EDITORIAL: UA on right path to being a top school
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 19
…For several years, as the university has grown to almost 30,000 students under the leadership of President Robert Witt, it has also climbed in what are admittedly subjective rankings like those contained in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ‘Best Colleges’ edition (and the Princeton Review’s rankings for that matter) and prominently touts itself as among the top 50 public universities in its recruitment of students and faculty. ‘We are pleased with this national recognition that comes as we welcome another outstanding freshman class to the University of Alabama,’ a proud Witt said Tuesday. ‘Our record applications and growing enrollment indicate that students and their families recognize the quality and value of a University of Alabama education….So while there is still room for improvement at the university, it is good to see that it is headed in the right direction academically.
UA Ranks in Top 100 of Public Universities
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Aug. 18
Students starting class today at the University of Alabama are stepping foot on campus at one of the nation’s top 50 public universities. According to the U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings, UA ranked 34th among public universities around the country…That places the school in the top six percent of those surveyed.
WTVC (Chattanooga, Tenn.) – Aug. 19
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 18
WAFF (Huntsville) – Aug. 18
WSFA (Montgomery) – Aug. 18
Classes Start at UA
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 18
WKRG (Mobile) – Aug. 18
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Aug 18
Today was the first day of fall classes at the University of Alabama. This year the University of Alabama may have taken in more freshmen than ever, which could help exceed last year’s overall enrollment record of 28,000 students…
Week of Welcome acclimates students
Crimson White – Aug. 19
… “We hope that Week of Welcome allowed students to become more familiar with the campus,” Kelli Knox-Hall, chair of the planning committee for this year’s Week of Welcome, said. “The goal of WOW was to encourage students to meet new people and help them feel like more a part of the Capstone before classes began.”…“Week of Welcome has helped me meet hundreds of new people and introduced me to the campus through many creative and exciting events,” said David Burkhalter, a freshman majoring in engineering…Caleb Goertz, a sophomore transfer student majoring in communicative disorders, said Week of Welcome has been a great experience. “WOW has opened my eyes to a lot of things on campus that I didn’t even know existed,” he said. “It has also given me the opportunity to meet new people and make connections that I will use throughout the year.” Kristen Robinson, the University’s marketing coordinator and a member of the Week of Welcome planning committee, said she’s pleased with this year’s Week of Welcome…
UA opens new parking lot
Crimson White – Aug. 19
A new lot at 5th Avenue and Campus Drive may alleviate problems some students face when trying to park on campus. “The lot will hold about 1,200 vehicles during the week and about 180 recreational vehicles for game days,” Gina Johnson, the University’s associate vice president for auxiliary services, said. This is the first UA project constructed on the land formerly belonging to Bryce Hospital, and the project, funded mostly by donations through the Crimson Tide Foundation, cost an estimated $4 million…
Construction at UA
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 18
The start of a new school year is seeing changes at the University of Alabama. One of the most anticipated events has been the completion of the new south end zone at Bryant-Denny stadium…also, a brand new 63,000 square foot nursing school opens tomorrow. Meanwhile, over at Foster Auditorium, construction is moving ahead on the renovations to build the Malone-Hood plaza…And there’s also a new parking deck, at the corner of fifth and campus, school officials say it’s added one thousand parking spaces. University of Alabama planner and designer, Dan Wolfe says the university has grown in more ways than one. “President Witt had the vision since he has been here. He’s had the vision that we absolutely want to grow the University of Alabama and we’ve grown it in enrollment but we’ve also grown in bricks and mortar. Wolfe says some of the other changes include a new 208,000 square feet state of the art science and engineering quadrangle that’s scheduled to be complete in January 20-12
Parents say collaboration needed to boost schools
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 19
…Brook Hubner, who has a child at Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School, said partnerships between schools, the University of Alabama and businesses are working but should be expanded. “Why not reach out to UA?” Hubner asked. “The magnet school has done that with great success. If you can empower the teachers and utilize the resources available to you in your community, I believe things will fall into place.”… “Parents are a child’s first teacher, and parents are the ones who know their child’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Heather Pleasants, coordinator of the Parent Leadership Academy, a UA program that fosters community partnerships. Pleasants said the academy teaches parents how to work with educators and become active partners in the education of their children. The academy works with all Tuscaloosa city and county schools. “If we could draw on the knowledge of parents and include them when at all possible in conversation, then that’s the way to go. When a child’s parent is involved in their education, their achievement increases,” she said… Joan Barth, a University of Alabama research social scientist and parent of two children who have grown up in the city school system, said she has been paying close attention to the schools’ graduation rates, test scores and community involvement. Through her involvement with research studies on the Tuscaloosa City Schools, Barth said she saw a need and opportunity for more collaboration between UA and public schools. “I think that there are a lot of opportunities for collaboration. UA has many service learning programs with children, but there is clearly much more that could be done,” Barth said. The Alabama Consortium for Education Renewal is one example. Built on the collaboration between faculty members at UA and public schools, ACER’s ultimate goal is to build partnerships with the community and enhance the overall success and achievement of all students. “We try and address the needs of the communities where the schools are located,” said Liza Wilson, ACER director…
SGA uses summer lull to plan for fall
Crimson White – Aug. 19
…Adjustments to the University’s transit system: the SGA and Parking and Transportation Services conducted surveys of student opinion on the transit system’s effectiveness…– Football ticket sale: Depending on the sale day on which they participated, most students who applied for football tickets this summer received their chosen package… — Handicap accessibility: The SGA crafted a map that locates the handicap entrances, police phones, curb cuts and handicap parking spots on campus. –Suit drive: The SGA, the Career Center and the Dean of Students Office are conducting a suit drive for first-generation students in need of suits for interviews — Mentoring for first-generation students…
Students plan alcohol awareness campaign
Crimson White – Aug. 19
A group of 18 advertising and public relations students from the University were selected to pilot the LessThanUThink Campaign, a student-led campaign based on the idea that students will not change their views on overconsumption of alcohol until they are aware of what constitutes overconsumption…The Century Council, a leader in the fight against drunk driving and underage drinking, granted $75,000 to the project to cover all aspects of the campaign, including advertising, on-campus initiatives, bar initiates, personnel costs and testing and evaluation costs, according to the release. The University was selected as one of four schools nationwide to apply its award-winning campaign as a local test for a possible nationwide launch…At the end of the year, The Century Council will choose one campaign to be implemented on campuses nationwide…