University of Alabama President Stuart Bell seeks more tenured faculty
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 20
A goal to increase tenure-track faculty by about 40 percent remains a top priority for University of Alabama President Stuart Bell as UA begins to implement elements of its strategic plan. “It goes back to my strong belief that our intellectual property is our faculty and we are going to move the dial in such a significant way there,” Bell said. UA last week released further details of the new strategic plan, which include goals for enhancing the academic experience, diversity on campus, research and faculty resources. Bell announced the pillars of the five-year strategic plan in April. He launched the strategic planning process after arriving last year.
UA begins search for new administrators
Crimson White – Aug. 20
The University of Alabama is in the market for new administrators. This fall, a committee of faculty, staff and students will oversee the search for a new provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. The 14-person committee, facilitated by David Grady, vice president of Student Affairs, will work with a private firm on a national search to fill the position. According to University President Stuart Bell, the goal is to have a candidate in place by the beginning of the spring semester.
Hobson City celebrating founders this weekend
Anniston Star – Aug. 19
Hobson City’s 117th Founders’ Day celebration today featured a symposium of speakers from the University of Alabama that focused on the town’s partnership with the institution. The partnership led one of the university’s associate professors and several of her graduate students to partner with five girls from the town to produce a “photo voice” project, a series of photographs taken by the girls meant to document both Hobson City’s history and how they view it today. That project was the topic of the symposium held Friday, according to Mayor Alberta McCrory. The photos, taken by Aliyáh Ball, Zakerriah Hawkins, Jaden Massey, Tesia Nealy and Melody Williams, will be on display at the Paul R. Jones Gallery of Art in Tuscaloosa starting next Wednesday, according to a release from the university. Founders’ Day festivities continue Saturday morning with a 5k walk and run members of the town are encouraged to participate in. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the run scheduled to start at 8 a.m.
The College Republicans Divide Over Trump
Wall Street Journal – Aug. 22 (Subscription)
The College Republican National Committee takes a forgiving tone. Chairman Alexandra Smith says “there is more than one way to be a College Republican.” She further notes the “nearly universal” opposition to Hillary Clinton among College Republican chapters, as well as their strong support for down-ballot Republicans. Still, not every campus chapter is reticent about the GOP nominee. The 600-member Citadel Republican Society “enthusiastically supports Donald Trump,” according to president Zac Rutherford. Ditto for Liberty University, where chairman Jonah Athey says his College Republicans are “proud to stand behind Donald Trump.” The University of Alabama College Republicans president Drew Mansell agreed, noting, “the choice in this election could not be more clear.”
Alabama unemployment rate drops in July
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 19
Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.7 percent in July. It was 6 percent in June and in July 2015. University of Alabama economist Ahmad Ijez said July saw both a decline in the number of unemployed and its civilian labor force. “Economy still seems to be growing at a modest pace and the consumer spending is still doing well,” he said. “However, the pace of job growth has slowed down somewhat, but it could be just seasonal effects.”
UA student from Tulsa sets sight on playing for Team USA
KJRH-NBC 2 (Tulsa, Okla.) – Aug. 19
Twenty-one Olympic gold medals…Since 1936, both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams have dominated Olympic competition, and as the game continues to grow, athletes of all kids are training for a spot on Team USA. 19-year-old Kaina Keck earned an athletics scholarship to play for The University of Alabama’s Wheelchair Basketball Team, and entering her Sophomore year has already won an under-21 gold medal. Keck, born in Lithuania, was adopted by a Tulsa family, and shortly after arriving, fell in love with the game of basketball.
Utilization of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in the United States
NBMCW.com – Aug. 21
Recycling of asphalt pavements started around 1915 in the United States, but it did not become a common practice until later (1970s) when asphalt binder prices skyrocketed as a result of the Arab oil embargo. The 1970s marked the beginning of the widespread use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt pavements in the United States. In addition, in the 1980s, some field trials with high RAP contents were constructed and evaluated. (Professor Serji Amirkhanian, Ph.D., Professor of Civil Construction and environmental Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA)
What Are Some Organizational Communication Network Examples?
Houston Chronicle – Aug. 21
Organizational communication addresses how information circulates among the employees of a company. Generally speaking, knowledge passes from one person to another within a corporation by one of two ways: via an informal or a formal communication network … In his Institute for Public Relations article “Employee/Organizational Communications,” Bruce K. Berger, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama has an alternative name for a diagonal communication network: “omni-directional,” because it includes everyone within the company regardless of ranking and function.
THE PORT RAIL: Coups have long history as shortcut to power
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 20
I had to chuckle while reading about the military coup in Turkey a month ago. We seem to be surprised, mystified, shocked, and altogether puzzled by a people who would attempt to remove their executive — the president in this case — and replace him with a general. Actually, some political commentators here in the U.S. were astute, and bold, enough to say what was on their mind: Removing this pro-Islamic president might benefit U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. (Larry Clayton is a retired University of Alabama history professor. Readers can email him at larryclayton7@gmail.com.)
How Donald Trump’s rollicking rally in Mobile still resonates a year later
AL.com – Aug. 21
Donald Trump ruled over Alabama one year ago this night, with a bombastic stadium rally the likes that had rarely been seen in Republican Party politics in recent times. From Trump’s rock-star entrance to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” to a pre-event fly over aboard his own jetliner, the rally that drew tens of thousands to Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile served as a foretaste of what was to come – both the good and the bad — from the present-day GOP nominee for president. . . . “Official and Trump estimates of the crowd differed but it was still large,” said William Stewart, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama. “I’m sure many wanted to see this celebrity who they had seen many times on TV.”
Lydia Pate, American Ballet Theatre intensive
Greensboro (N.C.) News and Record – Aug. 22
Lydia Pate of Burlington attended American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive at the University of Alabama. . . “I had the honor of training under legendary dancers such as Julie Kent, Carla Stallings-Lippert, Melissa Hale-Coyle and others,” she emailed. “I enjoyed working with other dancers from around the world, who, like myself, also hope to dance professionally in the future. We received training in classical ballet, pointe, pas de deux, jazz, character and other styles. We danced six hours a day/six days a week. “It was a wonderful experience, and I look forward to auditioning for ABT again in the future!”