University of Alabama plans to hire ‘diversity officer’
Al.com – Nov. 18
University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell announced today he has directed the University’s Strategic Planning Council to include the addition of a central diversity officer and the development of a new diversity plan as part of its work. He has also charged two senior administrators with assessing UA’s current diversity initiatives. The announcement comes nearly a week after students held a demonstration on the steps of Rose Administration building to support students in Missouri and voice concerns about ending racism on their own campus. “Bell said he has met with numerous groups of students, faculty and staff over the last 10 days to listen and learn about UA’s efforts related to diversity and inclusion,” a press release stated. “While we are doing some good things, there is much work to be done to ensure a welcoming and inclusive campus where students from all backgrounds feel they belong and can be successful,” said Bell.
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 18
Decatur Daily – Nov. 18
The Washington Post – Nov. 18
Beaumont Enterprise (Texas) – Nov. 18
Houston Chronicle (Texas) – Nov. 18
Greenfield Reporter (Ind.) – Nov. 18
Crimson White – Nov. 18
Inside Higher Ed – Nov. 18
ABC 9 (Columbus, Ga.) – Nov. 18
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Nov. 18
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 18
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Nov. 18
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Nov. 18
WHNT-TV (Huntsville) (website only) – Nov. 18
CBS 42 (Birmingham) (website only) – Nov. 18
Wonkblog: How economies pick up and move on after terrorist attacks
Fidelity – Nov. 18
If there is any good news for France after the horrific violence in Paris on Friday, it’s that terrorists generally aren’t able to destroy the economies of the countries where they strike. People can soon get back to doing business after attacks like this one. The purely economic consequences of recent terrorism have been limited and temporary. Several researchers at universities and in the private sector have tried to quantify the costs of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 … The terrorists in Paris did not manage to destroy skyscrapers or passenger jets. Their strategy was a contrast with the attacks on the World Trade Center, which were calculated to cause economic harm, said Walter Enders, an economist who recently retired from the University of Alabama. “They didn’t go to the heart of Paris,” said Enders, predicting that tourism in Paris would not be affected. “They didn’t hit the Eiffel Tower. They didn’t hit anything on the Champs-Élysées. They didn’t hit Notre Dame.”
Free legal clinic held at main library today
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 18
The Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, in cooperation with the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, the University of Alabama School of Law and Legal Services Alabama, will host a free legal clinic today for low-income residents of Tuscaloosa County coping with civil legal challenges. The clinic lawyers are experienced in various areas of the law and will be available to answer questions in the areas of divorce/custody/visitation, landlord/tenant issues, wills and estates, debts/bankruptcy/foreclosure and domestic violence. The clinic will be held from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa County Public Library, 1801 Jack Warner Parkway.
6 tips for preventing, surviving a terrorist attack
KBOI 2 (Boise, Idaho) – Nov. 18
In the wake of attacks in Paris Friday and new threats from ISIS promising attacks in the United States, a heightened sense of fear is understandable. Terrorism experts and security professionals say there are steps the public can take to reduce the risk of an attack and to increase their chances of survival if one occurs. 1. See something, say something: It may seem cliché, but security experts constantly return to this principle: if you see something, say something … “The most critical thing is the public needs to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement, of counterterrorism, of the government,” said Adam Lankford, criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama and author of “The Myth of Martyrdom.” Lankford pointed to the example of the Unabomber, who was caught because his brother recognized something in his manifesto and alerted authorities. Sometimes friends, family, and neighbors have information the government does not or they understand it in a context law enforcement cannot.
EcoCAR 3 Announces Student-designed Powertrain Plans for Chevrolet Camaro
ABC 7 (Tyler, Texas) – Nov. 18
EcoCAR 3’s 16 competing university teams have unveiled their advanced, energy-efficient vehicle architecture for the 2016 Chevrolet Camaros donated by General Motors. … “Our teams were tasked with designing a powertrain configuration that reduces energy consumption, as well as well-to-wheel greenhouse gas and tailpipe emissions,” said Kristen De La Rosa, EcoCAR 3 program director at Argonne National Laboratory. “Each team must also consider cost and innovation while maintaining the vehicle’s ability to meet consumer demand in areas of performance, utility and safety.” … The team to buck the trend, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will pursue a hybrid electric vehicle powered by E10. The participating schools and the vehicle architecture they will perfect during the next three years, include: University of Alabama – Series-Parallel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle powered by E85; Arizona State University – Parallel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle powered by E85; California State University, Los Angeles – Parallel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle powered by E85.
The Auto Channel – Nov. 18
Ferg musician strikes a chord with students
Crimson White – Nov. 18
At midnight outside the Ferguson Student Center, accompanied by the patter of the fountain, Griffin Burks can be found strumming the guitar and wailing on the trumpet for hours at a time. Burks, a freshman at the University, is pursuing a degree in international relations, but is not putting his love for music on hold. “I’ve always loved performing – the practice side a little bit – but there’s a certain kind of thrill you get by playing for people, and when people get to enjoy the music,” Burks said. “And I’ve never really had a problem with putting myself out there.” Burks usually sets up at least five times a week on a bench outside the SUPEStore. He has memorized the chords and lyrics to Blues Traveler’s “Runaround,” and, as the song goes, prefers both coffee and tea, often in a Starbucks cup. A wide-brim hat and brown leather jacket are also staples to his performances, noticeable in the six times Burks has appeared on the Alabama Campus Snapchat story. Burks has owned the jacket since seventh grade, but this hat – though not his first – is rather new.
Gorgas painting gives picture of the past
Crimson White – Nov. 18
If you were to sit on the front porch of the the President’s Mansion, with a perfect view of the Quad, you may be inspired to ask, “What did this view look like in 1831, the founding year of our University?” Former President Judy Bonner asked that same question when spending an afternoon with renowned artist Dean Mosher and his wife at the President’s Mansion. Mosher’s painting, titled “The Birth of Alabama’s First Great University,” illustrates exactly what our quad looked like in 1831 and can be found in the Pearce Grand Foyer of the Gorgas Library. Artist and historian Dean Mosher of Fairhope, Alabama, created this painting in a span of 14 months in honor of former President Judy Bonner. Using realism, the painting shows a view of the Quad – precisely how it would have looked if you were standing there in 1831. Being not only an artist but also a historian, Mosher wanted to make sure his work accurately reflected what the original campus looked like. The painting was used with the artistic style of realism, and Mosher did an immense amount of research to make the style, locations and distance of the buildings shown in the painting as close to Alabama’s first campus possible.
CrossingPoints students perform “Alice in Wonderland”
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 18
The story of “Alice in Wonderland” came to life tonight at the Capstone. The CrossingPoints program at The University of Alabama helped special needs students become Alice, the White Rabbit and more. CrossingPoints is collaboration between the University and Tuscaloosa City and County schools.