Study shows effects of mom’s stress on kids
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 15
One possible way to effectively reduce childhood behavioral problems is to address them before the child is born, suggests research done by a University of Alabama professor and colleague from the United Kingdom…’There’s an accumulation of risks that could affect the development of the fetus in utero, and then, postnatally, this exact mother may not be providing an enriched environment for the child,’ said Edward ‘Ted’ Barker, a UA professor and researcher in UA’s Center for the Prevention of Youth Behavior Problems…it probably stems from more than fretting over the usual concerns associated with pregnancy, such as proper nutrition. While anxiety is a normal part of pregnancy, some mothers, such as those who are single or teenagers, in an abusive relationship, or who smoke and drink heavily are likely experiencing more anxiety than normal, Barker said…
UA Honors Students Take Part in Alabama Action
Fox6 (Birmingham) – Aug. 14
…115 students in the Honors College helped out at Matthews Elementary School. They painted hallways, a basketball court and built a shed at the school.
Artist creates trophies for triathletes
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 17
…Livingston, a ceramics and drawing instructor at the University of Alabama and a demonstrating artist at the annual Kentuck Festival, was commissioned by the Kentuck Association to create the trophies for the triathlon event. “This is the second time I was asked to create the trophies. I made last year’s award for the Olympic triathlon, but this year’s is considerably different,” Livingston said. “It’s basically a thrown piece of ceramic pottery that is made with Alabama clay. It was literally dug close to where they had the race.”…
A cozy dorm room doesn’t have to break the bank
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 17
…Alicia Browne, UA’s Associate Director of Housing and Residential Communities, says she’s seen rooms more elaborate than that. “People invest a lot of time and money and effort into their rooms now,” she said. “And some of the things I’ve seen that have blown me away are rooms where students have covers with big bows over their chairs, like you see in dining rooms, and specially made bedskirts created to cover the storage units stacked under beds.”…She spends her summers helping new students — and their parents — feel comfortable in rooms like Condara’s, and she advises them to save their money and decorate their dorms with family photos and practical items like calendars and dry-erase boards for planning. “Students do not have to spend a lot of money for an attractive room,” she said. “Creativity and color are more important in a cheerful, attractive room than a lot of money spent on items.”…Browne tells incoming students not to worry about coordinating colors and patterns with those of their roommates’, if doing so will compromise their individual expression. But she also tells them to communicate as much as possible before moving into student housing. “Students want their rooms to reflect their personalities,” she said, adding that although everything doesn’t have to match, “we always recommend that roommates communicate ahead of time so that they don’t have two of everything.”…
Bank seized; assets sold to FDIA, then sold to N.C.-based bank
Montgomery Advertiser – Aug. 15
Colonial BancGroup became the largest bank failure of the year as it was seized and sold Friday…Robert Brooks, a professor of finance at the University of Alabama, said customers will find the transition easy to navigate. “Most of the retail customers, if they didn’t read the paper, wouldn’t know any difference next week when they pull up to the drive-through,” he said…Brooks said the former Colonial employees in Montgomery have a good chance of keeping their jobs. “Colonial had some talented folks,” he said. “I am sure BB&T will retain those that they want…Brooks said the criminal investigations probably led to a quicker demise for Colonial because the bank lost the trust of its peers. “Once the FBI shows up at one of your branches, that stunts the trust for your customer base,” he said. Brooks said all financial institutions depend on trust to maintain customer and peer relationships. Once Colonial lost the trust, it lost both customers and business partners, he said…
Jacksonville (Fla.) Observer – Aug. 15
Overcoming Anxiety of Sending Kids to Kindergarten
CBS42.com – Aug. 14
…But University of Alabama Human Development Professor Dr. Jason Scofield says if this is your first experience without them at home, there’s ways to come around to it. “Parents can become comfortable with the school, maybe introduce themselves to teacher, maybe rendezvous with other parents of kids in the same class or school,” says Dr. Scofield. He adds that keeping informed on their daily routines can also help, because as you see your child’s school apprehension go down, yours will too. It’s also suggested that you try and catch up with parents who sent off their kids to kindergarten last year…and seek their advice on what they did to help with anxiety.
College anxiety
CBS42.com – Aug. 16
…UA Human Development Professor Dr. Jason Scofield says it’s natural for parents to have fears about letting their children move off for an education. But he says if parents tell their kids about those worries, it can make matters worse for a student already facing so many new stresses. “In addition to that, that freshman is carrying the burden of their parents nervousness, that makes things a little bit harder,” says Dr. Scofield. Dr. Scofield adds that casual communication can help with these concerns. Find out how classes are going, who your child is meeting, and so on.”I think it would become problematic if you all of a sudden communicated much less often or more often.” Dr. Scofield says visiting campus is also a good way to become familiar with their surroundings, and help ease your nerves.”Your child is certainly gonna have fun and exciting new things happen to them and if you can borrow from that kind of positive feeling, it may help reduce some of your anxious feelings.”
Burmese pythons have already infested the Florida Everglades, but can they survive winter farther north?
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 17
…Frank Struss, director of facilities engineering at the University of Alabama and an amateur herpetologist who has owned exotic snakes, said he can already tell Gibbons and others working on the project what will happen over the winter. “Without some protective place to go for warmth, like under a house, they will die,” he said. “I’ve had that happen to me. In the winter I put heating pads in my snake enclosures, and one winter one of them failed, and a pretty good-sized ball python I had died of pneumonia.” Struss said that as some of his Burmese pythons grew larger, they required extra sources of heat in their cages to make it through the winter. “I just don’t think the projections for them getting this far in the wild in any numbers are accurate because of the cold snaps we tend to have in winter,” he said…
Review: Dozier Bell’s small works a revelation at the University of Alabama
Al.com – Aug. 16
Navigator: Drawings And Paintings By Dozier Bell. Sarah Moody Gallery of Art. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Through Sept. 4…
UA Holds Sorority Rush
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 16
…Rush week finally finished up today…at the University of Alabama. About 1,400 girls stormed the UA campus Monday to take part in one of the University’s oldest traditions-Greek life…
Welcome, freshmen
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 16
Freshmen at the University of Alabama will receive an extra-warm welcome to Tuscaloosa from Target, which is holding a private shopping event tonight exclusively for them. From 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., freshmen students can buy Target merchandise after the store closes to the public. There will be music, games, prizes and snacks at the store at 1901 13th Ave. E.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 16