Witt set for first taste of lean times
Tuscaloosa News – April 6
. . . Current President Robert Witt is confident the latest trouble with state money won’t slow down his plan to expand the university and strengthen its academic offerings. “We, and no one else, are in control of this university,” he told a gathering of faculty and staff last week. His speech to employees is consistent with his goal of insulating UA from the ups and downs of state budgets, and Witt said the university can weather a budget cut through increased tuition, more students, savings, taking on more debt and cutting some one-time expenses.
Terry Saban targets libraries for A-Day fund raiser
Montgomery Advertiser – April 5
Last year it was the disaster relief fund for the city of Enterprise and its tornado victims. This year, Terry Saban is targeting the University of Alabama’s libraries for her A-Day fund raiser.The wife of Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban will join Alabama students, faculty and staff and members of the men’s basketball team to collect donations for the university libraries at each gate at Bryant-Denny Stadium and in the “Walk of Champions” prior to the annual A-Day game on April 12.
UA graduate schools praised
Crimson White – April 7
The U.S. News and World Report’s 2009 edition of its annual “Best Graduate Schools” publication ranked the UA School of Law and School of Social Work at their highest rankings ever. The law school is ranked 11th among public law schools and 32nd among all law schools in the nation, and the School of Social Work is ranked 28th among social work programs at public universities and 42nd when including both public and private institutions.
The Gorgas House is absolutely Alabama
WBRC-Fox 6, Birmingham — April 6
This Saturday is “A” day at the University of Alabama, a day when thousands of fans will come to Bryant-Denny Stadium for a preview of this fall’s Crimson Tide. Yet, many of those fans will pass by a small brick house just off the Quad, unaware this small structure has a history that predates not only the football team, but the university itself. But a building known as the “Gorgas House” isn’t just a normal campus building; it’s absolutely Alabama. The house itself is the only building to be here for the entire history of the University. It was built in 1829 and classes started in 1831, so it was literally the first building constructed for the campus. It was the dining room until 1847 and they closed it as the dining room because of discipline problems.
College news
Tuscaloosa News – April 7
The University of Alabama Police Department received four Law Enforcement Accreditation awards in conjunction with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.’s spring conference in Atlanta in March. . . . 2008 Honors Week activities to recognize the scholarship and leadership of students and faculty will be April 14-18 . . . The biennial conference Race and Place in the American South will be Friday and Saturday at the Alabama Institute for Manufacturing Excellence Building and will include “Veterans and Vagrants in the New and Modern South,” “Race and Leisure in the New South” and “Foodways and Folkways.”
Business Events
Tuscaloosa News – April 6
UA College of Engineering Dean’s Leadership Series: 3 p.m. in the Mortar Room at the Ferguson Center on the University of Alabama campus. The speaker will be Jim Neidhoefer, founder and CEO of Aerotonomy Inc., an Atlanta aerospace research and manufacturing company specializing in intelligent mission planning and state-of-the-art guidance navigation and control.
Cobb hews close to Supreme Court majority
Mobile Press-Register – April 6
Raised in Evergreen, Cobb graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1981…William Stewart, a well-known political scientist from the University of Alabama, said Cobb has succeeded through energetic campaigning and — in the case of Nabers — an opponent who had never sought elective office. She “presented herself in a way that didn’t frighten people,” he said.
Three former governors share stage
Montgomery Advertiser – April 5
Three Alabama politicians who became governor following dramatic, tragic events shared a platform together for the first time Friday. . . . Bill Stewart, emeritus political science professor at the University of Alabama, said Brewer’s loss to Wallace in a heated 1970 gubernatorial campaign proved to be historic. . . . “If Brewer had won, he would have been a new South governor and history would have been different,” said Stewart. “He was a hands-on governor and didn’t have ambitions for higher office, as Wallace did.”
Dance COLEctive comes to University
Crimson White – April 7
Merging the many different forms of art is becoming a popular challenge in the world of artistic expression, but UA professor of dance Sarah Barry said the concept isn’t as new as it seems.”Collaborations of dance and mediums such as film have been around for many decades,” Barry said. “Now, more than ever, these collaborations are becoming popular.”
Tuscaloosa News – April 4
U.S. CFOs find that coping with the newest generation in finance requires tact, patience—and restraint.
CFO Asia.com – April 2008
Wanted: Candidate with undergraduate degree in finance/accounting. Long hours not required—come and go as you please….In the current recruiting frenzy, students showing accounting aptitude are wined and dined by audit firms—sometimes as early as their sophomore year. At the University of Alabama, top accounting shops are prominent caterers of tailgate parties at Crimson Tide (the school’s team name) football games, hoping to lure possible hires. Richard Houston, a professor of accounting and director of the university’s master of accountancy program, says audit firms take an intense interest in “who went where.” He says the firms treat the competition for collegiate finance talent “almost like a fantasy baseball draft.”
Lottery big draw across state lines
Chattanooga Times-Free Press – April 5
Tennessee’s top-selling lottery retailers rely not on only Volunteer State customers but also players from neighboring states who cross the line to play the games. . . . Strong border sales are often used as an argument to allow a lottery, Dr. Thompson said. But Alabamians likely won’t see a revival of the issue for at least two more years — if even then, said Dr. William Stewart, a University of Alabama political science professor. “We have a Republican governor now who is against the lottery,” Dr. Stewart said. “And the last time we voted on it, we had a Democratic governor who was strongly for it, and it didn’t pass.”
Book Chat: Rick Bragg
Birmingham News – April 6
What are you reading? I’ve just started reading James Lee Burke’s “Tin Roof Blowdown,” and I’ve been waiting to find the time for awhile now. James Lee Burke writes like people from Louisiana cook. . . . Rick Bragg, who won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, is the author of “All Over But the Shoutin’,” “Ava’s Man” and “Somebody Told Me.” He lives in Tuscaloosa, where he teaches at the University of Alabama.
State’s health care lags nation
Tuscaloosa News – April 6
The overall quality of Alabama’s health care ranks slightly lower than the national average, according to a state-by-state study recently released by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. . . . . Overall, Alabama’s quality of health care scored “average” to “weak” in most categories and was ranked slightly lower than the overall Southeast region. “For me, being average is not a goal,” said Dr. Eugene Marsh, Dean of College of Community Health Sciences at the University of Alabama. “I don’t think it should be a goal for any of us in health care in our state. I think our goal should not accept being average, but expect and do what needs to be done to move this needle in the correct direction toward stronger areas of performance.”
First unified Greek Week kicks off
Crimson White – April 7
Students ate, music played, friends chatted and members of Omega Psi Phi stepped. For the first time, the National Pan-Hellenic Council joined with the Alabama Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council for Greek Week, and the members of a traditionally black fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, entered the Greek Week Block Party cookout Sunday evening with a short step.
Walker looks back on his tenure, accomplishments as president
Crimson White – April 7
Files and boxes line the dark, wooden desk, and the plaques that once lined the walls sit in an unorganized pile waiting to be taken out. R.B. Walker leaves his position as SGA president carrying the awards from his wall but leaving behind the holes where they hung.
Series allows students to meet with career artists
Crimson White – April 7
This week, students will have the opportunity to hear how a variety of artists have taken what they love to do and made a career out of it, as part of the Honors College Visiting Artists Series. Jon Berry, an Honors College faculty-in-residence and one of the event’s organizers, said each night’s speaker will aim to educate and entertain students through informal readings, performances and question and answer sessions.
Murphree Family donates platelet machine in honor of son
WHNT-CBS, Huntsville — April 6
It wasn’t easy for Sue Murphree to lose her son, but at least now she takes comfort in knowing she’s helping others in her son’s behalf. . . . Patrick Murphree died one week before he was set to graduate from the University of Alabama. The university gave his mother his diploma. Plus, there’s a scholarship at Alabama set up in Patrick’s name. “Before we could only do platelets in the center, and now we’ve gone on the road with the Murphree . . . .. This is named after Patrick and we’re very excited about it.”