Unprecedented Demand, Dwindling Funding
InsideHigherEd.com – Sept. 24
…The Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama released a report Thursday based on the responses from state community college officials in 48 states to an extensive set of questions about changes in state funding, the impact of federal stimulus dollars and plans for the future…Steve Katsinas, the report’s co-author and director of the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, told Inside Higher Ed that he thought it was clear from the responses of state community college directors that they appreciated the steps the federal government has taken to provide sufficient need-based aid to keep their institutions a viable option for low-income students. Still, he acknowledges that there are great challenges ahead. “The funding situation is more of a challenge now that it’s ever been,” Katsinas said. “Public higher education will face a rough year next year as well, not that we didn’t know that already. But, this report shows it all from the perspective of state community college officials. From them, it’s clear that while community colleges have received record publicity at the national level, it has not produced more state funding.”…
Chronicle of Higher Education – Sept. 24
SGA launches Residential Energy Campaign
Crimson White – Sept. 24
The Student Government Association is launching the Energy Conservation Campaign Friday in an effort to promote conservation of energy in UA housing. The campaign, which began last year in a few of the residential halls, is being presented on a larger scale this year to include all of the dormitories on campus and will run through April 22…Robert Martin, energy manager in facilities at the University, said the campaign has great potential if students work to conserve energy and meet the goals set up by the campaign. “A realistic goal would be to save 5 percent of the energy costs in each building, by doing simple things like keeping your windows and outside doors closed, turning off your lights in unoccupied spaces, and by being aware of old electronic chargers which are prone to use a lot of energy when left plugged in while not being used,” Martin said…
Mercedes C-Class production may come to Vance
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 24
…’I think it [the Zeitgung report] is very credible and I would be very surprised if it does not turn out to be true,’ said James Cashman, a University of Alabama professor of management, who has worked closely with the automotive industry. Cashman said he heard the rumors of C-Class production coming here about a month ago from two separate, reliable sources. He declined to identify the sources or the details of the conversations…
Boost for Pell education grants seen as likely
Salt Lake City (Ut.) Tribune – Sept. 24
The Pell Grant clearly has become the most far-reaching workforce development program Congress has enacted, because it is the door to the American Dream and marketable job skills for legions of less-affluent students and workers pursuing better employment and life-long learning,” wrote Frank Mensel, a senior fellow at the University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center, in a commentary on Pell’s passing last January. According to Mensel, a retired lobbyist who happens to be a U. alumnus, Utah uses the Pell program better than almost any other state…
Opinion: New fiscal year to bring problems in Montgomery
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 24
…Well, when Bronner, the highly successful chief executive of Alabama’s multibillion-dollar pension funds and sometimes only half-jokingly referred to as ‘the smartest man in Alabama,’ has something to say about finances and economics, as he did Tuesday on the University of Alabama campus, people, well, listen. And while what Bronner had to say as the James P. Curtis Endowed Distinguished Lecturer at the Capstone Education Society’s annual banquet was not pleasant to hear, there is no doubt he knows what he is talking about and his warnings should be heeded…
UA Study Cited in Story About Tort Reform
CSPAN2 – Sept. 23
…there is a study by the University of Alabama by Professor Morris which they examine 27 states, 27 states that have already decided on their own to cap damages…
Does Your School Party Hardest on Saturday?
CNBC.com – Sept. 23
Here is the Tailgater Monthly’s 2009 list of best schools for tailgating:
…7. University of Alabama: “Bama’s faithful arrive almost a week early to set up the perfect spot and to place orders for ribs or sauce from Dream Land or Archibalds.”…
Career fair a big hit with Students
Crimson White – Sept. 24
Over 70 businesses took over the Bryant Conference Center Wednesday for the General Interest and Business Career Fair. For five hours, students met with and gave resumes to recruiters from various businesses in the Southeast…Although the career fair may not have had as high of attendance for the past few years, many of the businesses at this year’s fair said they saw an increase in qualified students and were extremely impressed with the students who stopped by their booths….
Notre Dame professor to speak on plagiarism
Crimson White – Sept. 24
Susan D. Blum will be at the university Thursday to talk about her latest book and the topic of plagiarism in the college environment. Blum, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, will speak in the Ferguson Center Ballroom at 7 p.m. The lecture was organized by the Academic Honor Council and the Office for Academic Affairs as part of Academic Integrity Week…
Capstone Village hopes to win award for a second time
Crimson White – Sept. 24
Rene Katsinas, director of residential services at the Capstone Village retirement community, pointed to a tall, plastic gold trophy sitting on a table in a room behind the reception desk. “We want to keep that trophy,” Katsinas said. The trophy proclaimed the Capstone Village as the winner of the most participation of any Cooperative Retirement Service Association managed community for Active Aging Week…some events during the week include fitness testing performed by UA personal trainers, UA drum circle performance, a performance by the Million Dollar Band, an ROTC cadence marching event and a UA cabaret dancer and UA cheerleader performance, according to the Active Aging Week calendar…
Our View: Academic Integrity Week commendable
Crimson White – Sept. 24
The University is celebrating the second Academic Integrity Week this week with events sponsored by the Academic Honor Council. We are pleased with the group’s plans to spotlight the need for honesty in academia, and we are glad to see that they are offering more than a lecture this year…Most importantly, we hope that students will take a cue, too, and remember the lessons of the week…