Alumnus donates $1 million to University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa News – April 26
A University of Alabama alumnus has given $1 million to establish a new leadership program in the College of Arts and Sciences. The gift from Jeff Levitetz, a 1980 alumnus and founder and chairman of Purity Wholesale Grocers, on behalf of the Levitetz Family Foundation to support Levitetz Leadership Program in the New College, an interdisciplinary program, was announced on Thursday.
Birmingham Business Journal – April 27
No, California bill would not ban Bible sales
Politifact – April 26
Paul Horowitz at the University of Alabama School of Law said there’s a serious question that the law “could include books arguing that one should refrain from homosexuality lest one be condemned or damned, and thus could include the Bible, at least as some read it.”
April 27, 2011: Why did so many die that day?
Al.com – April 27
Two hundred fifty-three. Even seven years later the death toll from a historic tornado outbreak on April 27, 2011, is staggering. Two hundred fifty-three people, people of all ages and walks of life, lost their lives as a direct result of the storms that day, according to the National Weather Service … One of those was Dr. Laura Myers, now the director of the Center for Advanced Public Safety at the University of Alabama. She was at Mississippi State University in 2011 and was brought into the circle by Jim Stefkovich, who was the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service in Birmingham at the time.
$30 million in AAA tax credits already claimed for 2018
Al.com – April 27
Alabamians gobbled up $30 million in state income tax credits available under the Alabama Accountability Act by March 1 this year, a first in the program’s history … “The new limitations on the SALT deduction were certainly a driving force for many Alabama taxpayers with large income and property tax bills,” attorney Bruce Ely told AL.com. Ely is an attorney for the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund, one of the state’s SGOs, and is an adjunct tax professor in the University of Alabama’s Graduate Accounting program.
Gene Stallings attends CHIP for RISE fundraiser
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – April 26
Gene Stallings is in town for the RISE golf tournament, and he hosted area media this evening for a Q and A at the Northriver Yacht Club. We asked him about his former player and assistant coach Dabo Swinney, now the head coach at Clemson, who is being inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame this weekend in Birmingham.”
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 26
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – April 26
Culverhouse business school changes name
Crimson White – April 27
The University of Alabama has officially changed the name of its business school to Culverhouse College of Business from its previous name Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration. Lisa McKinney, an accounting professor at the University, said the college changed its name to avoid confusion. “People didn’t understand what “commerce” meant,” McKinney said.
UA Board of Trustees name UA professor as distinguished research professor
Crimson White – April 27
Russell McCutcheon, the chair of the religious studies department, was recently named a Distinguished Research Professor by the UA Board of Trustees. The recognition is one of the University’s most significant awards and has been received by fewer than 10 faculty members throughout the University’s history. The title is given to those faculty members who have attained international success with their work, often conducting world-renowned research while receiving thorough recognition from the most influential individuals in their field of study.
The Gender Conundrum of Personal Assistants
Her Campus – April 26
Technology has made strides in artificial intelligence. It is increasingly likely that you or someone you know has a virtual assistant in his or her home, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Home Assistant. In fact, many of us carry one in our pocket in the form of Apple’s Siri, which comes with our iPhones … Miriam Sweeney, a feminist researcher and digital media scholar from the University of Alabama, believes that the choice to give virtual assistants female voices serves to reinforce sexist gender roles, as many low level service jobs are occupied by women. It turns out that if virtual voices are supposed to represent engineers or lawyers, users prefer the voices of men.
The Next-Generation MAGTF
Marine Corps Gazette – April 26
As we built the 2018 Marine Aviation Plan, we at Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation ran into a fundamental question: what is the next-generation MAGTF, and what capabilities are we pursuing to contribute to it? … The Marine Corps is working with the University of Alabama and Pennsylvania State University on a science and technology process to develop a lightweight expeditionary mat.
alliantgroup’s Bob Riley Addresses Students and Future Leaders at the University of Alabama
Razzle Tazzle – April 26
alliantgroup Director and Former Alabama Governor Bob Riley addressed students at the University of Alabama’s Ferguson Center yesterday on the topic of leadership and civic engagement.
Student signs to compete on UA’s Water Ski Team
WDHN-ABC (Dothan) – April 26
Sean’s parents, Jennifer and Chad Hunter, say their son’s dedication to water skiing has paid off in a big way. With today’s announcement, he’ll be going to the University of Alabama on a full scholarship.
Freshman working at Paris Fashion Week this summer
Crimson White – April 26
Sitting around a picnic table and giggling with her friends, Makenzie Tokes, a freshman majoring in apparel and textiles design, described her enthusiasm for hopping on a plane and heading to her favorite place for the summer. Only Tokes won’t be hitting up the typical tourist destinations when school gets out. Instead, she’ll be working behind the scenes at one of fashion’s hottest events: Paris Fashion Week. Tokes recently scored a Fashion Week internship with Camille de Dampierre, a French wedding dress and ready-to-wear fashion designer. “I’ve never met someone that loves Paris as much as Makenzie,” said Katie Evans, a sophomore accounting major and one of Tokes’ close friends. “I think the first day I met her she talked about how she wants to be a designer in Paris. She told me that she already had her brand name, and she told me everything about it. And I was like ‘This girl. She has her life planned.’”
Graduating senior singular director of dance show
Crimson White – April 26
Grace Kurosaka arrived at the University as a biology major with a dream of attending medical school, but she quickly realized that she wanted to take a different path. While she began dancing at the age of three, she did not begin contemplating the sport as a career path until she got to the University. Now, as a senior majoring in dance and biology, Kurosaka will be presenting an original dance show, “Carousel” to her colleagues, peers and family.