University of Alabama leadership seeks quality growth
Tuscaloosa News – April 18
University of Alabama interim President Judith Bonner laid out the university’s vision of continued growth Tuesday. But during the biannual state of the university address, Bonner made it clear that for UA — where total enrollment has swelled 33 percent in the past five years — growth does not just mean more students. Rather, she said, it means better and brighter students, and faculty garnering more accolades and producing more excellent research. “When we began a plan to increase our enrollment, we made a pledge to the faculty that we would grow but we would grow with quality,” Bonner said. “And we have many indicators that demonstrate that we have done just that.” Bonner said that UA is now the most selective public university in the state, a claim that couldn’t be made five years ago. In the fall of 2006, UA had 12,513 applicants for enrollment and accepted 70 percent. But in the fall of 2011, UA accepted 44 percent of 22,136 applicants.
University of Alabama research team wins $30,000 grant
Tuscaloosa News – April 18
MicroGreen Technologies, a research team from the University of Alabama, won a $30,000 grant Tuesday in the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama’s business plan competition in Birmingham. It was one of four research teams from state universities to win grants. The money will help further their research with a goal of creating a new business enterprise. MicroGreen is developing a cost-effective, environmentally sustainable agricultural crop fertilizer that delivers phosphate to plant roots through beneficial bacteria. Its product reduces the amount of phosphates needed in fertilizers, which would save farmers money. Robert Martinez, a microbiologist who heads the team, said the researchers have isolated the bacteria, which occurs naturally in soil. The team plans to do greenhouse tests on different plants and different soils. If those tests prove satisfactory, its product could next be tested on fields in West Alabama… In Tuesday’s competition, each team delivered a 12-minute pitch to the panel of reviewers, culminating a process that began in September 2011. Since then, the teams received mentoring to refine their business plans from volunteer professionals across the state. The competition was founded by the EDPA Foundation in 2005 to help commercialize technologies coming out of the state’s research universities…The program is funded with a grant from the Alabama Research Alliance and from private sponsorships.
Youth sessions to focus on Ala tornado recovery
Associated Press – April 18
Young people are getting a chance to speak out about recovering from the tornadoes that slammed Alabama nearly a year ago. A series of discussions called “Winds of Change” begins Wednesday at Holt High School, located near Tuscaloosa. The youth-led sessions will address the different priorities arising during the recovery from the tornadoes that hit last April 27. They will focus on the situation in Holt. Topics include commercial and economic needs and youth-oriented work needs. High school and middle school students will participate in the sessions, which continue through Friday. The program is being led by Jeffrey G. Parker, an associate psychology professor at the University of Alabama.
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – April 18
UA research links gender, technology
Crimson White – April 18
Women use text messaging and social media more than men, according to a study conducted by a UA student. Amanda Kimbrough, a senior majoring in psychology, polled 381 undergraduate students last spring through an online survey that assessed gender differences in technology preferences and frequency of use. Kimbrough’s study was inspired by other research she conducted as a sophomore, which produced results that addressed a new outlook on the use of technology. “As a sophomore, I found that a lot of people saw social media as a responsibility and obligation,” said Kimbrough. “They would say ‘I have to check my Facebook tonight,’ as opposed to it being an elective.” As a junior, Kimbrough conducted the 26-question survey that concentrated on both offline technology, such as telephone calls and text messaging, as well as online technology, including social networking, video calls, email and instant messaging. The subject pool, composed of Psychology 101 students and volunteers from Facebook, included 267 women and 114 men. However, Kimbrough did not realize the importance of gender within her study as she was conducting it.
Scholar to discuss child welfare
Crimson White – April 18
Since 2004, visiting international scholar Reginaldo Torres Alves Jr. has been closely studying the history of child welfare in his native country Brazil. Alves works as a psychologist at Brazil’s Child and Juvenile Court in Brasilia and is also a doctoral student studying with the clinical and culture psychology program at the Universidade de Brasilia. After coming to the University of Alabama with his family a month ago to study with Debra Nelson-Gardell, an associate professor for the School of Social Work whose research focuses on forensic interviews with abused children — the two have been working together to examine the assessment techniques of abused children used in the U.S. and in Brazil. “Part of our evaluations in Brazil is based on Dr. Nelson-Gardell’s articles regarding the assessment of the likelihood of children’s disclosure regarding the violence in her articles regarding the extended forensic interview model,” Alves said. After being contacted last year by the Executive Director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center to host Alves’ visit to the UA campus, Nelson-Gardell became intrigued with the opportunity to compare research.
Day to promote sustainability
Crimson White – April 18
The Business Honors Program hosts the third Annual Sustainability Day today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to inform students about better environmental choices at UA. Members of the program will be on the quad with free snow cones and on the Ferguson Center Plaza with free Chick-fil-A coupons and other giveaways, said Caroline Murray, president of the Business Honors Program’s Sustainability Committee. Along with this, a natural gas vehicle will be in front of Morgan Hall to give students the opportunity to learn about the practical uses of natural gas…“The goal of Sustainability Day is to make students aware of the vast resources available to them on this campus in terms of making environmentally friendly decisions,” Murray said. After conducting a survey in the fall semester, the program found that students are not opposed to recycling and similar behaviors but don’t know where to begin, Murray said. “We aren’t out to radically change anyone’s lifestyle,” Murray said. “We want students to realize how much of an impact their actions are having and that they have the resources to control if that impact is positive or negative.” Bama Dining will also be hosting a “Clean Your Plate” campaign to bring light to the amount of food wasted by students in the all-you-can-eat style dining halls. “If students bring a clear plate to the dish return, they will have a chance to spin our prize wheel where they can win a Tide Tumbler, t-shirt or sustainability bag,” said Kelsey Faust, Bama Dining marketing manager. “Burke, Lakeside and Fresh Foods will also serve a sustainable and green menu.” One goal for the day is to draw attention to the off-campus recycling drop located behind the Ancillary Building at 1115 14th St., Murray said.
UA’s take on popular ‘Chicago’ musical runs through Sunday
Al.com – April 18
Plenty of us have seen 2002 Oscar-winner for best picture “Chicago” in theaters or on DVD, but few of us have experienced a more enhanced live stage production. The University of Alabama Theatre and Dance Department continues its run of the popular musical about a pair of murderesses on death row who use their newfound fame to avoid execution in the 1920s. With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse, the play and film became instant international hits. Don’t miss an opportunity to catch UA’s talented cast and crew offer their own takes on what have become classics like “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “Mr. Cellophane.” The performance is in the Marian Gallaway Theatre at Rowand-Johnson Hall on campus. Tickets are $12 for students, $15 for faculty/staff and $18 for others. Catch performances tonight through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and a 2 p.m. show on Sunday, April 22.
UA Jazz Ensemble hits stage for Big Bang Concert
Crimson White – April 18
With five saxophones, five trombones, five trumpets, a bass guitar, a set of drums and a piano, the UA Jazz Ensemble will take the stage for their 17th Annual Big Band Concert tonight at Moody Music Hall. The group’s director, Chris Kozak, says the show “Singin’, Swingin’ and Bob” will mesh together swing and contemporary jazz music in a multi-faceted tribute. “We try to follow tradition but also keep current with standards in the industry,” Kozak said. This year’s performance is different in that a male vocalist, Marcus Miller, joins the stage alongside the 17-member instrumental ensemble, which is made up of music students, along with one finance major….
‘Monologues’ fight stigma of depression, mental illness
Crimson White – April 18
One in three college students will experience prolonged periods of depression. Other mental illnesses such as anxiety are also widespread among young adults. Despite their prevalence, people are often hesitant to discuss mental illnesses openly or to seek help. On Thursday, the University of Alabama’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will host “Mental Health Monologues” at 7:30 p.m., in Lloyd Room 38. This event is aimed at reducing the societal stigma often associated with mental illnesses…Student actors will perform monologues written by UA students living with a mental illness…
The Loud Legacy of Morton’s Mouth
Wall Street Journal – April 18
…”Évocatuer: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie,” makes its premiere Thursday at the Tribeca Film Festival. Even among a strong slate of nonfiction films in this year’s festival, corralling such disparate voices as Pat Buchanan, Sally Jessy Raphael, Alan Dershowitz and Herman Cain to expound on Downey’s life and legacy represents an impressive feat … For Joshua D. Rothman, a University of Alabama history professor and, as described in the film, a “recovering” teenage member of Downey’s live studio audience, the show offered a reliable format—namely, Downey berating, insulting, accusing and sometimes assaulting his guests from a hastily erected moral high ground. “He’d scream and yell at them for 15 or 20 minutes, then the audience would scream and yell at them for 15 or 20 minutes,” Mr. Rothman said. “Some people would sit there and take it, and some people would make the mistake of trying to argue back at him, which only made it worse. You couldn’t not watch it.”