February 12, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Larus Comments on Al Jazeera on Secretary Yellen’s visit to China

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Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at Pacific Forum, appeared on Al Jazeera’s July 10, 2023 Inside Story news talk program to discuss U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen’s visit to Beijing and US-China relations. Professor Larus stated that US firms are putting tremendous pressure on the Biden administration to foster a stable environment in which to do business with and in China. To repair US-China relations, both Washington and Beijing need to work to manage, rather than solve, irreconcilable differences.

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2023/7/10/repairing-relations-between-the-us-and-china

Fleming Speaks on Panel about Reimagining the Performance Review Process

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Dave Fleming, Assistant Dean of Residence Life and Housing and Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs

It was a wonderful privilege to speak on a panel with two dynamic Student Affairs professionals, Brian Arao, Ed.D. and Libby Spotts, about reimagining the performance review process. I wasn’t going to listen to it but decided to on my way home from a long day in the office. This episode is full of powerful guidance and encouragement for supervisors and employees in and beyond Student Affairs. Read more.

Caffrey Talks Post-COVID Workplace Culture on NPR

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Kevin Caffrey

Senior Associate Registrar Kevin Caffrey

Senior Associate Registrar Kevin Caffrey was a guest on WOSU’s All Sides and spoke with host Matthew Rand of 89.7 NPR News about workplace culture and returning to the office post-COVID. The piece was titled “Will working full-time in an office become the norm again for the majority of the workforce?” Topics included the importance of employers valuing physical as well as psychological safety at work as well as the importance of cultivating a positive workplace culture that prioritizes empathetic communication and leadership. Caffrey explained that post COVID-19, “Organizations really need to assess and reflect on their workplace culture. Is it a place that their employees are going to want to return to and feel physically and psychologically safe?” Listen to the program.

Russell Elected VEDC Communication Chair

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Center for Teaching Director and Associate Professor of Education Victoria Russell

Center for Teaching Director and Associate Professor of Education Victoria Russell

Center for Teaching Director Victoria Russell has been elected Communications Chair in the Virginia Educational Development Collaborative (VEDC). The VEDC is a consortium of faculty developers in Virginia who meet regularly to share and promote best practices in college teaching. The consortium was an initiative created through the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Russell will serve a three-year term on the Executive Council with officers from institutions across Virginia.

Russell also was recently selected for the 2023-2024 Senior Leadership Seminar for the Virginia Network of the American Council on Education’s Women’s Network. Initiated in 1987, the Senior Leadership Seminar provides a forum to bring together emerging women leaders with established leaders in higher education in the Commonwealth. The Senior Leadership seminar focuses on three core areas: personal development, professional development, and trends in higher education. During meetings throughout the year, speakers and guests join the group to discuss critical issues facing higher education from a variety of perspectives.

Williams’ Civil Rights Work Lauded in ‘The Free Lance-Star’

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UMW James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

UMW James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams’ behind-the-scenes work with the City of Fredericksburg’s Victoria Matthews was lauded in an article titled “Fredericksburg unveils historic marker honoring John Washington,” which ran recently in The Free Lance-Star. “In February, the city and the University of Mary Washington introduced a Civil Rights Trail that has been years in the making,” the article says. Williams and Matthews have been the driving force behind the initiatives. Read more.

Cooperman Pens Article on Women in Virginia Politics

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Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Affairs Rosalyn Cooperman penned an article titled “The Fight for Partisan Control of Virginia’s State Legislature Continues and Democratic Women are on the Front Line” for the Center for American Women in Politics/Rutgers. The article pointed to three main takeaways of how gender is playing a significant role on the campaign trail in Virginia for the House of Delegates and state Senate. Read the article.

Fallon Presents at African Linguistics Conference

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Associate Professor of Linguistics Paul Fallon at the 54th Annual Conference on African Linguistics

Associate Professor of Linguistics Paul Fallon at the 54th annual Conference on African Linguistics

Associate Professor of Linguistics Paul D. Fallon presented on June 12, 2023, at the 54th annual Conference on African Linguistics. His talk, titled “Three views of Proto-Cushitic: Theory, Heuristics, and Validity,” analyzed and compared three historical-comparative reconstructions of the Cushitic language family: the one by Aron Dolgopol’skij in 1973, one by Christopher Ehret in 1987, and one by M. Lionel Bender in 2020, each varying in scope, methodology and reconstructions, from a low of 15 consonants to a high of 87. The 46 Cushitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic phylum spoken in and around the Horn of Africa.

Farnsworth Delivers Research Paper on Conservative Political Humor

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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 co-authored research paper online, “The Challenge of Creating Conservative Comedy: The Iconoclastic Vision of Gutfeld!” at CARP Conference in Character Assassination. The paper is drawn from a chapter of Dr. Farnsworth’s upcoming co-authored book, Late Night in Washington: Political Humor and the American Presidency, under contract with Routledge.

Other recent media mentions for Dr. Farnsworth include:

Prince William County’s chair defeated in primary, highlighting role of data centers in area’s politics (DC News Now)
“Primary voters in Prince William County want nothing to do with these data centers,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.
“The new lines, like the old, leave one or the other party dominant. Only a handful of districts are really competitive,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.
“Primary voters in Prince William County want nothing to do with these data centers,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.“Primary voters in Prince William County want nothing to do with these data centers,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.
Danville Democrat who was denied nomination asks state Department of Elections to put her on the ballot (Cardinal News)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said that the feud between Lipscomb and her local nominating committee, and now the Democratic Party of Virginia, was a rare event in Virginia politics. “Normally parties will take the one candidate they have, if they only have one. Part of the reason this story has gotten the national attention it has is because the local Democratic organization is saying that not having a candidate is better than having a candidate, which is a very unusual position for a party or organization to take,” Farnsworth said.
With primaries over, what role will big donors play in General Assembly races? (WVTF)
Stephen Farnsworth at the University of Mary Washington says this shows a shifting political landscape. “I think it’s clear that Dominion’s influence will be reduced as other players with big checkbooks get into this conversation about Virginia’s energy future. It’s clear that Dominion has pivoted to take advantage of the changing political dynamics of Virginia,” Farnsworth says. “The question is are they moving far enough fast enough.”
Virginia’s primaries set the stage for this fall’s fierce political wars (The News Virginian)
“The new lines, like the old, leave one or the other party dominant. Only a handful of districts are really competitive,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “And it’s clear from the primaries, there is a lot of money to be spent in Virginia politics,” he said.
With new fiscal year approaching, budget negotiations appear to be in a stalemate (WVTF)
Stephen Farnsworth at the University of Mary Washington says the standoff is part of the Washingtonization of Virginia politics.
Republicans complain that Democrats voted in their primary. Democrats complain that Republicans voted in theirs. (Cardinal News)
“It’s a strategy designed to weaken the Democratic Party; nominating less competitive candidates for the general election can only help Republicans,” University of Mary Washington political analyst Stephen Farnsworth told Washington, D.C., television station WRC-TV, otherwise known as NBC4.
Ousted Lynchburg registrar files lawsuit against 2 electoral board members (The Richmond Times-Dispatch; The News& Advance)
“Historically, this wasn’t the kind of problem that it is right now,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “For decades, Republican governors, Democratic governors, appointed people” more or less “got along because everybody believed in the mission.”

Larus Comments on Indian Prime Minister’s Visit to the U.S.

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Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus

Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor Emerita of Politics and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at the Pacific Forum, offered commentary to

WION News on Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the U.S. Professor Larus indicated that Modi’s visit had both economic and defense components. After meeting titans of U.S. industry in New York, Modi was treated to a state dinner and addressed a joint session of Congress. The threat of a more aggressive China in the Indo-Pacific is drawing India closer to the U.S. Professor Larus’ comments begin at 17 minutes into the program.
Larus also spoke recently on Modi’s visit to News X for a piece titled “India-U.S. Defence Dynamic Is Strengthening’ | Elizabeth Larus On Bilateral Bid To Counter China.” On the segment, Larus says, “This is Modi’s sixth visit to the United States but it is actually the first time that he going to be treated to a state dinner in Washington.” Watch the segment.