Fall semester underway at UA
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Aug. 21
The fall semester has started at The University of Alabama, and these days, that means more students in Tuscaloosa. Although there are no numbers available yet for this semester’s enrollment, Fall 2013 enrollment reached an all-time high of 34,852 students. In the Fall of 2004, that number was 20,969. The most recent enrollment numbers include 29,443 undergraduates and 5,409 graduate and professional students. Of the undergraduates, 53.6 percent were from Alabama, 42.8 percent were out-of-state and 3.6 percent were from foreign countries. Below is a breakdown, provided by UA, of top ten states where undergraduates came from in Fall 2013: 1. Alabama 18,554; 2. Georgia 2,372; 3. Florida 1,569 … UA says students from all 50 states were represented on campus in 2013. The University also says it still has more in-state students than any other college or university in the state.
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Aug. 20
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 20
Talk show host to speak at Blackburn anniversary symposium
Crimson White – Aug. 21
Joe Scarborough, former U.S. Representative and current host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” will give the keynote lecture at the Blackburn Institute’s 20th Anniversary Symposium. The lecture will be held 6 p.m. Friday, August 22, in
Moody Hall. Scarborough, who spoke at the Blackburn Institute Symposium in 1997, was chosen to return this year because he is a UA alumnus and prominent national figure, Landon Nichols, student chairman for the Blackburn Institute, said. “He has a good working relationship with the University and with the institute,” Nichols said. “He is such a prominent figure in national media now that we thought it would be a great time to bring him back to Alabama and talk about some of the things that have transpired on the national scene in the last 10 years.” … Founded in 1994, the Blackburn Institute is a leadership organization and accepts 25 new members each year. The Institute was founded in honor of John L. Blackburn, a pioneering Student Affairs professional here on campus.
UA instructor Lars Anderson writes book about April 27, 2011 tornado
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 20
Sports Illustrated writer Lars Anderson has written a book telling the story of the Tuscaloosa tornado and the path of destruction it left through the city. It’s called “The Storm and The Tide: Tragedy, Hope and Triumph in Tuscaloosa.” The book details the twister, its aftermath, and how the University of Alabama football team tried to help the community heal, winning another national championship. The book is on sale now.
WHNT-CBS (Huntsville) – Aug. 20
WPMI-NBC (Mobile) – Aug. 20
Students don’t get enough sleep
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 20
University of Alabama Professor Adam Knowlden says nearly 60 percent of students don’t get enough sleep, which can be harmful to their health. Knowlden suggests avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco for some four hours before bed and staying off social media at least one hour before.
Hood named interim vice president of student affairs
Crimson White – Aug. 21 (Print version only)
President Judy Bonner named Steven Hood interim vice president of student affairs on July 1. Nearly 50 days since his appointment, Hood said he is excited for the start of the new school year and the opportunities for the department of student affairs. … As the interim vice president of student affairs, Hood oversees the department responsible for the “out of classroom” experience for all UA students. He said he wanted to highlight the new facilities available to students, including the new and renovated Ferguson Center, the Student Activities Centers and the additions to Presidential Village.
Former Community Service Center changes name, motto
Crimson White – Aug. 21
The University of Alabama has resources of all varieties available for the thousands of students who attend. Whether they need help with classes or just want to get more involved, several organizations exist to help
students find what they need. One of those resources is the Center for Sustainable Service and Volunteerism, formerly known as the Community Service Center. The Center for Sustainable Service and Volunteerism, or CSSV, officially changed their name on June 23, but that’s not the only thing that’s new. Courtney Chapman Thomas, director of the CSSV, said she is passionate about the new image the center is trying to convey. “We’ve been really looking over the past year of refining the theoretical basis of which we lie on, as well as the intrinsic reasons that we believe about service,” Thomas said. “We truly rest on the platform that service
is transformational.” Phillip Burns, a graduate assistant for the CSSV, said he completely supports the vision that prompted the new image, though he is relatively new to the center. “There is more and more research coming out that people are starting to associate community service with punitive damages,” Burns said. “The idea was we wanted to be building a culture with sustainable service.”
Rocks and Recreation
Crimson White – Aug. 21
The new Student Activities Center, located near Presidential Village, is now open for use. The new facility was built in an effort to meet high demand for a place for students and community members to stay active. “With the current recreation center getting as much use as it did, it was decided that a new recreation center was going to be made,” said Outdoor Recreation coordinator Stephen Middleton. The SAC offers basketball courts, workout equipment and weights, a permanent indoor soccer rink surrounded by glass and a rock climbing wall. “The view from the SAC is gorgeous. As you workout on the treadmills, you have the opportunity to look out at the beautiful Black Warrior River,” Middleton said. Tre’ Sharper, a junior University Recreation employee, said he loves the new facility. “One of my favorite spots here would be our weight room, which is really nice and has all brand new equipment,” Sharper said. Besides the picturesque location and state-of-the-art equipment, the SAC also features a tornado shelter for weather emergencies.