UA lands 90 athletes on honor roll
Tuscaloosa News – July 2
A total of 90 University of Alabama student-athletes representing nine different teams were named to the Southeastern Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll, which was released Wednesday by the SEC office. The Crimson Tide ranked third in the conference in total honorees in the 12-team league, with South Carolina (114) topping the list, followed by Georgia (99). The UA rowing team led the way for Alabama with 19 honorees. The men’s track and field team was next with 15, followed by the women’s track and field team with 13. The baseball and softball teams were next, with 10 student-athletes each. The baseball team ended its season at the NCAA Clemson (S.C.) Regional, while the softball team finished its season ranked No. 3 in the nation with its sixth Women’s College World Series appearance. The women’s golf team, which finished in 11th place at the NCAA Championships, was next in line with seven honorees. Men’s tennis, coming off a season in which it finished No. 16 in the nation, had six student-athletes named to the list. Rounding out the honors for Alabama were the men’s golf and women’s tennis teams, each with five honorees. The men’s golf team finished its season with a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, while the women’s tennis team finished its season ranked No. 26 nationally after earning a bid to the NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional…
New dean of Social Work named
Crimson White – July 2
James Hall was named the new dean of the School of Social Work Wednesday, according to a UA news release. Hall replaces James “Ike” Adams Jr., who held the position. Hall has served as chair of the doctoral program in social work since coming to the University in August 2008. Prior to working at UA, Hall spent 16 years on the faculty of the School of Social Work and the Colleges of Nursing, Medicine and Public Health at the University of Iowa.
UA law professor announces bid for Legislature
Tuscaloosa News – July 2
Susan Pace Hamill, a University of Alabama Law School professor, on Wednesday became the first candidate to announce a bid for the House District 63 seat in the Alabama Legislature. The seat became open when the incumbent, Rep. Robert Bentley, decided to run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010. Hamill, a Democrat, on Wednesday listed the core principles that she said compelled her to seek public office…
Crimson White – July 2
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – July 1
Estimates show population gains
Tuscaloosa News – July 2
Census Bureau 2008 estimates released Wednesday show significant population gains in Tuscaloosa, Northport and several outlying towns near Tuscaloosa over the past eight years…Annette Watters, manager of the State Data Center at the University of Alabama, said the data indicate many people in Alabama are opting for the quieter lifestyle of outlying cities and towns rather than the hassles of life in bigger cities. The census estimates for Alabama show more people moving to towns like Moundville, Vance and Lake View, she said. “Nowadays, you don’t have to live in the city where you work,” Watters said. “If you enjoy living in a smaller city in Alabama, you can generally commute easily to work. “A lot of that is happening in places like Moundville. A lot of the people there don’t work in Moundville, but they like the lifestyle there, and they will drive to work in Tuscaloosa.” The census numbers are important because “a lot of federal dollars are allocated [to municipalities] in part based on the population,” she said. If the population is not accounted for correctly, then money for different programs might not be distributed fairly, she said…
America’s Retirees Working to Protect Health Care Benefits They Earned
KTRE.com (Luftin, Tex.) – July 1
…University Of Alabama School Of Law Professor Dr. Norman Stein, an expert on the nation’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) pension law testified in favor of the proposal at a congressional hearing in the fall, saying Congress should pass legislation “that would make it difficult or perhaps impossible for an employer to terminate retiree health benefits after an employee has retired.” The long time advisor to AARP and the Pension Rights Center argued, “Congress could try to level the playing field for employees with clear, reasonable and consistent rules.”…
The right foods can help stave off hunger and boost energy
Tuscaloosa News – July 2
Nutritionist (HES faculty member) Suzanne Henson calls snacking an art form and a science…’The key to snacking is smart snacking. Smart snacking is planned snacking. Planned snacks not only hold off hunger but they prevent people from overeating or binge eating,’ Henson said…According to Henson, deprivation can be a dieter’s worst nightmare. ‘I think that when people are trying to lose weight, there’s that initial dieting mentality. You want to cut everything out, but if you don’t get what your body needs, you’ll end up overeating and or binge eating,’ she said…
Summer Program Provides ‘Jumpstart’ for Hispanic Children
Crimson White – July 2
…The Hispanic Jumpstart Program, founded by UA Blackburn Fellows Erin Shirley, Laura Dover and Wilson Boardman, help Hispanic children break down their educational barriers. “We saw a need for daycare for low income families. All three of us have an interest in the Hispanic population,” Shirley said…The founders, all from different parts of the state, wanted to focus on making a program that would affect the community in a major way. “Our ideas morphed into this program,” Shirley said. “Since we were not from Tuscaloosa, it was easy to see the need to come help the problem.”…Last year, several UA students were awarded Daniel Scholars Foundation funding by the Blackburn Institute to start and maintain the program. Last spring, the program received a $5,000 Caritas Grant from the UA Community Service Center that will provide funding for next year…Blackburn Institute coordinator Becky Reamey said these students aren’t just attempting to make an impact in Tuscaloosa. They are creating systemic change all over the state. “We help students show the issues facing the state of Alabama,” Reamey said. “Students create ideas and solutions to solve the problems.”…
UA Staff get one free class a semester
Crimson White – July 2
…The University of Alabama and many other schools across the country have added a tuition assistance program as a part of it employee’s benefits package. According to the University’s website, “[Tuition Assistance] Entitles eligible staff members to 100 percent payment for up to 3 hours in-state tuition rate and 50 percent for all other hours taken. “This policy is partially responsible for the large number of employee-students. “We had 396 employees participating in the tuition grant program during the 2009 spring semester,” said David Bertanzetti, director of benefits with the UA human resources department…
Lazer celebrates book release
Crimson White – July 2
Tuscaloosa residents will have a chance to feel the rhythm of poetry as Hank Lazer, UA associate provost, reads from his latest book, “Portions,” at Harrison Galleries tonight. The Creative Campus Initiative is sponsoring tonight’s event, which will combine music and poetry to create a unique performance…Lazer’s poetry reading will be accompanied jazz musicians Chris Kozak and Tom Wolfe, who will create a collaborative improvisation…
Problem-free construction continues
Crimson White – July 2
…renovations to Lloyd Hall, is slated for completion before fall classes begin, said Tim Leopard, assistant vice president of planning, design and construction…Leopard said future work will include the renovation of the first floor and basement, housing office space, a computer lab and food services…”Dr. Bonner’s vision for the space is for it to be a general university classroom building,” Leopard said. Work has continued through the summer on what is perhaps the most visible construction on campus: the south end of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Director of Athletic Facilities Thad Turnipseed said construction is still on schedule to be completed by August of 2010. The foundations have been placed, and the first slabs for the bottom floor will be poured July 30, Turnipseed said…Another construction project is the Capstone College of Nursing. Leopard said the nursing complex is still on track to be completed before the fall semester in 2010…New construction breaking ground this summer included the new Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house, which will be located on the corner of University Boulevard and Second Avenue…Minor construction work is being done to renovate the community director’s space in Harris Hall, which will “absolutely would not affect students,” according to Leopard. Students should also remember that several paving projects underway around campus, said Cathy Andreen, director of media relations. Hackberry Lane from the Biology Building to the intersection of Campus Drive will be closed Friday through Monday. Old Hackberry Lane adjacent to Riverside Residence Hall will then close through July 12 for extensive paving repairs, Andreen said.