the world.” In spite of (or, rather, more accurately, because of) the bodily debilitation and psychological distress he endures while incarcerated, such hard times increase his appreciation for the beauty and value of those lives dominated by difficulty, convincing Wilde to champion as his own chosen confraternity in the few years remaining to him persons variously marginalized and/or pilloried by society.