Top Stories:

• Associate Professor of Philosophy Susan Peppers-Bates, PhD, was quoted in the Sept. 17th Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, “If you want to cite stats about black people, let’s talk about history.” Noting that white supremacy was the law until the late 1960s, she said, that means “we never truly had a full democracy even in principle until the 1970s, and that the inertial power of racial privilege still grants many unjust advantages to white Americans at the expense of all Americans of color.”

• Professor Emeritus T. Wayne Bailey, PhD, was quoted in the Sept. 17 Daytona Beach News-Journal article, “Judges to hear Volusia’s Amendment 10 case Oct. 3.” Volusia County has engaged in a legal fight to preserve its 50-year-old charter and stop provisions of Amendment 10, a proposition passed last year dealing with local county elected officials and their powers. Bailey said the county is right to fight Amendment 10. “Some of the aspects are very, very troubling,” he said.

• Professor of Psychology Christopher Ferguson, PhD, was quoted in the Technology Review article, “The connection between video games and mass shootings isn’t just wrong—it’s racist” on Sept. 16. There is no evidence-based link between violent video games and violent crime, according to Ferguson. Additionally, there is a racial element to the violent video game fallacy. “For an African-American or Latino male, it’s not video games; it’s inner city crime or gang violence, and we’re supposed to expect this in these neighborhoods,” Ferguson said. “But when you look at a white kid from a reasonably affluent neighborhood, we are more inclined to see external attributions for committing the crime.”

• Professor Ferguson published the article, “Anti-Pornography Campaigners’ Pseudo-Scientific Treadmill” on Sept. 12 at Quilette.com.

• Florida Politics covered the Bar Exam results in a Sept. 16 article called, “An on-the-rise surprise: Florida Bar exam results are up over last two years.” Among first-time test takers from Stetson University College of Law, 77.6 percent passed in July, an increase from a year ago.

• Law alumnus Chris Sprowls will serve as the next Speaker of the House of Florida. A number of news outlets across the state covered this story, including Bay News 9, Tampa Bay Times, and News 4 Jacksonville.

• Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy wrote a Sept. 12 op-ed piece for Law360 called, “Trump’s Judicial Picks Are Gutting Campaign Finance Law.”

• Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy was quoted in a Sept. 13 article on CNBC called, “Virginia attorney general isn’t saying whether he will investigate Jerry Falwell Jr.’s Liberty University following bombshell self-dealing report.”

Other News:

• Law Professor Ellen Podgor was quoted in a Sept. 19 article in Politico titled, “Andrew McCabe cites Barr in bid to avoid charges.” The piece was also picked up by Yahoo! News. 

• Law Professor Ellen Podgor wrote a Sept. 14 article called, “More Varsity Blues – Privilege and Perspective” for the White Collar Crime Prof Blog. The piece was reposted on blogs from Jethro Lewis, Dean Cogan, and Sentencing Law and Policy.

• Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy’s new documentary video series “Checkers Explains Corruption” was linked on Sept. 16 on the Election Law Blog.

 • Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy’s 2013 article, “Blood on Your Handset” for Slate was referenced in a Sept. 18 blog post on Lake of the Lake called, “Global Climate Strike.”

• Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy was quoted in a Sept. 18 article in The Guardian called, “Sean Hannity’s sheriff friend faces mounting ethics allegations.”

• Law Professor Rebecca Morgan wrote the following articles for Elder Law Prof Blog: Sept. 11, “Two Upcoming Webinars on Important Topics;” Sept. 12, “Living On Campus-Not Just College Students But Retired Individuals;” Sept. 15, “How to Make Health Care Age-Friendly;” Sept. 16, “Long-Term Care Hospitals;” Sept. 17, “Faith Based Colorado Hospital Fires Dr. Who Planned to Help With MAD;” Sept. 18, “Do You Have A When I Die File?”

Alumni News

• Alumnus Kaleb DuBose was featured in the Sept. 16 Citrus County Chronicle article titled, “New director on board at Citrus High School, increasing numbers.” In his first year as Citrus High School’s band director, DuBose nearly doubled the student base from 26 to 46.

Alumnus Charles B. Bugg published an article at Baptist News Global titled, “In divisive times, can we find ways to let our ‘better angels’ show?” Bugg wrote: “My simple advice for myself and for people of faith in our divided and divisive times is this: Listen carefully to others, speak the truth in love and then… well, leave the rest to God.”

• Alumnus Maj. Eric Flowers was featured in VeroNews for receiving the International Association of Chiefs of Police “40 under 40” worldwide leaders award. Flowers currently serves as the Major – Bureau of Administration of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

• Law alumna Simone Marstiller was appointed to the Supreme Court of Florida Standing Committee on Fairness and Diversity.

• Law alumna Lisa B. Thompson was appointed to General Counsel, Vice President of Legal & Compliance, for Gulfstream Property and Casualty Insurance Company (Gulfstream) per a Business Wire press release that was picked up by multiple outlets in Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, New York and South Korea.

• Law alumnus Andrew J. Mayts, Jr. has joined the Tampa office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP as a partner in the Litigation practice group, according to the firm’s website.