UA appoints two new deans
Crimson White – June 4
The School of Law and the School of Social Work will welcome Mark Brandon and Vikki Vandiver as the newly appointed deans of each school, respectively. Vandiver has been a faculty member of the Portland State University School of Social Work since 1992, and she has served as the associate dean for academic affairs since 2012. She will be succeeding Lucinda Roff, who served as the dean of social work from 1987 to 2000 and has been serving as the interim dean since 2010. … The School of Law will also welcome a new dean, Mark Brandon, who specializes in constitutional law and has taught at Vanderbilt University since 2001. Kevin Stack, associate dean for research at Vanderbilt, worked with Brandon and said his gentle manner will help him build connections with the University, its students and alumni.
Construction continues
Crimson White – June 4
Su Gupta, associate professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, directs a campus-wide user facility called the UA Micro-Fabrication Facility. If you look for it today, you can find it in the Bevill Building. “Part of H. M. Comer Hall, that originally housed the MFF, had to be demolished to make room for NERC, so the facility had to be temporarily relocated to the MINT clean room in Bevill for three years,” she said. “I am grateful that the Vice-President of Research provided funds for the temporary set-up of the facility in Bevill, which allowed us to remain functional for the past three years.” Ultimately, the MFF will be housed in the North Engineering Research Center, forcing a second move to a “beautiful, large clean room facility.” Shelby Quad was completed last August after nearly 10 years of construction and four new buildings … While the sights and sounds of construction may be leaving the Shelby Quad, students can expect work around the adjacent Ferguson Center area to continue throughout the summer. Tim Leopard, assistant vice president of UA Facilities, said there is an intentional effort to increase construction activity during the summer, when fewer students will be impacted. “The level of construction definitely impacts the access and usability,” he said. “[One] of our core goals for our projects is to minimize any potential impact to the teaching and learning environment.” … According to Dialog, the faculty/staff newsletter, the expanded building will include office space for the Career Center, Community Service Center, Crossroads Community Center, Greek Affairs, Student Government Association, Student Involvement and Leadership and University programs. There will also be a renovated food court, with the Fresh Foods Company that was previously located in the Ferguson Center moving across the street to its own building. Cathy Andreen, director of media relations, said the Ferguson Center will reopen in August. For the summer, offices have temporarily relocated across campus. “All areas of Ferguson are closed this summer except for the SupeStore, Mail Center and Starbucks,” she said.
Bidsters to open for business
Crimson White – June 4
Ben Bickerstaff always imagined that he would be “somewhere turning salt water into fresh water.” A native of Anniston, Alabama, and a graduate of the University of Alabama civil engineering program, Bickerstaff is now founder and CEO of a company that solves a problem he first noticed as a cooperative education employee for a large construction company. As an employee, Bickerstaff became involved in the industry, doing everything from making copies to finding companies to bid on contracted construction jobs. “There is a process that the larger contractors have to go through to hire other companies or individuals, called subcontractors, to come work their professions on a certain project,” he said. After going through this time consuming task for many months, he realized there had to be an easier way. Thus the idea for Bidsters was developed: an online liaison where companies in the construction industry can direct and promote the projects they are working on and manage the bidding process for subcontractors interested in that project. Bickerstaff said this idea was not a dream, but a goal he wanted to see through. He saw the opportunity that would help him accomplish this goal on Twitter, where he was informed about Alabama Launchpad, an organization that supports entrepreneurs and hosts an annual competition for start-ups.
Camp teaches area students financial skills
Crimson White – June 4
The College of Human and Environmental Sciences is hosting Camp Cash for area children 11 to 14 years old from June 9 to June 13. Jan Brakefield, a professor in the consumer sciences department, will head and organize the camp. Camp Cash is a program that focuses on strengthening monetary and financial skills as well as leadership, confidence and self-esteem. Brakefield started the camp in 2008 because she wanted to serve the youth of the Tuscaloosa area. “Financial management skills are so critically important in adulthood. Making sound financial choices and decisions oftentimes do not come naturally,” Brakefield said. “The earlier we learn important money skills, the more likely it is we will incorporate those lessons in our daily lives.” The lessons use concise language, clearly defined terms and age-appropriate vocabulary to effectively convey and teach the principles of finance and money management to the children. Topics covered include financial goal setting, budgeting, credit use, investing, insurance and career planning.
Alabama’s two physician candidates for governor take opposing views on Medicaid expansion
Al.com – June 3
Two retired physicians have five months to convince Alabama voters they are right about an issue that affects health care for much of the state. Republican Gov. Robert Bentley and Democrat Parker Griffith disagree sharply on expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. After easy wins in Tuesday’s primary, they’ll take their arguments into the campaign for the Nov. 4 general election. … William Stewart, political science professor emeritus at the University of Alabama, does not think Griffith can win the election on the Medicaid expansion issue. Stewart says Griffith, who switched parties after being elected to Congress as a Democrat, then switched back to run for governor, is not a strong enough candidate to carry that message. And he says most voters don’t understand the issue. Even some educated and affluent voters who support Medicaid expansion might be likely to support Bentley, Stewart said in an email. “They realize that voting for Griffith is just throwing one’s vote away,” Stewart said. “Since Bentley is going to win it would be better to vote for him and get him to change his mind about Medicaid expansion despite his previous protestations that he would not do so.”
Men’s golf team wins repeat championship
Crimson White – June 4
Add men’s golf to the list of Alabama teams that hold back-to-back national championships. For the first time in program history, the No. 1 Crimson Tide came out on top for the second consecutive year, winning the NCAA Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. Not only is this a first for the program, but it is also the third time in 30 years a team has won back-to-back championships. “It’s an amazing feeling,” Alabama coach Jay Seawell said. “It’s an amazing feat for our players. It’s only been done three times in the last 30 years. I guess we became the third team to do it ourselves. So to do something that historically doesn’t happen very often, I’m really proud.” Alabama joins the ranks of Augusta State (2010-11) and Houston (1984-85). The men’s golf program is also the third team in school history to have two straight championships under its belt, along with gymnastics and football.