UA adjusts severe weather measures

Student observes new black box alert system in dorm
CW

The April 27 tornado was one of the worst storms in Alabama history. With the realization that anything can happen, the University has plans in place to prepare for such happenings in the future.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” UA Spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said. “We have, and had before the tornado, comprehensive emergency plans in place to deal with any crisis that may occur on campus.”

One thing that students are recognizing more is the announcement system in dormitories. The PA systems are there to alert students of bad weather 

conditions and to notify residents of precautions that should be taken. These systems are also in academic buildings, and UA is in the process of installing external systems around the Quad and other high traffic areas.

James Landry, a Riverside North resident, said e He is

he is glad the University is taking these types of measures to ensure student safety.

“I’m glad that the University is trying to streamline communication across all levels,” said Landry, a junior majoring in marine science. “We quickly discovered that there were serious problems in that area after the tornado last semester.”

In relation to classroom tornado policies, students believe teachers have been paying more attention to bad weather information in syllabi and communication has evolved.

“Teachers have been using websites and email to communicate with the students more and to have a backup source for information, which is definitely a positive step,” Landry said.

Andreen said, “Faculty have been encouraged to include the severe weather guidelines in their syllabi for a couple of years. The guidelines are also in the academic planner and other UA publications.”

Along with the PA systems, Andreen said in case of an emergency situation the University will notify students, faculty and staff with one or more of the following methods: UA Alerts, emails, social media, media alerts, UA website, digital signs around campus, CrimsonRide and the campus cable network.

To prepare for the possibility of other severe weather, Andreen encourages students to be familiar with the severe weather guidelines found at uanews.ua.edu/weather. The guidelines state information such as the university suspending all activities in case of a tornado warning, when classes resume, or when to begin following a tornado warning and when move to the lowest level and toward the center of a building until the warning is expired.

9.6.11 print/web

http://cw.ua.edu/2011/09/06/ua-adjusts-severe-weather-measures/

Football after the storm

Nearly 102,000 fans will fill Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first regular game of the 2011 season on Saturday. This will be the first time the Tide touches the field for a regular season game since the April 27 tornado that destroyed some of Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas.

Players know that football means a lot to the state of Alabama, and especially to the city of Tuscaloosa. Nevertheless, they look forward to hitting the field while carrying the city on their backs.

“I think it’ll be an emotional game for us and maybe for some Kent State players; I know it will be for the community and Tuscaloosa,” junior linebacker Nico Johnson said. “We’ve been working hard up to this point for this game and we realize how big this game is going to be to so many people. We kind of turned it up this week to prepare.”

Senior linebacker Jerrell Harris said he knows the atmosphere will be unbelievable because of the extreme fan support.

“It’s a lot of people that are really looking forward to this game, so we just know that we have to come out and give a good show,” Harris said. “It’s just not for us, it’s for everybody.”

The Tide will be taking on a Kent State team that traveled to Tuscaloosa over the summer to help with the clean up of the city along with Alabama players. Tide players made a connection with some Kent State players when the Golden Flashes traveled to Tuscaloosa to help with relief efforts.

Johnson said he made one connection with KSU running back and Alabama native Jacquise Terry whom he says really felt bad about the storms that ravaged the city. While it will be all business on the field on Saturday for Johnson and Terry, they will remain friends forever.

As announced by Coach Saban, the team will be sporting ribbons decals on their helmets to represent everyone who’s helped with relief efforts and those that have passed away. Players see it as an honor to wear this ribbon the entire season.

“I think that’s great,” senior offensive lineman Williams Vlachos said. “Growing up in this state, I know what the football program means to a lot of people, and certainly with the circumstances recently, I think it’s even more so for us and for everybody. So, I think that’s a great thing and I look forward to having it on there.”

This will be the first time for all students to gather together in the student section to cheer on their peers as they embark on a potentially magical season. Latifah Rasheed, a senior majoring in telecommunications and film, said she believes Saturday’s game will be a get-away for many.

“I feel like it’s kind of a way to escape for a lot people who are still dealing with it,” Rasheed said. “It’s something to look forward to. I think the atmosphere is probably going to be a lot more exciting than past games because it’s so much that happened in the offseason. Everyone is really looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be a really exciting time. I’m excited.”

Rasheed also said it is good for the team to wear the ribbon stickers on their helmets as a way to keep people reminded and bring awareness of what has happened.

Kick off is set for 11:21 a.m. on Saturday.

print/web 8.31.11

http://cw.ua.edu/2011/08/31/football-after-the-storm/

Park nice, win a scholarship

University of Alabama students can now be rewarded for parking. The Positive Parking Incentive is a new program that will provide five students with scholarships at the end of the semester.

Transportation services and the Student Government Association Judicial Board are co-sponsoring the initiative. Tara Ward, chief justice of the judicial board, said the program would help with parking, which is one of the biggest issues for students on campus.

“I am very excited about this new incentive for parking appropriately,” Ward said. “One of the biggest concerns amongst students is parking, so by giving them a reward for following the rules it encourages them to do the right thing.”

The program was incorporated to encourage students to park correctly on campus. The Judicial Board meets every Tuesday to hear parking appeals and Ward said there is always a parking complaint from students.

“We believe that by giving students a reward for appropriately dealing with the system it will cut down on all the negativity,” she said.

All students with an active parking permit with no parking citations for the semester including warnings will be eligible. These students will be entered into a random drawing at the end of the semester and five will be rewarded $100 scholarships.

Chris D’Esposito, assistant director of transportation services, said the department is looking forward to being a part of the initiative.

“Transportation Services is excited to partner with the Judicial Branch of SGA in rewarding individuals for their commitment to doing what is right,” he said. “We understand the tremendous time constraints placed on students, and that it is sometimes challenging to park in accordance with University rules and regulations, but doing so provides a safe and efficient environment for all.”

This is the first year of implementation for the program with hopes for it to be longstanding, Ward said.

“My hopes for this program are that it will shine a positive light on parking across the campus and that it will reward rule abiding students,” Ward said. “In the future I hope that this program can be grown to have more scholarships allotted to well-deserved students.”

The drawings will be each semester and the winnings will be awarded the following month and credited to the student’s account.

Students think the program will have a positive impact on the parking situation.

“I feel as if it’s a great incentive for students,” said Kayla Dinkins, a junior majoring in elementary education. “It’s a great way to get students to park in the right places. Why not participate if you have a chance to win $100 just for parking in the right spot? [The program] will probably be effective.”

print/web 8.30.11

http://cw.ua.edu/2011/08/30/park-nice-win-a-scholarship/

Team kills, clenches championship victory

The volleyball team started the year as champions after winning the Hampton Inn Bama Bash Tournament Championship at Foster Auditorium. The team went 3-0 against Alabama State, Austin Peay and Texas State. 



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“I’m really pleased with the team’s growth over the two days and where I think we’re capable of being as we move through the next two months,” head coach Ed Allen said.



The Crimson Tide closed out the tournament on Saturday night after a five-set match against a Texas State team that is perennially in the running for a championship.

From the beginning of the match, one would think UA was the defending tournament team. The Tide took the first two sets 25-23, 25-13. Junior Kayla Fitterer had four kills in the first set, while Leigh Moyer accounted for three digs. The first two sets were full of high energy and hustle plays from Alabama with some big plays coming from freshman Katherine White.

White had a block in the second set that led to a crowd and team uproar and forced TSU to take a timeout with a 19-10 Bama lead. With the crowd on their feet, Fitterer ended the second set with a block.



The Bobcats refused to go down easy and fired back winning the next two sets, 22-25, 15-25. However, the Tide was not about to lose a grasp on a victory. Fitterer scored the team’s first three points in the fifth set with three kills. Sophomores Cortney Warren and Brianne Vande Griend came in big with major kills in the set. The set ended 15-9 with TSU hitting a ball out of bounds.

Fitterer collected her 15th career double-double with 19 kills and 15 digs. For the match, junior Kelsey Anderson led all players with 19 digs, senior Stephanie Riley had a match high 28 assists and Warren accounted for nine kills and a .409 hitting percentage.

“In the fifth game we knew it was our house; we wanted to win,” Fitterer said. “We knew we were going to win, so we just had to come back and show them that we were the better team tonight.”



Allen said, “Our kids played with a lot of composure and our ball control came back in the fifth set. Kayla Fitterer did a nice job getting us going. Cortney Warren showed up tremendously in the match and is showing flashes of what she’s capable of doing all the time, and the swing that Brianne had at a critical point of the match energized the team.”

The tournament began Friday with Alabama facing in-state opponent Alabama State. The Tide proved to be too much for the Hornets, defeating them in straight sets (25-12, 25-15, 25-15). Fitterer and Warren both had double-doubles in the match.

Later that night, the Tide faced annual championship competitor Austin Peay. After a powerful game from sophomore Andrea McQuaid who was three kills shy of a triple-double, the Tide won the match 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, 25-21.



After garnering three double-doubles, Fitterer was named the tournament’s most valuable player while Cortney Warren and Leigh Moyer joined her on the all-tournament team.

The 3-0 start to the season is the Tide’s best since 2004.

web/print 8.29.11

http://cw.ua.edu/2011/08/29/team-kills-clenches-championship-victory/

Capstone Heroes named at tornado remembrance ceremony

     Student Government Association president Grant Cochran urged the student body to look forward without forgetting the six UA student lives lost in the April 27 tornado.
     “We will never forget the events of April 27, but we must move forward,” he said Sunday evening during UA’s Day of Remembrance ceremony, “Forward towards a tomorrow that is even brighter than today. Forward as a community.”
     Cochran said he wants to assure students that opportunities to participate in the tornado relief effort will remain open.
     Mark Nelson, vice president of Student Affairs, spoke about the dedication each of the student victims had for their school and community. He went on to describe the qualities and personal ambitions of the students who died.
     The speakers at the ceremony, including head basketball coach Anthony Grant and head football coach Nick Saban, encouraged those in attendance to honor the victims of the storm by making a positive difference in the community, as exemplified by the recipients of the Capstone Heroes Award.
     Grant then announced the recipients of the award and presented them with plaques. The awards, he said, were given to those who best demonstrated the community ideals of service, generosity and compassion.
Mayor Walt Maddox, who was commended for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the Tuscaloosa community, was the first recipient of the Heroes Award.
     Cadet Charlie Stimpson was the second recipient. Stimpson, a medic with the Army Reserve, was on hand after the disaster to provide medical assistance to those in need, often using his own clothing as bandages for the victims.
     The third to accept an award was UA student Amanda Phillips for her efforts in aiding the Tuscaloosa community. Though Phillips returned home to Dallas shortly after the tornado, she collected and delivered thousands of dollars in relief supplies.
     Derek and Susan DeBruin were recognized for their efforts as first responders. The couple provided comfort to Nicole Mixon during her final hours.
     Patrick Morris accepted the final award on behalf of UA Greek Relief for their extensive efforts immediately following the day of the tornado. Together, they provided over 52,000 meals and collected more than $180,000 in relief funds.
     Saban then addressed the hundreds in attendance, describing how everyone can make a difference while seizing opportunities.
     “Each and every one of us have some kind of memory in our heart and mind,” he said. “Hopefully we all have gratitude for those memories that we have, but we also have a deep appreciation of life itself and an appreciation for the lives that we have and what we can accomplish.”
     Saban said the football team would wear ribbons on their helmets to represent everyone affected on April 27.
     Cochran then spoke about the power of community, as students lit crimson and white luminaries around Lake Palmer, each signifying a beacon of progress and of hope.
     “These luminaries represent each action, each person, each life, each moment in time and together they create a collective light,” Cochran said.
      Cochran said the relief effort after the storm helped shed light on the power of community.
      “It is in times like these that the true essence of community is on display,” he said. “A community is more than a group of friends or acquaintances. A community is greater than a single university. A community expands beyond one’s comfort zones. A true community is when students and employees help neighbors and strangers rebuild their homes and businesses. A true community holds strong and together through hard times and adversity.
      “The Tuscaloosa and Alabama communities are alive and well tonight.”

Written with Liz Garcia and Will Evans. Edited by Taylor Holland
web/print 8.29.11
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/08/29/capstone-heroes-named-at-tornado-remembrance-ceremony/

Funding for student organizations increases

The Financial Affairs Committee of the Student Government Association has announced an increase in funds to allocate to student organizations. FAC has issued an $80,000 increase, moving the total amount for the new fiscal year to $200,000.

Mark David Kennedy, SGA vice president of financial affairs, said the SGA wrote a proposal to the UA administration expressing the need for an increase in FAC funding. This increase will allow the SGA to better meet student organization needs, he said.

“We have more financial resources for the students of Alabama,” Kennedy said. “This year marks a turning point in our department of student affairs and the financial affairs office because we’re able to provide more financial resources to the students. This could not have happened without the UA administration and the students speaking their voice.”

FAC will have $30,000 for the month of September to allocate to organizations, while the new fiscal year is set to begin in October.

Last spring, the FAC funding budget ran out of funds before the end of the fiscal year due to an influx of more student organizations on campus and left some organizations looking for other ways to get funding.

The Black Student Union hopes the funds will provide more opportunities than last year.

“It’s very cool that they’ve [provided the $80,000 increase] for student organizations because we do depend on SGA for funding as student organizations,” said Josh Gray, Black Student Union President. “A lot of organizations do take up membership dues, but our dues don’t cover our events as well as they could. So the assistance from SGA is very much needed.”

Kennedy said the FAC will be looking to make some positive changes in October, and he believes all students will be thankful for the changes.

“[My hope] is that we meet the students’ expectations,” he said. “The SGA represents the students’ voice, and we hope we fulfill their requests.”

One of the main objectives of this year’s SGA administration was to provide more FAC funding.

“The Financial Affairs Committee remains one of the most important functions of SGA,” SGA President Grant Cochran said. “I am excited that they will be able to better serve students.”

All student organizations that are registered with the SOURCE for at least one month are eligible for FAC funding. Each organization can request up to $1,600 per fiscal year for travel or $400 per student for up to four students. For all supplies and advertising materials, groups can get up to $500 per fiscal year. Equipment funds ranging up to $1,500 per every two fiscal years are also available.

Factors such as other sources of funding, adherence to university policy and guidelines and the number of members in the group are considered when allocating funds.

To learn more about the FAC, email fac@sa.ua.edu or visit the SGA office in the Ferguson Center.

print/web 8.25.11
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/08/25/funding-for-student-organizations-increases/

Apartments house people affected by tornado

The tornado that hit Tuscaloosa on April 27 left hundreds of people displaced, including some University of Alabama students. While the tornado did not directly hit the dorms and apartments on campus, there were those students dwelling in off-campus housing that needed help.

The off-campus division of UA Housing and Residential Communities was home to some students, as were many student-heavy apartment complexes.

The popular apartment complexes Sterling Crimson and University Downs were two of the places that housed tornado victims soon after April 27. While Sterling Crimson is solely student housing, University Downs houses all types of residents. According to the staff at Sterling Crimson, they were able to provide housing and allow students to move in days after the storms.

“It makes us feel that we can have an establishment where we can help the people in need,” said Whit Stephens, leasing manager. “A lot of places were in bad situations too, where not only did they lose tenants, but they don’t have any places people in need could move in to. We were fortunate enough to have a place to house people because we didn’t experience any damage ourselves.”

Stephens said corporate officers of Sterling Crimson donated $10,000 to the relief fund to assist those who were affected by the tornado.

While rumors surfaced that University Downs was uprooted by the tornado, the complex only suffered damage to its roof and residents’ cars. They were able to provide temporary housing to victims at no cost. According to University Downs leasing specialist John White, most people left town, and there were some who left for the summer but opened their doors to those who needed shelter.

“[We didn’t see an] increase; it was basically the same,” White said. “I think the main reason we didn’t have an increase is because a lot of people didn’t actually think we were still here; they didn’t want to be on site where the tornado hit.”

White said the complex was doing well, with leases being 80 to 90 percent full leading up to the tornado.

The University did provide free temporary housing through the end of June for 120 students, faculty and staff members who were displaced. According to UA associate director of housing Alicia Browne, there were mainly cases of students looking for help in locating other off-campus housing facilities rather than looking to move back onto campus.

Julie Elmore, assistant director for off-campus and greek housing, oversaw aid of students in need. Elmore said there was not one person who did not find what he needed.

“We had very few interactions with students looking for campus housing,” Browne said. “Their interaction with our office was through our off-campus resources. [Julie Elmore] had a lot of one-on-one interaction with students who were looking for something else off campus. She was a tremendous resource there.”

Apartments such as Arlington Square in Alberta City, where many students resided, are now rubble. Those in charge of the property are unsure of what is next. As for houses like those in Forest Lake, it is up to the owners of the homes to decide whether or not they will rebuild.

web/print 8.24.11