UA reacts to the election
Crimson White – Nov. 6
It seemed as if the election was the only thing most people could talk about Tuesday night and Wednesday. As Sen. Barack Obama was elected as our new president, emotions ran high and the state of the University reflected that. Facebook statuses were updated bi-hourly, either declaring change in America had finally come or considering a long move to Canada. However, most students could agree on the historical implications of Obama’s victory. “Many students are saying that it’s Martin Luther King’s dream come to life. Think of the mere improbability of having an African-American president 45 years ago, and now having one … it’s just surreal. I think it’s still settling in,” said Jason Black, assistant professor of communication studies and affiliate professor of African-American studies. Obama supporters were reveling in the victory of their candidate.
Democrats make gains but deep racial divides exist in Alabama
Birmingham News – Nov. 6
Buoyed by a surging tide of African-American voters, Alabama Democrats erased Republican hopes of branding the state as the reddest in the nation in Tuesday’s election. But even as Democrats made a historic gain by winning the reliably Republican 2nd Congressional District, an analysis of statewide voting showed the state still faces a significant racial divide. . . . “Alabama remains a strongly Republican state at the state and national level. But Democrats have something to cheer about, which hasn’t always been the case in Alabama,” said David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama.
Younger voters pick Obama by hefty ratio of 2 to 1
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 6
Though young voters didn’t set records for turnout in presidential elections, they favored Barack Obama 2-to-1, ushering the Illinois senator into the White House. . . . David Lanoue, chairman of the University of Alabama political science department, agreed that it’s too early to know if young voters will stick with the Democratic Party.“You could have a new generation coming up that will be the bulwark of a Democratic majority,” he said Wednesday. “The ‘x’ factor is how Obama performs as president.” . . . In Tuscaloosa, it’s nearly impossible to tell if young voters increased their turnout or share of the vote. Still, at the UA Recreational Center, the one voting ward in the county where the majority of voters are students, the turnout was 13 percent higher on Tuesday than it was in 2004, according to county data. In 2004, 2,262 voted at the Presidential Pavilion, the former home of the ward. On Tuesday, 2,552 voted.
Unprecedented uncertainty caused drop in stock market
Gadsden Times – Nov. 5
University of Alabama economics professor Robert Brooks said unprecedented uncertainty may have driven the freefall drop in the stock market last month. And that uncertainty was partly attributed to fear of the unknown, including the political unknown of presidential candidate Barack Obama. The market dropped last month about 5,000 points from 14,000, based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, in just days, only to climb back to the mid-9,000 range by month’s end. Brooks said the market runs greatly on trust that is easy to lose and hard to get back. “One problem is people don’t believe what executives are saying about their own companies,” he said.
Former UA player takes Bibb commission seat
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 5
Political newcomer and former University of Alabama football player Walter Sansing won a seat on the Bibb County Commission with 53 percent of the vote Tuesday. Democrat Sansing, 69, beat incumbent Republican Charles Beasley, 73, in District 1. Sansing totaled 947 votes to Beasley’s 874 in unofficial returns. ‘I knew it was going to be a close race, and I’m very happy to have won,’ he said. ‘We spent a lot of time knocking on doors doing what I was told was needed. I’m not scared of hard work.’
Youth Vote Played Critical Role in Electing Obama
WBRC-Fox 6, Birmingham – Nov. 5
Political experts say the youth vote played a critical role in electing Obama. Dr. David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department of The University of Alabama, says youth voters, who made up nearly 19 percent of registered voters, voted overwhelmingly for Obama. “The really striking age group is the young. If you look at which group supported their community candidate by the largest margin, overwhelmingly it’s young people.”
UA Students Turn Out to Vote
WCFT-ABC 33/40, Birmingham – Nov. 5
“Barack Obama won Jefferson County by about 15,000 votes. That’s the first time a Democrat has won that county in six presidential elections. There’s another historic aspect of this presidential race, the number of young voters who cast their ballots. And President-Elect Obama gives them a lot of credit for his victory, ABC’s 33-40’s Isaiah Harper is live in our Tuscaloosa studio with reaction from University of Alabama students. . . . “Even students who supported McCain told me today they’re willing to give Obama a chance to lead and extend him the same support had McCain won. Voter drive signs at UA remind students of the huge role they played.”
Enhanced water gaining ground
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 6
Ashlee Silavent, 19, felt so exhausted during a trip to the beach that she stopped at a store for a pick-me-up. That’s when she saw a bottle of water that promised to energize her. “I bought it because I was tired,” said Silavent, a student at the University of Alabama. “But it did not energize me.” The experience soured Silavent on enhanced waters. These days she sticks to plain old H2O. But her classmates are all clamoring for it. She sees people buying bottle after bottle, on campus and off. When she worked at the local movie theater, “that’s all people would buy,” Silavent said. Indeed, enhanced waters are popular with students as well as the general public, said Lori Greene, dietitian for the College of Community Health Sciences at the University of Alabama. “It’s easy and quick,” said Greene.
Not-so-mean girls: Movies skim over the benefits kids gain from being a part of a social circle.
Health and Fitness — Nov. 5
In the 1970s it was “Carrie” and “American Graffiti.” In the 1980s it was any film starring Molly Ringwald and in the 1990s it was “Clueless,” “American Pie” and “Mallrats.” Today, it’s “Mean Girls,” “Superbad” and “Napoleon Dynamite.” Movies have long portrayed the harsh extremes of awkwardness and torment teens face when navigating social circles in junior high and high school. Cliques, especially those pertaining to young women, often are shown to be elite social circles that lead to demeaning and dangerous pranks, self-loathing and backstabbing. Movies, however, are not real life when it comes to teenage behavior, says Dr. Natalie Adams. “There are actually many positives to being in social groups during the teen years,” says Adams, an associate professor of educational leadership, policy and technology studies, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.”Social groups provide a sense of community and support. This is where many people find their life-long friends. These groups also teach basic social skills such as negotiation, compromise, teamwork and communication.”
UA technologies help students in class
Crimson White – Nov. 6
The University uses some technologies on campus designed to help students with disabilities. In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mandating universities meet federal state standards to make technology accessible to students with disabilities with Section 508. Section 508 requires all public institutions to make technology accessible to students with disabilities. Several law schools, business schools and universities have implemented the online system Echo 360 in response. Judy Thorpe, director of Disability Services, said new technologies have enabled students with and without disabilities to learn even more effectively. “Technology has enabled people with disabilities to gain independence in ways they were never able to before,” Thorpe said.
Health literacy raises concern
Crimson White – Nov. 6
On Nov. 4, Dr. Barry D. Weiss, professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, brought the issue of health literacy to the attention of students on campus. As a visiting professor in health literacy and clear health communications, Weiss lectured on the risks that poor health literacy pose to the American public. Citizens are considered literate after they have completed an early elementary school education, according to the standard set by the government. While Weiss emphasized the fact that most Americans are literate, he was also sure to consider the fact that literacy does not necessarily equate to comprehension.
Housing reports released
Crimson White – Nov. 6
With the housing market on shaky financial grounds and the risk of millions of foreclosures all over the country, the Alabama Center for Real Estate recently released its annual housing report for the state of Alabama, which shows the statistics for the state housing market up to September. . . .Grayson Glaze, executive director for the ACRE, said despite the financial difficulty the state housing market has experienced this year, there is no housing crisis in Alabama and Tuscaloosa is one of only six local markets which have experienced a decline in inventory over the past year. There are 23 local markets across the state.
SGA revises FAC process
Crimson White – Nov. 6
One of the major benefits of student governments at schools around the country is that they can give money to student organizations for their needs. At the Capstone, nearly $100,000 a year is given out from the Financial Affairs Committee. In the past, that money was at the hands of the members of the FAC, normally consisting of three