Robertson School of Government Newsletter – November 2020

In this issue:

• 100th Anniversary of Broadcasting
• Dean’s Corner: A Threat to Christian Universities that Would Backfire
• More from RSG Social Media
• RSG Launches Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
• National Security in the 2020s: Strategic Challenges for America in the Coming Decade
• Responsive Public Service: Local Government Leadership and Management Resiliency Challenges, Lessons and Opportunities in the COVID-19 Era
• Regent University Ranked #1 Best College in Virginia
• Student Highlight: Rachell Faagutu

Featured Media of the Month

100th Anniversary of Broadcasting

Dean Perry shares the presentation he gave at the Broadcast Education Association conference, which was held this October because we have reached the 100-year anniversary of broadcasting! He discusses the transition of when recorded performances, rather than live, became the norm, and the role that the government had in it! This is a presentation you won’t want to miss. Watch the presentation here!

Dean’s Corner

Dear friends, The transition to a new administration has begun, which always gives faculty new angles to add into their courses as they teach students about the current issues in government, national security, and public administration. Rules will change, people will change, and perhaps dramatic changes in the law will come. To that end, many corporations, cities, advocacy groups, and just plain everyday folks like you and me will have things they would want their new government to do. For me – I’d lobby to increase the tax credit for putting electric panels on my roof. But that’s a minor issue and might pass with bi-partisan support Another issue was noted in The Christian Post. It reported that a “leading LGBT group,” the Human Rights Campaign, has called on president-elect Joe Biden to pass policies that would strip Christian colleges and universities of their accreditation if they support the Bible’s teaching of traditional marriage and sexual morality. Some Christian bible colleges already function without accreditation, whether through choice or the lack of meeting some standard that the accrediting agency requests. Interestingly, it was only about 50 to 60 years ago that accreditation became a big enough deal that many Christian colleges earned it. Everyone needs accountability, and so accreditation can be a great thing, but it can also be meddlesome, as would be the case if they began to discriminate against certain belief systems. So what would happen if suddenly every biblically-based Christian college lost its accreditation? Would the government quit hiring students who graduated from Christian colleges? Would it result in a segregation in society where Christians could only be hired by Christian owned businesses who didn’t mind hiring a graduate of a Christian college? Perhaps that sounds like returning to a prior time of segregation in America. Should the Biden administration choose to pass policies that would link accreditation to the typical liberal or progressive policy issues that groups like the Human Rights Campaign organization advocate, then accreditation will again be less than meaningful. The policies would backfire leading many employers will find that hiring graduates from non-accredited, faith-based universities may be in their organizations’ best interests. Higher education has already been the target of much criticism for its recent bent toward cancel culture and away from free speech. Should new policies make the focus of that criticism overt, America will become even more separated, with accreditation only suggesting where one can be educated for progressive thinking, rather than being educated to be able to think critically. And thinking critically, like we teach in the Robertson School of Government, is ultimately the only valid educational purpose – accredited or not. Sincerely, Stephen D. Perry, Ph.D. Interim Dean and Professor

More from RSG Social Media

Findings with Dr. Mary Manjikian: Accountability, Guilt and Reparations

Research and Praxis with Dr. Elijah Agyapong

Servant Leader Moments with Dr. Gary Roberts: Servant Leadership Character

Set Point with Dr. Steve Perry: What Would Make a Nation Great Again

Blind Politics with Dr. Nolte: Big Tech Challenges in the Next Congress

Recent Events:

RSG Launches Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin

In order to keep all of our wonderful RSG supporters up-to-date with our latest happenings, RSG is launching Facebook and Instagram accounts! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to hear all about our latest updates!

National Security in the 2020s: Strategic Challenges for America in the Coming Decade

RSG’s Rear Admiral Larry Baucom and Dr. Eric Patterson discussed changing national security dynamics with Lieutenant General William Boykin (USA, ret.) in a Regent university forum led by the Center for Christian Thought and Action. Admiral Baucom emphasized the importance of strategic thinking for military and political leaders, with a focus on great power rivalries in the Asia-Pacific region.  When asked about the strides that China has made militarily, Admiral Baucom gave them credit, although he noted that China may have taken on more than it can handle in such a short amount of time, such as deploying a super aircraft carrier.  Admiral Baucom reminded the listeners that a robust economy was crucial for U.S. national security. Dr. Patterson emphasized the importance of citizen support for the U.S. to continue investing heavily in defense, and the need for continuity in maintenance and infrastructure. Unfortunately, it has been usual for Democratic administrations to seek a peace dividend by cutting back on military spending. Patterson noted that this would be a bad move by the incoming Biden administration as it is far more expensive to have to play catch-up down the road. In a response to a query about values and human rights, Patterson noted that a smart form of statecraft is calling on human rights violators to simply live up to the commitments they have already made.  For example, nearly every country has signed on to the legally binding International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (the treaty version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).  When Washington demands that other countries live up to the values of the ICCPR, such as on religious freedom, the U.S. is not acting imperialistically.  Rather, the U.S. is calling on those countries to live up to their word and protect the rights of their own citizens.

Responsive Public Service: Local Government Leadership and Management Resiliency Challenges, Lessons and Opportunities in the COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented public administrators with unprecedented stress and uncertainty given the toxic mixture of increased service demands juxtaposed with diminishing financial resources. This highly variable and uncertain public health crisis with its sweeping economic, political, and cultural effects also presents a unique opportunity to promote innovative and creative solutions that will benefit public administration long after the pandemic ends. A Webinar, sponsored by the Hampton Roads chapter of ASPA, featured three experienced local government administrators, Dr. Edwin Daley and Professor Sam Gaston, both of Regent University, along with Ms. Laura Fitzpatrick, deputy city manager of the City of Chesapeake. They reflected on their past and present experiences in providing quality services under duress and their views on the potential positive outcomes of the COVID-19 crisis. The panelists discussed both leadership and management practices as well as personal coping strategies to remain steady under pressure.

Regent University Ranked #1 Best College in Virginia

Regent University has been named the #1 best college in Virginia in 2020 by Best Value Schools​. Regent was awarded the top ranking among 24 colleges in Virginia in the 2020 report. “Regent University is committed to educating Christian leaders to change the world,” said Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson, founder, chancellor and CEO of Regent University. “Being recognized as the top college in Virginia underscores our deep commitment to academic excellence and exemplary student outcomes.” According to the report, Regent ranks highly for online and on-campus education, providing students with the skills needed to succeed academically, professionally, personally and spiritually. Regent was also ranked one of the top 20 best online bachelor’s programs in the nation, and one of the top 15 best bachelor’s programs for veterans by U.S. News and World Report. “We are grateful for this accolade recognizing the exemplary education offered to thousands of students at Regent University,” said Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. “This independent, industry recognition illustrates that Regent University is the destination of choice for higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” “Regent University excels at providing a quality education for their students,” noted a spokesperson at Best Value Schools. “Regent provides students with exceptional experiences and education, and was selected based on its quality, cost, and student satisfaction.” In 2020, Regent was also ranked the #1 accredited online college in the United States, in a report from Study.com. “Now, more than ever before, college students need high-quality academics and an engaging student experience,” said Moreno-Riaño. “As the #1 college in Virginia, Regent delivers both.

Student Highlight: Rachel Faagutu

In this “Guide to Government”, Dr. Steve Perry interviews RSG Student Rachell Faagutu about the importance of holding a relative knowledge of Government and its operations. Watch their interview here!