UA hires new chief information officer
Crimson White – July 3
…Beginning July 14, Dr. John P. McGowan will take over as vice provost and chief information officer for the University…”John McGowan has a wealth of experience in managing information technology in a university environment,” said Judy Bonner, UA executive vice president and provost, in a news release. “His expertise will be extremely valuable to the University of Alabama, and we are looking forward to working with him.”…
Pre-K Jump Start English Program
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – July 2
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – July 2
Three University of Alabama students have started a new Jump Start Pre-K program in Tuscaloosa for Hispanic students. The five-week program is aimed at children who speak very little English. Eight students have enrolled in the program. UA junior Laura Dover is the brains behind the program. She is working with the Tuscaloosa City Schools to help get the Spanish-speaking children ready for kindergarten. Dover and two other UA students work with a certified teacher to help the children learn English.
Biology students research treatments for dystonia
Crimson White – July 3
UA biology students John Ricketts and Emily Kay Woods are exploring causes and potential treatments for dystonia with the help of a $20,000 research scholarship. “What they’re doing is not just another line on their résumé,” said Guy Caldwell, an associate professor of biology. “They’re investing in their own future, but in the process, they’re doing something that will benefit others.”…A Birmingham dystonia support group raised money for the research scholarship after Caldwell delivered a guest lecture about his lab’s work with dystonia. “I had the idea that the best use of these funds would be to select a couple of students over the course of the summer to work full time and use a little bit of extra money to pay for some supplies that they’d be using,” Caldwell said…
American Ballet comes to UA for summer intensive
Crimson White – July 3
In collaboration with the American Ballet, the department of theatre and dance is holding a three-week dance intensive summer program. High school students from across the nation auditioned in 22 major cities for a chance to participate. “The program is a great chance for the girls to work with premier dance instructors from across the country,” said Sarah Barry, a UA assistant professor of dance. The selected students, aged 12 through 18, are staying in UA residence halls…
Bees, bees, bees!
Tuscaloosa News – July 3
…Milton Ward, an associate dean for Arts and Sciences at the University of Alabama, who also has a degree in entomology, said that while such concentrations of bumble bees doesn’t necessarily happen that often, it is not unheard of. “I would imagine it is more a function of the trees than the bees,” he said. “This just might happen to be the year the trees are putting out exactly the right aroma to attract swarms like that. “It is a cyclical thing, probably,” he said…
SGA makes strides in improving cell phone reception around the heart of campus
Crimson White – July 3
The University of Alabama SGA has made significant progress in working with wireless companies to provide better cellular phone coverage across the heart of campus, especially the Ferguson Center, as part of its platform to make UA an increasingly wireless campus. Last week, T-Mobile installed a new cell site atop Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library…AT&T was also on campus last week inspecting the Ferguson Center and the north campus area and is developing plans for a new cell system what will directly address their coverage issues on the Quad during game days as well as the Ferg/North Campus areas…University forester Mark Beeler said the UA land management and real estate services department is also actively engaged with Verizon Wireless in discussions on improving their coverage in other areas on campus. They currently have a permanent cell site atop Gorgas Library…
SGA encourages attendance to Higher Ed Day
Crimson White – July 3
The SGA senate passed resolutions promoting March 5 as a possible day off for students…promoting student participation in Higher Education Day urges the Faculty Senate to officially excuse students from class, enabling them to travel to and participate in Higher Education Day in Montgomery…