UA sororities put lots of time, energy into homecoming decorations
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 25
They sat in small groups, surrounded by plates of glue and boxes full of tissue paper rolled up into tiny balls. Music played in the background, but it could barely be heard over the excited chatter. It was lunch time, one of the busiest times for “pomping,” one of the girls explained. Some crumpled the thin paper, while others concentrated on glueing it tightly onto a color-coded design traced out on cardboard. “The challenge is getting enough pomps rolled in time to glue them onto the paper,” said 20-year-old Mallory Nelson, with the Phi Mu sorority at the University of Alabama. Commonly seen on parade floats or homecoming decorations, pomping refers to a process of sticking small pieces of colored tissue paper, known as tissue pomps, into chicken wire, creating a colorful masterpiece. It can be serious business, particularly among the sororities that compete annually in the Capstone’s homecoming lawn decoration competition. When not in class or catching a few hours of sleep, the girls at Phi Mu and Delta Zeta worked diligently to get their designs finished before the unveiling Friday. There was an air of secrecy surrounding the competition, so much so that the two sororities were the only ones willing to talk about their process. “It is very secretive, but that’s part of the fun,” said Ellie Dowden, homecoming chair for Phi Mu.
Participants needed for depression, insomnia study
Demopolis Times – Oct. 24
University of Alabama researchers are looking for adults 50 or older, who live in Marengo County and are suffering from both depression and insomnia for a research study. Forrest Scogin, UA professor of psychology, has been studying depression for about 30 years. Scogin, along with his partner Kenny Lichstein, professor of psychology, are the lead researchers for the project. Lichstein specializes in insomnia, and they both have an expertise working with older patients. Researchers will deliver cognitive-behavior therapy to treat insomnia and depression. The therapy will be delivered through the online video-conferencing program Skype. The study will be carried out at the Sleep Disorders Center in the Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital in Demopolis. Lichstein said the participants will schedule an appointment to go to the hospital and take part in the treatment. Some of the treatments for insomnia include relaxation and sleep scheduling and the treatments for depression include behavior activation involving social involvement. “We have some results from about five patients and those results have been encouraging,” Lichstein said. UA’s Office of Information Technology has configured a safe and secure version of Skype to promote confidentiality. “Telemedicine is a new wave of the future,” Scogin said about using Skype to deliver the treatment.
University of Alabama announces 2012 homecoming court
Al.com – Oct. 25
The University of Alabama announced today five seniors were selected for the 2012 homecoming court in a student election held Tuesday … The queen will be announced Friday during a pep rally on the UA Quad that begins at 7 p.m., and will be crowned during halftime at Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. football game between Alabama and Mississippi State at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Officials said 8,962 students cast votes online for homecoming court this year, 717 more than the number of votes tallied in the 2011 election.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 25
UA homecoming events include Friday pep rally and bonfire, Saturday parade
Al.com – Oct. 25
Homecoming weekend at the Capstone will feature a number of traditional events as the Tide football team gets set for a matchup in Bryant-Denny Stadium with Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The homecoming queen will be announced at the pep rally and bonfire on the Quad Friday night, and the parade will run from downtown Tuscaloosa through campus Saturday afternoon. UA Gameday, the university’s gameday communications initiative, has information on this weekend’s on-campus activities.
Alabama University come to Salisbury High to spread anti-bullying message
Salisbury Post (N.C.) – Oct. 24
Eighteen students from the University of Alabama recently traveled to Salisbury High School to give students a lesson in acceptance. Salisbury High Principal Dr. Avis Williams, who came to the school in July, said she wanted to address the nationwide issue of bullying. “I don’t think our problem is any greater here than any other school,” she said. “Sometimes young people don’t realize how hurtful what they say is to other people when they are teasing and joking among friends. “We want to make our school a more inclusive, more welcoming place.” Thirty-one Salisbury High school students from a variety of backgrounds and ages participated in the two-day Heritage Panel workshop. “I chose students who I felt like would be leaders,” Williams said. “What I hope they take away personally is a greater sense of what it means to treat others with acceptance and respect. I also hope they take that information and share it with others.” The Alabama students received training from the Young Women’s Christian Association of Central Alabama, which created the anti-bullying program. Aaron Brazelton, executive director of the Heritage Panel at the university, said Salisbury is the first school the students have traveled to, but they hope to do training at schools across the country. Brazelton said the first thing they did when arriving at the school was establish trust between the students. Then, they worked on commutation skills by focusing on the importance of dialogue versus debate.
‘Forrest Gump’ author to speak Oct. 29 at University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 25
Winston Groom, author of “Forrest Gump,” will speak at noon Oct. 29 at the Ferguson Theater on the University of Alabama campus. The event is free and open to the public. Groom, a 1965 UA graduate, will discuss the influence of UA and football on his writing. Groom published “Forrest Gump” in 1986. The book was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 1994 starring Tom Hanks. Groom also is the author of more than a dozen other books, including “The Crimson Tide,” an illustrated history of the team. He was inducted into UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences Hall of Fame in 2009 and received the Clarence Cason Writing Award in 2006.
Al.com – Oct. 25
Students receive premium access to New York Times
Crimson White – Oct. 25
University of Alabama students can now access The New York Times’ online content, including archives dating back to the 19th century, thanks to the University’s Campus Readership Program. “The New York Times inCollege is dedicated to helping students become productive, engaged citizens and leaders with an informed global perspective,” Greg Mitchell, education manager for The New York Times, said. “The Times content is made available via numerous platforms to allow individuals to select the option they prefer.” Though Campus Readership provides free print copies of both The New York Times and USA Today to students, Jennifer Greer, chair of the journalism department, said the demand for full digital access to these providers has surged. USA Today provides free, unlimited digital access but, as the economy for news print has changed, The New York Times initiated a pay wall on their site that allows readers access to only a few articles before paying. The UA provost purchased full access at a discounted price and can now offer academic passes to students. This allows anyone with a University email address to create an account with The New York Times website. “[The academic pass] gets you access to any of the premium stuff,” Greer said. “You can use the site the way any subscriber would.” Greer, who also works as a coordinator for the Campus Readership Program, compared using the new academic pass to checking out a book from the library. Three hundred students can access the content at once, and when one signs out, their slot becomes available for the next user.
Sororities, clubs dedicate hours, keep traditions
Crimson White – Oct. 25
Homecoming at The University of Alabama is a week-long display of school spirit, from the daily sporting and artistic competitions between sororities and student organizations to the Homecoming Parade. However, the campus-wide lawn decoration competition holds much of the tradition of the annual event. Lawn decorations consist of a process called pomping, in which tissue paper of different colors is rolled into balls of different sizes and, eventually, glued to a cardboard design or stuck through chicken wire. The end result is a mosaic-like structure that attempts to convey the University’s Homecoming theme, “Timeless Traditions.” Anna Grace Brown, a senior majoring in public relations and the executive director for Homecoming, said each organization participating in the event, including sororities, pays for their own pomping paper and lawn decoration materials through annual dues. Additionally, members are responsible for contributing time and effort into the decorations. Some people believe pomping pays off because it allows organizations to show their spirit and have fun during Homecoming Week. “I am excited about the lawn decoration contest,” said Jennifer Willoughby, a freshman majoring in marketing who has pomped 13 hours so far. “I think the pomping we are doing will pay off because we are all working so hard to make it look good.” Other students are not sure lawn decorations are worth the long hours and dedication. “I think that the lawn decorations are beautiful,” said Bria Harper, a junior majoring in English and African American studies. “Although I understand the spirit behind them, I do not think 10 hours of pomping is worth a small recognition during Homecoming Week.”
Creative Campus hosts creator of watershed project
Crimson White – Oct. 25
In what would otherwise be a normal meeting for Creative Campus, students had the opportunity Wednesday to hear from Alan Kolok, a biology professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and director of Nebraska Watershed Network. Kolok visited The University of Alabama to discuss his project, “What’s In Your Watershed?” Kolok held an interactive lecture, engaging students and faculty members by explaining the main goal of the project, then fielded comments and criticisms. The goal of the project is to show the public of Nebraska and surrounding areas that their water could be tainted with an herbicide called atrazine. The test uses a small strip of paper and gives direct yes or no answers as to if water contains the toxin. The data is then used to make maps showing the affected areas. After giving a basic overview of his project, Kolok asked the students and faculty of Creative Campus for their input. One popular idea suggested contacts be established at The University of Alabama who could act as a network between Kolok and the University, and that he could do the same at his university. Another student compared this idea to the Black Warrior River Savers and suggested making the project enjoyable and interesting to students would boost volunteer numbers. Danny Ryan, a sophomore majoring in business, helped organize the event and said he was happy with the result. “Alan came to us and I thought it was a great idea to open a network with him,” Ryan said. He said he hopes to open the network to the entire university, and possibly even other universities.
Musical examines brain tumor patient’s mindset
Crimson White – Oct. 25
The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance will feature its first musical this season with “A New Brain,” beginning Monday, Oct. 29. The musical recounts the tale of a composer who receives treatment for a life-threatening brain tumor. The composer, Gordon Schwinn, awakes in the hospital to an array of characters that are real but modified and exaggerated by his imagination. Through the ordeal, Schwinn realizes it is the experience with his brain tumor that allows him to compose the songs he truly wanted. “A New Brain” is directed by Jimmy Kontos, who also directed last season’s “Wonder of the World” and “Purgatorio.” Although the musical deals with the gravity of a brain tumor, marketing manager for the UA Department of Theatre and Dance Collins Goss said it is still playful and lighthearted. “It has a little of everything,” Goss said. “It’s kind of a serious subject matter, but it’s also quirky and fun. Some of the songs are kind of goofy.” Goss said preparing for a musical is different than other productions because there are several more aspects for the cast to learn in the same amount of time. “It’s a little bit different because you have to add music,” Goss said. “You also have to learn choreography. It has an extra layer that a normal play doesn’t.”
House of éprouver show features students, local fashion
Crimson White – Oct. 25
Tuesday, Rebuild Tuscaloosa, The House of Perna and The University of Alabama’s House of éprouver hosted “Runway for Relief,” a fashion show to raise proceeds for those affected by the April 27, 2011, tornado. The show was held in the Ferguson Center Ballroom and included a fashion show, a raffle and a live auction for the designs. The show included designs by Virginia Brown, Vault Denim Tuscaloosa and Tracy Negoshian. Also included were the designs of three members of House of éprouver and student designers – LaQuoya Robinson, Kerstin Brown and Janeishia “Byrd” Stewart, – as well as Alabama alum and “Project Runway” Season 9 contestant, Amanda Perna. It was hosted by Leah Bromley, founder of Rebuild Tuscaloosa and included special guest Katherine Webb, Miss Alabama USA 2012, who also served as a model in the show. The event was decorated similarly to a prestigious fashion show in New York City. The University’s RipTide Dance Team also provided a hip-hop dance performance prior to the opening of the show. The theme of most of the designs was “Alabama Game Day Attire.” The designs ranged from casual shorts and tank tops to dresses, skirts and high-waisted pants, all with elements of red, black, grey and houndstooth print. Perna’s designs displayed bright colors such as bright blue and pink and included a formal dress modeled by Miss Alabama.