UA Honors Students Participate in Black Belt Experience
Associated Press – May 25
…Around Marion and elsewhere in the Black Belt, other students are working on community service projects with UA’s University Fellows Experience program. “Our goal is to communicate respect and responsibility in the area of community and health,” said Angela Armstrong, who is working with three other students focusing on nutrition…In addition to working with Marion students on health and the arts, the 23 University of Alabama students are leading projects on personal finances, ACT preparation classes, tourism development and several others…
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – May 23
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 23
Tuscaloosa film group’s work to be screened in L.A.
Tuscaloosa News – May 25
A Tuscaloosa film group will attend a June screening of their latest work at a prestigious college film festival in Los Angeles…West and Lazer are University of Alabama students, and Kilgo is a recent graduate…The group’s short film, “The Protagonist,” was chosen for the Campus Movie Fest International grand finale, which is June 11-13 on the Paramount Studios lot…
Study reveals challenges for Alabama work force
Florence Times Daily -May 24
Retraining underemployed workers and finding enough workers to fill the jobs that are anticipated are just two challenges revealed in an in-depth statewide work force study. The study was conducted by the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research, the University Center for Economic Development and the Institute for Social Science Research. “We as a state have a big challenge,” said Nisa Miranda, director of the Center for Economic Development. “Our challenge in Alabama is that we will have more jobs than people.” The study shows that worker shortfalls of between 5,000-15,800 are estimated by 2016 and 2025 respectively. The study cites several reasons for the shortfall, including strong economic output growth combined with a low labor force and low educational attainment in the region…
Plant tips for the gardener who’s light on cash
Birmingham News – May 23
Wth summer near, more people will be spending more time in their gardens. Chad Burke, manager of the grounds at the University of Alabama, offers a few tips for gardeners short on money and time this summer. Avoid certain plants if you are trying to save money…
Real estate market is seeing some signs of improvement
Montgomery Advertiser – May 24
Houses in Montgomery, and most of the rest of Alabama, are more affordable now than at almost any time in the past, according to an index developed by the Alabama Center for Real Estate at the University of Alabama…
GM, Chrysler dealership closures impact Alabama’s small communities
Tuscaloosa News – May 24
…Trevor Bain, a retired University of Alabama management professor, said auto dealers often are major life sources in small towns. The dealerships’ owners and their families often live in the towns and are civic leaders, he said. ‘In many cases, they might be one of the bigger employers,’ Bain said. ‘They directly employ the mechanics, the shop people, the sales people and office staff.’…More closings are likely to occur in West Alabama, Bain said. ‘I would expect there will be a lot more to come,’ he said. No one is immune to the crisis in the automotive industry, and even the once invulnerable Japanese carmakers are taking a hit, he said…
UA Fuel Expert Says Gas Prices on the Rise for Holiday Weekend
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 22
This time last month, it was about $1.96. So, are we headed back to those $3 prices we saw last summer? A University of Alabama expert tells us the holiday weekend is probably to blame…
Alabama jobless rate doubles within a year
Birmingham News – May 24
…The number of job seekers includes part-timers and underemployed workers actively searching for better jobs, inflating the count beyond those out-of-work, according to Ahmad Ijaz, an economic researcher for the University of Alabama. And not all companies looking to hire register with the state, holding down the number of registered openings.
College News
Tuscaloosa News – May 25
Jessica Grayson of Fayette, a graduate of Fayette County High School and the University of Alabama, was honored with her 2008-’09 class in the University of Alabama Rural Medical Scholars Program at the 13th Annual Rural Medical Scholars Convocation on April 24 in Tuscaloosa… — Two University of Alabama engineering students will soon take their research to an international level through an academic exchange program in Germany. Taylor Hall, a sophomore majoring in electrical and computer engineering, and Anika Kuczynski, a junior majoring in civil, construction and environmental engineering, were named recipients of a grant provided by the German Academic Exchange Service to travel to two German universities and conduct research with a German doctoral student in their respective fields… — The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences advertising and public relations, journalism, and telecommunication and film degree programs have been re-accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication… — Michael T. Dugan, Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy, has been selected by the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants as the 2009 Outstanding Accounting Educator in recognition of his many years of excellence in teaching accounting. The award recognizes college accounting educators for excellence in teaching and for active involvement in the accounting profession… — Justin Headly and Ramon Gramstad, both seniors in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Alabama, were recently selected from a nationally competitive field to participate in the 2009 NASA Robotics Academy at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville…
Education briefs
Birmingham News – May 23
The University of Alabama’s student advertising team was named the district winner in the American Advertising Federation National Student Advertising Competition held in Baton Rouge, La.