EDITORIAL: Bailey takes job with eye toward bright future
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 9
New University of Alabama President Guy Bailey said on his first official day on the job that the six years he spent on the UA campus were “six of the best years of my life.” We hope that when his tenure is done at the Capstone that he will add his years as president to that total. If he does, both the new president and the university will likely be well served. Bailey’s familiarity with the university and its culture are pluses. He sounds genuine in expressing excitement over being on hand when the campus is bustling with people in town for the home football experience. His plans to live in the private quarters of the university’s President’s Mansion should be well received by alumni who like presidents to embrace time honored traditions. UA is in the midst of a period of growth the likes of which it hasn’t seen since the early 20th century. During Robert Witt’s tenure, UA became the largest university in the state, a distinction it hadn’t held since the 1940s. At the same time, the university hasn’t appeared to sacrifice the quality of its student body by embracing quantity, as standardized test scores of entering freshmen continued to rise. Witt became the University of Alabama System chancellor in March and will put his considerable skills to work on behalf of UA’s two sister campuses, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville as well.
Revered scientist and UA alumnus E.O. Wilson to lecture Tuesday
Crimson White – Sept. 9
E.O Willson, UA alumnus and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, will visit The University of Alabama on Sept. 11 to lecture students and faculty on his newest book, “The Social Conquest of Earth.” Wilson said his lecture will focus on the three “big questions” of existence: where we come from, what are we and where are we going. “My book is about the art of highly-successful social systems in animals and humans,” Wilson said. Wilson, who is visiting as part of the College of Arts and Sciences’ scholar-in-residence program, is the world’s foremost expert on ants and one of the world’s leading experts on evolution and species diversity. He is known as the father of the theory of sociobiology, which proposes that human and animal behavior is shaped by evolutionary forces. Laura Reed, an assistant professor in biological sciences, was first introduced to Wilson by reading his book, “The Ants.” Her appreciation for him stems from her love of his writing and his research. “Dr. Wilson is a thoughtful and empathetic naturalist whose excellent body of work derives from his passion for the organisms that he began studying as a child and his unusual ability to communicate that scientific passion through compelling writing,” Reed said. Wilson was born in Birmingham, grew up in Mobile and received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological sciences from the University. He went on to receive a doctorate at Harvard University and taught there for more than 40 years. He now resides in Lexington, Mass. “I owe a huge amount personally to The University of Alabama,” Wilson said. “I found the support there and I was nurtured by the University and given a wonderful education.”
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 10
Local doctor has a promising theory
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 9
There may be treatment on the horizon for patients suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Clinical trials that may begin as early as February could prove Tuscaloosa-based surgeon Dr. William “Skip” Pridgen’s theory that fibromyalgia, other chronic pain conditions and many gastrointestinal disorders are all caused by the same virus. The trials will also test a pain-treatment therapy for fibromyalgia, the most severe of those. In addition, Dr. Carol Duffy, a University of Alabama assistant professor in the biological sciences department, will research lab results in the hopes that it will lead to a diagnostic tool for physicians. “Some of these patients’ stories are just heartbreaking. They are in a lot of pain, they can’t work anymore, are on disability,” Duffy said. “There’s a real need for this, and I really hope this is the answer. It will give a lot of people a much better quality of life.” Pridgen began developing his theory more than 10 years ago, when he noticed many of his patients with gastrointestinal issues had recurring symptoms that appeared to get worse during times of stress. After some research, he concluded those problems may be caused by the herpes simplex virus, the same virus that causes cold sores, and prescribed an anti-viral drug. At the same time, some of those patients also complained of other symptoms, for which he prescribed another anti-viral medication. When the patients returned, not only were their GI symptoms better, but other problems like depression, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia were also improving with the drug combination.Pro Health – Sept. 7
“The Edge,” a business incubator opens in Tuscaloosa
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Sept. 7
Tuscaloosa is about to “hatch” new jobs by helping small businesses. It’s a team effort through a “business incubator.” “Welcome to the edge!” With those words, Tuscaloosa’s first business incubator was born. “We think this is going to be a huge spark to building the economic base in the west Alabama region.” The Edge Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is an almost 9,000-square foot, two-story facility in downtown Tuscaloosa. It will house up to seven businesses … Mike Hardin, Dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the university, will help train future business leaders.
UA junior publishes collection of short stories on Amazon
Crimson White – Sept. 9
In this age of e-books and e-commerce, achieving your dreams comes one step closer to reality for amateur authors. Lauren Alexander, a junior majoring in English, published her first work, “Breathe: An Anthology” onto the Amazon store this past August as an e-book compatible with Kindle devices. The 43-story anthology features works up to four pages long, most keeping to a page in length. According to Alexander, her stories are presented in portraits and monologues on topics ranging from love and heartbreak to murder and thought. She recalled her first taste of writing coming via the creation of short picture stories as a child, which led to her to writing short stories by the fourth grade…Throughout middle school and high school, she wrote and wrote, sporadically picking away at book ideas and crafting quick, random stories. Though tied together by reflections on morality and her thoroughly detailed style of writing, both of which are still evident in her work, the writings and her creative motivations mirrored her own varied experiences growing up in Tuscaloosa. “My goal with my writing is to try and connect with people and since my writing comes from so many different stages of my life, sometimes a story will show what I was going through at the time,” Alexander said. “With so many different styles and genres, it’s easier for someone to pick one up and connect with it.”
Alabama players strike gold in London
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 9
Two University of Alabama wheelchair basketball players will return to Tuscaloosa as gold medalists after helping their national teams to wins in the finals at the 2012 Paralympics Games. Alabama graduate student Bo Hedges struck gold on Saturday when he and his Canadian teammates beat Australia, 64-58. Hedges had two points, four assists and two rebounds in the medal game. Incoming Alabama student and wheelchair basketball player Jannik Blair played for Australia and grabbed four rebounds, scored two points and made one assist. Annika Zeyen, a senior on the women’s team, won a gold medal on Friday as a member of the winning Canadian women’s team.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: University helping foster care students
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 10
Last week I sat around a table with the outstanding staff from the University of Alabama to talk about helping students in foster care get a college education. What I found was a university giving commendable leadership in educating this surprisingly large group of students. I learned that the university is aggressively seeking to meet the unique needs of these students. From life coaching to special scholarships to Student Support Services to a special summer resident camp, the university is proactively seeking to motivate these students and help them succeed. One of the student affairs directors told of a social worker who delivered a student in foster care to the university a few years ago. No provisions had been made for his attending. No lodging secured. No courses selected. None of the normal “shopping” necessary to begin a freshman year at college. This director took the student under his wing, made a trip to Target, found a place to live, registered for classes, found the money necessary. This student heightened the university’s awareness of the needs of students in foster care. I applaud the university and its fine staff for their care of this unique group of students.
In new college algebra approach, computers take over
Fox 14 (Amarillo, Texas) – Sept. 7
Of the 1,041 UT-Arlington students who took college algebra in the spring 2011 semester, only about 47 percent earned a C or higher…Seeking to improve the situation, UT-Arlington officials decided to take an approach that is becoming increasingly common throughout the country: letting computers do the teaching. In August, the university opened its “math emporium,” a 5,800-square-foot space where algebra students will spend two-thirds of their class time working on desktop computers at their own pace rather than sitting through traditional lectures…The concept was first developed in 1997, when Robert Olin, then the chairman of the math department at Virginia Tech, faced a perfect storm of budget cuts and growing enrollment. His idea also appeared to improve the students’ success. Olin, who is now dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alabama, says a chief benefit of the emporium model is that students are forced to work out problems themselves and can receive instant, individualized feedback from teachers who are available in the lab. “Teaching math is like golf or football,” Olin said. “You can look at Tiger Woods or Arnold Palmer all you want, but you’re not going to learn how to golf unless you go out on a course and start swinging.”
As students scatter online, colleges try to keep up
Chronicle of Higher Education – Sept. 10
At the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, “we try to be selective about what we send out by e-mail, so students pay attention,” says Amy F. Ratliff, program coordinator for cooperative education. “We’re constantly tweaking the way we reach them.” Messages are delayed so they hit mailboxes between 5 and 9 p.m., when students are most likely to be checking. “We have to be constantly dancing and aware of our surroundings,” Ms. Ratliff says. “If we’re not getting a good response with this, let’s try that.” One of the most important messages her office sends out is the schedule of students’ job interviews. When students come in to sign up for interviews, someone in her office hands them a sheet of paper with their tentative schedules and a handwritten message telling them to check their e-mail at noon on a specific Thursday. “We look them in the eye, hand them the sheet, and tell them that if they don’t respond, we’re giving that interview to another student,” Ms. Ratliff says.
Increasing amount of jobs requiring bachelor’s degree
Crimson White – Sept. 9
With student debt at an all-time high and no guarantee of post-graduate jobs, a recent study by Georgetown University found that a bachelor’s degree may be the only saving grace to help students weather the economic downpour. Released in August by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, the study found that more than 2.2 million jobs that require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree have been created since the 2007 start of the recession. At the same time, jobs that require only a high school diploma have decreased by 5.8 million in that same time. Ahmad Ijaz, the director of economic forecasting at The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research, believes the study is an accurate portrayal of the current job market facing students today. However, with an increase in jobs comes an increase in competition. “Competition increases every year, especially when the economy is like this,” Ijaz said. “More people go to college, and then, many people go to graduate school, which adds to the competition.” Ijaz believes with an influx of college students in the job search, bachelor’s degrees have become the new norm. “The economy is just slow,” he said. “People who can’t find jobs either accept lesser jobs or go back to school. Therefore, master’s degrees have pretty much become the new bachelor’s degree. Once the economy starts going again, it may go back, but right now, it’s how it is.”
JECRC University inaugurated by CM of Rajasthan
IndiaInfoOnline – Sept. 10
The JECRC University was inaugurated by Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan in Jaipur. The event marked a new landmark development t in the history of JECRC foundation. The JECRC University is focused to enhance research and innovation in education…Dr. Malcolm Portera, Chairman JU Advisory Board, Former Chancellor-University of Alabama, USA, who presided the function, formally announced the technology transfer from University of Alabama and setting up of the state-of-the art Computational Simulation and Enabling Technology Lab at JECRC University, Jaipur.
‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ traces evolution of beach music, shag dance
Aiken Standard (South Carolina) – Sept. 7
In their new book, Tom Poland and Phil Sawyer take readers back to a time when jukeboxes broke a color line the radio couldn’t, and The Charleston evolved into West Coast and East Coast dance forms. “Save the Last Dance for Me: A Love Story of the Shag and the Society of Stranders” was released this week in hardback and paperback by the USC Press…”One thing that disappointed me was that I could never nail down with any certainty how it got the name ‘shag,'” Poland said. “I relied on some scholarly research…a professor at the University of Alabama, Dr. James Salem, has done some great work on music, race relations and the jukebox.”
GUEST COLUMN: Taking our constitutional freedom for granted
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 9
We all do it. Take things for granted. For more than two centuries we have taken something for granted in our national life. Now it is being threatened, and the issue — like taking a loved one for granted — is rising up ugly, surprising us. We’ve all been there individually. Now we are facing it collectively, as a nation. We have taken our independence for granted where freedom and liberty are paramount to maintaining our culture and way of life. We are replacing individual freedom with the sense that government is the best arbiter and conductor of our individual and collective lives…At the end of the 18th century, in 1776 to be precise, our forebears threw off the English king and parliament and declared independence precisely because George III and Parliament were dictating how American colonials should behave. The principal issue was — no surprise here — taxes. But at stake were not simply taxes, the issue at hand being pithily summarized by the saying “no taxation without representation.” Just as important to the Jeffersons and Washingtons of the time were the incipient and insidious rise and practice of tyranny. (Larry Clayton is a professor of history at the University of Alabama)