Alabama athletes, students welcome return to normalcy
USA Today – Aug. 25
…”It’s a typical school day,” Alabama senior linebacker Courtney Upshaw said Wednesday. “I don’t think the tornado was on everyone’s mind, just trying to get to class on time.” It was a welcomed return to normalcy, 119 days after a tornado tore through this college town. Fifty people, including six students, died and more than 7,200 homes and businesses were lost — about 12% of the city. “Every time we have these ‘first times’ it’s a step toward recovery and normalcy,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox…Though the tornado spared campus buildings, its impact was far-reaching. Students played a significant role in the storm’s aftermath, raising money for relief efforts, delivering meals and manning aid stations. “Today is our first day to see our returning students who played such a huge role in our immediate recovery, to welcome them back and to celebrate that we’re all here together safe and sound,” said Gina Johnson, associate vice president for auxiliary services…Another sign of a return to normalcy: the excitement surrounding the No. 2 Crimson Tide heading into their Sept. 3 opener vs. Kent State. “I think everybody is aware that people are looking forward to this because it’s one of the key things in Alabama that people have a passion about,” coach Nick Saban said. “It’s not going to help clean up. It’s not going to help rebuild. But it is going to create a positive spirit to help people to do that.”
Al.com – Aug. 25
WSB (Atlanta, Ga.) – Aug. 24
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Aug 24
UA student who broke her back in April 27 tornado walks to class
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 24
School is back in session at the University of Alabama and one student who broke her back during the April 27th tornado, was able to walk to her classes today.
Students join relief efforts
Crimson White – Aug. 25
More than 200 Honors College students ended their summers early to travel to Tuscaloosa in order to clean up what was left over from the April tornado that swept through parts of Tuscaloosa…Alabama Action is a group focused on making efforts toward bettering Tuscaloosa’s society, poverty level and culture. Outdoor Action zeros in on the ecological and environmental aspects of Tuscaloosa. Alabama Action is in its 11th year according to UA News. The Honors students involved with Alabama Action helped renovate and tutor in two schools, Holt Elementary and Collins-Riverside…Outdoor Action students were helping out in various marshes and streams in and around Tuscaloosa…
Sorority rush week was largest ever, UA says
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 25
Last week, the University of Alabama campus played host to the largest sorority rush in history, said UA Director of Greek Affairs Gentry McCreary.“To our knowledge that’s the largest number on any campus ever, and I think it just speaks volumes of the Greek experience at the University of Alabama,” McCreary said. In all, 1,741 women participated in UA’s rush week, which gave 15 of UA’s National Panhellenic Conference-member sororities the opportunity to recruit new members. Three other Panehllenic-member sororities at UA did not participate in rush this year. Of that 1,741, about 1,300 women were accepted into houses, said Ashley Getwan, president of UA’s Panhellenic Association…“Each year we have an increase in girls and I think we owe a lot of that to (UA President) Dr. (Robert) Witt. We’re bringing in more students, but we’re also bringing in better students with higher ACT scores and GPAs.”…McCreary said UA’s fraternity population has seen large increases. He said since Witt came to campus in March 2003, the Greek population at UA has doubled from 3,000 students to 6,000 students. Witt made it a goal to expand the campus population and since his arrival UA has grown to 30,232 students, an increase of 54 percent over the 19,633-student population before he took over. With nearly a fifth of the campus now in a Greek fraternity or sorority, some of the growth of the Greek population at UA can be attributed to that explosive growth of the overall student body. But McCreary said there are other factors. “UA Greek students are involved in their community and in their campus. Plus, the Greek system provides students with incredible opportunities for leadership and networking,” he said. Recently, two UA fraternities, the Psi chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon and the Delta Theta chapter of Beta Theta Pi, were given their fraternities’ highest honors largely due to their efforts in UA Greek Relief…
Deepwater trouble on the horizon: oil discovered floating near source of Gulf of Mexico spill (Photo gallery, video)
Mobile Press-Register – Aug. 25
…Phillip Johnson, author of the Standard Handbook of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and a professor at the University of Alabama, said that photographs from the site were intriguing, but it appeared that a fairly small amount of oil was reaching the surface. “There are two broad categories you would consider. One is leakage, and two is residual oil. I’d say leakage is pretty unlikely. That would imply that the seal on that well — which is about 5,000 feet of cement — failed. That’s unlikely,” Johnson said. “Then you think of residual oil that might be present in the 5,000 feet of riser pipe that wound up on the bottom. Large amounts of the platform ended up on the bottom. Those things could have oil in them that is slowly working its way to the high points and floating out.” Riser pipe connected the well to the Deepwater Horizon rig on the surface. Neither the pipe nor the rig has been salvaged. Johnson also suggested that heavier fractions of oil may have settled to the bottom during the spill. Over time, as bacteria degrade oil on the seafloor, the lighter fractions might be released and float to the surface, he said…
Alabama judge casts doubt on harsh new illegal immigration law
Christian Science Monitor – Aug. 25
… Lawmakers intentionally wrote a broad bill to impress upon their constituents that they are concerned about the economy in the region. The law’s sponsors expect “to keep going back to the well and seeing whether they can craft [a law] that will get over the federal hurdle,” says Paul Horwitz, a constitutional law expert at the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa. “This is an ongoing state-by-state effort either to make a statement about federal immigration law or to make a political statement,” Mr. Horwitz says… “It’s going to cause a lot of legal immigrants a lot of grief,” says Michael Innis Jimenez, a historian who studies Latino immigration and labor at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. “Why stay in this state when you can get pulled over and harassed? That’s going to be a big issue.”…Mr. Jimenez says that reality will also affect the construction market, which is now booming following the devastating tornados that stormed through the state in April. “Right now there’s a shortage of workers and they’re scaring off a lot of workers,” he says.
Minnesota Post – Aug. 25
Study: Birmingham metro area’s foreclosure rate to stay below national average
Birmingham Business Journal – Aug 24
A new University of Alabama study projects the Birmingham metro area’s foreclosure rate at 6.09 percent, which is below both the state and national average. The study, which was conducted by Jonathan Law of the Center for Business and Economic Research, used a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development model to forecast foreclosure rates for larger metros in Alabama, which has an average foreclosure rate of 6.24 percent, below the U.S. rate of 6.38 percent…
FOX6 (Birmingham) – Aug. 24
Program helps international students navigate a new city
Crimson White – Aug. 25
…First Friends, an Honors College initiative beginning its second year this semester, pairs each international exchange student with two UA Honors College students. These friends help the international students navigate not only the University, but also everything else Tuscaloosa has to offer…Fran Oneal, director of the International Honors Program, said she agrees that First Friends is about experiencing the whole community. “Of course we want the international students to go to classes and explore academics, but we want them to them to experience all of Tuscaloosa,” Oneal said. “We want them to get to experience football and all that.”
Birmingham festival features variety of films
Crimson White – Aug. 25
… A panel of jurors consisting of professionals in the film industry will judge each film screening. Andrew Grace, UA professor in the department of telecommunications and film, will be returning as a juror for the narrative, documentary and short film categories. “There are very few opportunities to see contemporary films in Alabama,” Grace said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to engage in the art community and is much better than seeing a cover band on The Strip.”…
Upperclassmen offer advice for new freshmen
Crimson White – Aug. 25
…The University offers tools to help plan the next four years. DegreeWorks, which can be found on the myBama website, has a planner where students can map out the classes they need to take in order to finish in four years…Freshmen have involvement opportunities specifically geared towards them, such as First Year Council, an organization where participants serve as the voice of the freshman class, to Student Government Association and Freshman Forum, where students develop leadership skills and participate in community and campus involvement…The Week of Welcome, which is going on now, is a great way to make new friends, and Get on Board Day, on Aug. 31, is another way to meet others with similar interests. “Get out of the dorm room. Meet people. Go to events,” said Becky Reamey, associate director of student development. “There are a number of events hosted throughout Student Affairs but also with the Honors College that we host particularly for freshmen…
Art exhibit explores opposing forces
Jacksonville (Ill.) Journal-Courier – Aug. 25
Jamey Grimes, an instructor at the University of Alabama Art and Art History Department, will provide the inaugural show, “push/pull,” which opens Tuesday at MacMurray College’s Applebee Gallery…