New UA president hopes to build on momentum, growth
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Nov. 7
The University of Alabama’s president Dr. Judy Bonner sent an email to UA faculty, staff and students on Wednesday, less than a week after she took office following Dr. Guy Bailey’s resignation. In her message, Bonner says she will continue to build on the momentum of progress the university has seen in the past 10 years, especially in areas of enrollment. She added that she also recognizes that the university is also responsible for preparing students for the workforce.
UA students surpass other state universities
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Judy Bonner, The University of Alabama’s new president, told the Board of Trustees of the UA System this year’s class is the largest and most academically talented in UA history, and according to academic surveys and statistics, she’s right. Bonner was referring to the growth of the size and prestige of the undergraduate population at the University, which, with a historically high 28,026 students, is the largest in the state. Academically, the average ACT score of this year’s 6,397 freshmen increased by more than a point and now sits at 25.6…Bonner’s presentation also showed undergraduate degrees awarded by colleges in the state have increased 16 percent in the last five years. Half of those new degrees came from the University.
Univ. of Alabama to have military tailgate for A&M
Associated Press – Nov. 7
The University of Alabama is holding a special event for veterans before Saturday’s football game in Tuscaloosa against Texas A&M. The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs is hosting a free pre-game tailgate for veterans, troops and their dependents from both schools. The tailgate starts at 11:30 a.m. CST on the northwest corner of the Quad, where thousands of fans gather before games. The tailgate is part of a week of events on campus marking Veterans Day, which is next Monday. No. 1
UA alumni who served in World War II honored with release of new book
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Nov. 7
Veteran’s Day isn’t until Sunday, but celebrations kicked off in Tuscaloosa today by honoring more than a hundred World War II veterans. They’re featured in a new book sponsored by the Bryant Museum at the University of Alabama. It’s called “All of Us Fought the War.” The veterans in the book all attended the university, some even played football. Thirty-five of them attended a book signing and luncheon event today, honored to be here.
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Nov. 7
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 8
UA law professor Paul Horwitz says Judge Roy Moore has to have an open mind when hearing cases
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 7
Another race receiving a lot of attention is the new chief justice, Roy Moore, reclaimed his former position on the state supreme court. As you may recall, Moore became known as Alabama’s “Ten Commandments judge” in 1995 … We spoke with a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law who tells us it’s important for the chief justice to have an open mind when hearing cases. “It’s important that justice is and seem to be a fair process and that everybody that goes before the courts feels like if the judge is going to listen to the case before him or her for the first time as if it is his first time.”
Sweep home, Alabama: GOP gained control of all statewide offices Tuesday
Prattville Progress – Nov. 7
While Democrats claimed some key victories nationally Tuesday, Republicans completed a political shift in Alabama and swept the remaining statewide offices. Republicans now control all statewide offices, six of the state’s seven U.S. House seats and both U.S. Senate seats, and have a supermajority in the Alabama House and Senate. Also, the Republican nominee for president has won Alabama in every election since 1976. A longtime state political observer said Alabama has been moving in that direction since the 1990s, and he does not foresee that changing. “I don’t expect it to change anytime soon, and I think I have good company there,” said William Stewart, who pointed to commentary from fellow political observers in the state. “None of us expect a Democratic revival anytime soon because the values of the Democratic Party espoused nationally are not in harmony with those of the people of Alabama, particularly in the area of social values,” said Stewart, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama.
Alabama Academic Quiz Bowl team receives high rankings in regional, national tournaments
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Most University of Alabama students are not going to be spending their time out of class studying for fun. But the Alabama Academic Quiz Bowl team spends their time out of class doing just that – studying trivia and information across all areas to compete against other teams. “Playing is fun; it gets heated and intense because it is important, but at the end of the day, it is not too serious and we get along,” Jonathan Thompson, vice president of AAQT external affairs, said. The AAQT was established on the University’s campus in 2006 by a group of transfer students from Faulkner State … The team is sponsored by Margaret Peacock, a professor in the department of history, along with vice president for Student Affairs Mark Nelson and the UA Honors College. The team has participated in four tournaments so far this year, including Quark in Ann Arbor, Mich., and ACF Fall at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., this past weekend. The AAQT received high rankings in many of the tournaments they have attended this year. In the Quark I tournaments, the A team placed second and B team fifth overall. The team also did well last spring during the National AQT Southeast Sectional tournament where they came in first and second place.
UA writers churn out November novels
Crimson White – Nov. 7
UA students and professors join writers across the country this month to participate in National Novel Writing Month, or “NaNoWriMo,” with the hopes of completing a 50,000-word first draft before December. Shea Stripling, president of Sigma Tau Delta English honor society and a senior majoring in English and creative writing is also a “wrimo,” – what the organization calls participants – and said the result is worth the work. “It’s a bit difficult trying to set aside that time to write every day, but it feels satisfying once you actually do it,” Stripling said. She has never made a serious NaNoWriMo attempt and is using the month to complete her project about a celebrity… Stripling joins a growing annual number of “wrimos” in a literary sprint to December. The event has grown from 21 participants in its first year in 1999 to over 256,000 registered participants last year… Patti White, a professor in the English department, is participating in her third NaNoWriMo. “The first time I did it, I ended up with a 50,000-word draft of a novel, which is still under revision — in fact, the revision of that draft is what I am doing for this year’s NaNoWriMo,” said White. “I recognize that the majority of what I wrote before will need to be trashed — as is the case with most first drafts, I think.”
UA School of Music presents fall concert steeped in tradition
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Few events illustrate The University of Alabama’s School of Music standard of tradition like the annual Fall Spectrum Concert. This year’s performance, featuring the full array of the school’s ensembles, will be held Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Moody Music Building Concert Hall. Spectrum features a bevy of the School of Music’s ensembles and faculty. From voice to jazz to classical, the variety of musical talent at Alabama will be highlighted. This year the Trumpet Ensemble will kick off the evening with “The Star Spangled Banner.” Then Noel Engebretson, professor of piano, will play, followed by the African Drumming Ensemble. Paul Houghtaling and Kevin Chance, the Wind Ensemble, Cavell Trio, Brass Quintet, Huxford Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, Faythe Freese on organ, Jazz Ensemble and the Trombone Choir will all also perform.
Insurance executives to gather Friday at UA
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 7
A panel of top insurance executives will be at the University of Alabama on Friday to discuss the impact the election and Superstorm Sandy will have on the insurance industry. The panel will include John D. Johns, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Protective Life Corp., Birmingham; Thomas M. Marra, president and CEO of Symetra, Bellevue, Wash.; Dennis R. Glass, president and CEO of Lincoln Financial Group; and Kimberly Olson Dorgan, senior executive vice president of public policy for the American Council of Life Insurers, Washington, D.C. The panel will convene at 2 p.m. in Room 40 of Alston Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Protective Life and UA’s insurance and financial services, risk management and actuarial department are hosting the event.
What’s Going On: Michael Jackson exhibit coming to Rosa Parks Museum
Montgomery Advertiser – Nov. 8
With a nickname like the “King of Pop,” it’s safe to assume Michael Jackson was well known as an entertainer. But an exhibit opening up at Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum will attempt to explore a deeper side of the late musician…“MJ Obscura” will explore the many sides of Michael Jackson, including a look at some of his personal items. The main focus will be photography and mixed-media art from artist Amalia Amaki, a friend of Jackson’s. “I met him at age 14 through a mutual friend,” Amaki said. “We ran into each other a few times after that and eventually developed a lasting friendship.” Amaki will present a talk about the exhibit at 11 a.m. Saturday. A main theme of the majority of her pieces was that Jackson was a “warrior,” but one who fought against social injustice. “There is an overwhelming idea that he was shy, maybe even irrelevant on social issues,” Amaki said. “But he was such a craftsman at taking these positions that he wasn’t offensive.” The exhibit came together after Norman reached out to Amaki, who is a professor of art at the University of Alabama and a curator for the Paul R. Jones Collection, one of the oldest and largest collection of African-American art..
Students sell clothing for charity
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Three University of Alabama students and childhood friends have combined their talents to establish a small business that draws on their love for charity and their Southern roots. In the wake of the April 27, 2011 tornado, Chris Davis, a senior majoring in criminal justice and psychology, was propelled into action as the storm swept away his home. Having known Davis since preschool, John Davis Lind, a senior majoring in finance on the pre-med track, knew he wanted to help not only his friend in the recovery process, but also the community as a whole. “The whole idea came about after the tornado,” Lind said. “Chris’ house was destroyed, and we were looking for a way to give back. We wanted to keep the Southern way of life and culture around. Our whole motto is in the name. We wanted to give back to the South.” Davis and Lind devised a business model in which a percentage of the total sale of their products would be set aside for a fund established by the Alma Foundation, the same nonprofit organization that arranges the fundraising efforts for Nick and Terry Saban’s Nick’s Kids. The clothing business, Southern View Company, is to contribute 10 percent of the total sale to the fund as of now, but that number is planned to change, Lind said. The money collected through the fund will be put back into the community through various charities.
First Scholars Program to host Animal Supply Drive
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Over the next couple of weeks, University of Alabama students will not only have the chance to donate to Beat Auburn Beat Hunger, but also to Spot and Fido. The University of Alabama’s First Scholars Program is sponsoring an Animal Supply Drive for the Alabama Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at the Ferguson Center…Supplies needed include dog and cat food, cat litter, flea preventatives, treats, collars, shampoo, toys, paper towels and blankets. “It’s giving something that they can’t provide for themselves,” Amber Abbott, a sophomore majoring in early childhood and special education, said. In addition to the Ferguson Center, there will also be drop-off boxes located inside Manly Hall, Lloyd Hall, Shelby Hall, Farrah Hall, Gallalee Hall, Moody Music Building, Garland Hall and Gordon Palmer Hall, Franks said.
BABH hope to reach goal of 250,000 pounds
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Beat Auburn Beat Hunger’s University of Alabama team is well on its way to beating Auburn but is still below its goal of collecting 250,000 pounds of food for the West Alabama Food Bank. BABH Student Director Andres Mendieta said Alabama has raised 127,000 pounds of food to Auburn’s 100,000, but the University’s current total has yet to factor in money donations or barrels of donated food on and off campus and at Tuscaloosa schools. Each dollar donated will provide two pounds of food. BABH has until Friday, Nov. 16 to reach its goal. “There is no limit to what we can raise,” Mendieta said. “We would love as many students and organizations to do can drives and anything else to help.” BABH began in 1994 when the Community Service Center and the West Alabama Food Bank urged students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to help “fight” hunger and poverty in West Alabama. To do this, they challenged Auburn University and the Food Bank of East Alabama to see who could collect more non-perishable food to help the needy. In the nine counties served by the West Alabama Food Bank, 61,056 families live below the poverty line. Although BABH is run out of the Community Service Center, it is primarily student-led and organized.
Students get career preparation with technology
Crimson White – Nov. 8
Many technological gadgets and high-tech facilities at the Capstone College of Nursing help provide nursing students a great advantage in their career preparation to train for lives of service in health professions. “At Capstone College of Nursing, we are very fortunate, through the hard work of Dean Sara Barger and with the help of generous donors, to have a nursing education facility that is truly state-of-the-art,” Karen Silliman, director of technology and distance education for CCN, said. “As the first building on the UA campus built specifically for nursing education, the structure is designed to integrate technology seamlessly into the walls and floors, creating connections among classrooms and labs.” Some of the most high-tech gadgetry in the CCN building is found in the Learning Resources Center, a resource containing a computer lab, the Clinical Practice Lab and the Simulation Center for Clinical Excellence. “In the 34-bed Clinical Practice Lab, bachelor of science in nursing students in their junior year use realistic task trainers, sometimes referred to as low-fidelity simulators, to learn fundamental nursing skills such as IV insertion, medication administration and wound care,” Silliman said. “The Simulation Center for Clinical Excellence includes six simulation rooms, equipped with high-fidelity patient simulators, set up to look like a hospital room or home setting.” The high-fidelity patient simulators are computer-based mannequins that can breathe, bleed and even have a pulse. The simulators can be programmed to experience various real-life medical conditions, such as a stroke, heart attack or severe dehydration, allowing students to learn how to react to situations in a time constraint.