Newswise — The following faculty members at the University of Richmond are available to comment on the Virginia primary (Feb. 10), the presidential campaign, presidential leadership, first ladies and campaign issues:
James MacGregor BurnsSenior Fellow, Leadership Studies
Topics: Leadership (in American public life), Leadership (presidential), Politics (American)
A leadership scholar and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, Burns is a senior scholar and member of the founding faculty at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. He holds a bachelor's degree from Williams College and master's and doctoral degrees from Harvard. He has authored more than a dozen books, including the first biography of JFK. His biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox," was followed by "Roosevelt: Soldier of Freedom," which received the Pulitzer and National Book Award in 1971.
Burns also wrote "Leadership," which played an integral role in the development of leadership studies as an academic discipline and, in 2003, published "Transforming Leadership: The Pursuit of Happiness." He is former president of the International Society of Political Psychology and former president of the American Political Science Association. He became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003.
Dr. Akiba J. CovitzAssistant Professor of Political Science
Topics: Civil Rights (discrimination, racial profiling, affirmative action, post Sept. 11 issues), Law (civil rights, constitutional, federal-state relations, executive vs. legislative), Politics (U.S.), Privacy (in workplace), Supreme Court (cases, justices, trends, politics of)
Covitz holds a law degree from Yale and a degree in constitutional history/political science from the University of Pennsylvania. At Richmond he teaches constitutional law, civil rights and civil liberties, and American government. He has served as the archivist for the papers of two U.S. Supreme Court justices. His research and publications cover such diverse areas as the historical beginnings of the U.S. constitution, the Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermaths, attorney-client confidentiality, race and the law, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Linda B. HobgoodSpeech Center Director and Instructor, Rhetoric & Communication
Topics: Rhetoric and Communication Studies, American First Ladies, Speech (business and professional), Communication (group)
Director of the University's Speech Center since its founding in 1996, Hobgood has served on the faculty since 1990. She has been a speechwriter, campaign manager and consultant in the public and private sector. She served in the White House with special programs and the First Lady's staff. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Virginia, has taught political rhetoric and interpersonal communication and currently teaches rhetoric and public address.
Dr. Kevin D. KuswaDirector of Debate
Topics: Debates (political, collegiate), Politics (privacy, international security), Transportation Policy, Rhetoric (history, practice, criticism)
Director of debate and instructor of rhetoric, Kuswa holds a bachelor of science in international relations from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a master's degree in rhetoric and a Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Texas, Austin. He was the 1992 national champion in debate (National Debate Tournament).
Dr. Rick Mayes Assistant Professor of Public Policy
Topics: Health insurance, Managed care, Mental health policy, Medicare policy
Mayes is author of the book, "Universal Coverage:The Elusive Quest for National Health Insurance," and has written and presented extensively on ADHD, the politics of health policy, hospital cost shifting and Medicare. Prior to coming to the University of Richmond, he was an NIH postdoctoral fellow and lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health (2000-02). During 1998-99, he was Bankard Foundation Visiting Scholar at Australian National University and the University of Sydney. He received a B.A. from the University of Richmond and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Dr. Gary L. McDowellTyler Haynes Interdisciplinary Professor of Leadership Studies and Political Science
Topics: Supreme Court, Law (judicial appointments), Leadership (presidential power), Public Policy, U.S.-U.K. Relations
McDowell teaches in the areas of leadership studies, constitutional law, judicial process and politics, foundations of American constitutionalism, American political thought, public administration and public policy. He holds a Ph.D. in government and public affairs from the University of Virginia, an A.M. in political science from the University of Chicago, an M.A. in political science from Memphis State University and a B.A. in social sciences from the University of South Florida.
Prior to joining the Richmond faculty, McDowell was director of the Institute of United States Studies and professor of American studies at the University of London. He has taught at Harvard Law School, Harvard University, Tulane and Dickinson. From 1984-85, McDowell served as director of the Office of the Bicentennial of the Constitution. He has written or edited 10 books on such topics as the right to privacy, justice and the courts, the constitution and the Supreme Court. His newspaper and magazine articles have appeared in numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, The Times and Washington Post. Dr. Daniel J. PalazzoloAssociate Professor of Political Science
Topic: American Politics
Palazzolo has researched Congress, budget policy-making, election reform and congressional leadership. He is the author of several published texts and articles, including Done Deal? The Politics of the 1997 Budget Agreement (Chatham House Publishers). This book arose from Palazzolo's experiences as a Congressional fellow for Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-Md.).
Dr. Kenneth P. RuscioDean, Jepson School of Leadership Studies
Topics: Government (American), Government (public policy), Government (contemporary democratic theory), Government (trust in leaders), Leadership (in society), Environmental Policy (and legislation)
Ruscio is dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. He holds a B.A. degree in politics from Washington & Lee and MPA and Ph.D. degrees from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He was the 2002 president of the national leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa. Ruscio is author of the forthcoming book, "The Leadership Dilemma in Modern Democracy," which explores the application of political theory and philosophy (specifically democratic theory) to the issue of leadership in modern democracy. Ruscio has taught American government, public policy, leadership, environmental policy and environmental studies.
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