Community College Completion Rates Dropping in Most States, Finds Survey
Education Week – Feb. 17
On the heels of President Obama’s proposal to provide free community college tuition, a new report shows that while degree and certificate productivity has increased among community colleges in the past decade, there was a drop in completion last year in most states. Of the 42 state directors of community colleges who responded to a survey by the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, 22 reported flat to declining rates of degree completion between the academic years 2012-13 and 2013-14. Looking back at results of the annual survey, there has been a 75 percent increase in associate degrees and a 122 percent increase in certificates awarded by community colleges between 2000-01 and 2012-13. The report, by lead author and center director Stephen Katsinas, explains the recent drop is linked to reductions in 2012 Pell Grant funding, improvements in the economy that lured some students away from campuses before finishing, and cuts in state appropriations for community college. Leaders are growing more pessimistic about future funding. Last year’s survey showed 14 state community college leaders predicted state appropriations would not cover inflation; this year 31 did so.
“Skinny Shaming” Concerns
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Feb. 18
Katherine Webb McCarron has something to say about online bullying. This week, the model and wife of former Alabama football star A.J. McCarron, says people have been making fun of her for being thin. This phenomenon is called “skinny shaming”. Webb lashed out on social media, and on Monday, she shared her story on national television. Sheena Gregg, the assistant director of The University of Alabama’s student health center says, “This brings a focus on ‘skinny shaming’ that hasn’t been brought up as much in the media.” Gregg says too often body shaming thin women is dismissed. “If we are making comments about someone who is overweight, that’s bullying. But if you’re making comments about somebody being too thin, it’s supposed to be perceived as concern versus bullying.” Like bullying, “skinny shaming” can sting too. “It can be very, very dangerous,” says UA professor Kim Bissell. “A lot of people are going to internalize those types of comments, take it to heart, and in many cases modify behavior, or in some cases do things drastically to change the way that you look.” Gregg says she has seen the impact of “skinny shaming” in students. “It led to disordered eating behaviors or disordered health behaviors in general, because they were so unhappy with their own body image.”
OPINION: Bryce Campus Plan shows University’s commitment to all aspects of university experience
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Since The University of Alabama purchased the property of the historic Bryce Hospital facility in 2010, many have wondered exactly how the University would make use of the 168 acres of space just off Hackberry Lane. Continuing with its remarkable pace of expansion, this week the University announced the master plan of the Bryce campus expansion, and the proposed construction will advance the University towards being a leader in many areas of higher education. An important aspect of a university is the student body, whose diversity of strengths creates a unique environment for learning and growing. As the University population continues to grow, current infrastructure will struggle to support the hordes of students, as a drive across campus on a school day shows. Sewage, drainage, power and road infrastructure improvements are a large part of the expansion, and these features will alleviate some of the growing pains. (Kyle Simpson is a sophomore majoring in
biology. His column runs biweekly.)
Moundville Archaeological Park to host artisans, survivalists at annual ‘Knap-In’
Al.com – Feb. 17
The Moundville Archaeological Park will host its 14th annual Knap-In March 13-14, giving the community a chance to observe and practice the ancient craftsmanship found in many American Indian tools and technologies. The Knap-In is named after flintknapping, the technique of striking and chipping stone into tools and weapons. … “There’s nothing primitive about the sense of innate geometry someone has to have to methodically take a glass-like rock and reduce it into an ultra-sharp projectile like a spear point,” Betsy Irwin, interim director of the Moundville Archaeological Park, said. “The physics of how glass breaks is set in stone, so to speak.”
Free legal clinic to be held Thursday for low-income Tuscaloosa County residents
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 19
The Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, in cooperation with the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, the University of Alabama School of Law and Legal Services Alabama, will host a free legal clinic Thursday for low-income residents of Tuscaloosa County coping with civil legal challenges. The clinic lawyers are experienced in various areas of the law and will be available to answer questions in the areas of divorce/custody/visitation, landlord/tenant issues, wills and estates, debts/bankruptcy/foreclosure and domestic violence. The clinic will be held from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa County Public Library, 1801 Jack Warner Parkway.
Rodgers hosts lecture series on LED technology
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Thursday afternoon, the Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering will continue its “Take a Journey in Science” lecture series with “Let There Be Light: LED Applications from Lighting to Killing Pathogens,” featuring Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Patrick Kung. The lecture will be held at 2 p.m. on the first floor of Rodgers, just outside of the Nightingale Room. “LEDs are used in almost every piece of technology we own,” said Logan Lundgren, a freshman majoring in computer science. “They are very helpful in not only illumination but also in relaying important information from devices. I am very interested to attend this lecture so I can gain some insight on this important technological innovation.” The lecture, the second in a series of four events being hosted by the library this spring, will last about ten minutes and will be followed by a question and answer period with Dr. Kung.
UA Career Fair
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 19
Marquis Munson, a junior majoring in journalism, speaks to Dennis Palmer, publisher of the Selma Times Journal, and Justin Averette, Editor, during the Communications Career Fair, featuring 24 employers offering information to students for full-time jobs and internships held at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Tuesday Feb. 17, 2015. The Career Fair will be held through Feb. 19, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday will host the General Interest and Business Career Fair and Thursday will be for Technical and Engineering jobs and internships.
Bama Theatre to host Miss UA
Crimson White – Feb. 19
The 41st annual Miss UA pageant, an official preliminary pageant to Miss Alabama, will take place this Saturday night at the Bama Theatre. The pageant is sponsored by the University of Alabama National Alumni Association. Seventeen young women representing different colleges and majors will compete for the Miss UA title and the scholarship that comes with it. The competition will begin at 7 p.m. and will likely run two hours. The competition is judged based on an interview portion, a physical fitness portion, a talent portion as well as an evening wear portion in which contestants must answer an onstage question. Four judges from various pageant backgrounds and one non-affiliated judge will oversee the contest. This year will mark the 20th year that Carol Wright will direct the Miss UA pageant.
Wheelchair Tennis Team trying to raise money with Go Fund Me account
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Feb. 18
A unique wheelchair sports team is hoping to expand its program. The University of Alabama wheelchair tennis team has four female players and has only been around a couple of years. Shelby Barron is the first player on scholarship at The University. She says the team is hoping to have full-time coaches and expand their program with the help of a “Go Fund Me” account.
Keeping the Faith: Students find ways to practice religion in college
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Eric Mayo spent his first Sunday as a college student exploring his new surroundings, and eventually found his way just west of Bryant-Denny Stadium and Rama Jama’s, on the corner of Paul W. Bryant Drive and 12th Avenue. Mayo had just unpacked and situated his belongings in his dorm, but he had already stumbled upon a new home: Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. Mayo, now a senior majoring in communication studies, started college with a plan to find a church by trying different locations each week. He quickly became acquainted with the route to Calvary Tuscaloosa, making his spiritual transition to college fairly smooth, he said … He found that Calvary incorporated a blend of families and students, and he enjoyed the mix, he said. “I wanted to choose a church that had a little more diversity as far as background, and I found that at Calvary,” Mayo said. “It’s really cool seeing people from so many different walks of life and church backgrounds, even, just because it’s so close to campus and people find it so easily.”