THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2014 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 94 Serving The University of Alabama since 1894
CULTURE | WEEKEND
THURSDAY FRIDAY
IS THE NEW CW | Austin Bigoney
A weekly special at Gallette’s, Wine Wednesday initiates the weekend early, attracting hoardes of students, despite its placement in the middle of the week.
Class schedules, bar specials bring students out during week By Francie Johnson | Staff Reporter College, for many students, means freedom. Freedom from parental supervision, freedom from curfews, freedom to eat Chinese food, pizza, a burger and fries all in one meal – the list goes on and on. Perhaps one of the most
distinct changes from high school, though, is the freedom to choose one’s own schedule. In an environment where students have complete control over their class schedules, many choose to forgo Friday classes in favor of starting their weekends a day early. Teasia Thomas, a junior majoring in political science, said she avoids Friday classes whenever she can, trying to only register for these classes if attendance isn’t mandatory. “Most professors understand the importance
TODAYON CAMPUS Astronomy lecture WHAT: “Out There and Beyond: The Search for Earth-Like Planets” WHEN: 2 p.m. WHERE: Rodgers Library
of the weekend to a college student,” Thomas said. “Whether they like it or not, their class attendance will decrease on Fridays.” Thomas specifically designs her schedule to exclude Friday classes, often registering early or taking online classes to keep her Fridays open. “The weekend has to include Friday when you’re in college to really enjoy it,” Thomas said. “With so many students working parttime on the weekends, the weekend will not
exist if Friday is not completely devoted to relaxation.” During prime time, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the University offers about 25 percent fewer course sections Fridays than it does Mondays or Wednesdays, said University Provost Joe Benson. For example, Mondays and Wednesdays at noon, about 180 of the school’s 389 available classrooms are in use. At the SEE THURSDAY PAGE 6
SPORTS | SOFTBALL
Murphy leads UA toward success Softball coach gains 800th win, looks to strong season By Kelly Ward | Staff Reporter
Body Appreciation Week WHAT: “Open Your Eyes” WHEN: 5-7 p.m. WHERE: Tutwiler Hall Large Living Room
Undergraduate research WHAT: Oral Presentation of Research Undergraduate Workshop WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: 324 Lloyd Hall
Patrick Murphy is competitive. Some coaches might use a flight delay to look at game tape or hold a team meeting. In 2012, Murphy didn’t. When the Alabama softball team was stuck in an airport in Kentucky, Murphy spent that time playing four square with the team. Much of the game was spent diving to keep the ball in play. “It was his finest moment, but he’s that competitive,” said Jennifer Fenton, a member of the 2012 WCWS National Championship team. “He wants to win, but he does it the right way, which is awesome.” SEE MURPHY PAGE 16
NEWS | DOWNTOWN
Growth compromises historic area
Friday Clear
Partly cloudy
52º/28º
59º/44º
CONTACT
INSIDE
14 17 17
Thursday
recycle th i se
per • Ple a
Sports Puzzles Classifieds
tomorrow
pa
2 4 10
today
SEE DOWNTOWN PAGE 6
s
today’s paper
Ple a
WHAT: The Doctors and The Lawyers WHEN: 10 p.m. WHERE: Rounders Bar
The landscape of downtown Tuscaloosa is changing. Over the next few years, students and citizens can expect the arrival of a new apartment complex, an Embassy Suites Hotel and a Hilton Home 2 Suites extended-stay hotel. “We’re just as happy as we can be to be a part of Tuscaloosa and the growth of Tuscaloosa,” said Stuart Cohen, of Cohen Investments, the real estate investment
per •
Local music
By Samuel Yang | Staff Reporter
The new skyline, however, comes at a cost. New construction means clearing old streets, and the demolition of historic houses in the name of development has become increasingly concerning to people like Tim Higgins, a 2011 UA alumnus and founding member of Preserve Tuscaloosa. Higgins said Preserve Tuscaloosa is an advocacy group that works with preservation groups in the hopes of protecting neighborhoods from unfit development. “I hope people understand preserving the historic nature of Tuscaloosa is not
pa
WHAT: Movie Series: “The Butler” WHEN: 6:30 p.m. WHERE: 159 Russell Hall
WEATHER
Film screening
firm developing the extended-stay hotel. “We’re looking very much forward to being a good corporate citizen in town and doing our part.” Cohen said the new hotel, which will service guests from business travelers to visiting parents, complemented downtown Tuscaloosa’s existing entertainment and food options while opening doors for new growth. “We think downtown speaks to all that. Downtown’s as much an amenity for our guests as we are for downtown,” he said. “I think downtown Tuscaloosa is going to be a gateway to the University and that it is going to build on what it already is.”
s
Historic streets, houses make way for hotels, student living
recycle thi
WHAT: Girls Game Free and Fight Night WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: Hive Bang Gaming
se
Gaming scene
Briefs Opinions Culture
CW | Austin Bigoney Head softball coach Patrick Murphy talks with his team in the dugout after his 800th UA win Saturday against Virginia Tech.
editor@cw.ua.edu
website cw.ua.edu
CAMPUSBRIEFS
Thursday February 27, 2014
p.2
Daines earns tennis SEC honor Alabama women’s tennis senior Mary Anne Daines was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Wednesday. Daines was also named MVP of the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic last week, going 1-1 in singles and 3-0 in doubles.
SCENEON CAMPUS
Compiled by Matthew Wilson
NYT v. Sullivan symposium Friday The law school will host a symposium Friday honoring the 50th anniversary of the New York Times v. Sullivan decision with a slate of speakers from across the country. The case is considered one of the most important cases relating to First Amendment rights of the press. The decision constitutionalized the law of libel, which gave media outlets significant freedom to criticize politicians. The event is open to the public and begins at 8 a.m. in Room A255 in the law school. Compiled by Mark Hammontree
Tuscaloosa amends zoning code The Tuscaloosa City Council amended the zoning ordinance Tuesday to curb future development of large-scale student housing projects. Zoning Amendment No. 1289 did away with the R-4S district. With the change, the limit is set at three instead of five unrelated people allowed to live together per unit. The amendment closely follows one of the nine recommendations made by the Student Rental Housing Task Force established last year. According to the amendment, all properties currently zoned as R-4S will be rezoned to R-4. The change affects a total of eight properties, including The Retreat at Lake Tamaha, Campus Way, University Village, The Avenue, The Woodlands, Boardwalk at Brittain Landing and two undeveloped parcels. However, owners of these properties will not have to make any changes unless they choose to expand. Councilman Kip Tyner said the amendment may slow down developers because it shrinks profit margins. “The more units, the more people, the more money you make,” Tyner said. “And I just don’t see developers being as anxious, which is probably a good thing.” Compiled by Christopher Edmunds
CW | Austin Bigoney Signs scattered around campus by students of the Studioless Art UH210 class give instructions and provide comic relief during midterm exams.
THURSDAY WHAT: Body Appreciation Week: Open Your Eyes WHEN: 5-7 p.m. WHERE: Tutwiler Hall Large Living Room WHAT: Girls Game Free and Fight Night WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: Hive Bang Gaming
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
WHAT: Out of the Shadows: Experiences of LGBTQ StudentAthletes WHEN: 2-3:30 p.m. WHERE: 205 Gorgas Library
WHAT: Mardi Gras Brunch WHEN: 10 a.m. WHERE: Battle-Friedman House and Gardens
WHAT: Softball vs. Purdue and Houston WHEN: 4 p.m. WHERE: Rhoads Stadium WHAT: Gymnastics vs. Florida WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Coleman Coliseum
WHAT: Men’s basketball vs. Auburn WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: Coleman Coliseum WHAT: Student Recital: Sadie Frazier, Michael Abrams, Chun Ya Chang, soprano, clarinet, piano WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Moody Music Building
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845 Classifieds: 348-7355
EDITORIAL editor-in-chief
Mazie Bryant editor@cw.ua.edu
managing editor
Lauren Ferguson
production editor
Katherine Owen
visuals editor online editor news editor
Mackenzie Brown Mark Hammontree
culture editor
Abbey Crain
sports editor
Marc Torrence
opinion editor chief copy editor
John Brinkerhoff Christopher Edmunds
video editor
Daniel Roth
photo editor
Austin Bigoney
lead designer
Sloane Arogeti
community managers
territory manager
Tori Hall 251.751.1781 cwadmanager@gmail.com Chloe Ledet 205.886.3512 territorymanager1@gmail.com
special projects manager
Taylor Shutt 904.504.3306 osmspecialprojects@gmail.com
special projects account executive
Kristen Morrow 205.873.2190 osmspecialprojects@gmail92.com
creative services manager
account executives
LAKESIDE
FRESH FOOD
LUNCH
Steak Steakhouse Potatoes Carrots Beef, Mushroom and Barley Soup Brown Rice and Bean Sauté
DINNER
LUNCH
DINNER
Cajun Pork with Bigarade Sauce Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich Spicy Corn and Tomatoes Black Beans and Cumin Quinoa and Red Pepper Slider
Hearty Lasagna Steamed Mixed Vegetables Sautéed Zucchini and Tomatoes Roasted Potatoes Vegetable Orzo Soup
Thai Red Curry Chicken Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Jasmine Rice Orange Spiced Carrots Lemon Sugar Snap Peas
LUNCH
Baked/Fried Chicken Roasted Vegetable Bulgur Salad Seasoned Corn Home-Style Mashed Potatoes Eggplant Parmesan with Marinara Sauce
Elizabeth Lowder Lauren Robertson
ADVERTISING advertising manager
BURKE
Anna Waters
Hillary McDaniel 334.315.6068 Ali Lemmond William Whitlock Kathryn Tanner Camille Dishongh Keenan Madden Julia Kate Mace Katie Schlumper
The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students.The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are in room 1014, Student Media Building, 414 Campus Drive East. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2014 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
OPENRECORDS REQUESTS “Every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute.” From statute 36.12.40 of the Code of Alabama
“The term ‘public records’ shall include all written, typed or printed books, papers, letters, documents and maps made or received in pursuance of law by the public officers of the state, counties, municipalities and other subdivisions of government in the transactions of public business and shall also include any record authorized to be made by any law of this state belonging or pertaining to any court of record or any other public record authorized by law or any paper, pleading, exhibit or other writing filed with, in or by any such court, office or officer.” From statute 41.13.1 of the Code of Alabama
WHAT WE REQUESTED: List of applicants considered for vice chancellor of government relations, email correspondence between Judy Bonner and Robert Witt correlated to ‘vice chancellor for government relations’ and ‘Jo Bonner’ between April 1 and July 31, 2013. WHO REQUESTED IT: Lauren Ferguson FROM WHOM WE REQUESTED IT: Kellee Reinhart, vice chancellor for System Relations WHEN WE REQUESTED IT: Feb. 10, 2014 STATUS: Pending WHAT WE REQUESTED: All receipts (airplane ticket and car rental) and travel vouchers for the four members of the executive branch and their advisor who are attending the SEC Exchange at the University of Missouri. Copies of all emails between Jan. 1 and Jan. 15, 2014 addressed to and/or from SGA President Jimmy Taylor, Chief of Staff Brennan Johnson, Vice President of Financial Affairs Chris Willis and/or Program Assistant/Office Manager Carolyn Fulmer containing the words “Missouri” and/or “ticket.” WHO REQUESTED IT: Mackenzie Brown FROM WHOM WE REQUESTED IT: Leela Foley, SGA director of media relations WHEN WE REQUESTED IT: Jan. 15, 2014 STATUS: Filled Jan. 23, 2014
Students victims of housing scams Students should be wary of a recent online scam involving housing for next year. According to the emailed statement from University of Alabama Housing and Residential Communities, a local rental company reached out after becoming aware that their properties were being used in these Craigslist postings. Although not confirmed, HRC has speculated that other local properties are being used in the scams, as well. Janine Gascoigne, marketing coordinator for HRC, said this is not the first time scammers have done this in the Tuscaloosa area. “Scammers are using info and pictures of local properties but drastically dropping the rent and prices so that students want to contact them immediately through the Craigslist post,” Gascoigne said. “Once the students reach out to the scammers, the scammers send the student a link to get their credit approved for the rental. By submitting this form, students are actually giving the scammers their personal and financial information, potentially opening themselves up to identity theft and credit problems.” University students have come forward as victims of these scams, usually after going to the rental office thinking they should be signing a lease. Julie Elmore, assistant director for off-campus resources in HRC, recommended students first check phone numbers and email addresses listed in the posting to ensure they match up with the real rental company. “Do not fill out an online credit application that you have not verified comes directly from the rental company,” Elmore advised. “Do not send a deposit check unless you have seen the property or visited the leasing office. Check another website besides Craigslist to compare the prices listed. If it looks to good to be true, it probably is.” If students are looking for subleases, they can visit offcampushousing.ua.edu. It’s free for students to post subleases and search properties. This ensures that you will be dealing with other UA students. According to an emailed statement from UAPD, the process of correcting a scam is far more tedious than taking steps beforehand to ensure student security online. Compiled by Chandler Wright
p.3 Mark Hammontree | Editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu
Thursday, February 27, 2014
NEWSIN BRIEF Distance law student dies at 43 Mary Margaret Waycaster, a first–year professional in The University of Alabama School of Law, passed away in her home in Jackson, Miss., on Feb. 20. A funeral service was held Monday, Feb. 24, at St. Richard Catholic Church in Jackson. Waycaster was born Aug. 21, 1970, and was 43 years old. Waycaster obtained a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in 1992. While attending LSU, she was a member of the 1989 National Championship cheerleading squad. Waycaster obtained her Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law in 1997 and was a practicing lawyer in Ridgeland, Miss., at the time of her death. She was a distance learning student studying taxation and law in the Master of Laws program at The University of Alabama School of Law. It is the policy of the School of Law to not comment on recent student deaths. Waycaster is survived by her parents, Arthur and Judith Williams; children, Sarah Kay Waycaster and William Hayes Waycaster and their father, Tim Waycaster; sisters Simmons Huber and Susan Chambliss and a number of nieces and nephews. Compiled by Andy McWhorter
525 GREENSBORO AVE. DOWNTOWN 752-6931 www.TheShirtShop.biz
$54.99
8 Colors
STORE HOURS: MON. - FRI. 7-6PM SAT. 9-5PM
2 Lengths
CW | Shelby Akin The University of Alabama’s Dance Marathon hosts a number of fundraising events, such as Monday’s movie night on the Quad. UADM will conclude these efforts in a 10-hour standing-only event Saturday.
Students prepare for UADM By Kailey McCarthy | Contributing Writer The University of Alabama’s Dance Marathon, a student-run philanthropy that raises money for the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, will culminate its year-long fundraising efforts in a 10-hour standing–only event Saturday. Although the Dance Marathon is UADM’s biggest event, there is much more to the organization. Katie Klootwyk, president of UADM, said the group’s purpose is to enrich the lives of children suffering from cancer and other pediatric diseases. “We do this by adopting these children and their families into our UADM family,” Klootwyk said. “We also try to help them fund their expensive hospital visits and equipment by fundraising as much money as possible for an entire year and donating it to Children’s of Alabama hospital.” Although raising money is the
group’s ultimate goal because it has the most potential to help, recruitment chair Rachel Coleman said UADM members also make an effort to spend time with the children. “By spending time with these kids throughout the year and on the day of, that’s what really makes it all come to life. This year we got to be a part of the hospital’s trick-or-treat day and handed out toys to hundreds of kids,” Coleman said. “UADM had a Dip-NDots event for the kids and the families, and we also hosted an event celebrating Thanksgiving with them.” Since its start in 2011, Dance Marathon has continued to grow on campus. “Our recruitment numbers have gone up along with the amount of money raised,” Klootwyk said. “In total, we have raised a little over $70,000 throughout the course of the last two years.” Caroline Bechtel, UADM operations
and finance overall chair, said UADM has exceeded goals and expectations by a huge margin. “In our first year, we raised almost 50 percent more than our goal and in our second year, 100 percent more,” Bechtel said. “We have a large retention rate of dancers coming back year after year. We are excited for UADM to be a tradition at The University of Alabama.” The 2014 event will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. “We have around 600 people registered and definitely expect more to be registered by the day of. We have around 12 Miracle Families that we are supporting this year, and almost all will be there to tell their amazing stories at Dance Marathon,” Coleman said. “We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, and we’ll eat a lot. It’s hard to actually express what the day of Dance Marathon is exactly like. This is something you just have to experience for yourself.”
p.4 John Brinkerhoff | Editor letters@cw.ua.edu
Thursday, February 27, 2014
GUEST COLUMN | HIGHER EDUCATION DAY
SGA stands with the Capstone in higher education funding By Allison Ingram | Guest Columnist
CW | Talia Scarpelli
COLUMN | ABORTION
State legislature abortion bills are absurd By Nathan James | Senior Staff Columnist Alabama has a problem with choice. Over the past four weeks, our representatives in the House have approved bill after bill designed to make Christian sexual norms the common law. House Bills 31, 490, 493, 489 and 494 make up this campaign, and their introduction should bring to the forefront of our minds the following question: How much will we tolerate from our legislators? The four bills, together, will do the following: ban most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, double the waiting time for abortion-related procedures, give abusive parents more power to prevent their daughter’s abortion; and allow doctors to refuse to perform any abortion-related procedure without justification. In practice, what this means is many Alabamian women will miss one period, investigate and realize they have already passed the legal deadline to have an abortion. It means medical professionals will be allowed to put their personal moral convictions before the Hippocratic Oath. And it means many young Alabamian girls, having found that they are pregnant, will be forced to carry the fetuses to term because their conservative parents say so. By way of justifying HB 490, House Representative Mary Sue McClurkin said, “Life should be the choice that the woman chooses, because she has
Nathan James a choice before she ever participates in something that would lead to the life of a person.” Some may think that McClurkin is simply encouraging her constituents to practice safe sex; however, a look at Alabama’s policies on sex education reveals otherwise. No Alabama public school is legally required to give any kind of sex ed, and any school that does teach sex ed is required to tell students that abstinence is “the expected social standard” for unwed school-age persons. So, when McClurkin chides her constituents for their “choices,” she appears to be referring to the simple act of sex. So for McClurkin and, apparently, a majority of our legislature, there are only two options a woman should have: abstain from sex or bear
children. For Christians to adhere to this dichotomy in their personal lives is all well and good, but McClurkin is trying to codify a specific set of religious mores into the common law, forcing members of all other religions to adhere to her personal spiritual convictions. In other words, if our legislators don’t think sex outside of marriage is right, they shouldn’t do it. But they don’t have the right to deny the rest of us health care education, contraceptive resources and access to reproductive health care that the Supreme Court has guaranteed every citizen. For every Alabamian who doesn’t think the Christian model of abstinence should be written into law and forced on people of every religion, do the following: First, vote against Mary Sue McClurkin, Ed Henry, Kurt Wallace and Mike Jones, the authors of the bills in question. Second, support Patricia Todd as she sponsors a bill to remove exclusionary and subjective sex ed requirements from our schools. And finally, remember the golden rule. If a (hypothetical) Jewish congressman tried to pass a tariff on pork, I doubt many of us would be pleased about it. Nathan James is a junior majoring in public relations. His column runs weekly.
When we first entered The University of Alabama, we imagined college as an invitation to the future, the first taste of adulthood’s freedom still coupled with the excitement and flexibility of youth. Finally, the years of college applications, ACT prep courses and our parents’ stories from their glory days culminated into our own experience as we selected majors and perused bulletin board sign-ups. While the social aspect of college is a notable given, it’s nearly impossible for students to overlook the other end of the spectrum that highlights unlimited educational opportunities. From engaging classes that deviate from the norm, committed professors and numerous open doors beyond campus, our four years maximize our degrees and deliver an education that transcends the textbook into a real-life practice. But what if I told you it could all be jeopardized? Recently, the Alabama Education Trust fund began to dwindle without any incoming reimbursement, forcing legislators to cut higher education appropriations from their one-third allocation. Institutions pulled back their resources, inched up their tuition costs and eliminated programs from their curriculum, affecting everyone, from those starting their core requirements to those eyeing the graduation finish line. Now The University of Alabama, along with another 14 universities across the state, face this chopping block that threatens our campus experience and, consequently, the opportunities that follow. The Higher Ed Partnership responded to the dilemma by appearing before state legislative sessions, protesting the cut and asking for a return to the former portion. But in order to sway the motion, they need decisive input from the very students affected. On Feb. 27, the partnership wants to grab the attention of lawmakers right in our legislature’s backyard at Higher Ed Day. Students and educators will rally from across the state on the Alabama State House front steps to prove that Alabama’s students are listening and aware of the decisions being made. As members of the state’s largest higher education institution, Alabama students are in an interesting position in the fight to preserve funding. While our school marks the state both in stature and merit, our past presence at Higher Ed Day has been less than notable. The Student Government Association is fighting this trend by sponsoring a large student base to Montgomery, chartering buses to the Capitol for the 10:30 a.m. rally and returning after the free barbecue lunch on the Capitol’s South Lawn. In addition to breakfast, a free T-shirt and an invitation to attend Capitol at the Capstone next month, students who attend will receive SLPro volunteer hours and Panhellenic points for participation. SGA President Jimmy Taylor and Provost Joe Benson have also excused any student from class that Thursday, eliminating all obstacles to attendance. For more details or to sign up, visit the SGA homepage under Upcoming Events. As we graduate and enter the state’s workforce, we assume the role of Alabama’s next generation, essentially shaping the community’s landscape, economic development and political dialogue for years to come. We determine the state’s livelihood and direction by offering the innovation needed to propel Alabama into the future. When legislators fail to address the needs of higher education, they’re hindering students, universities and the state. Higher Ed Day reminds them of their obligation to Alabama as not only guardians of today, but also as supporters of tomorrow, committed to building a front for the advancement of Alabama from the first day of college and beyond.
As members of the state’s largest higher education institution, Alabama students are in an interesting position in the fight to preserve funding.
Allison Ingram is the SGA liaison to The Crimson White.
COLUMN | STATE LEGISLATURE
Alabama should support, pass an expungement law By Matthew Bailey | Staff Columnist Growing up in the state of Alabama, several things became apparent to me very early on. The most important of these was that the unofficial state motto was “Thank God for Mississippi.” Unfortunately, there are matters where Alabama has been dead last. One of the biggest failings to come up in the legislature in the last few years is that the state does not have a true expungement law. In our state, an individual can be arrested and charged with a crime but never prosecuted. As such, that arrest and criminal charge will follow them for the rest of their life. This
Matthew Bailey reality is also true of individuals who have their charges brought before a grand jury or a court and have been
acquitted or found not guilty. Having a criminal charge on someone’s record prevents him or her from being able to get the jobs they are capable of doing. A lot of companies will simply not interview or accept individuals that have been charged with certain crimes. Discrimination against individuals who have been charged with a crime is extremely prevalent within our society. In our state, this can happen to individuals who were falsely accused or wrongly arrested for these crimes. A bill allowing for expungement of certain criminal records has come up several times in the Alabama Legislature over the past several
years. This year, Roger Bedford first introduced the bill in the Senate. After several amendments by the state Senate, the bill ended up passing 26-3 in a rare moment of bipartisanship. The difficulty will be passing the state House of Representatives and getting signed by Governor Robert Bentley. Representative England of Tuscaloosa and Representatives Melton and Boyd have proposed the bill in the House. It is currently pending action in the Judiciary Committee, but the bill can be pushed along with the proper amount of support from Alabamians. I urge everyone to call their
EDITORIAL BOARD
WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS
Mazie Bryant editor-in-chief
Letters to the editor must contain fewer than 300 words and guest columns less than 800. Send submissions to letters@ cw.ua.edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.
Lauren Ferguson managing editor Katherine Owen production editor Anna Waters visuals editor
Mackenzie Brown online editor Christopher Edmunds chief copy editor John Brinkerhoff opinion editor
Alabama Representatives and express their support for the expungement bill, House Bill 317. Without action by Alabama citizens, it is likely that the bill will fail to pass for yet another year. Alabamians who have been cleared of a crime deserve to be able to move on from that charge. Without action on bills like this, this will just be another Alabama legislative session filled with embarrassing arguments over passing unconstitutional bills when we can get them to do much better for the citizens of Alabama. Matthew Bailey is a second–year law student. His column runs biweekly.
Last Week’s Poll: Do you believe the University should have removed the Bama Students for Life poster from the Ferg? (Yes: 50%) (No: 50%) This Week’s Poll: Coke or Pepsi? cw.ua.edu/poll
p.5
Thursday, February 27, 2014
NEWSIN BRIEF LeaderShape teaches students leadership
CW File The Culverhouse School of Business and Habitat for Humanity partnered to build homes for local Tuscaloosa residents.
CBA partners with Habitat for Humanity By Josh Sigler and Andy McWhorter | CW Staff Audrey Harris has lived at the same address in Tuscaloosa for 53 years, but those years were not kind to her old home. The roof began to cave in, and the doors and windows couldn’t keep the cold out during winter. “The conditions were pretty much deplorable,” Harris said. “It was beyond livable. My floors were falling in.” Harris tried unsuccessfully to find ways to improve her house over the years. But last year, Habitat for Humanity and the Culverhouse School of Business stepped forward to lend Harris a helping hand. Culverhouse partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build a new home for Harris in the same location as her old house. It was the second project Culverhouse has done with Habitat for Humanity. Last year, they teamed up with Calvary Baptist Church to create the “Get Jackie Home for Christmas” campaign to help build a new home for Jackie Wright. “It was really refreshing. You’re in a classroom all day, every day, so it was great to go out and work with a nonprofit and get to really work with people,” Jay Arnold, a graduate teaching assistant in the school of business, said. The project started in a graduate marketing class called Project Management, taught by Billy Hatmaker. Students were given a list of clients to choose from and were expected to apply what they learned in the classroom to plan, promote and complete a project benefiting that client. Students selected their top three client choices and presented them to Hatmaker, who helped them make their final selections. “We want to make sure that business students
leave here not only knowing a lot about their discipline but also know how to serve the community,” Hatmaker said. The decision to make Habitat for Humanity a class project was influenced partly by the Hatmaker’s previous involvement with Calvary Baptist’s Rehab/Repair ministry, with which he had seen the conditions in which both Audrey and Jackie had been living. “You could stand in the backyard, stick your arm through a hole in the wall and be touching the inside of her bedroom. That was the extent of the damage,” Hatmaker said. Harris was ultimately chosen to receive a new home with the help of Habitat for Humanity and the UA students last year. “I was just overjoyed, overwhelmed, ecstatic,” Harris said. “I just thank God for sending them into my life and helping me.” Alabama football players including Austin Shepard, Chad Lindsey and Cade Foster were in the Project Management class and involved in both projects. “I have to tell you that some of these scholarship athletes were some of the hardest workers I have ever had in my class,” Hatmaker said. The students were expected to do all of the marketing and branding for the project, and the name “Raise the Roof for Audrey” was selected for the 2013 project. Habitat for Humanity chooses not to give homes away for free but instead builds houses that are more energy efficient and sells them at zero percent mortgage interest. After moving into her new house, Audrey was able to reduce her mortgage and utility costs per month by more than $400. “We got to see the after-effects for her and her family. She no longer just has a house, she has
a home,” Arnold said. When Harris moved into her new three-bedroom, two-bathroom home two weeks ago, the results were everything she hoped for. “It’s like I’m still dreaming,” Harris said. “It’s beautiful. It’s just magnificent. Everything about it is just so breathtaking. I’ve never had anything this beautiful before.” Culverhouse students hope to start a new club within the business school that would benefit Habitat for Humanity. The idea would be to create a pool of students that the organization could call and ask for assistance anytime they are doing a project in or around the city. Hatmaker said he hopes it will become an annual project with his students. “The Tennessee School of Business has already done seven of these projects, and Nick Saban has done 15, so we are not going to let them out perform us,” Hatmaker said. While the house has been built and Audrey Harris has moved in, the project is not yet fully completed. The graduate students also provide as much financial help as possible with the mortgage for Audrey’s new home. As of now, they have raised nearly $25,000 but hope to raise as much as $50,000. For anyone wishing to donate, the website for the project is raisetheroofforaudrey.com. “This project served as a reminder of why we do what we do,” Arnold said. “No matter what you do, you have the ability to help someone.” Even though the work going toward her new home is not quite finished, Harris said working with Habitat for Humanity has been nothing but positive. “So far, Habitat has really been there with me every step of the way,” Harris said.
Those who feel like they want to make a difference in their community and in the world can take part in an upcoming program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to affect that change. While it may sound like the next workout trend, LeaderShape is not so much a program for physical fitness as it is for learning how be an effective leader. It is a six-day program that constructs and develops the minds of young entrepreneurs. The program is designed for young minds who seek to make a change, not only at the University, but in the constantly changing world. “Students leave the program with a clear vision for how they want to change the world with their personal strengths and values,” Kaitlin Hartley, coordinator of student leadership, said. The program will be held May 4-9 and will consist of various activities that allow students to socialize and share ideas in small and large group sessions. Last year, more than 100 diverse students applied and were interviewed for the program. This year, 60 individuals will be chosen at random to attend and be a part of LeaderShape. The program is usually held in Atlanta and sees students come in from all over the country. This year, however, the conference will be coming to the University in order to give more students an opportunity to be a part of the life-changing experience. “Expect to be challenged and pushed to the limit,” Ronte Pritchett, an alumnus of the program, said. LeaderShape is looking for students from every corner of the University, from students who are highly involved, to students that may not be involved at all. Although there are no requirements to apply, it is expected of students to prepare to work hard and be developed by this program. Students who wish to be mentored on how to enhance leadership abilities are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information on the program, visit the LeaderShape website at leadership.ua.edu. The deadline to apply for the program is Saturday. Compiled by Damarius Purdie
Why se le for ONE ROOM when you can have the
WHOLE APARTMENT for LESS?
SealyRealty.com Aspen Village 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes
Mountain View Studio,1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans
Bent Tree 1& 2 Bedroom Floor Plans
NorthBrook Studio,1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes
Canterbury Apartments 2 Bedroom Floor Plans Forest Trail Studio, 1,2, 3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes Fountain Square 1 & 2 Bedroom Floor Plans High Country 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans
205.391.6000
Regal Pointe Studio, 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans Rivermont 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans Stone Creek Studio, 1,2, 3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes Furnished Available
L g s c
p.6
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Preservation groups fight for historic areas
DEMOLITIONDOWNTOWN B.
le e Lur
. .N vd
Bl
lla Wa nB
c
ce la al W
3rd
St.
sity
er Univ
4th
St.
.
Blvd
. Ave 27th
about being anti-development or anti-progress,” Higgins said. “Preservationists are calling for appropriate development and progress that celebrates and enhances our unique architectural identity.” Higgins said Preserve Tuscaloosa succeeded in bringing back the implementation of the 2010 Greater Downtown Plan and saw victories in the Student Housing Task Force and the sale of the KennedyFoster house to a man who will now be restoring it for private residence. While they were able to get the 2600 block placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, the designation was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing what Higgins calls “big box development.” In the nearby 2700 block, where the fight began, it was not houses that Preserve Tuscaloosa sought to save but the nature of the neighborhood. He said the development slated to go up there is attractive but too large and out of character for the neighborhood. Higgins said he thinks the planned extended-stay suites could compromise the vitality of the apartments. A better alternative, he said, would have been allowing a competing developer to turn each of the existing homes into a separate business that served the community, such as bookstores, bed-and-breakfasts and coffee shops. “[They should be] complete streets … built in the size and scale appropriate to existing historic structures and catering to people from different cultural and income backgrounds,” Higgins said. “It’s been proven time and time again that restoring an old building creates more jobs and puts more money back into the local economy than [a new big box] building does.” Ashley Crites, special districts planner for the City of Tuscaloosa, said historic rehabilitation tax credits have been used to preserve 91 properties dating from the 1850s to mid-1930s. “The Greater Downtown Plan encourages historically sensitive development while promoting preservation of our existing buildings,” Crites said. The Greater Downtown Plan is an area plan approved in 2010 that emphasizes mixed-use planning, economic viability, preserved historic resources, enhanced cultural initiatives, a Main Street USA program, walkability and open spaces, among other factors, Crites said. The city has also contracted Texas-based Code Studio to
lv eB
. d. S
en rle Lu
DOWNTOWN FROM PAGE 1
2600 block to be demolished 6th
St.
CW | Austin Bigoney Students are starting the weekends early on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Bar specials such as Wine Wednesday draw students in on weeknights.
CW | Hannah Glenn develop new zoning codes. “The Greater Downtown Plan details a downtown that is vibrant, progressive, and sustainable … for living, working and playing,” she said. Aaron Head, a 2013 UA alumnus who lived on the 2600 block and a founding member of Preserve Tuscaloosa, said he is concerned the city is not truly paying attention to what students want. “I watched so many downtown citizens and students speak against the development of the 2700 block of University Boulevard – a development that was supposed to be designed for the very people speaking against it,” Head said. “Developers use students when they need a statistic to justify their plans for student housing, but when students go in front of the City Council or the Planning Commission to speak in opposition of development, they are quickly dismissed as merely renters and not tax-paying citizens. … I lived on the 2600 block of University Boulevard in a vibrant community of young people who were all interested in preservation and all put their own money into the block for the sake of the community and character of [downtown]. The inconsistency is painfully apparent.” Head said students envisioned mixed-use development that goes beyond “loftliving,” the currently invogue placement of apartments above businesses. “From the comments of members of Preserve Tuscaloosa, we quickly learned that most citizens disagree with this idea. There are so many people of all ages who would love to live downtown but would rather live in a nice, practically built townhouse or a historic home, but those options aren’t really being offered, despite public desire,” Head said. “The fact is each city is unique and deserves unique planning.
[Cities like Asheville, N.C.; Athens, G.A., or Huntsville] have had an intelligent mind toward preservation and reuse of historic structures and that is an aspect our city planners have conveniently overlooked.” Head’s gravest concerns involve the concentration of decision making in the hands of a few companies, who he said he believes are abusing their power and violating policies in their treatment of downtown development. “That is unacceptable, and the citizens of this town deserve better,” Head said. “The amount that the money of a few families controls development in this town is, frankly, ridiculous. Developers and city officials really have a duty to listen to the voices of their constituents. And those voices are posted everywhere. [It’s] not hard to find them.” Crites said the city was not aware of any unethical conduct and that all developers and projects met city codes and ordinances. “Students were part of the Student Rental Housing Task Force as well as representatives from the three area colleges/universities,” Crites said. “As part of the SRHTF, subcommittees were formed, and student opinions were gained through that process. We value the opinions of students and welcome their input in the public input process.” Cohen said he sees extended-stay suites as the best use for the land and an added benefit for Tuscaloosa as a college town. “It’s going to give downtown Tuscaloosa more nighttime traffic, which is what downtown Tuscaloosa needs to go to the next level of having more entertainment options and dining options to keep building on the success they already have,” Cohen said. “We just wanted to be a part of all the good things that are happening.”
Runoff Stormwater runoff is the rain and melting precipitation that flows off streets, rooftops, lawns, and farmland. The flowing water carries salt, sand, soil, pesticides, fertilizers, leaves, oil, litter, and many other pollutants into nearby waterways. In developed areas much of the land is covered by buildings and pavement, which do not allow water to soak into the ground. Storm Sewers are used to carry the large amounts of runoff to nearby waterways.
For questions, concerns, or to report potential stormwater violations, contact the Office of Environmental Safety at 348-5905
Attendance, classroom use decrease Friday afternoons THURSDAY FROM PAGE 1
same time Fridays, only 128 classrooms are used. After 2 p.m., the difference becomes even more drastic. Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m., classes occupy anywhere from 215 to 302 classrooms. On Fridays at 3 p.m., that number drops to just 42. One of those 42 rooms is occupied by Rosianna Gray, an assistant professor in the department of biological sciences. Gray teaches two sections of BSC 114, Principles of Biology I, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, one at 9 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m. While her 9 a.m. class usually has the same attendance levels on all three days, Gray said about 25-30 percent of students in her 3 p.m. class are usually absent Fridays. “It’s enough that you notice that it’s not the full amount of students,” Gray said. “I just think on a Friday afternoon, you’ve [already] had lunch, [and] you may be going out of town. People are more prone to miss that class than they would be the 9 a.m. class.” To encourage students to attend class, Gray takes attendance with clicker quizzes in each class. Each quiz is worth a point, and together the quizzes account for about 13 to 17 percent of students’ final grades. Gray said missing too many Friday classes can negatively impact students’ understanding of the class material. “Say, for instance, you start a new concept on Friday, and you had a large group of people who missed [class],” Gray said. “When they come back on Monday, I’ve noticed my office hours are pretty full because they’re coming in [saying], ‘Dr. Gray, I missed Friday. Is there any way you can catch me up to speed on this concept?’” For students without Friday classes, the weekend begins Thursday night, but some students like to start their weekends even earlier. The flexibility of choosing one’s own schedule, the freedom of being away from home and the prevalence of weekday bar specials all contribute to a culture in which almost any day can be a weekend. At Gallette’s, the weekend starts Wednesday, or, as the owners have dubbed it, “Wine Wednesday.”
“You start to see people go out as it gets later in the week, but it seems like Wednesday kinda jumpstarts the weekend for us,” Gallette’s co-owner Jeff Sirkin said. “We stay busy through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but Wednesday is definitely one of the bigger nights.” Wine Wednesday began about three years ago after Gallette’s had extra wine inventory left over from an event. The owners decided to sell bottles of wine for $5 each, and after the night’s success, they turned the deal into a weekly special. “[Wine Wednesday] has continued to grow,” Sirkin said. “We used to get a good crowd downstairs and not have to open the back, but now it’s pretty much run like a game day. When we first started doing it, it was busy, but it’s grown into its own entity to where we run the whole bar, front and back.” Sirkin said usually about 90 percent of the Wine Wednesday crowd consists of college students. He said these weekday bar specials target college students with limited funds. “Obviously we want people to go out every night, but we understand that’s not gonna happen,” Sirkin said. “Some people have obligations with school and everything. We just mainly do it to try to get people in here. College kids, some of them are on a budget, so we’re just trying to give them something to make them want to come in here.” College students have a great amount of freedom when registering for classes, making it possible for those who enjoy going out to design a class schedule facilitating that lifestyle. Gray said this freedom and flexibility, though, combined with the “Thursday is the new Friday” mentality poorly prepares students for life after graduation. “I think that by the time you get to be a senior, your work ethic should be the same regardless of when your classes are,” Gray said. “I definitely don’t apologize for having Friday classes or having consequences if you don’t come, because that’s just getting you prepared for the real world.” Not all students feel this way. Thomas said she doesn’t believe taking Fridays off in college will affect her ability to adjust to a postgraduation nine-to-five job. “Real world work is Monday through Friday, and I can’t change that,” Thomas said. “I avoid Friday classes while I’m in college because I get to make my own schedule, so why not make it comfortable?”
Top Floor of Glory Bound
Tuesday: $5 Gyro Wednesday: $5 Salad Thursday: College Night $2 Pints $5 Gyro
Thirsty Thursday Karaoke $2 Wells $2 Btls Friday Welcome KAT Feb. 28 Private Event Follow us! @GB2bound @theGB2
Free Good Vibes 205.349.0505 2325 University Blvd www.gloryboundgyroco.com
p.7
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Tide Talks expands to India, plans 6th event By Jason Frost | Contributing Writer As Tide Talks prepares for its sixth event Friday at 6:30 p.m., its founders are working on an expansion overseas. Tide Talks India, founded by cousins Koushik Kasanagottu, a senior at The University of Alabama, and Rahul Sanskrut at Vasavi Engineering Complex in Hyderabad, India, will follow a similar format to its American counterpart. “The idea briefly began this summer when my cousin visited me in the U.S.,” Kasanagottu said. “He and his friends recently held an event at their college called ACUMEN, which is an engineering research competition. After the successful event, they got positive response from the community and wanted to expand the event into a movement. They wanted to give more students a stage to discuss their passions and ideas, and Tide Talks India was born.”
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Tide Talks VI WHEN: Friday, 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Russell Auditorium In January, the cousins approached the Tide Talks team to discuss logistics. “Communication was a big issue,” Kasanagottu said. “India and U.S. run on a different time schedule. When it is morning for us, it is night for them. [That’s an] 11.5-hour time difference. If they had any questions or needed help, we were sleeping, so they had to wait a long time before we could answer them.” David Phelps, founder of Tide Talks, shared marketing strategies and foundational documents with the India team, and though Tide Talks India remains its own entity, the two plan to occasionally brainstorm ideas.
Angie Bartelt
Jessica Ashton
Joanna Hubickey
Sam Guggenheimer
Photos Courtesy of Tide Talks “Our main role will be a source of encouragement and experience for Tide Talks India,” Phelps said. “We do not seek to control or manage their team, but rather offer our journey when needed. They are incredibly talented and deserve the freedom to create their own events that will be relevant within their specific community. We expect to learn from them as well and be inspired by their progress.”
Tide Talks India will not focus strictly on undergraduates, and its first event will be held later this month. In Tuscaloosa, Tide Talks VI will soon be underway. Since the Ferguson Center is closed for construction, Friday’s event will be held in Russell Auditorium. “We’re doing some things differently this Friday,” Kevin Pabst, director
of design and future president of the organization, said. “We always strive to innovate and not replicate, so we try and do something new with each event. We’re trying out a new flow and layout, given the new venue, and hopefully this will be the most visually exciting Tide Talks yet.” The last Tide Talks of the semester will be held in April. Because most of the executive team will be graduating seniors, a whole new team has been selected for the next semester’s events. Most of them have been shadowing the team over the past few weeks and attending meetings, dress rehearsals and speaker sessions. “Our primary goal is to achieve the maximum reach we possibly can, to make sure we’re connecting all parts of campus,” Pabst said. “We want to improve the overall flow of the event, working to create an entertaining, energetic and thought-provoking, inspiring night. Basically, our mission is to feed the mind, body and soul.”
Student recruiters host VIP prospects, promote Capstone Applications for University Stewards due Friday By Chandler Ryberg | Contributing Writer The University of Alabama’s student recruiting organization, University Stewards, is currently accepting applications for the fall semester. University Stewards helps The University of Alabama admissions with student recruitment through personal interaction with prospective students and their families. “The University Stewards embody the friendliness, hospitality, diversity and pride that the campus community has to offer,” Margaret Christian, associate
director of undergraduate relations, said. This organization focuses on recruiting prospective students who have been recommended by admissions for their impressive academic backgrounds, including National Merit Scholars. Christian said participating in lunches with these VIP students and their families is the most frequent duty of a steward. Stewards are also responsible for answering questions, giving campus and dorm tours, taking prospective students to lunch, accompanying families around campus and
bama.ua.edu/~uastewards University Stewards recruit distinguished students from across the U.S.
assisting with recruitment receptions. “University Stewards is an enriching volunteer opportunity to give back to The University of Alabama and helps students find where their home is going to be,” Samantha Gaffney, outgoing president of University Stewards, said. Gaffney, a senior majoring in business and health care management, has been involved with this organization for three years. In addition to the normal workload of a steward, Gaffney also sets agendas, runs weekly meetings, helps train
stewards, contacts executive board members and acts as a liaison between stewards, advisors and admissions. She once had the opportunity to fly with former UA president Robert Witt, to recruiting receptions in Florida. Avery Thomas, a junior majoring in operations management, is the president-elect of University Stewards. She was shown campus by a University Steward, and she has now been in the organization for three years. “I had a steward meet with me. That sort of solidified my decision to come here,” Thomas said.
LEASE NOW for Fall 2014 t 2 Bed / 2 Bath t 1,400 Sq. Foot Units! t Only $675/Bedroom! Gretaiton! t Huge Walk-In Closets Loca t Includes Wi-fi, W/D, and Kitchen Appliances
“There was so much hospitality, and they wanted me to succeed.” Currently there are 60 members within the organization, and the group is looking to add 25 to 30 people for next fall. This year they are expecting the application process to be extremely competitive. The application process consists of submitting an application and resume and follow–up interviews. The application is due Friday, March 28, at 4:45 p.m. Applications can be found in Room 203 of the Student Services Building or requested through uastewards@ gmail.com.
Win an
iPad Mini! Enter to WIN by Touring The Gates!
www.TheGatesAtCedarCrest.com
345-1440
p.8
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Free online college courses increasing in popularity, variety By Greg Ward | Contributing Writer
CW File Body Appreciation Week will offer educational events about eating disorders and improving body image on campus.
Students organize body image event By Heather Buchanan | Contributing Writer
always pick them out. Sheena is talking about the dietary side and how to eat healthy but not starve yourself.” As part of Body Appreciation Week at The University The event will also include free food catered by Zoe’s of Alabama, University Programs and the Counseling Kitchen, free T-shirts, a photo booth, screenings of short Center, among other sponsors, will host “Open Your Eyes” films, a raffle for scholarships and a “True Beauty” Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. in Tutwiler Hall’s community banner that all attendees can sign, including a short living room. message of what they find beautiful about themselves. Kathryn Shewmake, a sophomore majoring in restau- Students can also receive Panhellenic points for attendrant and hospitality management, is part ing. of the group organizing “Open Your Eyes” Shewmake also said her group worked as a class project. She said the theme of especially hard to come up with a good the event is “Shut Society’s Eyes and Open way to talk about eating disorders. She Your Eyes to True Beauty.” said sometimes talking about the darker “For RHM 385, we had to create group side of the topic of body image tends to projects, and our group got National Eating scare people away. Disorder Awareness Week,” Shewmake “Eating disorders always come off said. “We decided we would throw an with a negative connotation, and so we event to promote positive body image.” wanted to really find the positive side of — Kathryn Shewmake “Open Your Eyes” will feature a panel it,” Shewmake said. “We want people to speaking about body image issues. The come away with a more positive view of panel will include Susan Christian, staff their own body. We don’t want to go into therapist at the Counseling Center; Sheena the dark side of eating disorders because Quizon Gregg, assistant director of the health promotion we feel like that would push people away.” and wellness department in the College of Community Laurel Woodfin, a junior majoring in hospitality manHealth Sciences; Miranda Ward, Miss UA; and Amanda agement, is also an organizer from the RHM 385 class. Taylor of the Eating Disorders Anonymous Group. She emphasized that the goal is to open the floor to an “The panel is going to discuss different things that inviting discussion about body image. deal with their own personal stories,” Shewmake said. “We want it to be a fun, positive, welcoming atmo“Miranda will talk about her story and how eating sphere where students feel comfortable to interact with disorders are very under the radar and how you can’t our panel of qualified speakers,” Woodfin said.
We want people to come away with a more positive view of their own body.
AT BRITTAIN LANDING
THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT! NOW LEASING FOR 2014!
A COMMUNITY EXCLUSIVELY FOR STUDENTS
{} REACH A LARGE, DIVERSE AUDIENCE DAILY.
At Boardwalk at Brittain Landing, it’s our job to know what students want - like a resort-style pool, shuttle service and a well-equipped fitness center. We offer you much more than just an apartment, we provide a student-focused lifestyle, with the latest amenities and conveniences for designed to help make the most of the college experience. Reserve your space today! FULLY- FURNISHED APARTMENTS
FUN RESIDENT ACTIVITIES
FREE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
CLOSE TO UA, STILLMAN & SHELTON STATE
FREE BASIC CABLE
UTILITIES INCLUDED (ELECTRIC*, WATER, WASTE)
WASHER & DRYER IN APARTMENTS
PROFESSIONAL, ON-SITE MANAGEMENT
BALCONY
24-HOUR EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE
RESORT-STYLE SWIMMING POOL & SPA
CERAMIC TILE FLOORING
WELL-EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER
NOW PET FRIENDLY
COMMUNITY CLUB HOUSE
STEAM ROOM & DRY HEAT SAUNA
FREE TANNING
STUDY CENTER
SHUTTLE SERVICE TO UA & SSCC
BUSINESS CENTER
INDIVIDUAL LEASES
COMPUTER LAB
* Electricity utility allowance
Advertise with
205.366.9830 BOARDWALKUA.NET 5501 OLD MONTGOMERY HWY, TUSCALOOSA, AL 35405
There are thousands of universities all across the country students attend, but online courses and lessons are becoming more prevalent. A simple online search for “free online college courses” yields results like Khan Academy, MIT’s OpenCourseWare, Tufts’ OpenCourseWare and Opening Learning Initiative from Carnegie Melon University. All of these websites are aimed not only at 20-somethings, but at teachers, parents, grandparents – anyone interested in education at a collegiate level. Lessons on most of these sites are from professors and industry leaders across the nation. Tufts University, located just outside of Boston, Mass., has a population of about 10,000 students. Robin Smith, a Tufts OpenCourseWare editor, said she is very happy with how things have taken off since Tufts OpenCourseWare opened online in 2005. “Our president at the time, Laurence Bacow, had previously worked at MIT and was onboard with the idea from the start. … We were asked to participate initially because we could provide health sciences courses which MIT didn’t offer,” Smith said. “Subsequently we have added course material from all schools. The materials are offered for the benefit of educators, students and self-learners around the world, and the project reflects Tufts’ mission of civic engagement and knowledge sharing.” Smith said there is a wide variety of courses people can take, including classes in biostatistics, foundations of nutrition science and basic human pathology. She said the number of users and courses continues to rise on a daily basis. “There have been almost 4.4 million visits to the Tufts OCW website,” Smith said. “Users come from 219 countries and territories around the world. Top reasons for coming to the site indicated by users were for personal learning, planning a course of study, complementing a course being taken, keeping current in the field and teaching preparation. We also receive requests from authors/publishers to include content in commercial textbooks and journal articles.” While many use these sites each day, some people prefer learning in a traditional-style classroom. Connor Barlow, a sophomore majoring in business, is one of those students. “It sort of seems like it’s easy, but it can be hard at times,” Barlow said. “I love the time it gives me, and working at my own pace is great, but the downside is that grades always take forever to be uploaded, and that work can pile up quickly.” Ruben Pickering, a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering, said he is not convinced either. Pickering, who is taking a distance learning class, said he would rather be in a traditional class. “All of my tests are online, and my homework is as well,” Pickering said. “From what I have heard, I wish I was in a class that was 100 percent in class. Online doesn’t have practice tests or old tests [for] you to study from.”
p.9
Thursday, February 27, 2014
WAIVE APPLICATION & SECURITY DEPOSIT! $250 SAVINGS!*
r
r
SIGN A LEASE BY MARCH 1
AND RECEIVE A $200 GIFT CARD*
MINUTES TO CL A SS . SECONDS TO E VE RY THING E L SE . The best student living experience is now just steps from Downtown Tuscaloosa.
DOWNTOWN TUSCALOOSA’S
Newest Student Apartments
LE A S ING OFFI CE
X
•
One, two & three bedroom flats and townhomes
•
Cable & high speed internet included in your rent
•
Shopping & dining at your doorstep
•
Gourmet kitchens with granite countertops
•
Oasis pool & outdoor lounge
•
•
Three-story clubroom with fitness & game rooms
Amazing VIP units with stunning pool or river views*
•
Washer & dryer in every unit
•
Pet friendly
•
Fully furnished with a modern furniture package
•
42” HD TV with Google Chromecast
888.460.1082 X RIVE RFRO NT VI LL AG E .CO M
2107 U N IVE RS IT Y B LVD.
RIVE RFRO NT VI LL AG E
*Limited to select units
X
@ RIVE RFRO NT VI LLE
LOCATE D NE X T TO MOE ’ S B BQ
RIVE RFRO NT VI LL AG E
*Applies to select units. See office for details.
p.10 Abbey Crain | Editor culture@cw.ua.edu
Thursday, February 27, 2014
UA alumnus returns to play show at Rounders By Kinsey Haynes | Contributing Writer
CW File 5th Street Vintage Market will be selling vintage clothes, records and more on Sunday.
Vintage shoppers strike gold at 5th Street market By Margaret Wilbourne | Contributing Writer “Mad Men,” Wayfarers and vinyl records are all linked by one common thread: a growing popularity driven by vintage appeal. Often the search for good vintage venues is thought of as a large endeavor, with television shows like “American Pickers” highlighting the hunt for all things eclectic as a cross-country undertaking. Univesity of Alabama students need look no further than the Northport Farmer’s Market to score an old-fashioned find. In its second year, the 5th Street Vintage Market makes its spring return Sunday, bringing vintage clothes, records and furnishings to the Northport area via local and regional vendors. Jamie Cicatiello is a market curator and owner of Tuscaloosa’s Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy, which specializes in upcycling products and vintage furnishings for the home. Cicatiello said the popularity of the market is driven by the continuous support of vintage admirers. “Actually, vintage buyers are very loyal, and they are always out there,” Cicatiello said. “The vintage trend is like any other trend. It seems new because it has gotten a lot of exposure in the main stream media [lately].” Lori Watts, one of the market curators and owner of This Ol’ Thing Vintage, a sales and estate service, said the market’s success can partially be attributed to its location. “The University community is a huge part
of the market, not only as shoppers, but [also as sellers],” Watts said. “Several of our vendors are associated with the UA circle as well.” Fellow curator Sylvia Parker, who moonlights as DJ Tom Kat Kitten when organizing Vinyl Showdown events, said the appeal of vintage has increased since she was a student. She said it is students who help keep the women’s vintage thriving. “We have had a lot of interest from college students, and I think that young people today appreciate vintage style and objects a lot more than they did when I was in college,” Parker said. Dani Beach, a junior majoring in entrepreneurship, is a vivid example of vintage appreciation, having played the roles of both seller and shopper. Beach began selling vintage online in July 2011 and has come to appreciate the history and design of decades past. “I buy vintage because I like buying items that aren’t in every store and that have a history,” Beach said. The 5th Street Vintage Market will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Northport Farmer’s Market on 4150 5th Street. Concessions will be provided by local businesses Black Belt Bamboost and Mary’s Cakes. “I was drawn to the market because we haven’t had an event dedicated to vintage and antiques in the Tuscaloosa area like this one,” Beach said. “I always find something interesting for myself or my friends and family at the market.”
friends,” he said. Their target audience is generally college stuThe Tuscaloosa bar scene thrives on local dents, so Rivers said he feels Rounders is a good musicians, and one contributor to this is singer- fit for them, but they do not cater only to college songwriter Sean Rivers. As with many musi- students. Rivers’ goal is to play music someone cians, Sean Rivers got his start in church choir. will enjoy listening to, regardless of age. Rivers He would secretly write songs and hide the lyrics said one of his favorite parts about performing in his closet. It wasn’t until college that he taught live is looking in the crowd and seeing people himself to play guitar and booked his first gig. singing his original songs back to him. His first show was given “That’s a pretty amazing to him by his friend and feeling. The first time that then-manager of The ever happened was probJupiter Bar, Jeremiah ably my proudest moment in Jones. Jones, now owner music,” he said. “Looking out of The Jupiter Bar, said and seeing people who are Rivers was very persistent ultimately strangers singing in inquiring about opportuthe words to songs that you nities to perform. wrote is your ultimate favor“He told me that if I ite moment as a performer.” could get a decent crowd, In the future, Rivers hopes he would book me every to complete his degree from week,” Rivers said. “We The University of Alabama had over 100 friends show — Sean Rivers and continue playing music. up and eventually became a “This school means the staple of the Tuscaloosa bar world to me, and I would scene.” love to get my degree from Rivers started to see a consistently positive here,” Rivers said. “But music eventually took turnout for his shows. Now, Rivers said, audi- over, became my main goal, stayed my main goal ences can expect energy, captivation and four and will be my main goal until the Lord takes me sweaty dudes. home.” “We like for our audience to feel like they are Sean Rivers will play Rounders Bar on the all at an epic house party with all of their best Strip on Saturday night.
Seeing people who are ultimately strangers singing the words to songs that you wrote is your ultimate favorite moment as a performer.
Weekend Band SCENE
BARS
THURSDAY
RHYTHM & BREWS Rexton Lee
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Missused
Snazz
GREEN BAR
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and Dank Sinatra
Traveling Broke and Out Of Gas
Teenage Daddy, DJ Mark AD
INNISFREE
URI
River Dan Band
Magnetic Elite
JUPITER
N/A
Big Giganitic and Caked Up
N/A
ROUNDERS
Doctors and Lawyers
Soul Tide
Sean Rivers Band
EGAN’S
Harpooner and Black Willis The Golden Monica
DJ JP
CW | Hannah Glenn
@
p.11
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Kiva.org
98.97 % repayment rate
$534,480,350 in loans
73 different countries 1,064,819 lenders 450 volunteers around the world CW | Hannah Glenn
Kiva creates international platform for loans By Hannah Widener | Contributing Writer Looking at Kiva.org, visitors can find an image of a woman named Nelita, a 33-yearold married mother of five living in the Philippines, selling charcoal. Scroll to the right, and there is Vincent, a member of the Chwele district in Kenya, representing the One Acre Fund group. Each of these people pictured is looking for a business loan, and now you can help them. Kiva.org is an organization represented in more than 70 countries that was started in 2005 by Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley. The website allows anyone to lend as little as $25 to impoverished countries around the world. The University of Alabama began its work with Kiva in 2009 and since then has made 307 loans worldwide. Kiva’s current portfolio manager at Alabama, Truc Phan, is a senior majoring in finance, math and management. Phan is a part of the Enactus group that helped her, for the past year-and-a-half, work on the Academic Business Cultural project, a business mentoring program for middle
and high school students. “We won [the] national championship last year for this project,” Phan said. “It’s a nonprofit organization for student leadership, but sadly not a lot of people know about Enactus, and we really need more students to spread the word.” In order to begin making loans on Kiva, the lender does not have to provide money out of pocket. With a budget of about $7,000, the Enactus group will loan money, starting at the minimum of $25, to whomever the lender chooses as a borrower. The lender may then follow the loan periodically and receive updates on repayments. The lender may keep any repayments, but they are encouraged to make another loan or invite someone from the University to join Kiva. David Ford, an advisor for the Kiva project at the University, said he has seen the group grow tremendously since its inception, and that it comes in second in term of loans than almost any other worldwide college affiliated organization. “I see continued growth, even though many other organizations have copy-catted Kiva,” Ford said. “It now is making loans
to impoverished areas within the United States instead of just third-world countries. I think students don’t know about it because there are so many different student organizations on campus. It’s like picking your favorite cereal, there are 50,000 options and each one is great.” Students from other student organizations have tried to benefit from other crowd fundraising platforms including Kickstarter and Indiegogo.com, the predecessor of Kickstarter that promises money immediately to the lender, unlike Kickstarter. Gofundme.com launched in 2010, using the same crowd fundraising platform, but instead is used to fund life events such as trips, graduations, accidents and illnesses. The Resonance Show Choir is traveling to Orlando, Fla., on April 4 to host the “Fame” national show choir championships. In an effort to raise money quickly for their trip, president Morgan Mullen, a junior majoring in human development and family studies, turned to gofundme.com for help. “We actually didn’t raise that much; we only raised about $200 out of the $19,000
that we needed,” Mullen said. “It was little, but that’s because people are wary of putting their information online.” Mullen said they actually only received around $180, as 10 percent is taken out by Gofundme.com. She said they also faced technological issues. “Gofundme.com requires you to link it to Facebook, so it was linked to my Facebook account. But it made it hard to share because it had to go through me instead of the Resonance Show Choir account. It made it hard for everyone to see, and only my group of friends could see it.” Resonance Show Choir is planning to raise the rest of its money by hosting percentage nights at restaurants around Tuscaloosa. The FAC is funding its travel expenses since it is a student organization. Benefits from the fall show go toward the total as well as the cabaret show in the spring. There are both benefits and downfalls to crowd fundraising, but if students are interested in joining UA-Kiva, Ford said it is a safe and secure way to lend money to people in need.
p.12
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Students start space exploration program By Dylan Walker | Staff Reporter Students from the aerospace engineering department are taking their space interest to the next level. As the aerospace engineering program at The University of Alabama is commonly associated with only aeronautics, students have started a University chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. According to the group’s website, SEDS “believes in a space-faring civilization and that focusing the enthusiasm of young people is the key to our future in space.” Students in the aerospace engineering department started a SEDS chapter at the University to foster cooperation and space interest across departments, project teams and majors. Dylan Stapp, president of SEDS and a junior majoring in aerospace engineering and astrophysics, began planning for the chapter with his CanSat teammates as they worked on building a satellite for the national CanSat competition. “A big part of what we’re doing is to provide an outlet for all of the space-related project teams to network and resource with each other,” Stapp said. “We want to have a space day where project teams can showcase their space-
related projects.” The group also plans to have movie nights, a Yuri’s Day celebration, telescope nights and trips to the Marshall Space Flight Center and U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Eric McVay, vice president of SEDS and a junior majoring in aerospace and physics, said the club invites suggestions and participation from its members across campus. “It’s more of a forum and less of a lecture,” McVay said. “We want everyone to be involved and not just show up to hear a guest speaker. We get enough of that in classes.” Stapp said an academic benefit of the club is that students from all disciplines can help each other with space-related projects, assignments and interests. He said his project team for CanSat needs help with robotics and electronics that could be found in students on other teams and in other colleges. “No one is working together, so all that potential is just sitting there in its own group,” Stapp said. “We’re trying to get that where everybody can learn from it, and everybody can work together. To be a successful group, we’re going to need everyone, business and other majors too.” The push for space interest is spearheaded
CW | Austin Bigoney Eric McVay, Joseph Olmstead and Dylan Stapp (left to right) founded a UA chapter of SEDS. by John Baker, the SEDS faculty advisor and department head of aerospace engineering. Baker is helping SEDS and aerospace students get the rest of the University involved in the celestial aspects of aerospace engineering, Stapp said. “It’s called aerospace and not aeronautics because there is a space component, but on this campus there’s no way to know that because there’s nothing going on yet,” Stapp said. The group’s current goal is to build a space community at the University, and the long-term
goal is to promote space exploration and study throughout Tuscaloosa. The group is open to all UA students and community members outside of the school. “If you’re interested in space, if you’re excited about space, or if you think you might be, come check us out,” McVay said. For more information about joining the chapter and upcoming meetings, email Dylan Stapp at dtstapp@crimson.ua.edu. The first public meeting will be held Thursday, March 6, at 5 p.m. in 112 Hardaway Hall.
COLUMN | BOOKS
‘The Circle’ falls short of expectations for book’s author By Alyx Chandler It’s 2014, and Google is thriving as more than just a website. It is an easy answer to everything, a few clicks and letters away from obtaining a wealth information. It’s available on people’s phones, computers and iPads. It’s everywhere, and it’s still growing. I enjoyed most of the read, as it is enticingly time-relevant and suspenseful, “The Circle” did not live up to my expectations of its author Dave Eggers. It pavedway to the interesting, futuristic world of the technology-savvy company called The Circle, which is the most distinguished, sought-out job in the world. It masters solutions to everything, and when the main character Mae gets a job there through her friend, she finds out the three geniuses behind the Circle have much bigger plans than anyone can imagine. Through love affairs, trying to save her father and becoming the worldknown face of the Circle, Mae transforms herself to fit this new world. Eggers chose a detail-driven world of technology advances instead of a book about
Amazon.com
r u o Y e k a M h c r a e S l Renta
asyFORNOWFALLLEASING 2014
2
to k l a W ss! Cla
3
1
4 11
6
5
10 9
12
8
7
1. Bryant Drive 2. Churchill Downs 3. Grenadier 4. Capstone Condos 5. Hunt House 6. Cornerstone 7. 12th St. Quadplex 8. Chateau Twelve 9. 13th St. Quadplex 10. Collegiate Downs 11. Heathrow 12. Dearing Place
Google Maps
Call Today!
345-1440
www.HAEdwards.com
human interactions. As the book goes along, it becomes more and more emotionally dry. Eggers successfully gave a clear message for everyone, but at the price of a dull conclusion. A huge problem was that the main character, Mae, whose thoughts the readers are constantly subjected to, was not altogether likable. In the course of the book, she unfolds into a desperate adolescent, more of a machine than a person, spewing out a hungry ‘yes’ whenever given the chance. At the beginning, the promise of a potential fight for the inevitable ending lingered. But readers got the opposite. Eggers carefully dehumanized her, and critics applaud him for his skillful tactics, but it leaves the audience feeling like she’s a lost cause. Towards the end, everyone knew there was no going back to save her, and it was hard not to hate her for it. Her transformation was almost too difficult to relate to in order to be emotionally changed by the book. “The Circle” held few redeemable characters and few situations to demonstrate an actual solution to the technology problem overtaking the current generation. The book
was a fiery warning and left readers with a bad taste in their mouths. It portrayed online presence as more important than an actual presence to people these days, and it spurred conversation about technology’s role in humanity. But the book could have kept these points and gone deeper into the characters. Though Eggers has impeccable timing on the release of such a finger-shaking message, some subtlety was in order, and some humanity. Some trust in the readers was necessary so that they could take away the message without any spoon-feeding. “The Circle” still manages to enthrall readers through to the end. He crafts a highly detailed world all readers can easily get sucked into and enjoy. It’s still worth reading and has intriguing soon-to–be-true inventions, obsessions and often hilarious insights about the current mindset of humanity. The lack of complexity creates more than a chuckle while reading, but Eggers could have gone deeper. The promise of an understandable sequel rather than a predictable outcome would have been appreciated, but readers can decide that for themselves.
p.13
Thursday, February 27, 2014
COLUMN | THEATER
COLUMN | TELEVISION
NBC’s ‘About a Boy’ series manages to capture book’s wit By Hannah Widener
Flickr.com The opening line of “The Drowsy Chaperone” captures the disappointment felt by some musical theater enthusiasts.
Recent Broadway musicals lack originality By Luke Haynes “I hate the theater. Well, it’s so disappointing, isn’t it?” These are the opening words in Bob Martin’s Tony Award-winning musical “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and unfortunately, they’re beginning to reflect my sentiments as well. You see, like the speaker of these words, I have a great passion for musical theater; in fact, nothing excites me more. But I’m worried about the lack of originality in musical theater today. Personally, I miss the days when I could walk into a theater and meet the characters for the first time and feel the tension rise and fall as I waited in suspense to see the hero’s fate. But I’m afraid all that magical mystery is lacking in most musicals of today for one simple reason: I’ve already seen the movie. It seems theatrical originality is being replaced by musical adaptations. While I love seeing my favorite characters from classic films break out into song, it concerns me that I can find nothing but adaptations everywhere I look. For proof of this, one only has to look at the nominees for Best Musical at the 2013 Tony Awards: “A Christmas Story,” “Bring It On,” “Kinky Boots” and “Matilda.” All are excellent shows with as much diversity as one could wish for, except for one thing that they all have in common. They were all based off movies. All of them. Not one was truly an “original musical.” Now, perhaps all that proves is that the
popular musicals are adaptations. Let us test this theory by looking at the other musicals to open on Broadway in the 2012-13 season: “Hands on a Hardbody” (based off a documentary), “Motown” (based loosely off a book, and its characters were all real people), “Chaplin” (based off a man’s life) and “Scandalous” (based off a woman’s life). One would hope that the Musical Revivals, the re-staging of shows from past years, would offer some relief. Alas, this is not the case: “Annie” (based off a radio program), “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” (based off a Dickens novel), “Pippin” (based off a man’s life), “Cinderella” (based off a movie … which was first based off a fairy tale), “Jekyll & Hyde” (based off a book). As the revivals indicate, writers are drawing inspiration from more than just movies. It seems practically every medium imaginable has been turned into a musical. Musicals have sprung from books, movies, operas, TV shows, comic books, historical events and more. Even when shows try to make themselves look different from their source material such as “Rent” and “West Side Story” (modern re-tellings of “La Bohème” and “Romeo and Juliet,” respectively), they still can’t be counted as completely original pieces because they took characters and plot lines from older works. With this upsetting lack of originality, many have begun to wonder if there is anybody out there still writing original musicals. As a matter of fact, there
are, but sometimes you have to search for them. Hidden amidst the sea of countless adaptations are a few genius original works created by amazingly talented writers. In fact, some of the most popular musicals of recent years – “Next to Normal,” “Urinetown,” “Book of Mormon,” “In the Heights,” etc. – were completely original ideas. Now, I’m not saying that I hate all adaptation musicals. I don’t. In fact, many of my favorite musicals are adaptations. It’s not the number of adaptations that frustrates me, it’s the ratio. Adaptations can be fun, but when Broadway theaters are packed full of nothing but adaptations, then that should be a sign that something is very wrong. Broadway is hungry for original work, and many fans such as myself are yearning for the next great original masterpiece. But we’re not going to get it unless writers start investing in their own ideas instead of building off someone else’s and producers start taking chances on new musicals. Granted, they’re slightly riskier because they don’t come with a guaranteed audience, but I believe the payout of trusting a new musical could be well worth the risk. And even if a producer or a writer doesn’t make millions on a risky original musical, they will have been a part of something that was art in its truest and purest form. And I think the fellow in “The Drowsy Chaperone” will agree with me when I say that that’s why we all got into this business originally.
I can still hear the Five for Fighting “Superman” song when I remember going to the pizzaand-video store in my small town in New Hampshire and staring up at the “About a Boy” movie poster. Hugh Grant looked devilishly handsome and a young Nicholas Hoult wore a fuzzy winter hat looking up at him. This was Grant’s romantic comedy era, the time of “Bridget Jones,” “Two Weeks Notice,” “Love Actually” and “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.” I was 8 years old and had no knowledge of Hugh’s hooker-filled past. I was in love. At such a young age, I wasn’t allowed to see any of these movies, but every preview and movie poster allowed me to direct my own version of the film in my head. It wasn’t until a few years later that I actually saw these films, and, in my personal opinion, the versions in my head were better. Based off the novel by Nick Hornby, “About a Boy” follows 36-year-old bachelor Will Freeman (Grant), who befriends a young boy named Marcus Bowa (Hoult) and his suicidal mother Fiona (Toni Collette). Marcus is worried about his mother and is in need of some help from Will to get her back on track. Will’s life is cool and uncomplicated, and Marcus doesn’t quite fit into it. But for some reason, he feels compelled to help him. Through ups and downs, the film doesn’t close with the happiest of endings, but instead with contentment in the fact that things are the way they are. One of Grant’s best performances to date, the movie is a classic among young adults. Now NBC is bringing “About a Boy” to
the small screen, starring Minnie Driver as Fiona, David Walton as Will and Benjamin Stockham as Marcus. Adapted by Jason Katims and directed by Jon Favreau, the pilot episode brought in 8.26 million viewers Tuesday night. It opens with Will going to a single parents’ meeting, even though he does not have a child himself. He is there to meet single moms. By the end of the first scene, Will is running out the door in his underwear, trying to get the number of a woman, when he meets Fiona and Marcus, his new next-door neighbors. There are a few differences in comparison to the novel. The Christmas song Will’s dad wrote that he so hates hearing around the holiday season is now a song he has apparently written himself. The show is based in L.A., and the only thing British about the show is Minnie Driver. The book takes place in 1990s London and has been updated in what I can only assume is an attempt to keep viewers interested. Although there are a few slight errors, the show still manages to showcase Nick Hornby’s wit and humor marvelously. The sadness and depression that seemed to be the theme of the movie no longer exist in the TV show. David Walton doesn’t hold the same appeal for me as Hugh Grant once did, but I’m hoping he will grow on me as the show goes on. Seeing a new cast portray the characters I remember from my childhood just might renew my love for “About a Boy” all over again. In the meantime, I’m going to try not to think of all the ways age has been unkind to my Hugh and remember the good times instead.
p.14 Marc Torrence | Editor sports@cw.ua.edu
Thursday, February 27, 2014
TRACK AND FIELD
Track and ďŹ eld team looks to improve scores By Benjamin Clark | Contributing Writer The University of Alabama’s track and field team will look to improve on last year’s scores as it travels to College Station, Texas, for the SEC Indoor Championships on Thursday. At last year’s championship meet, the men’s team finished seventh and the women’s team finished 10th. With last year’s rosters filled with younger athletes, Alabama coach Dan Waters said he believes this year’s team has the chance to show how much it has improved. “We’re in a different place competitively, both mentally and performancewise, from where we were a year ago,â€? Waters said. “Most of our people have been through this before, so that part of it is not as much of a concern. It’s more of an opportunity now because we know what to expect, both as coaches and athletes. So I think there’s more positive anticipation than before because of that, as well as the success
we’ve been having, the improvements everyone has been making.� Both teams have seen significant success leading up to this week’s event. The men’s team is currently ranked No. 12 nationally by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and ranked No. 2 in the South Region, while the women’s team has moved up to No. 5 in the South Region. Several members of both teams have broken school records this season, including those who extended the lead on their own record. Senior Alexis Paine has already improved her school record in pole vault that she set at last year’s SEC Indoor Championships (4.25 meters) with a mark of 4.35 meters earlier this season. Sophomore Elias Hakansson began the season by breaking his own school record for weight throw with a distance of 20.67 meters, but that record fell again this season when junior Charodd Richardson set the new mark with 21.22 meters. “I think we’ve set ourselves up for
success at this meet,� Waters said “It’s what we’ve been working toward, and we are excited. We’ve improved with each meet this season, across the board in everything.� This will be the first time Texas A&M will host the SEC Indoor Championships since joining the conference two years ago, and Waters said he is thrilled for the team to compete at its stadium. “Indoor track can be a little different due to the vagaries of indoor facilities, but this is an outstanding facility we are going to compete in this week, maybe the best in the nation for producing good performances,� Waters said. “We are excited and ready to go.� This year’s SEC Indoor Championships look promising to the Crimson Tide with more experience on its side, a team full of record holders and the right venue. “We have a chance to do some great things this weekend, some things we haven’t done here in a while,� UA Athletics Waters said. The University of Alabama track and field team will travel to College Station, Texas for the SEC Indoor Championships.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Lone senior Shafontaye Myers leads Crimson Tide By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter Shafontaye Myers was 9 years old the last time the Crimson Tide avoided a losing conference record, when Alabama went 7-7 in the league during the 2001-02 season. Now, as the only senior on coach Kristy Curry’s first team in Tuscaloosa, Myers is looking to duplicate that .500 mark in the SEC. If the Crimson Tide (13-14, 6-8) wins out Thursday at Auburn and Saturday against LSU, Alabama will achieve that goal. To be in this position would have seemed unlikely after the first meeting against Auburn. Alabama fell 61-39 to the Tigers, a season-low point total for the Crimson Tide. “We’ve really grown a lot as a team - coming together, buying into what the coaches really want us to do, like coming in and
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Women’s basketball vs. LSU WHEN: Sunday, 1 p.m. WHERE: Foster Auditorium RADIO: 790 AM getting the extra shots,� Myers said. “We’re just doing it all to try to better ourselves, so I feel pretty comfortable about our team coming into Thursday’s, as well as Sunday’s, game.� On Sunday at Memorial Coliseum, Alabama earned its first-ever road win against Vanderbilt. The victory also broke a losing streak to the Commodores that dated back to 2004. The Crimson Tide posted additional road
wins at Missouri and Kentucky, already surpassing the total conference road wins from the past two seasons. Assistant coach Skereka Wright said the new direction Curry has instituted has improved the program, but it hasn’t been easy. “I think it’s very difficult for any individual to adjust to a new coaching staff and the things we’ve asked of her,� Wright said. “I think she’s responded. By any means, has it been easy? No, because change is not easy for anybody, but for her, it’s been really, really good. Her success, as you all have seen, has been huge for us.� Myers is the team leader in points per game at 14.2 and currently sits at No. 24 in the nation with 2.9 three-pointers per game. Coming from Sunshine High School in Newbern, Ala., an hour south of Tuscaloosa,
Myers said that her family’s support has been instrumental in her career with the Crimson Tide. “Oh, they come to every single game here,� Myers said. “They’ve been a big support. I got family that stays here. It’s a huge, huge advantage for me, because I love my family’s support, so it helps me, and it gives me the extra will and boost to go on.� With an opportunity for a first-round bye in the SEC tournament, Myers and the rest of the team have another motivating factor going into the final two regular season games. “We just want our kids to have fun, and they’ve been doing that,� Wright said. “They’ve been playing with emotion, and they’ve enjoyed playing with each other. And that’s the biggest thing you could ask of this team right now, and just continue to build and not be content.�
FINALE TONIGHT! 7pm
ComH WR /OR\G WR FKHHU RQ WKH ÀQDOLVWV DQG YRWH for this year’s Bama Idol! Admission is free!
Finalists:
Brianna Bolling
Jordan Butler
Phillip Estes
Liz Long
Malikka Nation
Shelby Lynne Shaw
13th Street living with ALL the amenities!
Hosted by Austin Rhyne & Andy Powers
Teasia Thomas Special guest appearances by
members of the Afro-American Gospel Choir facebook.com/UAHousing
& The AcaBellas Leasing OfďŹ ce: 601 13th ST, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat-Sun by appt
p.15
Thursday, February 27, 2014
WOMEN’S TENNIS
GYMNASTICS
CW | Austin Bigoney Women’s tennis coach Jenny Mainz has led the team to a national ranking of No. 14.
Women’s tennis team grows under Mainz By Caroline Gazzara | Staff Reporter Seventeen years ago, Jenny Mainz became the head coach of the Crimson Tide women’s tennis program. That was in 1997, and since then her coaching style and mentality have changed. “I’ve grown a lot, and I think I’ve matured a lot as a coach,” Mainz said. “The way I would handle things five years ago is completely different than how I would handle it now. I think I’m a better coach now, and when I say that I mean because of experiences that I’ve had, learning from the players, learning from other coaches in the department, learning from assistant coaches and our men’s program. “I think you learn so much from other people, watching them, taking the good and the bad. When you are surrounded by good, positive people that are champions, it’s a championship mentality. I think if you’re paying attention, you’re finding better ways to learn.” Mainz coaches one of the most successful women’s tennis programs in Alabama history. Currently sitting at No. 14 in the rankings, Alabama has seen a lot of positive results because of Mainz. But it wasn’t all success when Mainz first joined the Crimson Tide. Her first few seasons weren’t what she has come to expect from herself or her team. Her first year with Alabama was a winless season, and her next two seasons weren’t any better. Those seasons are what she said keep her motivated to improve. “We were last in the conference for four
years,” Mainz said. “We were last, dead last. We were 0-21 my first year, my second year we won five matches, and my third year I won seven matches. So in three years I won 12 matches. Mal Moore was very supportive, stuck by me and believed in me, but he said, ‘You got to win in the SEC.’” Mainz said other conference schools laughed at Alabama and would tell them not to play. Being the team that no one wanted, Mainz made it her mission to rebuild the program. Mainz is the only coach in Alabama history to take the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Championships 10 times, each time getting a little further than before. Mainz said she’s teaching her team to always improve a little bit every day. Even though Mainz isn’t leaving Alabama any time soon, she’s already made a legacy. She said her career is centered on being a good example for her team. “Do the right thing, be fair, be consistent. My whole career, my whole life, is to get the most out of them,” Mainz said. “If any of them left Alabama and said they didn’t have a good experience or they weren’t taught good values or I wasn’t a good example, it would kill me. The most important thing is the example I set to try to teach them that what you do does matter, that people are watching. … You make a difference every day. It’s empowering. I hope that my legacy is that, yeah I am a great coach, but more importantly that I was a great example.” The Crimson Tide (8-2) hosts Mississippi State on Friday.
THE
STORAGE FACILITY #1 IN TOWN
features • • • • •
Climate Control Available 24 hour Security Cameras Pin Code Access Moving Supplies Convenient Hours
3 loca tions 35th Street & I-359 752-7649 North Commons 349-0050 Rice Mine Road 349-0907
Start
reserving today.
CW | Austin Bigoney Freshman gymnast Amanda Jetter scored a 9.85 on the uneven bars in the Perfect 10 Challenge in Oklahoma City Friday.
Tide prepares for Gators, practices for postseason By Marc Torrence | Sports Editor Upon returning from a second-place finish at the Perfect 10 Challenge in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Alabama gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson wrote “.025” in big, black numbers at the top of the white board that hangs in the team’s practice facility. She challenged gymnasts to write their names underneath it if they felt they could improve their routines by .025, the smallest margin possible. By Monday, the names and routines stretched to the bottom of the board. Those small improvements are often the difference between winning a national championship and finishing in third or fourth place. And they will be critical as the No. 4 Crimson Tide enters a stretch of three straight home meets to end the regular season, starting Friday with the No. 3 Florida Gators. “The beginning of the season is kind of get your feet wet, get the freshmen used to it, start getting some good away scores and stuff,” senior Kim Jacob said. “But now is the time we need to start hitting our stride. We’ve kept improving every week, and now we just need to hit that point where we have no doubts and we can go into the end of the season with total confidence.” The Gators have turned into a rival of sorts for Alabama. In 2013, Florida won its first NCAA gymnastics championship, helped by a late collapse by Alabama. The year before, the Crimson Tide edged out the Gators by less than a tenth of a point. Florida had been waiting to break through into the elite group of teams that have won a gymnastics national championship, and last year it finally did. “I feel like the last three or four years, they were the team that had the most talent and could have won the national champion-
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Gymnastics vs. No. 3 Florida WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Coleman Coliseum RECORDS: Alabama (7-3, 4-1 SEC) Florida (7-0, 5-0 SEC)
ship,” Patterson said. “When we won in ’11 and ’12, we were not the most talented team, but we were the best team on the last night. And that’s okay because that’s where a lot of our championships have come from. So once they conquered that and won last year, I think they’re a great program.” But winning and losing won’t be as important to Alabama as fixing the little things – the .025s – before the postseason begins. With both SECs and NCAAs in Birmingham, the Tide only has one more meet, regionals, that will be outside of the state. “The timing of it is good,” Patterson said. “Hopefully we can capitalize on being here at home and having a great crowd. But I also think that with the stress that comes with school, now there’s tests, papers, midterms, all that kind of stuff is hitting last week and this week. And we don’t have to be traveling and taking them out of class.” So while there may be small changes here or there, the final three weeks of the regular season will be about going from good to great to be in a position to win when it matters. “These three weeks at home give us an opportunity to be in a great comfort zone in terms of making upgrades to our routines, changes, differences in the lineups,” Patterson said. “Anything we’re going to do, we’ve got a three-week window before the championship season starts.”
p.16 Murphy collects numerous titles during tenure as coach MURPHY FROM PAGE 1
Murphy pays attention to details, like having his team hand-deliver tickets to the season ticket holders. “I think the fans honestly feel a part of this tradition and this program because he makes an effort to interact with them, makes an effort to make them feel a part of what softball is here, so he’s definitely done a great job of creating this for sure,” said Cassie Reilly-Boccia, a member of the 2012 WCWS National Championship team. Chad Haynie has worked more than 275 wins and 300 games with WVUA-FM as a student assistant in sports information and currently with Crimson Tide Sports Network. He’s seen the highs and lows of Alabama softball. One thing he has observed is Murphy’s success. “I think he surrounds himself with good people, being character student-athletes,” Haynie said. “He won’t bring in someone, even if they’re the greatest player in the country, if they’re not of high character and could be a cancer in the clubhouse.” Murphy’s dedication to the team itself is something the players, current and past, said they appreciate about the team. “He recruits the type of players that not only can play, but they’re great people, and they’re going to make a good team,” senior Kaila Hunt said. “And that’s what it’s all about. He recruits people who can be a team, and it’s a great thing for him. I mean, he’s a great coach, so he deserves all of it.” Three-time All-American Kayla Braud still remembers her first meeting as a freshman. High school was very much focused on her, where she was going to college and what she needed to do to get there, but that changed when she came to Alabama. “The first thing he said, ‘The sooner you realize it’s not all about you, the better off you’ll be.’ I think that really sets the tone for your career at Alabama, and then he always, always talks about being a servant leader, and he embodies that for all of us,” Braud said. “It’s not like, what can I do for myself today; it’s what can I do for others.” Murphy, though, isn’t done winning yet. With 800 wins under his belt at Alabama and an NFCA Hall of Fame induction, Murphy is just getting started. At Alabama, Murphy is 802-216 (.788) and 830-236 (.779) for his career. He’s coached at Alabama since 1997 and has been head coach since 1999. “I just think it was just a lot of hard work and effort by a lot of people, players throughout the years. You know, 16 years, it’s a lot of hard work by a lot of people - support staff,
Thursday, February 27, 2014 managers, trainers, everybody involved with our program from the top down. It’s just been a really good labor of love for all those years,” Murphy said. Murphy received his induction into the NFCA Hall of Fame on Dec. 6, 2013. In his time as head coach at Alabama, the Crimson Tide has made 15 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including the 2012 national championship. “Well, it’s an honor to be along for the ride for it, and he’s a Hall of Famer before he even gets to 1,000 wins, so I think that tells you how much he’s meant to the sport of softball that he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame before really a milestone, that kind of gets you there,” Haynie said. “And just really a great guy that’s made a great impact on a lot of people’s lives, his players and I think everyone who’s worked with him too – I’d put myself in that. Deserves all the wins that he gets and hope to be around for some more of them.” Since Murphy has been at Alabama, the team has won four regular-season SEC titles, four SEC tournament titles and eight Women’s College World Series berths. “He’s on his way, and he’s just getting started, too, so I think that first national championship under his belt, bunch of SECs, the flood gates are probably about to open I think for Alabama softball in the coming years,” Reilly-Boccia said. “They know how to do it, know what it takes to get there, and it’s just going to be tacking on one after another after that.” The motto in 2012 was “Finish It,” and the team did, winning the national championship in three games over the University of Oklahoma. As of now, Murphy hasn’t finished winning. “He always says, ‘We’re not done. We’re reloading. We’re going to continue,’” Fenton said. “Our whole theme for Alabama softball is ‘Tradition never graduates,’ and it truly doesn’t, because he brings in new kids that just reload the whole system, and they keep moving on. He’s definitely not satisfied with one national championship. He is not complacent. He wants it every year, and … his goal is just to bring out the best in each athlete that he can.” It’s not a surprise to his players that Murphy has accomplished what he has at Alabama. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, because you are so happy for him that he has accomplished that, but then, at the same time, you’re like, ‘Well, of course he accomplished it,’” Fenton said. “He’s just so good at what he does in all aspects of the game, in all aspects of how he handles others and how classy he CW File is. It’s a remarkable milestone for him, but Softball head coach Patrick Murphy won his 800th win at Alabama Saturday against Virginia at the same time, I’m like, ‘Of course, he did that,’ because he’s that good at what he does.” Tech and has been inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame.
p.17
Thursday, February 27, 2014
MARKETPLACE
RATES
$1.25 for the first 5 words, $0.25 for every additional word A border around your ad is an additional $0.50 per ad
IN THE
How to place a classified: For classified line ads visit www.cw.ua.edu and click on the classifieds tab. For classified display ads call (205) 348-7355 or email cwclassmgr@gmail.com for a free consultation. The Crimson White is published four days a week (M, T, W, TH). Each classified line ad must run for a minimum of four days and include no less than 16 words.
DEADLINES: Classified line ad deadline is the previous business day by 4:00 p.m.
HOUSING Efficiency & 1 Bedroom Units Available now. Also, pre-leasing for Fall 2014. Starting at $425 per month. Walking distance to campus. No Pets. Call 205-752-1277. Email: crissy@ tiderentals.com Downtown Loft Extra nice loft, downtown. 2 bed/1 bath, roof deck. (205)752-9020-or-(205)657-3900 3br/2ba House for Rent 611 25th St E. Built in 2012. Features safe room, optional alarm system, 2 car garage. Crimson Choice Enrolled Property. Absolutely No pets. Call ZAP 205345-2686
ANNOUNCEMENTS ALABAMA FOOTBALL PICTURES Sell as LOT Alabama Pictures breaking up collection. prefer
DISCOUNTS:
5% off for 4 issues - 10% off for 8 issues - 15% off for 16 issues
to sell as a lot. Includes 16 DANIEL MOORE pictures and 5 by GREGG GAMBLE, and a few miscellaneous one of a kinds. All pictures all professionally framed and matted.$6500 OBO. Can email picture Please call 205-331-9314 or 205-633-9993. Email rm4666@yahoo.com
JOBS Up To $5,000/Mo.- Part Time Make Money Blogging Set Your Own Hours. Start Right Away. Go To: www.dare-2-succeed.com Enjoy Sales? Like Cosmetics? Earn 20% to 50% commissions. Free training. P/T or F/T. Call (352) 503-4816 Visit www.StartaFunBiz.com
“When other jewelers say no, Tom says yes�
Sudoku
Tom’s Jewelry Repair Like on Facebook & get a free cleaning! Jewelry Sales
2300 McFarland Blvd East (205) 758-2213
HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (02/27/14). With disciplined focus, your garden overflows with abundance this year. Creatively, you’re on fire, especially through August, when career takes off. Make time for romance over summer and autumn. Balance home and work responsibilities with organization, partnership and communication. Everyone can help. Release stress with delicious food, exercise and rest. Love keeps your batteries charged. Indulge. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Surround yourself with friends. Ask them what they love about their lives, and what contribution they’d like to make to the world. Listening is the key, so open up your ears. Get a sweet surprise. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Let your partner do the talking first. Advance your agenda together. Double-check the data. Then send out the news. Let others know what you need. Revise your resume to include recent work. Sign on the dotted line. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Get clear on practical details. Keep track of the numbers involved. Study the situation, and talk it over with someone experienced. Unearth a brilliant idea. Together, you find the answer you were looking for. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Old business falls away as you grasp a new task ahead. Good communications increases efficiency. Manage responsibilities with integrity. Share what you want for the family. Open a new account. Set up structures for support. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -Today is a 7 -- Ask questions about the job. You’re seeking a mutual win. It’s not just beginner’s luck. You’ve got the skills. Conclude negotiations in a stroke of genius. Spirit and mind connect. Review all details. Together, you’re much smarter.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -Today is an 8 -- Clean up your home communication center. Don’t overlook anything. You’re a master of your craft. A conflict of interests could provide obstacles. Account for every penny. Fix something before it breaks. Relax with a good book. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -Today is a 6 -- Complete your personal correspondence, and get the word out. It’s a great time for writing. Listen for your message, and express it clearly. Someone’s saying nice things about you. Include thanks and appreciations in your communications. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -Today is a 6 -- Express your affection. Let others know what you want, and listen for what they do. You may be able to work out a trade. Keep track of your hours. Confidence and profit are on the rise. Luxuriate at home. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- Use tried and tested techniques applied to your brilliant idea. Confer with the family. Your commitment is bigger than whatever your considerations are. Evolve your ideals to suit a new perspective. Communicate your vision. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Agree to move forward with the plan. You’re fascinated by new ideas. Discuss implications from current events, especially financial. Some of your theories can succeed. Listen carefully for advantage and opportunity. Write down profitable ideas. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Put your feelings into your work, and get playful. An unexpected reaction could be genius. Find a smarter way to spend. Think before you speak. News could seem intense. There’s no need to seek a new partner. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 5 -- Seek fresh inspiration. Find another way to work smarter. Negotiate for a better deal, when you discover a truth you hadn’t seen before. Sign off or cast your vote. Get lost in thought. Begin writing.
Public Intoxication? Minor in Possession? Driving Under Influence?
Leasing NOW & Fall!
Randal S. Ford, Esq. (205) 759-3232 www.tuscaloosacourt.com
“No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.�
1HZN¡V H[SUHVV &DIH %UXPILHOG¡V 5HVWDXUDQW DUH QRZ KLULQJ FDVKLHUV VHUYHUV EDUWHQGHUV OLQH FRRNV &RPSHWLWLYH ZDJHV HPSOR\HH PHDO GLVFRXQWV &DOO WR VHW XS DQ LQWHUYLHZ
1HZN¡V %UXPILHOG¡V
1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms
Minutes from Campus & Malls
*Monitored Security System
*Gas Logs/Fireplaces *Tanning Beds Fitness Center; 2 Resor t Pools
Onsite Management 3201 Hargrove Road East
205-554-1977 palisadesapthomes.com
PER M U to B ARE R E C P BUM TAL CAR TO
205-556-8411 TIDE DISCOUNTS 12% OFF up to $100 Mention Crimson White when you drop off car. Other terms apply.
3017 McFarland Blvd
Sunglasses
We buy your wrecked or broken down car or truck! Call, text, or email info and pictures
205-454-4300 webcars7077@gmail.com
www.shirtshop.biz Downtown 205-752-6931 525 Greensboro Ave.
Gordon Miller Realty -2 & 3 bedroom homes -Fall leases! -Fenced in yards -Pet friendly -Use of swimming pools -2 minutes from campus -On the Crimson Ride route
Leasing: 205-242-0528
p.18
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Rent Starting At
525
Only $
MO BR
OFFER ENDS
Mar 21
RESORT POOL 5 Min To Campus!
CALL
OR
TEXT
o o t 8PPET6" DPN
INCREDIBLE HOMES
Amenities /WoodlandsofTuscaloosa
@WoodlandsUA
t '3&& *OUFSOFU $BCMF
t 4UVEZ -PVOHF
t '6--: '63/*4)&% t -BHPPO 1PPM "SFB
t 'VMM 'SFF 8FJHIU $BSEJP $JSVJU 5SBJOJOH (ZNT
t 8IJSMQPPM
t 7PMMFZCBMM $PVSU
t )% 5IFBUFS
t 'JSF 1JUT (SJMMJOH "SFBT
t 1SJWBUF 4FDVSJUZ
t $ZCFS $BGF More!
t $PNNVOJUZ 8* '*
shuttle
to campus +The STRIP!
Pet Friendly Roommate Matching