TUESDAY MARCH 18, 2014 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 104 Serving The University of Alabama since 1894
CULTURE | HISTORY
I a of
mystery
Campus home to hidden relics of past By Dylan Walker | Staff Reporter
CW | Lindsey Leonard A student walks the halls of the basement of Gorgas Library, a place to study, browse and explore with limited Internet connection or cellphone service.
t was a day like any other outside the Riverside dormitories until two people crawled from underneath a manhole cover. Looking travel-worn and curious, the two adventurers asked their onlookers what year it was. Danny Ryan, a junior majoring in telecommunication and film, is not actually a time traveler, but he is used to the strange looks one receives when appearing from under the street. Ryan and his friends have explored many of the rumored tunnel systems underneath the University of Alabama campus, one of many on-campus mysteries. “The drainage tunnels are a passed-down tradition,” Ryan said. “A friend took me and some others down there and taught me how to navigate around them, so now I can take my friends as well.” Ryan said the drains, which are actually storm drains and not intended to be accessed, can be entered anywhere there is a manhole or storm drain, and some areas are more accessible than others. Some spots underground serve as time capsules, housing license plates, beer bottles and soda cans from the 1970s. “It gives you a new perspective on a place that we spend all of our time at,” Ryan said. “We walk around campus every day, but you never get to experience what’s underneath it. You’re under the school in a place that you’re not really supposed to be.” Above this underground world, on the first floor of Gorgas Library, sits an elevator tucked in a corner. Left of the computers and out of students’ sight, this creaking elevator appears to be just like its more popular counterparts, but it offers two more buttons SEE MYTHS PAGE 11
TODAYON CAMPUS International support WHAT: International Spouse Group WHEN: 9:30-11:30 a.m. WHERE: 105 B.B. Comer Hall
NEWS | CONSTRUCTION
Dorms to gain recreation facility Student Center will feature climbing wall, fitness studios By Emily Williams | Staff Reporter
Student recital
SEE REC PAGE 11
WHAT: Jazz Combo and the 2:00 Jazz Band WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Moody Music Building Concert Hall
Campus performance WHAT: Andrew Nichols, tenor WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Moody Music Building Recital Hall
By Drew Pendleton | Contributing Writer During the middle weeks of March, spring break is the talk of the town for students at The University of Alabama. For members of the University’s Persian population, there is an even bigger event to celebrate. “Nowruz is a big deal back in Iran,” said Ehsan Omidi, a second-year doctoral student in mechanical engineering. “It’s like our Christmas.” Nowruz, which celebrates the start of a new year on the Persian calendar, is traditionally a family-oriented holiday in Persian culture. To celebrate the new year, International Expressions, through
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Sports Puzzles Classifieds
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University Programs, will hold a Persian New Year celebration Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Presidential Village community room. Candice Ji, a junior majoring in marketing and advertising and the event programmer
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Briefs Opinions Culture
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— Candice Ji
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Last year, people started tearing up because this is a big family holiday for them. So we wanted to show that people care, that they feel at home here.
for International Expressions, said the idea for the event came to her last year. “I was looking for another international holiday to celebrate,” Ji said. “I found Persian New Year and reached out to UA’s Turkish and Iranian students to see if we could get something going.” Ji helped with the event last year and took the reins for this year’s edition, where she worked with members of the Crossroads Community Center and the International Relations Club. Ji said the response from last year’s event is what drove her to bring it back. “Last year, people started tearing up because this is a big family holiday for them,” Ji said. “So we wanted to show that people care, that they feel at home here.”
CONTACT
Music scene
International Expressions to host cultural celebration
Ple a
WHAT: Honors Weekly Coffee Hour WHEN: 7-8 p.m. WHERE: Ridgecrest South Lobby
UA Persian students ring in new year
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Honors College
CULTURE | INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATIONS
WEATHER
WHAT: Johnny Mok, cello WHEN: 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Moody Music Building Recital Hall
CW | Shelby Akin The new Student Center at Presidential Village will be located between the Presidential Village residence halls.
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WHAT: Managing Your Time in College WHEN: 4-5 p.m. WHERE: 230 Osband Hall
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WHAT: Graduation Celebration WHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center Plaza
The week before spring break is one of the busiest times of the year at the Student Recreation Center, but next year, it might be a little bit easier to find an open treadmill. This fall, University Recreation will open a second recreation center on campus called the Student Center at Presidential Village. The new rec center is under construction between the Presidential Village residence halls on the north side of campus. Kristen Durham, University Recreation’s associate director of memberships and fitness, said former University President Robert Witt chose the location because he wanted to
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Spring commencement
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CAMPUSBRIEFS
Tuesday March 18, 2014
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Design house to be demolished The HES Design house, located on Magnolia Drive, will be torn down during Spring Break (March 22-29). The sidewalks near the HES Design House will be closed during the process. For more information, contact Matt Denaburg with HOAR Program Management: 348-1945, 572-5170 or mdenaburg@fa.ua.edu.
SCENEON CAMPUS
Awards accepting nominations The Division of Community Affairs is currently accepting nominations until 5 p.m. Monday for the 2014 Excellence in Engaged Scholarship Awards. The scholarship honors students, faculty, staff and community partners who represent the best in community-engaged scholarships. Visit communityaffairs.ua.edu/awards for more information and to access the nomination forms and applications.
Undergraduate positions open University Programs is accepting applications for graduate and undergraduate positions until 5 p.m. Friday, with interviews being held April 12 - 13. For job applications and descriptions, visit studentjobs.ua.edu. For additional information, call 348-7525, or email universityprograms@sa.ua.edu.
CW | Austin Bigoney Graffiti on the construction site perimeter wall of the Ferguson Center expansion reads “Can you see my label now?”
WEDNESDAY WHAT: International Expressions: Persian New Year WHEN: 6-8 p.m. WHERE: Presidential Village Community Room
Yell Crew applications due Yell Crew applications are due Tuesday, April 8, at 2 p.m. The Yell Crew is a group of students that leads the freshman student section at all home football games and in gameday traditions. Applications can be found at (fye. ua.edu/yell2.cfm). Compiled by Heather Buchanan
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THURSDAY
TODAY WHAT: Honors Weekly Coffee Hour WHEN: 7 p.m. WHERE: Ridgecrest South Lobby WHAT: International Spouse Group WHEN: 9:30-11:30 a.m. WHERE: 105 B.B. Comer Hall WHAT: Graduation Celebration WHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center Plaza
WHAT: Big Al Tryouts info session WHEN: 6:30 p.m. WHERE: C.M. Newton Room, Coleman Coliseum WHAT: “Why Teach?” panel WHEN: 4-6 p.m. WHERE: 1092 Shelby Hall WHAT: Improve Your Reading Speed workshop WHEN: 4-5 p.m. WHERE: 230 Osband Hall
WHAT: Xpress Night with Spoken Word WHEN: 7-9 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center Starbucks WHAT: Blend Day Lunch WHEN: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center Food Court WHAT: Track and Field/Cross Country Relays WHEN: All Day WHERE: Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium WHAT: Whiskey Dix WHEN: 4 p.m. WHERE: Rhythm and Brews
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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.
BURKE LUNCH
Crispy Asiago-Crusted Chicken Chicago-Style Hot Dogs Rotini Marinara Italian Green Beans Black Bean Cakes
LAKESIDE DINNER
Stuffed Pork Loin with Pork Gravy Grilled Cheese with Bacon Baked Potato Wedges Capri Blend Vegetables Fresh Squash
LUNCH
DINNER
Grilled/Crispy Chicken Hamburgers Tenders Pepperoni Pizza Rueben Panini Ginger Honey Glazed Chicken Caesar Salad Carrots Green Beans and Carrots Herbed Wedge Potatoes Vegetable Curry with Vegetable Teriyaki with Jasmine Rice Tofu
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: March 5, 2014, response from Reinhart: “There are no public records that are responsive to your request. I can confirm that Congressman Bonner was interviewed on May 3, 2013.” 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 attended 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
FRESH FOOD LUNCH
Steak Baked Potato Bar Broccoli Corn on the Cob Cheese Pizza
INTHE NEWS Twitter CEO to travel to China From MCT Campus Twitter Inc. Chief Executive Dick Costolo is on his first trip to China. Costolo is spending three days meeting with Shanghai government officials and university administrators. He will also participate in a roundtable discussion with students at Fudan University in Shanghai, which sponsored his visa. Costolo will not visit Beijing, a Twitter spokesman said. Twitter, which has been blocked in China since 2009, tamped down speculation that it is eyeing the Chinese market, the world’s most populous with 600 million Internet users. Twitter also is not expected to ask Beijing to lift the ban on Twitter. “Dick is visiting China because he wants to learn more about the Chinese culture and the country’s thriving technology sector. We have no plans to change anything about our service in order to enter the market,” the Twitter spokesman said in an emailed statement. Major U.S. Internet companies have struggled to find a way to get a foothold in China without giving in to government’s censorship of the Internet. Google, which began offering a censored version of its search engine in China in 2006, pulled out of mainland China in 2010 in a rare act of defiance. LinkedIn, which already has more than 4 million users in China, recently launched a Chineselanguage version of its website as part of a broader expansion in the country. Entering China would be a far tougher proposition for Twitter, which has staked its reputation on championing free speech and pushing back against government requests for users’ personal information. China continues to crack down on bloggers and other dissidents on social media such as Sina Corp.’s Weibo, which is similar to Twitter. In June, Costolo told the American Society of News Editors convention that he would “love to be able to run Twitter as Twitter in China” but said the company would not sacrifice its principles to do so. That’s not to say Twitter does not have business interests in China. Its subsidiary MoPub serves up ads inside mobile apps from Chinese developers, and Beijing-based personal computer maker Lenovo Group advertises on Twitter. Costolo also hopes to learn more about Chinese innovation.
p.3 Mark Hammontree | Editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
STUDY ABROAD | ARGENTINA
NEWSIN BRIEF Alabama start-ups to compete Two companies affiliated with The University of Alabama, Bidsters and Child Safety Pass, are set to compete at the Alabama Launchpad Start-Up Competition. The teams will make their final pitch presentations March 21 at Evonik Industries located at 750 Lakeshore Parkway in Birmingham. The event will begin at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Engineering media relations, at (205) 348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu. Compiled by Mark Hammontree
CW | Pete Pajor With favorable monetary exchange rates, students can pursue a variety of adventures as they study abroad in Argentina.
Students explore Argentina By Heather Buchanan | Contributing Writer The laid-back culture of Buenos Aires gives University of Alabama students the chance to experience a different pace and culture than what home has to offer. “There were no real time constraints,” Avery Moore, who studied in Buenos Aires last spring, said about the city’s lifestyle. “People sit in cafes for hours at a time enjoying each other’s company, enjoy getting lost in museums and parks and enjoy socializing in an intimate setting.” Moore, a senior majoring in Spanish and marketing, studied in Buenos Aires through CISabroad, one of the 14 affiliate programs partnered with The University of Alabama. CISabroad offers two opportunities for studying in Argentina, including a semester program or a summer program, according to CISabroad. com. Both programs place students in Belgrano and Palermo. Students study at Universidad de Belgrano, located in Belgrano, and reside in Palermo. The program offers Spanish classes at all levels and opportunitites for trips around the area with CISabroad staff, interacting with the community and experiencing Argentinian culture firsthand. During her time in Argentina through
CISabroad, Moore said she noticed that many Argentinian people seem to live more in the moment than Americans. “iPhones are not a commodity, nor are laptops or iPads,” Moore said. “There’s much more verbal interaction amongst people rather than long phone conversations or text messaging.” Heath Thompson, a study abroad coordinator for The University of Alabama, also studied in Buenos Aires. He said he enjoyed experiencing the lifestyle that focused more on the present. “Whether it was two- to three-hour dinner with friends or my host family, lounging in tango clubs until the early morning hours or simply strolling through the city for leisure, the moments I miss the most are those with a heavy focus on enjoying life and those around you,” Thompson said. The relaxed atmosphere is due in part to the education system. Pete Pajor, a junior majoring in Spanish and public relations, is currently studying in Buenos Aires through AIFS, a study abroad program that offers both semester and summer programs at Universidad de Belgrano. Pajor said the eliminated cost of post-secondary education and Friday classes change the typical “college experience” and contribute to the city’s lifestyle. “Because all schooling is free, there is no rush for students to get their
degree,” Pajor explained. “The average student will finish their degree in anywhere from five or six years to 10 years. It’s a very open-ended process, because school is usually a secondary objective behind working. It’s also common to start and just not finish, as there isn’t a financial obligation to attend because they’re not paying tuition.” Another thing both Moore and Pajor said they noticed in Argentina is the favorable exchange rate between U.S. dollars and the Argentinian peso. According to Bloomberg.com, the website for the financial software company Bloomberg L.P., one U.S. dollar currently equals 7.91 pesos. This rate expands the opportunities available to American students in Argentina. Pajor, who has traveled to or lived in many corners of the globe, said studying or traveling abroad showed him how accessible the rest of the world truly is. “One of the best things that studying abroad, or really even extensive traveling, teaches someone is that the world really isn’t all that big of a place,” Pajor said. “It’s far too easy to be in America and hold the perception that the rest of the world is too far away, too big to be accessible. This just isn’t the case. It isn’t until you leave the U.S. and actually talk to others in foreign countries that you realize how small of the place this planet is.”
(Hurry! Offer is only good while supplies last!)
p.4 John Brinkerhoff | Editor letters@cw.ua.edu
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
COLUMN | SGA
UA does not need SGA if it fails to provide progress By Patrick Crowley | Senior Staff Columnist
CW | Talia Scarpelli
COLUMN | CAMPUS DINING
Healthy vending means more than water By Leigh Terry | Staff Columnist The University of Alabama and Bama Dining, in particular, have made great strides over the last few years toward expanding healthy eating options on campus. Dining halls now feature calorie counts prominently posted near each food item. Lakeside has fresh fruit, and it has added a gyro bar. These efforts make my job as a campus ambassador much easier, because I can impress prospective students and their families with a seemingly limitless array of options on recruiting lunches. However, without the same zeal for campus health present in vending machines, as is evident in dining halls, the more than 34,000 students currently enrolled at The University of Alabama are left in the nutritional lurch. For instance, when I wanted to grab orange juice on the way to my 9:30 a.m. class in Nott Hall this week, I had to bike past Nott to Lloyd Hall, grab juice, stand in the 12-person line to pay, be “that guy” fumbling to get my ACT card in and out of my bag and then jog to Nott to make it to class on time (and out
Leigh Terry of breath.) If only one of the two Pepsi spots in the Nott vending machine was replaced with a juice option, my morning would have started on a much less stressful (and sweat-laden) note. As an economics major, I am not suggesting that the University sacrifice its prized profitability for student health benefits. Rather, as a member of the Computer-Based Honors Program, I recommend that the Capstone look to its recent computerized sales data from its many campus groceries, determine which healthy drink option
is the top seller and stock it in all drink machines on campus. Some students may protest saying it is unnecessary since all vending machines sell bottled water, but I and other health-minded students have many reasons for believing H2O is not enough. Yes, water hydrates, but bottled water is cost-ineffective for most college students and does not provide the same health benefits as juice. Orange juice, on the other hand, provides vitamin C, protects against inflammation, improves blood pressure and decreases LDL cholesterol. Apple juice provides calcium, potassium, iron and even carbohydrates. Students also need an occasional dose of sugar to keep their energy levels high and they should not have to turn to soft drinks to get it. If vending alternatives are what it takes to make me and my classmates happier and healthier, then I better see some juice in Nott before Easter. Leigh Terry is a sophomore majoring in economics. Her column runs biweekly on Wednesdays.
A month ago, I wrote that the SGA must save itself from irrelevance by installing leadership with bold and progressive vision, especially female leadership. It was wishful thinking on my part, and I was quickly dragged back down to reality last Tuesday when the mostly male, Machine-backed candidates swept the executive positions. Of course, the independent candidates – Justin Thompson, Elliot Spillers and Patrick Crowley Khortlan Patterson – deserve recognition and applause for offering UA students a competitive and interesting SGA election, unlike last year. Yet, is there a need for the SGA, given the current milieu of progress and change on campus that stems from similar-minded individuals banding together to create change where it is needed? Indeed, it was not the SGA that voiced any concern about sorority recruitment in the fall; it was a group of students named UA Stands that boldly stood amongst fellow students, faculty and administrators on the steps of Rose administration and encouraged the integration of sororities. Rather than speak out and represent the student body, the SGA remained silent, save for one resolution passed ex post facto thanking the University of Alabama administration for extending the bid process. It was a momentous occasion for the University, with the SGA standing on the sidelines expecting others to do what is right and only expressing thanks because it was obligatory and good for public relations. Perhaps the SGA is a victim to the growing trend around the world of real power stemming from groups of individuals and no longer the state, military or large organizations. The events in Syria, Turkey, Venezuela, Ukraine and numerous other countries confirm the trend of power to the people. And as the world continues to become increasingly globalized and individualistic, problems will arise for organizations known for cronyism, inefficiency and lack of moral leadership, such as the SGA. Perhaps though, removing the benefit of the doubt, the SGA is actually that bad at creating positive, sustained change and is not the voice of the entirety of the student body but just a voice for a select few. Hypothetically, why would a UA student ask the SGA for help on an endeavor, which they will not receive, when they can gather their friends, formulate a plan of action and present it to administrators willing to listen? They can bypass all the unnecessary interactions with the SGA and actually work with people with the power, influence and resources necessary for a successful project. This may cause severe headaches for administrators if students are allowed frequent visits, but the dearth of productivity in the SGA is dragging down the University. In addition, if the administration wants experiential learning to be the teaching style and methodology of choice, there would be no better way for students to learn leadership than from working alongside the administrators and deans on projects. There used to be a time where the SGA had actual leaders with ingenious ideas to better campus. The leaders would encourage collaboration between the SGA, student body and administration to move this campus forward. But that time has passed, because of everything the SGA has failed to do this year and the election of several bland leaders over bold leaders with different visions like Ms. Patterson and Mr. Spillers. Unfortunately, I can see no reason why Hamilton Bloom and the new administration will be any different from their predecessors. I wish them the best of luck and to enjoy their offices and paychecks. I will make sure to glance at the sidelines for the obligatory SGA thank you when my fellow students continue to better this University next year. Patrick Crowley is a junior majoring in mathematics, finance and economics. His column runs weekly on Mondays.
COLUMN | GEOPOLITICS
Romney, Palin accurate in comments about Russian aggression By Andrew Parks | Staff Columnist In October 2012, during the final debate of the 2012 presidential race, Republican candidate Mitt Romney called Russia our greatest geopolitical adversary. At the time, President Barack Obama and top liberal commentators across the country pounced on the statement as a sign of Romney’s inexperience in the realm of international politics, claiming that Gov. Romney simply didn’t understand the nature of America’s post-Cold War relationship with the world. And this wasn’t new; when former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin commented that Vladimir Putin’s Russia would invade Ukraine during the 2008 presidential campaign, she was excoriated by candidates and political pundits alike. Now, however, those voices are silent. When Sarah Palin made her comments, she did so while pointing to then Obama’s indecisive statements on the Russian invasion of Georgia earlier that year. His failure to take a real position on the issue, she claimed, would lead to an emboldened Vladimir Putin and, more broadly, a more aggressive Russian posture if Obama was elected president. Now, in light of the Russian invasion of Crimea,
Andrew Parks can we really say she was wrong? Let’s push things a step further. In 2012, a leaked report from unnamed U.S. officials revealed Pentagon suspicions of covert Russian submarine operations in the Gulf of Mexico – a bold step even by Cold War standards. On Feb. 28, a Russian warship arrived in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, for an unannounced visit the day after Russia’s defense minister announced plans to increase Russia’s global military presence. This came only two years after the Russian
navy announced the first plans for an increase in the country’s fleet size since the collapse of the Soviet Union. All of this can be attributed to one fact: This administration has failed to deal with Russia, and much of the world for that matter, from a position of strength. During the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan hastened the pace of the demise of the Soviet Union, or the “evil empire” as he called it, by projecting American influence, creating a clear and decisive breadth of separation between the United States and its Cold War counterpart. He did so with ambitious military and political goals, such as the Strategic Defense Initiative, a 600-ship navy, an end to a divided Germany and, more broadly, Soviet isolationism. As a result, President Reagan continues to receive much of the credit for bringing the Cold War to its eventual peaceful end. By comparison, as part of a “reset” in U.S.Russian relations in 2009, President Obama removed American missile defense platforms from Eastern Europe in his first few days in office, literally handing the Russians a major political victory with no determinable benefit in return. In doing so, President Obama angered many of our
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allies in that part of the world, simultaneously opening them up to increased Russian influence. Additionally, after becoming involved, to varying degrees, in revolutions spreading from Libya to Egypt, the Obama administration chose to steer clear of the Syrian crisis in large part because of Russian interference. If anything, this is a track record of kowtowing to the Russians, not dealing with them on equal footing. Given this body of work, it should be no surprise that the president made off-thecuff comments to Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s surrogate replacement during his constitutionally mandated term off from the Russian presidency, about having “more flexibility” after the 2012 elections. And, on that note, it should be no surprise that the Russians continue to run roughshod over the rest of the world without being held accountable by their only real global competitor. Democrats were right about one thing: We’re certainly not in the Cold War anymore, but only because we no longer treat the Russians as geopolitical adversaries, not because they don’t treat us as such. Andrew Parks is a junior majoring in political science. His column runs biweekly.
Last Week’s Poll: Should chalking be allowed for campus campaigns and student organizations? (Yes: 77%) (No: 23%) This Week’s Poll: Do you agree with The Crimson White Editorial Board’s SGA election endorsements? cw.ua.edu/poll
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Time management essential for college success By Samuel Yang | Staff Reporter
ADVANCE LEASING NOW!
Between classes, tests, social events and personal hobbies, students’ calendars quickly fill up as the school year draws on. And as calenders become overloaded, so do students’ abilities to remember everything. The human memory can only handle between three to seven chunks of information at any given moment, said Philip Gable, assistant professor of psychology and director of the Social Cognitive Emotive Neuroscience Lab. That’s why the to-do list is such a popular and effective tool for managing time. “It’s called a working memory,” Gable said. “You can only juggle a few of those at one time. If you put it on a list, you don’t have to juggle it in your head, which helps you focus on what you need to be doing at the moment.” For the average student with the average memory and below average sleep schedule, time management can be the difference between saving a grade or a relationship. Lists can be helpful not just because they clear the mental cobwebs, but also because breaking down a task into its fundamental steps can help increase focus and action. “The psychological term is called an implemental mindset,” Gable said. “It literally puts you into a mindset to accomplish that goal. ‘What am I going to have to do to get this done?” Leroy Hurt, associate dean of the College of Continuing Studies and Project Management Program manager, said breaking down a project into smaller activities is one of several schedule management techniques taught to students. “Students can apply that to their own work, for example, by thinking ahead to the tasks needed to get a course assignment completed on time and making sure they accomplish those critical tasks,” Hurt said. Another essential skill, he said, is communication. “Managers are said to spend 90% of their time communicating with other people,” Hurt said. “Students can apply the communication techniques to improve the quality of their interactions with other people.” Hurt said getting projects done on time and within budget is a critical workplace skill that not only saves time but also credibility. “I’ve seen troubled projects up close, and they can cost organizations much more money than originally planned and can also damage an organization’s reputation,” he said. “Worse, such projects can result in stakeholders not getting the benefits the project was designed to deliver.” Those workplace skills can be rooted in collegiate habits. Richard Livingston, assistant director of the Center for Academic Success,
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Time Management workshop WHEN: Tuesday, 4 p.m. WHERE: 230 Osband Hall teaches a Freshman Compass course that guides new students in developing the academic skills they need to succeed in college. The CAS will host a workshop on time management Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. in 230 Osband Hall. Livingston said study skill workshops happen throughout the semester and cover topics like taking multiple-choice tests, reading college textbooks and final exam preparation. “Those are just general study skills topics that students, especially beginning students, might need to be successful,” he said. The CAS also offers tutoring, but, for subjects like reading or psychology, Livingston said study skills are the key to success. This can be especially challenging, he said, for students who leave the structured routine of high school and find that every day of college is different from the last. His compass course requires the use of a planner and emphasizes the use of lists to ward off procrastination. “Getting organized is probably the main thing,” Livingston said. “Unlike high school, students are on their own in college, and they need to learn to motivate themselves to do things rather than putting them off.” The CAS is located in Osband Hall, and Livingston said he encourages students to take advantage of the study spaces, free computer lab and long hours, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., especially as students move from midterms to finals. “I generally find more interest around the middle of the semester to the end of the semester,” Livingston said. “I find that students generally become a little more concerned about their grades right around midterms.” And with exams appearing on planners everywhere, students may be curious what psychology has to say about desperate measures like cramming or commonplace habits like multitasking. The effectiveness of cramming varies depending on the content and the student’s testing style. Although it seems like a simple technique, multitasking is more demanding than simply trying to focus on two things at once. “What you have to do is switch attention between those two things,” Gable said. “When you multitask, performance always suffers.” What often falls to the wayside, however, is sleep. While some people believe sleep deprivation is only a problem in
CW | Au extreme cases such as all-nighters, even the hour lost during daylight savings can have consequences, as it has been shown to trigger an uptick in car accidents. “It’s not an extreme term,” Gable said. “You function very poorly. You’re like half the person you should be.” If students unplug at night and get their recommended dose of shut-eye, Gable said circadian rhythms naturally create a morning freshness and late-night surge, as well as the familiar afternoon slump. When students are well-rested, they can prevent their sleep schedules from conflicting with their class schedules and plan around the natural highs and lows of their days. “Sleep is so underrated, especially in our society with caffeine and cellphones,” Gable said. “Getting enough sleep is as important as getting enough exercise.” Gable said the most important time management tip he has applied in his own life has been discerning between the important and the urgent.
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“Most things in your life are urgent, but they’re not very important,” he said. “Is this really going to make a difference? What’s really important? That’s what makes the difference in the end.” While social media updates and texts can feel urgent, Gable said, they are usually not important. “Do the most important things first,” Gable said. “If it’s important to you, you should be doing a little bit every day.” Prioritizing tasks properly eventually carries over to how much time gets spent in class or in practice, he said, and time management, like time, is more than just a collegiate concept. “It’s something that happens for the rest of your life,” Gable said. “It’s kind of the one thing, no matter how we change it, we’re losing or spending at the same rate every day. “Once you start realizing how valuable it is, then you stop wasting it on stuff that’s not valuable.”
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Networking site aimed at college students By Katie Shepherd | Contributing Writer Imagine a social networking site geared specifically toward college students where students can find out about events happening on campus. In just a few weeks, that site will become a reality. University Primetime, founded in September 2013, plans to relaunch its website as a social network March 24. What sets the website apart from other social networks is that it is solely for use by college students. Jason Olephant, the 23-year-old CEO and founder of University Primetime, said the goal of the site is to connect college students both within their own campus and with other universities across the nation. “It’s changing the way college students interact,” Olephant said. Olephant said University Primetime is unlike any other existing social networking site because its focus is on connecting students at their university. Members will be able to see upcoming events, post photos, chat, message their friends and learn about organizations in their community. Users will only be able to create an account by using their .edu email, ensuring that only college students can use the website. This rule is meant to create a safe environment for students to connect and share their ideas and experiences.
universityprimetime.com University Primetime will be relaunching their website on March 24. “This is a site made by college students for college students,” Olephant said. “It’s a sense of freedom. The goal is for the site to be somewhere where college students can feel comfortable connecting with their classmates.” Organizations or individuals on campus will be able to post upcoming events on the site, and members of The University of Alabama community will then be able to RSVP for the event and see what events are trending in their area. Furthermore, any event made by users can either be made private to friends or public to the
whole community. Users will be able to filter these events according to their interests. The site will allow users to see the total number of students attending an event and a breakdown of people going by male-to-female ratio. Olephant said this will ensure that users will always know what will be going on around campus. “This is the way to get your events out there,” Olephant said. Karli Guyther, a junior majoring in public relations and University Primetime student ambassador, said the goal of the
website is to be the biggest college social media site in the world. But for this to happen students have to sign up. “We want to offer a website that allows college students to connect with everyone on their campus and more easily be able to figure out what’s happening on their campus and in the rest of the nation,” Guyther said. In addition to the networking between students, local businesses will be able to post promotions on the site to make users aware of upcoming deals and sales in their area. Users will be able to filter these posts in order of what is most important to them. “You’re going to be able to see what’s trending at your university,” Olephant said. Katie Winters, a junior majoring in public relations and another student ambassador, said University Primetime is especially important at a school as large as The University of Alabama. “With a campus the size of ours, it is important to have a way to get your events noticed,” Winters said. After the upcoming relaunch of the site, University Primetime is set to have full function and a mobile app by the Fall 2014. For more information, follow University Primetime on Twitter and Instagram at @UPrimetime.
Award-winning speech team to host showcase By Sophie Fazal | Contributing Writer Members of the University of Alabama Forensic Council, or speech team, are inviting students and the public to join them as they showcase their nationally competitive events Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in 120 Farrah Hall. The team will showcase a range of styles from impromptu speeches to after-dinner talks and oral interpretations. The showcase will help the 19-time national championship winning team prepare for national competition. Collin Metcalf, a senior majoring in communication studies, economics and finance, is coming back to the showcase to perform a piece on video game addiction and how it is handled in a society of 200 million video game players.
PLAN TO GO
form an after-dinner speech have to see in action. It’s not on sexism in today’s society what you expect.” as shown through Girl Scouts Within 10 minutes, Pabst and Boy Scouts programs. said, he will explain how the “This speech debunks all growing housing crisis is the mystery about how we’re affecting the elderly because all good little cookie sellers,” of their rapidly growing Darling said. “I just want my population. message to be heard more “This is an energetic and than anything.” passionate evening that — Katerina Pena Kevin Pabst, a junior everyone should come to,” majoring in communication Pabst said. studies, will also showcase Katerina Pena, a senior his events, including an aftermajoring in public reladinner speech Wednesday on trailer park tions and advertising, will also perform housing for senior citizens. Wednesday and said returning to this show“A lot of people have business interpreta- case makes her more proud than nervous. tions of forensics. They don’t fully under“Passion makes you nervous, and those stand,” Pabst said. “This is something you nerves make us stronger,” Pena said.
Passion makes you nervous, and those nerves make us stronger.
WHAT: Speech Team Showcase WHEN: Wednesday, 7–9 p.m. WHERE: 120 Farrah Hall “Not many people seek to improve their public speaking,” Metcalf said. “This is a feat we demonstrate almost every weekend.” Wednesday’s showcase will be the largest of a three-day event series that starts Tuesday and continues through Thursday. Each night will consist of around six student forensic speakers ranging from a variety of events, topics and levels. On Tuesday, Madison Darling, a freshman majoring in secondary education, will per-
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Project to repurpose, donate unused meals By Samantha Eastburn | Contributing Writer
CW | Austin Bigoney SODEL President Caroline Bechtel begins the discussion at Carmichael Hall on Monday.
SODEL discusses reform to UA grounds use policy By Emily Williams | Staff Reporter The Students For Open Doors and Ethical Leadership assembly met Monday in Carmichael Hall to discuss proposals for grounds use policy reform. Student representatives from the Mallet Assembly, the Women’s Resource Center, UA College Democrats, the Roosevelt Institute and at-large representatives comprised the assembly. While no official vote was taken, SODEL debated the specifics of proposed grounds use reform at length. Three proposals were presented, and members decided to focus discussion on the idea submitted by Savannah Pendleton, a junior majoring in communication studies. “Grounds use on campus is an important issue because it affects everybody in terms of what they can say and what they can’t and how they can express themselves,” Pendleton said. “My proposal was kind of a compromise between the two main proposals that were prepared and between what everyone in general assembly was saying.” Pendleton’s proposal calls for the elimination of the current process for obtaining a grounds use policy, replacing it with a calendar system where applicants can register online. Her proposal also suggested the establishment of a free speech zone, a specific place on campus where any member of the UA community can speak freely at any time without a permit. The location of the free speech zone was strongly debated. Some members favored locating it on the southeast corner of the Quad while others suggested a less prominent location, such as the lawn near the Gorgas House.
Representative Everett Secor, a senior majoring in English, disagreed with the idea of a free speech zone. Secor, who also submitted a proposal, argued that a free speech zone is itself a limitation on free speech. Henry Perkins, a senior New College major representing the Mallet Assembly, challenged Secor’s opinion. “The fact that we don’t have a designated place for free speech is ridiculous,” Perkins said. “This is a public university. We should have a way to express ourselves freely.” The final tenant of Pendleton’s proposal was the creation of a concrete checklist to determine specific reasons why the administration can deny a grounds use permit. A panel of two administrators, two faculty representatives, two student representatives and one representative from the Office of Risk Management would create the checklist. SODEL President Caroline Bechtel, a junior majoring in operations management, met with the assistant vice president of student affairs to discuss the planned proposals. “I think it would be really positive for students,” Bechtel said. “We’ve been working with the administration in the creation of these proposals, so they are really aware on that end. It should make everything easier in terms of whether there are grounds use permits getting approved for an event and the resources available to students and groups on campus.” The assembly plans to finalize amendments and vote on Pendleton’s proposal at its next meeting March 31. Afterward, it plans to submit the proposal to both SGA and Faculty Senate for supporting resolutions before presenting it to the administration.
NEWSIN BRIEF Resume workshop open
Xpress Night returns
The Career Center has Resume Walk-In Hours for Spring 2014 on the 2nd floor of Gorgas Library. Career Center staff will be available Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. To schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant at the new office location, Old Capstone Medical Building at 700 University Blvd., call (205) 348-5848, or email career@ ua.edu with your name, telephone number and major.
Xpress Night with Spoken Word will take place Thursday, March 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Starbucks located in the Ferguson Center. For more information, contact Hudson Whitney at (269) 274-9456 or hcwhitney@crimson.ua.edu.
Blend hosts luncheon
Panel to discuss book
Blend Days Lunch will be Thursday, from, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Blend Days Lunch is hosted by UA Blend every Thursday outside of Subway in the main dining area of the Ferguson Center. The lunches serve to bring people from all areas of campus together and promote diversity among the student body. For more information, contact Sarah Elizabeth Tooker at (540) 907-7410 or setooker@crimson.ua.edu.
The College’s Distinguished Teaching Fellows and other faculty members will participate in a panel discussion on the book “Why Teach: In Defense of a Real Education” by Mark Edmundson. The panel discussion will take place Wednesday, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Rebecca Florence at 348-8663 or rebecca.florence@ua.edu. Compiled by Heather Buchanan
details coming soon... celebrating local music since 2009
APRIL 10
2014
Campus Kitchens, a national community service organization dedicated to hunger relief, will work in conjunction with the Community Service Center on campus to repurpose unused foods starting next fall. Chisolm Allenlundy, a sophomore majoring in philosophy and economics, is the assistant director of the project. “Campus Kitchens is a national nonprofit, and it works in several colleges and universities across the country,” he said. “We work to repurpose unused food from restaurants and dining halls in the community. Basically it’s a way of addressing food waste and hunger in the community at the same time.” Allenlundy said the team spent a lot of time this year bringing together groups such as the YMCA and the University of Alabama administration to get this project going. “The first place that we partnered with is the YMCA,” Allenlundy said. “They have an entire third floor that is reserved for young men that are homeless. We’ve agreed to take all the meals that we create and deliver them to the YMCA to these young men and help them get on their feet.” Allenlundy said Campus Kitchens is also talking with the West Alabama Food Bank and the Society of St. Andrews in Birmingham to expand beyond the YMCA. “We’re also going to keep some of the food at Bama Hillel,” Allenlundy said. “We initially wanted to use the dining hall kitchens, but it was hard to work out because they are so busy. There were a lot of safety concerns.” Campus Kitchens will use the Bama Hillel’s kitchen to cook and prepare the food. Camille Driver, a junior majoring in public relations and human development and a student director of the Community Service Center, is also involved with the project. “People in Alabama need help, and Campus Kitchens is a way to do just that,” Driver said. “The need is great, but with that need comes the need for
The need is great, but with that need comes the need for volunteers and people to unselfishly give their time to others. — Camille Driver
volunteers and people to unselfishly give their time to others. Campus Kitchens is a great way for students to donate their time back to the community that has presumably already given them so much.” Linda Kurtz, the online community engagement manager for the Campus Kitchens Project, said Alabama has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country. “Food insecurity is defined as the inability to find food where you live,” Kurtz said. “People who are food insecure don’t have access to food because they are in a food desert or because they can’t afford it. In Alabama specifically, the food insecurity rate in 2011 was 19.5 percent, and the nationwide average is 16.4 percent, which translates to just under a million people who are food insecure in Alabama.” In Tuscaloosa County, the food insecurity rate is 18.5 percent, which translates to 35,400 food insecure people, Kurtz said. “Alabama will be unique in the fact that you will be using a Hillel kitchen,” she said. “This means that the food will have to be kosher. “It’s a partnership that we are hoping to develop on a national level.” For more information on the Campus Kitchens project at the Capstone, email Chisolm Allenlundy at ccallenlundy@crimson.ua.edu.
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Abbey Crain | Editor culture@cw.ua.edu
Astronomy department sees enrollment increase By Alexandra Ellsworth | Staff Reporter Many students at The University of Alabama sat in Gallalee Hall for Astronomy 101 just to fulfill the general education requirement for science. William Keel, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, said the department sees more than 800 students come through every year. The majority of students who sit through the class won’t pursue it any further, though, and many of them probably do not know what the members of the astronomy department are doing outside of teaching classes. The faculty’s small size makes the group tight-knit, and six of the seven members focus their research on extra-galactic astronomy. “A lot of people talk about their research together because it is such a similar area,” Jeremy Bailin, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics, said. Bailin studies galaxy formation, and much of his work is based on creating simulations of galaxies to gather data. He works mostly with theory. Bailin is a more recent addition to the department, having only been there for two years, but he said he is still excited about growth in the department. “There certainly is a lot of student interest in astronomy,” Bailin said. “Astronomy is cool. I am a bit biased, but you know people are always interested in the stars and looking at the sky.” Each semester, the number of students taking Astronomy 101 fluctuates between 400 and 500 students. Last semester, 495 students enrolled. This semester there are 528. The number of professors in the department continues to grow with the student population grows. This year, the astronomy department added a seventh member to the group, Preethi Nair, for the first time in the department’s history. “We’ve been six since 1989,” said Keel, who has been at the University for 27 years. Keel said it was becoming increasingly necessary for the department to add another faculty member due to the enrollment pressure. For many of the professors, teaching an introductory class like Astronomy 101 to non-physics or astronomy majors can be challenging. “It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s also a lot of fun,” Bailin said. “There are a lot of misconceptions about astronomy, and it’s hard to make people really understand. You can’t just tell someone this is how the phases of the moon work. You have to show them and demonstrate it to them.”
Caroline Lassiter, a senior majoring in education, took Astronomy 101 her sophomore year to fulfill a science requirement. Though she said she does not plan on pursuing a degree in astronomy, she is grateful for the knowledge she gained from the class. “I think it just taught me to appreciate the sky and the universe,” Lassiter said. “Because I am not an astronomy major, I won’t always be able to learn more about it. But even just from taking Astronomy 101, I have a better understanding of the universe and what I am seeing when I look up at the sky, and that is pretty cool.” Ron Buta has been a professor of astronomy and physics at the University for more than 25 years and said it is not always easy to keep young people interested in the introductory classes. “Even though I’ve been teaching for [more than] 25 years, it’s still difficult sometimes,” Buta said. Once a semester, he dresses up in an alien costume and has an “Alien Day” to make class a little more fun and exciting. “It’s fun to contemplate,” Buta said. “I mean, in what other class on campus do you get to talk about aliens?” Last month, Keel was was able to do a class session with a remotely operated telescope in Chile. The nebula the students saw on the screen was in a part of the sky that is never above the horizon in Tuscaloosa. “In the last six or eight years, we have really revitalized the department,” Keel said. “We renovated the observatory that once housed an antique telescope. Students jumped a century into the future when we got the 16-inch telescope.” Plus, with the ability to use remote telescopes now, students can view live images during the day when they normally would not be able to. The astronomy department offers public events for the community as well, giving them the opportunity to experience what the department has to offer. On Tuesday, April 15, there will be a total lunar eclipse, and students and community members are encouraged to come to the Gallalee Hall Observatory to watch. It will last from 1:00 a.m until 4:30 a.m. Though it will be a late night, Keel encourages people to check it out. “It’s been three years since the last time there was a lunar eclipse you could see in our area,” Keel said. For more information about the astronomy program and its events, visit astronomy.ua.edu.
CW | Austin Bigoney Professor William Keel finds Venus at a public observation event on the roof of Gallalee Hall.
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Photo Courtesy of Matt Smith UA Sport Bikes club member Brian Taylor joins fellow members and leans with his bike to help him cruise through a banking turn (Left). The riders regroup and talk near a highway (Right).
UA Sport Bikes club brings enthusiasts together By Tara Massouleh | Staff Reporter On any given Sunday when the weather is nice and school is in session, you can find members of the UA Sport Bikes club zipping by on a secluded back road off Alabama State Route 69. “I found it by accident one day,” said Brian Taylor, founder of the UA Sport Bikes club and a junior majoring in management information systems. “I stopped at a little mom-and-pop gas station and asked the owners if there were any good roads around to ride on. They pointed to a road and said it was nothing but curves, and if you went faster than 80 [mph], you’d probably die. So we went and checked it out and fell in love with the road.” For Taylor, his interest in motorcycles came after realizing his love for cars wasn’t ideal for campus life, he said. He owned a 2010 Camaro SS, the same car as Bumblebee in “Transformers,” but found that with only 14 miles to the gallon plus the cost of expensive premium gas, the car was simply too expensive to drive. He traded in his Camaro for a smaller, more economical car and used the leftover money to buy his first sport bike. Upon purchasing his Ninja CX-6R, Taylor said he searched for a motorcycle community to get involved with but found no luck. “I got that bike and didn’t see any similar groups on Facebook, so I just created the group,” he said. “I added a couple of my friends that I knew had bikes already, and it kind of just grew from there.” The UA Sport Bikes Facebook group now
includes nearly 40 members. Shortly after forming the Facebook group, Taylor ran into Matt Smith, a Tuscaloosa community member who has been riding street bikes since 1997, at a local gas station. “He was riding with his girlfriend, and I was like, ‘Hey, you should hit up our group,’” Taylor said. “Matt was a very valuable asset to grab because he’s been doing this for a really long time, so he helps everyone out and gives them advice.” Since joining the group, Smith has become the patriarch of the extended motorcycle family, taking on the role of teacher and friend to less experienced riders. For Smith, riding sport bikes was a natural progression from riding four-wheelers and dirt bikes growing up in Michigan. Smith said his addiction to motorcycles is to the point where if it’s a nice day, he considers taking the day off from work to go riding. “For me, it’s just kind of an escape,” Smith said. “I’m not a college kid anymore, so I’ve got all kinds of big-kid responsibilities. Stuff starts to just wear on you, so you get on your bike, get out and forget everything. I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s just me and the bike, and to me, that’s really relaxing.” In addition to riding with the group, Smith said he rents track time at Barber Motor Sports once a month so he can race on a professional track. While Smith and Taylor are both dedicated to the group and passionate about riding motorcycles, they said many of the people who ride around town ride just to be seen.
“I wish there was more people like us who actually care about riding,” Taylor said. “The majority of the people you see on bikes are the inexperienced crowd. People go out and buy the biggest, fastest bike they can find and jump on them without really knowing how to ride.” One of the group’s most active members, Casey Hassett, a junior majoring in nursing, said he started riding motorcycles because he was looking for a casual hobby but found himself getting far more involved than he could have predicted. “I’m addicted,” Hassett said. “There’s nothing like it. There really just isn’t. You can go base-jumping, but that’s probably the only thing that might even come close. I love the rush of being able to be faster and more nimble than everything else on the road.” The motorcycle bug has proven easy to catch. Hassett has gotten his current roommate, his older brother and father addicted to riding, and Taylor said his past three girlfriends have all gone on to buy sport bikes and ride consistently. However, danger often comes along with the thrilling speed and adrenaline that riding motorcycles often brings. Smith said he has been in more wrecks than he can count, including one where he was hit by a drunk driver and sustained a stage-three concussion. In another incident, the seam of his protective jacket split, and the Under Armor shirt he was wearing became embedded in his shoulder after making impact on the ground for only a few seconds. “I learned the hard way,” Smith said. “It
sucks when you fall if you don’t have the right stuff on. You can spend days in the hospital while they scrub the pavement out of your arm or back. It doesn’t take but a split second of impact on the ground, and you have an expensive trip to the hospital.” Motorcycle gear, including a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and pants, costs a minimum of $1,000. Smith said he spends well over that to make sure he rides as safely as possible. “To me, it’s worth spending $800 for a helmet, because God only gave me one head,” Smith said. “You can never spend too much on protection.” Although he has not yet been involved in a motorcycle accident, Taylor said statistically everyone who owns a motorcycle will wreck at least once. “You been down, or you’re going down” is a popular phrase among those who ride. Despite the obvious dangers of riding motorcycles at speeds topping out at 150 mph, Taylor said he feels safer on motorcycles than he does in cars. “I can control it better,” he said. “I feel like I’m in charge of everything that’s going on. I feel like I can do more on a bike.” Smith said although the UA Sport Bikes group has become its own self-sufficient entity with members posting frequently to meet for ride days, the motorcycle scene always has room to grow. “I’ve seen everyone from 13-year-old girls to 70-year-old men on bikes,” Smith said. “It doesn’t really matter, because when you’re riding, you’re riding.”
COLUMN | FOOD
Sitar worthwhile stop in Tuscaloosa dining By Tara Massouleh A few weeks ago something tragic happened. I drove up to my favorite restaurant in Tuscaloosa (and possibly the world at this point in my life) only to find that it was closed. A tattered, handwritten sign reading “Closed for Renovations” was haphazardly tacked to the window without any further explanation than instructions to keep calling the restaurant’s number for updates. Of course, I was crushed. And so were a number of my friends and undoubtedly hundreds of other Tuscaloosa locals who consider Sitar Indian Cuisine to be a second home. The unassuming restaurant on the corner of Hackberry Lane and 15th Street, next to Ichiban and AMF Bama Lanes, has remained largely unnoticed and under-appreciated by many but has amassed a steady following through the years. My first experience with Sitar came long before I attended Bama Bound and became an official student at The University of Alabama. My brother had just entered his freshman year of college at the University, and we had been dragging belongings from
the Ferg parking deck to Ridgecrest South all morning as he moved into his dorm (this was before the convenient drop-off move-in process I enjoyed). When we finally took a break for lunch, we went to Sitar. It was a sweltering August day, so by the time we got to the restaurant, we had barely begun to cool off from our short air-conditioned ride. We immediately filled our plates at the buffet, and I’ve continued to do so for the past six years – the first four sporadically whenever I visited my brother in Tuscaloosa and the last two avidly, usually once every other week. It’s hard to say what my favorite part of Sitar is, but it’s probably somewhere between the warm naan, an Indian flat bread, and the creamy chicken tikka masala. The thing about Sitar is it offers something different from the traditional college-town food we’ve grown so accustomed to eating. Sure, Buffalo Phil’s will always be fine for some chicken wings and fries. And yes, Domino’s will always take Dining Dollars, but for the same price or lower ($9 for the lunch buffet), Sitar offers the opportunity to try a multitude of new dishes and flavors.
With around 15 different items on the lunch buffet, there’s bound to be something that pleases everyone. Personally, I’ve found just about anyone who tries it ends up liking it and becoming a part of the shameless group of Sitar enthusiasts. For example, during the restaurant’s recent closure for renovations, I can personally account for at least 10 people who vigilantly called the restaurant every day to see if it had reopened. And when we finally heard the restaurant was back up and running, we went the very next day. And the day after that. And unabashedly the day after that, too. Over the years, I’ve watched as Sitar has grown into a true Tuscaloosa staple. What started out as a fairly empty dining room during my high school years is now bustling and full of happy diners every time I visit. Sitar is my own personal version of Southern comfort food. Of course, I still adore fried okra, biscuits and collard greens. But I know that years from now, after I’ve graduated and moved away, whenever I come back to visit Tuscaloosa, Sitar Indian Cuisine will be the first (and probably second) place I eat.
Wikimedia Commons Chicken Tikka Masala is a favorite at the Sitar lunch buffet.
University students serve as role models at summer camps By Cole Booth | Contributing Writer College students may believe that camp is in the past now, but returning to summer camp as a counselor or in other working roles is a common summer job for college students. Brianna Bolling, a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering and Spanish, said this kind of work is extremely valuable for UA students. “It teaches you how to work with kids and their families. Each kid has different issues, and each parent has different concerns,” Bolling said. “It teaches problem solving, self-evaluation and resourcefulness.” Bolling attended Girl Scout camp as both a camper and as a counselor-in-training until three years ago when her camp, Camp Coleman, closed. She said she learned a lot working at camp, with some of her favorite memories coming from the young girls she taught. “During meal times at Girl Scout camp a lot
of singing happens before, during and after each meal. There were all sorts of camp songs that we learned as campers and later taught to our campers as well. The girls loved that, and it was so much fun for us all to come together,” Bolling said. Another former camper, Blake Niedenthal, a freshman majoring in education, said he is also enthralled by camp and all of its possibilities and learning opportunities. “For me, some of the best experiences working at [camp] were the growth I got out of it,” Niedenthal said. “Being in charge of 10 to 12 eleven-year-olds is tough work, you learn to deal with issues on the fly, which is something you can’t learn at an internship.” One of the most influential experiences Niedenthal said he had at Camp Manitou was the time he won College League as a counselorin-training. College League is a competition between four teams in which they all work to
score points in sports, track and swim meets and performances including skits, songs and plays. “[Winning] is one of the greatest feelings ever, and winning as a counselor-in-training makes it that much greater. It may sound dumb to some people, but as I say, ‘It’s a Manitou thing, and you wouldn’t understand,’” Niedenthal said. Niedenthal has plans to continue working at Camp Manitou this summer and perhaps for summers after as well. “I intend to work at Manitou for as long as I am able to, or until I hit the ‘real world,’” Niedenthal said. “This place is so special and means so much to me. It’s where I’ve met my best friends and had some of the greatest memories of my life, and I’m not ready to say goodbye to it quite yet.” Matt Lowe, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, attended Boy Scout camp beginning in 2006 until he was 14. Shortly thereafter, he took up a job at the Nashville Boy Scout shop, selling snacks and souvenirs to campers and
parents alike. However, his greatest memories didn’t come from selling Reese’s cups. “My favorite experiences were those where I was able to help,” Lowe said. “For example, one time a camper came into the shop with blood running down his leg. Through my lessons in the Scouts I was able to clean his wound and properly bandage it with the first aid kit we had at the shop.” Lowe said he feels working at a summer camp was one of the formative experiences of his life, an important stepping stone on his way to where he is now. “I would fully encourage anyone interested to try working at a summer camp once,” Lowe said. “True happiness comes from a child’s smile. Through my time at camp I learned to fend for myself. I was free from my parents at 16, and I learned to get over homesickness early in my life. I was responsible for laundry and food and my job just like a college student.”
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Gorgas library, campus buildings home to variety of historic University legends MYTHS FROM PAGE 1
– lower level and second-lower level. The basement of the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library is a popular setting for ghost stories, rumors and folklore among students at the University. “I don’t know if it’s just paranoia, but it was always really weird going down there by yourself, even if it’s just books,” Brett Reid, a 2013 alumnus and former employee at Gorgas Library, said. “And on the highest floor of the building, there were cats running around.” If one selects lower level on this special elevator, the door does not open to cats or ghosts but, rather, more books, albeit in dimmer lighting. “It’s just more books, and the second-lower level is government documents,” Donna Adcock, director of public relations for UA Libraries, said. “I can neither confirm nor deny the ghost rumors, but it’s certainly a quiet place to study.” While this particular spot may in fact be just another library level, historic artifacts scattered throughout campus carry on legends and stories from the past. Room 301 of the library houses the A.S. Williams III Americana Collection. In this collection are several of the University’s unknown treasures, including a lottery ticket signed by George Washington and a letter from Jimmy Carter to his sister, apologizing for running over her cat. “A lot of students come to our building to use the computers and study spaces,” Adcock said. “They just don’t take the time to look and see what else is available.” Imprints of the University’s less popular moments in history can be found on campus monuments and building names that reflect the ups and downs of Alabamian culture. Nott Hall, home of the Honors College, stands as a beacon for scholarship, but its namesake, Josiah Nott, was known for using his research to justify slavery and classism between races, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. Another namesake rumor suggests that train tracks used to run through B.B. Comer Hall, named for Braxton Bragg Comer, a former Alabama governor known for railroad reform, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. “The train tracks didn’t run through the building property but actually right behind it,” Mary Bess Paluzzi, associate dean for special collections, said. “They removed the tracks when the Ferguson Center was built.” Across campus from B.B. Comer, only a few steps away from Nott Hall, is the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library. Behind the glass walls, in a room only accessible to Paluzzi and special collections employees, are noteworthy books and historical finds, including signed and pre-publication copies of “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Alabama author Harper Lee. Hoole Library also houses the two original capstones from the Rotunda, completed in 1831 at the center of campus, according to the Alabama Heritage website. Other artifacts include signed register of the 1831 inaugural class, transcripts of former students and a trench coat worn in the Pacific in WWII. “This belongs to Walter B. Jones, who was a state geologist and the namesake of the oil and gas board building next door,” Paluzzi said. “He must have been the most fascinating man, and we get to see and touch his life right here.” Whether rumors or fact, historical lore buzzes around campus. Paluzzi said the most important function of the University’s hidden gems and traces of the past are not to spark rumors, but rather to educate and illuminate life for students. “It’s all for the students,” Paluzzi said. “You can sit in a classroom and hear about things that happen here, but it’s so hard to relate to the history until you can actually see it and experience it for yourself.”
CW| Austin Bigoney An edition of “Yank Down Under”, a magazine for soldiers stationed in the South Pacific Ocean during World War II sits in Walter B. Jones’s trunk (Left). Remnants of the original Rotunda, capstones sit in the lobby of Hoole Library (Right).
CW| Lindsey Leonard Multiple editions of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee have been collected throughout the years and stored in Gorgas Library.
Celebration focuses on family, Persian culture CELEBRATION FROM PAGE 1
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Persian New Year
CW | Shelby Akin The Student Center, being built between the Presidential Village dormitories, will overlook the Black Warrior River.
Student Center to house new 37-foot climbing wall REC FROM PAGE 1
embed a fitness facility into the growing residential communities. Andre Love, associate director of programs at University Recreation, said the new center will be approximately 133,000-square feet, almost 70,000-square feet smaller than the Rec Center. Durham said the focal point of the new Student Center will be the rock-climbing wall, which will be 37 feet tall and extend to the second floor of the building. The wall will include areas for bouldering, belay and lead climbing options. The current rock-climbing wall at the main Rec Center is 20 feet tall. The center will also include two
wooden floor basketball courts, one multi-use course, two group exercise studios, one personal training studio, 70 pieces of cardio equipment and 70 pieces of strength equipment. In comparison, there are approximately 110 pieces of cardio equipment at the Rec Center. The weight and cardio equipment will face the back wall of windows, which will overlook the Black Warrior River and Manderson Landing. Unlike the main Rec Center, the new center will not have a track or a pool. It will include full locker rooms but no steam room or sauna. All students, faculty and staff will be able to use the new facility when it opens; however, no alumni or community members will qualify for memberships. In addition to the fitness facilities,
the new center will house Parent Programs, the Offices of Housing and Residential Communities and a dining facility. Cathy Andreen, director of media relations for the University, said the specific plans for food service at the Student Center have not yet been finalized. Durham said the center is a much-needed addition to the fitness facilities on campus and will be a convenient option for many students. “We are certainly undersized for our enrollment,” Durham said of the current recreation facilities. “I think the numbers tell that story really well. We’re seeing higher numbers than we’ve ever seen in this facility. Certainly more space and more equipment and more opportunities for people to be active is welcomed and needed on this campus.”
Omidi said the feeling of celcelebration ebrating the holiday away from WHEN: Wednesday, 6 p.m. home was not a pleasant one. WHERE: Presidential “Nowruz is all about being Village community room with family,” Omidi said. “It’s not as much fun without family, but events like this make up for it somewhat.” With the University’s celebra- disorders and speech pathology, tion of the event, Ji said she is planning to attend the event. hopes to promote awareness She said events like Persian among the student body of the New Year allow students of all Persian culture on campus. ages to take in new cultures “Some people may not know and gain new viewpoints on the that UA has a good-sized Middle world. Eastern population,” Ji said. “I believe that they help open “We want to let the students students’ eyes to the different know that this cultures of othculture does exist ers around us, here and that it’s because, for many, just as imporcollege is the first tant.” truly diverse Omidi said environment eve n t s l i ke they have come Persian New Year in contact with,” and other celebraBruton said. “To tions through have programs International like this that help — Ehsan Omidi Expressions, such introduce other as Japanese New cultures is essenYear and Hispanic tial in making it in Heritage Month, promote diver- the real world.” sity in the University’s campus The event will highlight culture. Persian dancing, traditional “These events help show what food and a photo exhibition people from other countries are of various Persian countries. really like,” Omidi said. “When Bruton said she is looking foryou meet someone, your idea ward to the musical perforof their culture is formed on mances while Omidi said the the reality of them. Events like food and dance portions will be these give people more infor- the most fun. mation about what people from The International other cultures do and how they Expressions: Persian New Year live, and they’re helpful to grow- celebration will take place ing some sense of unity between Wednesday, beginning at 6 p.m., the different students and dif- in the seventh-floor community ferent cultures that study here.” room in Presidential Village. Grace Bruton, a freshman Admission is free, and all are majoring in communicative invited to attend.
These events help show what people from other countries are really like.
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BASEBALL
Charlie Porter | Editor sports@cw.ua.edu
MEN’S TENNIS
UA Athletics Sean Donohue plays against No. 4 team USC Trojans on Monday March 17.
Men’s tennis team falls to No. 4 Trojans By Kayla Montgomery | Contributing Writer
CW | Lindsey Leonard Alabama baseball player passes through third base to home plate during the season opener.
Baseball team carries on historic momentum By Kevin Connell | Staff Reporter Few teams, if any, have ever had a week like the Alabama baseball team just had. In one of the most historic weeks in program history, the Crimson Tide pulled off three of the rarest feats in baseball. On March 8, Justin Kamplain, Jay Shaw and Geoffrey Bramblett combined to throw the first nine-inning no-hitter for Alabama in 72 years against Mississippi Valley State. That weekend, Alabama also had its first series shutout since 1912, which included a scoreless-inning streak of 37 straight that didn’t end until the seventh inning against Samford the following Tuesday. Then, Friday night, in the Southeastern Conference series opener against thenNo. 20 Kentucky, Alabama escaped a bases-loaded jam with its first triple play in 15 years. Finally, on the last pitch of the week, in the series finale against the Wildcats Saturday, sophomore shortstop Mikey White blasted a two-run walk-off home run in extra innings to clinch the threegame series. It was the third time the Crimson Tide has won in its final at bat this season after junior catcher Wade Wass hit two walk-off singles in Alabama’s first two series this season. Alabama is the only team out of 296 Division I college baseball teams to do all three this season, let alone in a single week. “We talk about this a lot, so it’s good to see it, and it’s good for our guys,” Alabama
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PLAN TO GO WHAT: Alabama vs. Alcorn State WHEN: Tuesday, 6:05 p.m.; Wednesday, 5:05 p.m. WHERE: Sewell-Thomas Stadium RECORDS: Alabama 12-6, 2-1 SEC; Alcorn State 1-20, 1-5 SWAC RADIO: 99.1 FM coach Mitch Gaspard said. “That’s what keeps you battling when you’re down is knowing the fact that we can still win the game if we just keep grinding it out.” Alabama’s play in that span also led to positive results. The Crimson Tide won five of its six games last week, which included a streak of seven straight – its longest since 2011 – dating back to the previous week. “I think that’s part of being at Alabama. I mean, there’s an expectation to win, and you got to keep grinding, and I think that’s the one thing with a young team,” said Gaspard, who has given substantial playing time to seven true freshmen – three pitchers, four position players – through 18 games so far this season. With SEC play now underway, the combination of winning and historic play comes at a near perfect time for the Crimson Tide, which travels to Arkansas this weekend after a two-game midweek series against a struggling Alcorn State team Tuesday and Wednesday.
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For the first time since 1989, the Alabama men’s tennis team faced off against USC, but the outcome was not a memorable one for the Crimson Tide. Alabama fell to the No. 4 Trojans 5-0 on Monday and saw its record drop to 9-9 on the season. A competitive fight for the doubles point opened the match, with an 8-2 win on court three, giving the Trojans the lead in the hunt for the doubles point. On court one, the Crimson Tide opened the match with strong serves. After breaking USC, Alabama advanced to a 4-2 lead, but the Trojans would break as well, eventually sealing the doubles point with an 8-6 win. Alabama assistant coach Ryler Dehart said despite losing the doubles point, the matches were a good sign for the team. “I thought we were right there,” Dehart said. “We just didn’t convert. I think we realize that we are playing a top-five-in-thenation team, but we could compete with them and weren’t far away from being able to beat them.” A slight change in lineup opened the singles matches, with Donohue for Alabama and Max de Vroome for USC both out for their scheduled matches. For Alabama, freshman
Hayes Brewer moved up to line five with junior Andrew Goodwin taking court six. After USC won the first set on all other courts, senior Daniil Proskura continued to battle for the first set on court one. Trojan player Yannick Hanfmann eventually edged Proskura, winning the first set 7-5. The second set of the match was suspended after USC victories on courts four, five and two consecutively secured the win for the Trojans. Proskura said although it is hard to reflect positively on a loss, the matches showed the team what potential it has going forward. “They’re a top-10 team in the nation, and I feel like we could compete with them,” Proskura said. “I had a couple points where I didn’t capitalize, but the bottom line is [Hanfmann is] one of the best players in the nation, and I felt like I was right there with him.” Dehart said he hopes the team learned its true potential from competitive matches against a top-caliber opponent. “I hope they learned that they’re not far away from that level,” Dehart said. Alabama will return to the court over spring break in a series of road matches, facing South Carolina on Friday and Florida on Sunday.
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
CLUB SPORTS | MEN’S SOCCER
FOOTBALL
Men’s club soccer team keeps competitive edge By Danielle Walker | Staff Reporter Most people don’t come to a footballcentric university like The University of Alabama to play soccer. For the members of the UA club soccer team, being able to play a sport they love while being at the University is an added bonus. According to the University Student Recreation Center website, the men’s soccer club is one of the oldest sport clubs at the University. The team has made multiple appearances in the regional and national. It holds tryouts each fall, where hundreds of interested students turn out to continue their soccer careers into their college years. Ethan Mergen, a sophomore majoring in management information systems, said he would describe club soccer as similar to playing Division I without the added stress and time commitment that a Division I athlete would face. “The competitiveness is still there, and the high level is still there,” Mergen said. “It’s just a lot more laid back, like it doesn’t take over your life. It’s still fun.” The club’s main season is in the fall, when it competes against other Southeastern teams and travels. In the past, the club has participated in a men’s league in Birmingham but has opted to not compete in the spring for the past few seasons. The team does, however, continue to practice in the spring to keep its game sharp and play the sport the players love. This season, the team won all of its regular season games but was not invited to the regional tournament. The team played Auburn at home this year at the soccer stadium, where all its home games are played. James Boone, a senior majoring in management and pre-med, described the matchup as an Iron Bowl, club-team style. “We tied Auburn, which was pretty big because Auburn is really good,” Mergen said. “It’s club soccer, but the rivalry is still there.” Boone said his favorite part about playing soccer at Alabama is most of his current teammates were once opponents he faced during his high school years. He said the majority of the team is from Alabama. “There was a guy when I was younger,
CW | Danielle Walker The UA club soccer team competes against regional teams at the Alabama Soccer Complex throughout the spring and fall. we almost got into a brawl my sophomore year of high school, and when we realized who each other was, it was awkward and hilarious. I broke his leg senior year,” Boone said. “He said, ‘Yeah some [guy] broke my leg,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, sorry.’ It was really funny. But we’re good friends. He got over it after four years.” The club is always looking for new players to join the team. Both Boone and Mergen said they believe the University has infinite amounts of talent, and they hope becoming a Division I sport someday can help bring more talent to their team. “There’s so many good soccer players on this campus that aren’t playing club just because they don’t want to play club,” Boone said.
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CW | Austin BIgoney Offensive lineman Cameron Robinson practices as a tackle alongside other linemen during a drill Monday afternoon.
Star Louisiana recruit could start at tackle as freshman By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter The incoming freshman perhaps most likely to earn significant playing time with the Crimson Tide this upcoming season, maybe even as a starter, is Cameron Robinson, the No. 1 offensive lineman from West Monroe, La. Robinson, the No. 17 overall prospect in his class according to Rivals and No. 3 according to 247 Sports, is one of the “big three” recruits Alabama plucked from the Monroe, La., area, a hotbed usually dominated by LSU. Laurence “Hootie” Jones and Cameron Sims also chose to leave Monroe to play for the Tide. With Cyrus Kouandjio entering the NFL Draft, a huge void is left at tackle, protecting whoever takes AJ McCarron’s place. Alabama offers competition at every position, and Robinson knows that. “Of course I wouldn’t mind starting, but that’s something you have to ask coach about,” Robinson said on signing day. The competition not only exists from veterans already on campus but also from the historic offensive line class Alabama was able to pull in. “Oh man, we’ve got a great, great, great, great offensive line class coming in,” Robinson said. “I was able to meet all of them actually. We have a good relationship. I played with all of them at the Under Armor game. We’ve got a great class coming in. I’m looking forward to it.”
The 6-foot 5-inch, 330-pound Louisiana product chose Alabama over LSU on Sep. 4 last fall, ending one of the top one-on-one recruiting matchups in the country. Robinson said he experienced plenty of vitriol from hometown Tiger fans after his announcement. “I experienced the most backlash I ever had in my life,” Robinson said. “Leaving Louisiana to go play for not just any school, but Alabama, you just got to let it roll off your shoulders. Just take it with a grain of salt. It wasn’t that big of a deal.” Robinson was one of eight Crimson Tide recruits who opted to forgo his final semester of high school and enroll early to get a jump start on workouts and competition with the team. “It wasn’t necessarily tough for me,” Robinson said about his decision to enroll in January. “I had to think about the long run, how it would benefit me when I get to college. So it wasn’t a tough decision at all.” The Crimson Tide’s offensive line coach, Mario Cristobal, is tasked with replacing three offensive linemen after the departure of Anthony Steen and the Kouandjio brothers. Leon Brown, a former JUCO recruit, will figure to push Robinson the most for the starting left tackle position. Brown, a senior, has the edge on experience, but Robinson could very well be the first freshman starter at left tackle since Andre Smith in 2006, a former No. 1 offensive lineman himself whose mold Robinson fits well.
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Burrows Freshman of Week Alabama remains at No. 4 Alabama left-handed pitcher Thomas Burrows was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, the league announced Monday. Burrows made three appearances for the Crimson Tide last week, and he compiled one win and one save, which was the first of his career. Burrows closed out all three wins for Alabama without allowing a hit or run. He struck out five of the 12 batters he faced.
The Alabama gymnastics team remained ranked No. 4 nationally in the latest rankings. The Crimson Tide boasts a regional qualifying score of 197.405. Alabama is also ranked No. 3 on balance beam, No. 4 on vault, No. 6 on floor exercise and No. 8 on uneven parallel bars. The team will travel to Birmingham on Saturday to compete in the SEC Championships.
Compiled by Charlie Potter
Compiled by Charlie Potter
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
COLUMN | NFL
FOOTBALL
NFL needs stricter policies concerning drunk driving arrests By Matthew Wilson
CW | Austin Bigoney The Crimson Tide practices indoors Monday for the second practice of the spring. Running backs Kenyan Drake (top left), T.J. Yeldon (top right) and Derrick Henry (bottom right) are directed in drills by Associate Head Coach Burton Burns (bottom left).
Tide takes 2nd practice indoors By Charlie Potter | Sports Editor Alabama returned to the practice field Monday for the second time this spring. The Crimson Tide players wore shorts and helmets as the team moved indoors because of the dreary Tuscaloosa weather. Redshirt freshman wide receiver ArDarius Stewart continued working with the defensive backs and specifically worked with defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and the other safeties during individual drills. The same five offensive linemen – Leon Brown, Arie Kouandjio, Ryan Kelly, Alphonse Taylor and Austin Shepherd – worked together as the
presumptive first-team group. Junior Cyrus Jones and sophomore Eddie Jackson led the cornerbacks through individual drills under the watchful eye of Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Junior Bradley Sylve and early enrollee Tony Brown followed behind them. All Crimson Tide running backs carried a football in each arm as they went through drills. Then-sophomore backs T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake gave up seven combined fumbles a season ago. Yeldon led the drills Monday with sophomore tailback Derrick Henry behind him. Senior quarterback Blake Sims was at the front of the line as the
quarterbacks worked with the wide receivers. Senior wide receiver DeAndrew White wore a black no-contact jersey for the second consecutive day and worked on a stationary bike on the sideline. Harrison Jones, who is no longer with the team, watched practice from a treadmill in the team’s weight room that overlooks the indoor practice facility. ESPN’s David Pollack, an analyst for College GameDay, filmed an interview on campus with Saban for SportsCenter. The Crimson Tide will take to the practice fields again Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, was arrested early Monday morning on charges of operating a vehicle while impaired and possession of a controlled substance. It is hard to say what this means for Irsay and the Colts. Faced with four felony accounts, Irsay has both a legal battle and repercussions from the NFL ahead of him. Irsay has had a long history with substance abuse problems. He has previously spoken about his drug and alcohol use as a teenager and an addiction to painkillers. Irsay’s arrest is another incident in a line of problems plaguing NFL management. Last July, Matt Russell and Tom Heckert, director of player personnel and director of pro personnel for the Denver Broncos, found themselves in trouble after they were arrested for driving under the influence. Both men were disciplined by the team for their arrests. While the NFL’s personal conduct policy applies to all team and league employees, the league allowed the Broncos to discipline its own employees. In 2010, Tom Lewand, president of the Detroit Lions, was fined $100,000 and suspended for 30 days after pleading guilty to driving while impaired. It is apparent that there are problems with substance abuse and alcohol affecting the behind-the-scenes management of NFL teams. The league needs to continue to combat these problems and have a no-tolerance policy on alcohol and substance abuse. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2010, an estimated 10,228 people were killed in drunk-driving related crashes. Perhaps the NFL needs to impose a stricter policy in regard to DUIs. Maybe that would deter others from driving under the influence, or maybe, it would have no effect at all. It’s hard to say – just like it’s hard to say why Russell, Lewand and countless others drive under the influence in the first place. Irsay made a costly mistake, and he’ll have a price to pay, but the price could have been much worse than a suspension or a fine, and for that, let’s hope he and the others have learned from their mistakes.
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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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.
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 5 BR 3 BA VERY close to campus 5 BR 3 BA house with washer and dryer in house. Available Fall 2014. Signing leases now! $550 a month per BR or $2750 a month. Call 205-391-0881 Email carissa@shamrock-appraisals. com 3 Bedroom/3 Bath home Great updated home available for fall leasing. Two Garages which will be great project space for Art, Design, Engineering or architecture students. Call 205-531-2776 today, this one won’t last long. $1650 month Email mortgmn@bellsouth.net
ANNOUNCEMENTS SAVE A LIFE AND EARN UP TO $100 WITH TWO DONATIONS 100 New Donors Needed. Save a life. Make a difference New donors can donate life saving plasma and receive $100 ccompensation in two donations. Talecris 3201 10th Ave Suite E. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Walk ins welcome Current picture ID, Social Security Nuber require, and must be at least 19 years of age to donate Email deneatric.hunter@grifols.com
DISCOUNTS:
5% off for 4 issues - 10% off for 8 issues - 15% off for 16 issues
DEADLINES: Classified line ad deadline is the previous business day by 4:00 p.m.
“When other jewelers say no, Tom says yes”
Tom’s Jewelry Repair Like on Facebook & get a free cleaning! Jewelry Sales
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 Bartending and Waitstaff needed! Mike’s Place Bar Looking for Bartenders and Waitstaff for Days/Nights and Weekends. 19 and over only 613 JAMES I HARRISON JR PKWY TUSCALOOSA, AL 35405 205-4629800 Email mikesplacetuscaloosa@ gmail.com
2300 McFarland Blvd East (205) 758-2213
Sudoku
Public Intoxication? Minor in Possession? Driving Under Influence?
Randal S. Ford, Esq. (205) 759-3232
HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (03/18/14). You’re easily inspired this year, and that can get profitable. Until August your career advances through creativity and social networking. Take time for love this summer, and romance flowers. After August, work action surges. Cut out the fluff, and focus on what you love. Build partnership and teamwork. Journal your emotions. Nurture health and spirituality with exercise and peace. 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 an 8 -- Tension eases naturally. Completion fosters creativity. Take advantage, and invent. A partner makes you laugh. Resist buying on impulse. Find a treasure in your own closet. Meditate on love, and it begins to show up everywhere. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -Today is a 9 -- Domestic luxuries like candles and hot water don’t cost much. Treat yourself to blissful moments at minimal expense. Save up for your future. It could get romantic. You see a diamond in the rough. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Act on shortterm goals. Finish what you promised. Adapt to recent unexpected developments. Love definitely figures in the plan. Your past good deeds speak well for you. Compromise. There’s a reward available. Invest in your career. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Beautify your home. Take a chance on romance, and make corrections as needed. Let your heart fly free. It may not fit your pictures. Let go of assumptions, and enjoy the ride. Kindle and rekindle love. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- There’s a nice benefit coming in, and you have plenty to say about it. Don’t brag about how much you’ve made. Pay back a debt. Talk about your ideals for how it could be. Take an emotional inventory. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
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-- Today is a 9 -- Encourage a change for the better, an endeavor for mutual profit. Compromise is required. Set up rules to insure fair competition. Follow through, don’t just talk about it. Make it sexy. Don’t give up. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -Today is a 9 -- Improve living conditions. Don’t disrupt your whole structure by upgrading workplace technology yet. A new idea needs work. The truth gets revealed. Use your imagination at home. Provide motivation, and stand firm on rules. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Cut entertainment spending, and wait a bit longer on a planned purchase. Consider an interesting suggestion. You’re in the middle of the action. Listen with fascination. Romance is kindled. A lovely moment presents itself. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- You can charm your way through a maze. Discover the boundaries and limitations. Get help from friends with connections or special talents. Passions could flare. Hold your temper. There’s a lovely prize at the end. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -Today is a 7 -- Plan for the long haul, but take action on immediate needs. Discard junk to make space for new possibilities. Ask interesting questions, like “what do I love?” You’re starting to figure it out. Make lists. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Flirt with a proposal without committing yet. Draw someone in with your charm. There may be hidden costs... you can play later if you want. Get into studies that develop new understanding. Dally around with an idea. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -Today is a 7 -- Let others know what you want. It may include confronting authority. Friends are there for you. Let your partner negotiate on your behalf. Love sets you free. Share your appreciation in secret notes. Send treats.
“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.”
Sunglasses PER M U B R to CARE E 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.
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
BUY YOUR LEGACY Corolla 2013-2014
YEAR BOOK TODAY AT
store.osm.ua.edu
3017 McFarland Blvd
Y
ARE IN THE
EARBOOK
Find out at www.corolla.ua.edu
We buy your wrecked or broken down car or truck! Call, text, or email info and pictures
205-454-4300 webcars7077@gmail.com
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8 8 8 . 4 6 0. 10 82 X R I V E R F R O N T V I L L AG E .C O M *See agent for details. $850 savings based on a 12-month lease with all applicable discounts and incentives applied. Not all applicants will qualify. Offers applies to select units only. Cannot be combined with any other offers.