Rise school attracts families
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 23
…As for many families from around the state and country, their search led the Lees — Jerry, Amanda, Jonathan and their 6-year-old daughter Lauren — from Huntsville to Tuscaloosa’s Rise School, which serves children with special needs and typically developing children from the age of 6 weeks to 6 years old…The school was founded in 1974 but became nationally known through the influence of former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings…The school has 92 students, about 60 percent of them with special needs and 40 percent typically developing, in classes of about 16 students each. Special needs students attend the school for free and funding comes from the school system, its endowment, UA and fundraising. Other families have felt the same…
Alabama among the best places to study salamanders
Birmingham News – Aug. 23
On a summer afternoon under a canopy of hemlock trees, Leslie Rissler is hunting salamanders in a fern-rich ravine along Clear Creek in the Bankhead National Forest… a grown-up professor at the University of Alabama and curator of herpetology. It turns out that this is important work. And Alabama happens to be one of the best places in the world to do it. There are more species of salamanders in the southern Appalachians than in any other temperate region…
All state lawmakers oppose reform
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 24
…“Certain issues generate such great emotion that they persist, and this looks like one of them,” David Lanoue, chairman of the University of Alabama department of political science, said of health-care reform. Lanoue said there would be no advantage to Bright or Griffith in supporting the reform proposals because their districts are conservative and voted for Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election…Lanoue said Republicans took Congress in 1994 by defeating moderate and conservative Democrats after the failure of then-President Bill Clinton’s health-care plan. “Bobby Bright and Parker Griffith hope [Obama] can thread the needle and can succeed enough so his popularity isn’t very low in 2010, but he’ll have to do so without their votes,” Lanoue said…
Alabama unemployment rate up in July
Mobile Press-Register – Aug. 22
…Even if the economy turns around, Alabama’s jobless rate could keep rising into 2010, going up to 10.5 percent or 11 percent, said Ahmad Ijaz, a University of Alabama economist…
Scrushy reaching business in prison
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 22
…A University of Alabama psychology professor who works with criminal justice issues, Stanley Brodsky, said prisons typically use staff or people from the community to teach courses for inmates. Scrushy likely would be limited in what he is allowed to teach inmates, Brodsky said. “One thing we can count on, I think, is that he is not teaching business ethics,” said Brodsky. “But here is someone with a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience teaching what would probably amount to a high school course, depending on the prison. It’s a logical thing and a way for him to give back to others.”…
Back looks to future of young, growing field
Crimson White – Aug. 24
For a man who has been in academia for years, Edward Back said he still treats each day as a new one, especially going from an associate professor in civil, construction and environmental engineering to the new director of the construction engineering program at the University…The construction engineering program, which started in 2006, has gained credibility as one of the best programs in the Southeast. There are currently 140 students in the program, including 21 graduate students…As an expert in the field, Back has written more than 30 journal articles on construction engineering, has developed more than 60 project management short courses and was honored as the Construction Industry Institute’s “Outstanding Instructor of the Year” award in 2001 and 2005…
Blackburn Institute names new director
Crimson White – Aug. 24
Philip Westbrook has been named the new director of the Blackburn Institute and will start on August 31…Westbrook, an associate professor in the College of Education in the Educational Leadership, Policy and Technology Studies department, is starting his third year at the University. Becky Reamey, coordinator of the Blackburn Institute, said Westbrook’s position as a faculty member in the College of Education will be very beneficial to the Blackburn Institute. “It links student affairs to academic affairs like it has never done before, and it strengthens the program,” Reamey said. “It provides more opportunities for the Blackburn fellows to become involved with faculty on a more personal level.”…
College News
Tuscaloosa News – Aug 24
The University of Alabama Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization has announced that Clara Grace Goode of Tuscaloosa is a member. — Cari Ann Posey of Northport received a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude from the College of Commerce and Business Administration during commencement held on campus Aug. 8. — Frank M. Young III, chair of the Litigation Practice Group of Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker LLC and leader of the firm’s International Law practice, has been appointed adjunct professor at the School of Law for fall term 2009. Young, who continues in the active practice of law with Haskell Slaughter, will teach International Business Transactions, an upper-level course addressing transaction skills and commercial analysis in international transactions.
UA kicks off Student Involvement Week
Crimson White – Aug. 24
…Student Involvement Week is designed to help students do just that. Starting today, there will be events throughout the week, which will allow students, new and old, to learn about the opportunities available here on campus. This year, to better serve students, the University will host Student Involvement Week, where students are encouraged to “get creative, get global, get spiritual, get connected, get paid, get on board, get active, and to give back.”…In addition to attending events, organizers are asking students to fill out an interest inventory to get more information about the opportunities they may not have seen throughout the week. Students can find a list of organizations at leadership.ua.edu/getinvolved, Harris said…
UA ResNet to be upgraded based on student concerns
Crimson White – Aug. 24
…Anselmo said OIT is developing a 15 to 20-question online survey to determine how students access ResNet as well as any problems that may be occurring with the system…Anselmo said one of the main goals of the new survey will be to judge the use of new Wi-Fi devices, such as iPhones and netbooks. Although these devices add countless new opportunities for students to excel, in some cases, they have put an inordinate amount of strain on the network. The upgrades to follow are expected to address the bandwidth and connection issues caused by these devices said Anselmo…
UA football auction items spice up Buy for Rise event
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 23
Martha Cook, director of the Rise School, expects long lines of bargain-hunters at the annual Buy For Rise sale Friday and Saturday…Cook said the event’s silent auction will be of special interest to Alabama football fans. Among the auction items will be two skybox tickets to a University of Alabama home game, Nick Saban-autographed memorabilia and a tour of the football facilities with the opportunity to view football practice with Terry Saban…
University of Alabama sorority pledges
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 24
More than 1,200 women recently pledged sororities at the University of Alabama. They are…
Florence Times-Daily – Aug. 24