College of Communication and Information Sciences inducts 5 into Hall of Fame
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 3
The 2015 inductees into the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences’ Hall of Fame have records of achievement in wide variety of fields, including broadcasting, print journalism, public relations and library sciences. The college’s five new Hall of Fame members — Camille Elebash, Wayne Gillis, Everett Holle, Ed Mullins and Annabel Stephens — were inducted during a ceremony Thursday in the North Zone at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Elebash is a former reporter, feature writer and women’s page editor for The Tuscaloosa News. She also worked in New York for The New York Times. After returning to Tuscaloosa, she worked as editor of the Alabama Alumni Magazine. She and her husband, Karl founded The Graphic, a weekly Tuscaloosa newspaper in 1957.
For mass shooters, achieving fame — or infamy — is a frequent driver
Los Angeles Times – Oct. 3
At the epicenter of the nation’s latest mass shooting in Oregon, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin says the motives of the man who fatally shot 9 people on a college campus Thursday are not known. But Hanlin, who says he will not “glorify” the perpetrator’s name by uttering it on national television, has suggested one factor driving the murderous actions of 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer: a quest for fame. Hanlin’s suspicion is shared by many who probe the minds of mass shooters. In a society saturated by firearms and preoccupied by celebrity, these experts say that those who perpetrate such armed mayhem often seek to break the bonds of their invisibility and achieve what they feel life has denied them: Recognition. Glory. Respect … University of Alabama criminologist Adam Lankford said that fame — or infamy — has emerged as a common thread in mass shootings since Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold predicted on videotapes left behind that their armed rampage at Columbine High School would be one for the history books.
Huffington Post – Oct. 3
Officer.com – Oct. 3
ArcaMax – Oct. 3
U.S. Leads World in Mass Shootings
Wall Street Journal – Oct. 3
The latest U.S. shooting that ended in the deaths of 10 people at an Oregon college last week is reigniting calls for tighter gun laws and prompting comparisons to gun violence in other countries. President Barack Obama asked why Americans can’t follow the example of the U.K. and Australia. They crafted laws that “almost eliminate mass shootings,” he said. “We know there are ways to prevent it.” Adam Lankford, an associate professor at the University of Alabama Department of Criminal Justice who studied mass shootings around the world from 1966 to 2012, found that countries with higher rates of gun ownership recorded more mass shooters per capita. The U.S. ranks first in gun ownership per capita, with roughly 270 million firearms, or 89 firearms per 100 residents, according to the Small Arms Survey 2011, a Geneva-based research project that collects information on small arms. Yemen ranks second, with an estimated 55 firearms per 100 residents for a total of 11.5 million. Switzerland comes in third with 3.4 million firearms, or 46 guns per 100 residents.
Business Standard – Oct. 3
Net Nebraska – Oct. 3
The Asian Age – Oct. 3
5 Things About Mass Shootings in the U.S.
Yahoo! Finance – Oct. 2
The shooting at an Oregon college on Thursday that left 10 dead, including the gunman, was one of dozens of mass killings in the U.S. over the past decade. The suspect was armed with six guns, and authorities found seven more at his apartment. In response to the shooting, President Barack Obama made an impassioned appeal for tougher gun-control laws in the U.S., pointing to Great Britain and Australia–countries, he said, that have crafted laws that “almost eliminate mass shootings.” But research suggests mass shootings are a global phenomenon. #1: U.S. produces more mass shooters than other countries: Although the U.S. represents less than 5% of the global population, it accounted for 31% of global mass shooters from 1966 to 2012, more than any other country, according to Adam Lankford, associate professor at the University of Alabama Department of Criminal Justice.
STEM Initiative to Focus on Minority Women, Girls
Diverse Education – Oct. 4
With a high-profile announcement from the Obama administration last month, a consortium of 10 colleges and universities and nine nonprofit organizations led by Arizona State University researchers has launched a national initiative to “identify and scale effective evidence-based strategies to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) diversity in the nation’s colleges and universities with a special focus on women and girls of color from underrepresented communities.” … Dr. Patricia Sobecky, the associate provost for academic affairs at the University of Alabama, believes that, while her institution has made a valiant effort to develop STEM initiatives aimed at women students and inclusive of schoolgirls at the K-12 level, the university has much to gain by participating in the new collaborative. “I think for us there’s so many great activities going on at [our] campus that having an opportunity to bring them all under a connected umbrella … and then connect out nationally was really attractive for us at the administration level because we want to share these things,” Sobecky told Diverse. “We also want to get innovative ideas as well. … It gives our students an opportunity to see other programs,” she said.
UA student trying to help families of Oregon shooting victims
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Oct. 4
A University of Alabama student is on a mission to help the families of the Oregon shooting victims. Freshman, Arianna Hammel, has created a “Go Fund Me” page to help raise money. Arianna says she doesn’t know any of the victims personally, but that’s not stopping her from wanting to help.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 4
In brick and mortar projects, growing cities show pride
Al.com – Oct. 3
For Spanish Fort Mayor Mike McMillan, Sunday’s grand opening ceremony for the city’s new community center and municipal complex represents a “landmark event.” Incorporated only in 1993, the Baldwin County city that takes its name from a colonial-era trading post has more than doubled in population, to 7,800, in the past couple of decades. “It’s a big exclamation mark on where we’ve been and where we are going,” McMillan said about the 3 p.m. ceremony that officially inaugurates the $7.8 million community center, library and city hall. Spanish Fort joins a relative handful of cities in Alabama that have pushed ahead to construct new civic complexes and high-quality amenities during this era of local government austerity, where budget cuts are more common than spending projects … “A lot of local governments need to be either reinforcing their buildings or building new buildings. But a lot of governments are holding back because they don’t have the money,” said James Caillier, assistant professor and director of the public administration master’s degree program at the University of Alabama. “When you move into higher per-capita incomes, those cities do have the money.”
UA students to publish new Lifestyle Magazine
Alabama Public Radio – Oct. 2
Student Produced Lifestyle Magazine, Alice, to debut at University of Alabama Magazines like Glamour and Vogue may soon have some home ground competition. APRs Deven Feldstein has more on the University of Alabama’s new student magazine, Alice … Alice Magazine is set to debut its first issue in the beginning of November. The magazine produced by UA’s Office of Student Media is unique in that there is an all female editorial staff who are all students at UA. The magazine is directed towards college-aged girls. Much like magazines out of New York City, Alice includes sections on fashion, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, and health and fitness. The editors along with about 80 other students do it all from writing the stories to conducting photo shoots for fashion and designing the glossy pages. Alice Magazine will be sold at around $2.50 an issue. The University of Illinois has a similar type of lifestyle magazine. Students also produce it, but it’s not geared towards just girls. Production on Alice began in the spring of last year. Deven Feldstein APR News, Tuscaloosa.
Attorney General Seeks Execution Date, Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame Induction
Alabama Public Radio – Oct. 2
The Alabama Attorney General’s Office is seeking an execution date for a death row inmate convicted in the 1992 rape and murder of a Homewood woman. Al.com reports the Attorney General submitted a motion to the Alabama Supreme Court last week saying inmate Christopher Brooks has exhausted his direct appeals and should be scheduled to be executed … Two University of Alabama alumni will be honored for their contributions as social workers today. John Houston and Harriet Means are among the honorees joining the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame. Both inductees earned advanced degrees in social work at UA.
Author Anne Twinam discusses colonial Spanish-American racial structure
Crimson White – Oct. 2
The University of Alabama’s new Latin American, Caribbean and Latino studies minor was kicked off by award-winning author and historian, Dr. Ann Twinam. Twinam talked about racial structure in the Spanish-American colonial period. “The first time I learned that those of mixed African American could purchase ‘whiteness’ I was an undergraduate student,” Twinam said. Among those who attended the lecture in 205 Gorgas was University of Alabama sophomore Casey Campos. “I’m interested in all of this new information, not only this new minor program but also about knowledge on this topic,” Campos said. Twinam went on to read excerpts from her book “Purchasing Whiteness: Pardos, Mulattoes, & the Quest for Social Mobility in the Spanish Indies.” She said the book took her around 15 years to write. The book, published Jan. 2015, takes an in-depth look at Spanish-American colonial hierarchal systems of race could apply and pay to receive the status of “whiteness.”
Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive to begin
Crimson White – Oct. 2
The annual Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive will take place after its kick off event Oct. 5. This year the team’s goal is to collect 325,000 pounds, after setting a new record last year at 300,049 pounds. “The kickoff event will be a big celebration to start off this year’s campaign,” said senior Amanda Fenton, executive team leader. “We will be having an inflatable bungee run for students to compete against their friends and popcorn and soda being given away. Everyone can purchase raffle tickets to be entered to win a Nick Saban signed hat, as well as other giveaways from local Tuscaloosa businesses.” Auburn University also runs their own campaign, “Beat Bama Beat Hunger,” and their proceeds go to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Philip Burns, coordinator of volunteer management, said the event started over 20 years ago to help the community. “Students at The University of Alabama and Auburn University realized there was a need to raise food for their respective food banks, West Alabama for UA and East Alabama for AU,” Burns said. “Working in conjunction with the food banks, students created their respective food drives: Beat Auburn Beat Hunger and Beat Bama Food Drive starting in 1994. BABH actually won the first year with 1,982 pounds.”
First Friday to host Roger Jones
Crimson White – Oct. 2
To Kick off the “First Friday” event for the month, the Tuscaloosa Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center will feature Alabama native Roger Jones’ exhibit entitled “Every Night.” The exhibit will take place from Oct. 1 to Oct. 30. Jones’ art will be displayed in the Arts Council Gallery within the center. On Friday, Oct. 2, a reception will take place to honor the artist from 5-8 p.m. Local art galleries, businesses and restaurants that are located downtown will also open their doors for “First Friday” and show what they have to offer. According to The Art Council’s official site, some examples of downtown galleries that typically open for the event are Paul R. Jones Gallery of Art, Gallery on the Boulevard and Duet Art and Jewelry.
UA holds Out of Darkness Walk
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 4
Dana Roberts recalls the day that changed her life forever. He story began when she had to undergo a hysterectomy which introduced her to a 7-year addiction to pain killers. She battled this demon until she tried to take her own life. She, like hundreds of others, came to The University of Alabama to “Walk Out of the Darkness,” and raise awareness for mental illness and suicide. Members of UA’s Theta Chi fraternity walked in memory of Parker Jordan who committed suicide last year.