Cleburne County teacher receives Capstone Inspiring Teacher Award
Anniston Star – April 25
Friday morning, before her students arrived for class, Chrissy Burke, the University of Alabama’s Capstone Inspiring Teacher Award winner, was sitting at her desk chatting with a former student. The student, Jami Morgan, the soon-to-be graduate of the university who nominated Burke for the award, was wearing a T-shirt advertising the Ms. Burke Fan Club. Morgan graduated from Cleburne County High School four years ago, but comes back to visit her favorite teacher often, she said. As a senior at UA, Morgan was eligible to submit an essay to the university about her favorite high school teacher for the award, which was created in 2010. A committee of high school teachers, students and staff judged the essays and the Cleburne County Career Technical School business teacher won, earning both her and the school $1,000. Submitting the essay was second nature, Morgan said. Her high school years were difficult and Burke helped her get through it and transition to college, she said. “This class was like my haven,” Morgan said. “Any chance I have to show her some appreciation and to tell anybody how wonderful she was to me, I take it.”
Spring commencement at University of Alabama slated May 1-2
Tuscaloosa News – April 24
More than 4,700 degrees will be awarded next weekend as the University of Alabama holds spring commencement at Coleman Coliseum. Degrees will be awarded over two days — May 1 and May 2. At 6 p.m. May 1, students in the College of Communication and Information Sciences, College of Education, College of Human Environmental Sciences and Capstone College of Nursing and will receive their degrees. There will be three graduation sessions on May 2. At 9 a.m., students in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Social Work will receive their degrees. At 1:30 p.m., Culverhouse College of Commerce and College of Engineering will receive their degrees. At 5:30 p.m., students in the School of Law will receive their degrees.
Reginald Hyde speaks at Cyber Huntsville Luncheon
WAAY-ABC (Huntsville) – April 24
Former defense undersecretary and current University of Alabama cyber institute executive director Reginald Hyde addressed a group of Huntsville’s leading cyber experts. He talked about the threats facing Huntsville and the United States, and what can be done to better protect ourselves from cyberattacks.
25th Anniversary of Hubble Telescope
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – April 24
Hubble Space Telescope celebrates its 25th birthday, and Dr. William Keel, UA Professor of Astronomy was there for its birth and has played an important role in its research.
U.S. Supreme Court takes up gay marriage question Tuesday; what does it mean for Alabama?
Al.com – April 26
After the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday on the issue of whether state laws banning gay marriage in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee are unconstitutional the court is expected to take until late June to rule. If the court rules the marriage bans are unconstitutional, what does it mean for Alabama and other states that also have the bans? And will it be the final word on the subject? … University of Alabama School of Law Professor Ron Krotoszynski doesn’t agree with the notion that Alabama and other states wouldn’t have to automatically follow the ruling. “The claim that a state supreme court is not really bound by a federal Supreme Court decision, because the federal Supreme Court decision constitutes a binding precedent only as to the precise parties involved in the litigation, proves entirely too much,” Krotoszynski wrote in an email to AL.com. “If this logic is sound, then an Alabama trial court judge, or the intermediate state appellate courts, should be equally free to simply disregard decisions of the Alabama Supreme Court they dislike because state supreme court precedents are binding only with respect to the actual parties who litigated the case before the state supreme court.”
790 Talk (Las Vegas, Nev.) – April 26
COLLEGE NEWS: April 26
Tuscaloosa News – April 26
University of Alabama – Spikey W. Howard Jr. of Northport has become a member of the Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society at the University of Alabama. The honor society recognizes undergraduate academic achievement. He is the son of Spikey and Deidre Howard of Northport and is a graduate of Holy Spirit Catholic High School. Noah Ferguson, a freshman at the University of Alabama, has accepted membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Membership is by invitation and is based on grade-point average and class standing for freshmen and sophomores in college. He is the son of Carol Ferguson and is a graduate of Northside High School.
Education briefs
Decatur Daily – April 26
Kristian Diggs, of Hillsboro, is a third year law student at the University of Alabama School of Law. She is also first vice president of the Black Law Students Association. She will begin her legal career in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in the United States Air Force. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of West Florida. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Diggs. Austin Mardis, of Hatton, has received an alumni scholarship and a diversity scholarship from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas. He is the son of Terry Joe and Brandy Mardis.
Troopers facing cuts
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – April 26
A study by The University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety found that the state should have 1,016 troopers. Right now there are just 431.
THE PORT RAIL: Can we be held accountable for past sins?
Tuscaloosa News – April 26
There are some contradictory passages in the Bible about whether sons inherit the sins of their fathers or are born free of them. This question is aside the basic one of all humankind inheriting the sins of Adam. What piqued my interest, and tickled my funny bone, was a cartoon April 20 in The Tuscaloosa News. It showed a caricature of President Barack Obama chatting with Raul Castro, the prime minister of Cuba and Fidel Castro’s brother. Obama was telling Castro that he represents a great relationship opportunity, and Castro answered, “Aww, you say that to all the pariahs.” It got me thinking, especially about Raul Castro, since there are plenty of opinions circulating about the president. I’ll not add to that cacophony. On the other hand, what do you know about Raul Castro? And, if you knew some of his background, would that prejudice you one way or another? And, perhaps even more significant, does our past inform, haunt or edify our present? Or let’s make it personal.
How PR pros are stewards of corporate character
PR Daily – April 27
PR professionals wear a lot of different hats, but according to Wendi Strong, executive vice president of enterprise affairs and chief communications officer for USAA, their chief role is to protect their brands’ corporate character. In remarks at The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ annual John Koten Distinguished Lecture last month, Strong emphasized that corporate character is at the intersection of brand and reputation. Organizations must be genuine, authentic and consistent to sway public opinion in their favor. She offered up five areas in which corporate character is important: 1. Transparency. As the Internet and social media evolve, brand managers have new avenues through which they can interact with the public in unprecedented ways. Nearly everything an organization does is out in the open. “That puts a premium on corporate character and ethical behavior,” Strong said. “Today’s organizations have little choice but to walk the talk.” 2. Commoditization. Products and services are becoming less of what sells a brand. People will decide what to buy or whom to support based on how they perceive the brand and what it’s known for.