ACADEMIC SCHEDULE
Interim session, summer sessions, orientation and the fall semester will begin as scheduled. All academic and support services are fully operational.
INFORMATION ON GIVING/VOLUNTEERING
UA employees may now use payroll deduction to make contributions to the UA Acts of Kindness Fund. The UA Acts of Kindness Fund has been established to support an emergency-assistance program for UA employees and students. Employees who want to use payroll deduction can click here to access the new UA Acts of Kindness Fund Payroll Deduction Authorization Form. Contributions also are accepted online here: http://bit.ly/uaactsofkindness. More information on UA’s tornado relief efforts may be found at http://www.ua.edu/tornadorelief/.
In the coming days, volunteers will be required to have credentials in order to access the affected areas. This will allow volunteer resources to be adequately and efficiently dispersed based on need. To register to volunteer as an individual or for a church or agency, call (205) 248-5045.
For information about College of Education relief efforts, click here.
CAMPUS SERVICES
Bama Dining hours for this week are as follows: Lakeside Dining is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as usual. Starbucks in Ferguson Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Subway in Ferguson Center is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as of Tuesday, May 3.
All University Supply Store locations have resumed normal operations. Ferguson and Tutwiler SUPe Store locations are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday this week and are closed Saturday. The Law School SUPe Store location is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday–Friday this week and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Bryant Museum SUPe Store location is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday–Sunday. Students can print a buyback quote and mail their books back to the SUPe Store. Textbook buybacks will need to be received by May 16. Rental textbooks will need to be received by June 3. More information is posted on the SUPe Store website at http://www.universitysupplystore.com/.
Students, faculty and staff who were injured in the April 27 storms or who are helping with the cleanup efforts are encouraged to update their tetanus immunizations. For more information, please call 348-6262 for the Student Health Center or 348-4696 for the Faculty-Staff Clinic.
Gorgas Library will be open on Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, May 8, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Normal hours for all libraries will resume on Monday, May 9, and the hours set for interim will be followed May 9-27. For more information, please visit http://www.lib.ua.edu/hours_interim.htm.
GENERAL INFORMATION
A moment of silence will be observed Wednesday, May 4, from 5:13-5:14 p.m. in remembrance of the lives lost in last week’s tornado.
UA employees may receive requests from local, state and federal agencies and contractors for relief assistance. Please tell these agencies and contractors to call (205) 348-1500.
To avoid high traffic volume, people coming into Tuscaloosa should take I-20/59 to I-359 to University Boulevard to reach the UA campus.
WHERE TO FIND ASSISTANCE
Human Resources – The HR Service Center serves as a central point of contact for employees who have lost insurance cards, flexible spending account cards, recently filled medical prescriptions, glasses or contacts or who need information about insurance, obtaining a loan, or other human resources services. If you need help with any of these items, or you have any other benefits or payroll questions or concerns, contact the HR Service Center, located in G-69 Rose Administration Building, at (205) 348-7732 or hrsvctr@ua.edu. More detailed information also can be found at http://bama.ua.edu/~hr/benefits/DepartmentofHumanResources-DisasterRecovery.html.
Legal — The UA School of Law Clinical Programs, in conjunction with the Alabama State Bar’s Volunteer Lawyers Program and the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association will begin offering free legal services on Thursday, May 5, for those affected by the recent tornado. The Legal Assistance Project will provide free legal services both on-site at local area aid centers and at the law clinic programs office at the UA School of Law. Law students and attorneys will be available on weekdays at the law school in the mornings from 9 a.m. to noon and at local response centers from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Project will provide these services at Leland Shopping Center in Alberta City, at SOMA Church in Holt and at the Belk Activity Center at Bowers Park. For more information or to make an appointment at the clinic, please call 348-4960. Walk-ins are welcome at all locations.
Housing — Students, faculty and staff who have housing needs may find information on properties with vacant apartments or houses at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Housing-for-Tornado-Victims/222338101113122?sk=wall.
Counseling — Whether you were directly or indirectly impacted, the stress associated with the April 27 storm can be overwhelming. If you or a member of your family needs help coping with the situation and want to speak with someone, the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to you. EAP can also meet collectively with employee groups. The EAP counseling services are confidential and are provided at no charge by licensed professional staff trained to work with individuals and families. The services are provided through the DCH Employee Assistance Program. Should you or a member of your family need assistance, please contact:
UA Employee Assistance Program
201 Towncenter Blvd.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406
Phone: 205-759-7890
Toll-free: 866-840-0750
Fax: 205-759-7893
www.dchsystem.com/eap
Temporary Emergency Counseling Services, a coordinated effort of UA mental health professionals, is available to provide crisis counseling and mental health services to those affected by the recent tornado. These services are provided by volunteers at no charge for the following time period: May 3–6 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and May 9–13 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Volunteers will answer and refer calls to the appropriate location. For more information, please call 348-7960 or visit http://psychology.ua.edu/.
Members of the UA community need to be aware of the signs of traumatic stress in people who witnessed the tornado and its aftermath, as well as those who were concerned for people who were directly involved, and as a result were frightened for their safety. For more information about signs of traumatic stress, go to http://www.counseling.ua.edu/traumahelp.cfm.
Beginning May 4 at 7 p.m. and every Wednesday until further notice, the UA Counseling Center will offer a free tornado support group for students. For more information, contact the Counseling Center at (205) 348-3863.
The Counseling Lab at Graves Hall will be offering free disaster/crisis counseling and will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Friday. For more information, please call (205) 348-1193 or send an email to kcarmich@bamaed.ua.edu.