BEST BETS
SUMMER 2023 COMMENCEMENT AUG. 5 — UA will hold a summer commencement ceremony Saturday, Aug. 5, at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus. All colleges and schools will participate in a single ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. In line with UA Athletics facilities procedures, graduates and guests may only bring bags permitted by the clear bag policy. Metal detectors will be used at entrances to the Coliseum and the Crisp Indoor Practice Facility. More information, including live and recorded webcast details, an interactive campus map, parking information, lodging details and fast facts about the 2023 summer class can be found on UA’s commencement website. Commencement information can be heard on UA’s radio station, 92.5 FM.
RENTAL COSTS RISE IN THE SEC’S COLLEGE TOWNS — Rents in each Southeastern Conference city are definitely on the rise, according to a monthly rental report from researchers at three universities. Rent prices across the 14 cities rose 8.22% on average over the past year, double the national average of 4.11% over the past 12 months ending in June, according to the Waller, Weeks and Johnson Rental Index that examines the entire stock of homes and apartments across 100 metro areas in the United States. Despite the rise, the average monthly rent in the SEC cities in June is $1,541, well below the national average of $2,054. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK IMPROVING AMONG STATE BUSINESS LEADERS — Alabama business leaders expect the economy to chug along this quarter at the same rate as the last quarter, but uncertainty about the national economy is keeping full-on optimism in check, according to the latest quarterly survey by the UA Center for Business and Economic Research. The latest Alabama Business Confidence Index, taken in early June, was nearly neutral, indicating expectations for an overall continuation of last quarter’s economic performance. For the first time since the second quarter of 2022, five of the six component indexes that go into the overall ABCI reflect business leaders are neutral or mildly positive. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
NATURAL HAZARD VULNERABILITY SHOWS DISPROPORTIONATE RISK — A fifth of neighborhood blocks in the continental United States most vulnerable to natural disaster account for a quarter of the lower 48 states’ risk, according to a detailed assessment of vulnerability. Leaders in data-driven risk modeling, researchers at UA used advanced data analysis and machine learning of more than 100 factors that influence vulnerability to natural hazards for about 11 million U.S. Census Bureau blocks, finding significant differences can exist between neighboring blocks. The result is the first mapping of the continental U.S.’s exposure to impacts from natural hazards at the block level, overcoming the limitations of previous efforts to define and assess vulnerability at larger scales that can hide local variability. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION HOSTS EMPOWERING EDUCATORS CONFERENCE — The UA College of Education is hosting the Empowering Educators Conference Aug. 5 in Autherine Lucy Hall on the UA campus. The conference aims to give educational leaders the skills to manage equitable multicultural environments, access inclusive spaces and lead with integrity by navigating the terrains of academia. Online registration is currently open. Lunch is included.
UA RESEARCHERS SEEKING PARTICIPANTS FOR STUDIES – As a large research institution, UA continually offers opportunities for people to participate in research studies and clinical trials. There is currently a range of studies offering cumulatively more than $1,900 in compensation that seek participants of all ages. Many also offer free health information to the participant. Each study has its own requirements. For more information, visit the UA News Center’s list of open studies or contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
HYDRATING BEFORE PRACTICE KEY FOR YOUNG ATHLETES — “Being intentional about hydration status in the days prior to the onset of activity, especially rigorous activity that occurs in high temperature and humidity, is a good way to minimize the effects dehydration will play on health and performance,” said Dr. Jeri Zemke, assistant professor with the UA College of Human Environmental Sciences. “Two to three days prior to the planned activity, young athletes should eliminate caffeinated beverages and drink an increased amount of water and/or sport drinks. Additionally, eating foods high in water content, such as watermelon, cucumber, apples, peaches and celery, is another way to improve hydration prior to the onset of intense exercise. Monitoring the color of your urine is an easy way to assess hydration status. Urine the color of lemonade, or lighter, indicates you are in a hydrated state, while urine darker than lemonade suggests you are either dehydrated or moving toward a dehydrated state. Weighing the athlete before and after activity is another way to assess loss of fluids. For every one pound lost during activity, the athlete should drink approximately half of a liter of fluids. Finally, thirst is a very poor indicator of hydration status. If you wait to drink fluids until you are thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated.” To schedule an interview, contact Zemke at jzemke@ches.ua.edu.
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The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.