12 04 13 by The Crimson White

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4, 2013 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 67 Serving The University of Alabama since 1894

CULTURE | STUDENT MOTHERS

The unexpected when expecting Pregnant mothers struggle to find resources on campus, often leave By Phoebe Rees | Contributing Writer Erin Hudnall was a sophomore at The University of Alabama set to study abroad in the Virgin Islands when she found out she was pregnant. She said her first reaction to her pregnancy was to find a number for an abortion clinic. “I couldn’t tell my parents until I had figured out how I wanted to deal with the situation,” Hudnall said. “So I returned to Tuscaloosa to assess my options.” With no knowledge of the support available on campus,

$14.97 three bottles $35.96 monitor $90.50 highchair $117.25 carseat $162.50 stroller $294.00 crib $934.44 diapers

Hudnall began to analyze her choices online and came across an adoption agency in her hometown of Mobile. After careful deliberation, she chose to continue with her pregnancy and arrange for the baby to be adopted. Now, 10 months after the birth, she and the father have been able to visit their son and communicate regularly with his adoptive parents. She proudly shows off his most recent pictures. “I’m very content with seeing my son with his adoptive parents,” Hudnall said. “It’s hard but easy at the same time because it’s such a blessing.” Hudnall spent almost four months of her pregnancy in Tuscaloosa taking summer classes before moving home to Mobile to be closer to her family. Hudnall said her peers and professors were very supportive, and she maintained positive connections with the faculty at the University after. However, Hudnall made the decision to cut ties with student life at the University. “I literally dropped off the face of the earth,”

she said. “I dropped off Facebook and everything to deal with it.” In her experience, Hudnall said she felt she couldn’t turn to the University for support. For pregnant students, she said the University was lacking options. “It’s all about creating a community of pregnant students,” she said. “If they had special housing where you could be a pregnant community together, that’s a better option than not having anything at all. You need a support system.” At the other end of the state, Auburn University has launched plans for a 2014 housing community exclusively for pregnant students. “Baby Steps” will offer a home where pregnant students can take care of their babies and continue their studies on campus. A mother can enter the house at any point and stay until her child is 12 months old. Currently, no such program exists at the SEE PREGNANCY PAGE 11

$1,560.00 formula CW | Belle Newby *These prices reflect costs of basic essentials in the first year. The information was obtained from average Walmart prices and statistics from whattoexpect.com.

UA junior Nick Jacobs slims down in basketball offseason By Charlie Potter | Assistant Sports Editor

Holiday festivities WHAT: Honors College Holiday Party WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m. WHERE: Second Floor Lobby Nott Hall

Men’s basketball WHAT: Men’s Basketball vs. North Florida WHEN: 7 p.m. WHERE: Coleman Coliseum

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Tide volleyball team to take on Oklahoma Volleyball players take 24-9 record to NCAA Tournament By Kelly Ward | Staff Reporter

WHAT: Stress Free Daze WHEN: 7 p.m.-midnight WHERE: Ferguson Center

INSIDE

Sports Puzzles Classifieds

12 11 11

“I’d like to think that we’ve used 33 matches through the course of a year to help us get prepared for this point, and now we’re at a place where it’s one and done,” Alabama coach Ed Allen said. “You either play or you go home for the year.”

tomorrow

Wednesday

Thursday Chance of Rain 74º/67º

Chance of Rain 77º/67º

SEE VOLLEYBALL PAGE 10

recycle th i se

per • Ple a

2 4 8

— Ed Allen

Briefs Opinions Culture

today

Now we’re at a place where it’s one and done. You either play, or you go home for the year.

This year, the team goes into the tournament with a 24-9 record, including 11-7 in the SEC. The 24 wins tied the most wins in a season since the program was re-established in 1989. “I think we’re physically more gifted than what we were in years past, and that has everything to do with where we’re at right now,” Allen said. “And then I think having a degree of expectation and expecting athletes to fulfill what that expectation is is the other part of it, but I think we’re just athletically and emotionally a much more stable team than either of those first

today’s paper

WEATHER

The schedule has been decided, the bid has been drawn, and the stage has been set for the Alabama volleyball team. Sunday night, the team received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. It isn’t the first time Alabama has gone to the tournament. This is the team’s fourth trip, though the Crimson Tide has come back empty-handed from each of its previous trips.

Study break

SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 10

CW | Austin Bigoney Forward Nick Jacobs warms up prior to a game vs. Florida in the SEC Tournament.

CONTACT

WHAT: Tuscaloosa, the Nineteenth Century City WHEN: 4-5:30 p.m. WHERE: 118 ten Hoor Hall

Ple a

Student film

Nick Jacobs has a right hand. He just chooses not to use it on the offensive end of the court. The junior forward from Atlanta, Ga., has been a spark off the bench for the Alabama men’s basketball team thanks to his efficiency in shooting with his left hand and the time he spent in the gym this offseason. “Nick has always been a guy that has had a lot of confidence in his ability to score in and around the basket,” Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. “I think, obviously, he’s improved his conditioning; he’s improved his stamina; he’s improved his body, which has given him a little more lift in terms of his ability to create angles to go score. I think he’s just taking advantage of those opportunities because of the work that he’s put in.”

per •

WHAT: Brown Bag Lecture Series Presents ‘Local Female Entrepreneurs (Do It Yourself)’ WHEN: Noon-1:30 p.m. WHERE: 115 Woods Hall

Campus lecture

Jacobs is the third leading scorer for the Crimson Tide this season with an average of 11.5 points per game, trailing only guards Trevor Releford (17.3) and Retin Obasohan (14.7). He has reeled off back-to-back team-high performances in Alabama’s latest games of the NIT Season Tip-Off, with 18 points against the Duke Blue Devils and a careerhigh 23 points versus the Drexel Dragons. Jacobs kept Alabama alive in both contests by backing down defenders and scoring with his nearly patented left hook shot every time he was fed the ball in the low post. He has averaged 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the Crimson Tide’s last two games and is shooting a careerbest 59 percent (31-of-53) from the floor this year. “He made a decision at the end of the season that he was going to try to do what he needed to do physically to become the

WHAT: Off-Campus Housing Fair WHEN: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center

Forward bolsters Alabama offense

recycle thi

Info session

TODAYON CAMPUS

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

editor@cw.ua.edu

website cw.ua.edu

CAMPUSBRIEFS Mailboxes now available for rent Box rentals for the spring semester are now available at the Ferguson Mail Center. Students who choose to rent mailboxes at the mail center will be able to receive U.S. Postal Service mail and UPS and FedEx items using the same address. Students can rent mailboxes for multiple terms, and the rentals are first-come, first-served. Semester rentals are $50; summer rentals are $25. Students living on campus who do not rent mailboxes will not be able to receive letters, cards and small mail items sent via the U.S. Postal Service on campus. For more information, visit campusmail.ua.edu/ferguson.

Wednesday December 4, 2013

p.2

SCENEON CAMPUS

Students can relax in Ferg University Programs, Housing and Residential Communities and the Counseling Center will host Stress Free Daze from 7 p.m.-midnight Wednesday in the Ferguson Center. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be playing on a loop throughout the night. Free food, including milk, cookies, candy bars and breakfast, will also be available. Stressed students can also participate in Zumba and meditation classes or take part in massage therapy to unwind. There will also be arts and crafts activities, and students can earn SLPro points by participating in community service projects provided by Tuscaloosa’s One Place. The event is free to attend.

CW | Austin Bigoney UA Groundskeepers prepare ornaments and decorations for a festive tree outside Rose Administration Building Tuesday.

Blue Angels to visit UA in 2015 The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels will visit the city of Tuscaloosa in 2015, according to a release from spokesperson Deidre Stalnaker. This will be the fourth time the Blue Angels have performed in Tuscaloosa since 2009. The event will be held March 28-29, 2015, at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport. The Blue Angels are the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, and they have been performing since 1946. “We’re excited the Blue Angels have decided once again to come back to Tuscaloosa,” Mayor Walter Maddox said.

P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845 Classifieds: 348-7355

TODAY WHAT: Off-Campus Housing Fair WHEN: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. WHERE: Ferguson Center

Lauren Ferguson

production editor

Katherine Owen

online editor news editor

Marc Torrence

Larsen Lien

video editor

Daniel Roth Austin Bigoney

lead designer

Sloane Arogeti Elizabeth Lowder Lauren Robertson

ADVERTISING

territory manager

special projects manager

creative services manager

account executives

WHAT: Holiday International Coffee Hour WHEN: 5-7 p.m. WHERE: 301 Ferguson Center WHAT: DJ Alchemy WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: Jupiter Bar

WHAT: December Art Night WHEN: 5-8 p.m. WHERE: Kentuck Art Center

WHAT: Stress Free Daze WHEN: 7 p.m.-midnight WHERE: Ferguson Center

WHAT: ‘Hilaritas’ WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Moody Music Building Concert Hall

WHAT: Junkyard Kings WHEN: 10 p.m. WHERE: Green Bar

BURKE

John Brinkerhoff

photo editor

advertising manager

WHAT: Business Communication Roundtable WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. WHERE: 223 Bidgood Hall

Mark Hammontree

sports editor

community managers

WHAT: CBHLive Research Presentations WHEN: 2-8:45 p.m. WHERE: Nott Hall CBH Research Computer Lab

Mackenzie Brown

culture editor

chief copy editor

WHAT: UA Press Holiday Sale WHEN: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. WHERE: 309 Ferguson Student Center

Anna Waters

Abbey Crain

opinion editor

WHAT: 75 Years of Abstract Prints at the SMGA WHEN: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. WHERE: Garland Hall

Mazie Bryant editor@cw.ua.edu

managing editor

visuals editor

FRIDAY

WHAT: Collaborama! WHEN: 5-7 p.m. WHERE: Morgan Hall Auditorium

WHAT: Brown Bag Lecture Series: (Local Female Entrepreneurs (DIY) WHEN: Noon-1:30 p.m. WHERE: 115 Woods Hall

EDITORIAL editor-in-chief

THURSDAY

LUNCH

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Collard Greens with Onions Steamed Yellow Squash Macaroni and Cheese Penne with Summer Vegetables

LAKESIDE DINNER

LUNCH

Grilled Barbecue Pork Chop with Chipotle Honey Barbecue Sauce Tomatoes and Corn Pinto Beans Scalloped Potatoes Fresh Garden Bar

Steak Baked Potato Bar Steamed Green Beans Sautéed Mushrooms Fresh Garden Bar

FRESH FOOD

DINNER

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy Roasted Butternut Squash Cornbread Dressing Vegetable Stir-fry with Noodles Seasoned Spinach

LUNCH

Grilled Chicken Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Sauce Vegetable Bacon Soup Sautéed Green Beans Seasoned Rice

Tori Hall 251.751.1781 cwadmanager@gmail.com Chloe Ledet 205.886.3512 territorymanager1@gmail.com Taylor Shutt 904.504.3306 osmspecialprojects@gmail.com Hillary McDaniel 334.315.6068 Ali Lemmond William Whitlock Kathryn Tanner Camille Dishongh Kennan Madden Julia Kate Mace Katie Schlumper

The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students.The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are in room 1014, Student Media Building, 414 Campus Drive East. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2013 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.

IN THENEWS Notre Dame re-files lawsuit against birth control mandate From MCT Campus The University of Notre Dame has re-filed its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, challenging the controversial mandate that employers cover contraception in the health care benefits they provide workers. Filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, the lawsuit states that the government does not have the right to impose rules on the university that violate its religious beliefs. “This lawsuit is about one of America’s most cherished freedoms: the freedom to practice one’s religion without government interference,” the complaint says. “It is not about whether people have a right to

abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception.” Notre Dame first filed suit in May of last year. But their complaint was deemed premature since the mandate had not yet taken effect and the administration had indicated it still might alter the regulations to accommodate religious organizations. The government also held off on enforcing the regulation as conversations continued. The mandate is now expected to take effect Jan. 1, 2014. “The decision to re-file came after earnest but unavailing efforts to find a solution acceptable to the various parties,” the Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, said in a statement sent to students this morning. “Our abiding concern in both the original filing of May

21, 2012 and this re-filing has been Notre Dame’s freedom – and indeed the freedom of many religious organizations in this country – to live out a religious mission. We have not sought to prevent women from having access to services, nor even to prevent the Government from providing them.” To date, 86 lawsuits have been filed challenging the health care law’s contraception mandate, including 41 hospitals, charities, religious colleges and Catholic dioceses. Fourteen of those suits were dismissed, including a suit filed by the Catholic Diocese of Joliet. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider the religious objections of forprofit employers, who account for more than half of the other lawsuits.

US students lag behind many nations in reading, science and math From MCT Campus Fifteen-year-old students in the U.S. lag behind many countries around the world when it comes to reading, science and math, according to test results released Tuesday. The scores, which place the U.S. in the middle of the global pack, showed little change from American students who have taken the test over the past decade. At the top of the rankings are Asian countries including South

Korean, Japan and Singapore. The Chinese city of Shanghai scored the highest average scores in each subject matter. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development administered the exams to 15-year-old students in more than 60 nations and school systems under the Program for International Student Assessment, known as PISA. About 6,000 students in the U.S. took the test. The test scores are viewed by some

policymakers and analysts as an indicator of future economic competitiveness in the world and also an indication that spending in education could be more wisely invested. The U.S. – which shells out about $115,000 per student – is ranked fifth in spending behind Austria, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland, the results showed. However, it scores roughly the same as the Slovak Republic, which spends about $53,000 per student.

p.3 Mark Hammontree | Editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

NEWSIN BRIEF UA adjusts public wireless network Beginning January 2014, the University of Alabama wireless Internet network, UA Public Wireless Network, will no longer be available for use on campus. The UA Office of Information Technology said students should set their wireless devices to use the UA-WPA2 network for a safer Wi-Fi connection. Students can choose the UA-WPA2 connection directly from their wireless devices and log in using their myBama username and passwords. The OIT also offers the XPressConnect application to provide an easy set up for UA-WPA2. Students can open the Internet browser on their device and go to wpa2setup.ua.edu. Students who are using Apple devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, should set the devices to “forget” the UA Public Wireless Network. Doing so will stop the Apple device from trying to reconnect to that wireless network in the future. For more information, contact the OIT Service Desk at 205348-5555 or itsd@ua.edu.

CW | Lindsey Leonard The greenhouse, located behind the Biology Building, houses an environment for experimental botany to research agricultural sustainability and ways to reduce harm to soil enviroments.

Greenhouse lends space for research By Alyx Chandler | Contributing Writer

Located on the strip · 1218 University Blvd. 205-752-2990 · www.locker-room.biz

For more than a decade, the quaint, wellkept University of Alabama greenhouse, located on the side of the Biology Building, has been run by the UA department of biological sciences to facilitate plant and bacteria experiments by faculty and research students. “Since most universities do not typically have a greenhouse on campus, the department of biological science’s greenhouse has allowed me to pursue integrated research questions,” Robert Martinez, a microbiologist and University research scientist, said. The greenhouse encourages students to be involved and participate in environmental microbiology and plant biology research and is connected to the Biology Building for easy access. Botany professors and other biology researchers have done experiments there over the years to study agricultural production, limited nutrient resource usage and how to produce better sustainability in plants and soil. “Working in the greenhouse is actually pretty peaceful since there are a limited number of people in there at any one time,” Martinez said. The UA grounds department occasionally reserves spots in the greenhouse at different times of the year to keep seasonal plants. Otherwise, the building is an untouched plant and soil sanctuary. “The ability to conduct greenhouse

experiments allows researchers to conduct controlled experiments before moving projects to the field,” Patricia Sobecky, professor and chair of the department of biological sciences, said. With a regular plot of land, only a limited number of experiments are available before a plot of land is diminished and therefore unusable. Researchers then have to move on and contaminate a new area. A greenhouse provides a glassed-in structure where temperature and humidity can be controlled by the researcher. The upkeep of the greenhouse gives the department of biological sciences cultivated land that acts as farmland. The unchanging environment allows different scientific variables and hypotheses to be tested in a controlled fashion over long periods of time. “It also takes a bit of patience that most microbiologists like myself need to develop, because unlike bacteria that can grow in a matter of minutes to hours, plants require weeks to months to develop to maturity,” Martinez said. Over a year ago, a UA research team used the greenhouse to conduct research involving agricultural sustainability and ways to reduce harm to soil environments. Martinez, part of the most recent research team to use it, isolated bacteria from contaminated soils to study a unique phosphorus metabolism that reduces the concentration of contamination in water. “This approach would help farmers

reduce fertilizer expenditures and conserve the phosphate component in fertilizers, which is a non-renewable resource,” Martinez said. Diverse bacteria are able to be cultivated from both contaminated and agricultural soils. The team used the convenience of the greenhouse to test different soil strains to determine if the amount of fertilizer applied to soil could be reduced. Previously, the researchers looked at bacteria research to determine if reduced phosphate amendments provide growth. The team will publish a report of the final conclusions after more research. Sobecky and Dave Francko, dean of the graduate school and a professor of biological sciences, conducted an economic development project about bamboo-cultivation in the processing industry with Resource Fiber Alabama, LLC. “I have used the greenhouse to store bamboo and other plants related to my research on cold hardiness in ornamental plants,” Francko said. Although not the most well-known research facility around campus, the greenhouse provides more of an experimental opportunity for those in the department of biological sciences than most students at the University know about. “We hope to be able to maintain it for the foreseeable future, and expansion of the greenhouse would be ideal,” Sobecky said.

p.4 Wednesday, December 4, 2013

John Brinkerhoff | Editor letters@cw.ua.edu

COLUMN | CHINA

America needs to stop worrying about China’s rise to world power By Rich Robinson | Staff Columnist

MCT Campus

COLUMN | ALABAMA FOOTBALL

Adversity reveals true Tide fans By Maxton Thoman | Senior Staff Columnist The agony of defeat still clings to the minds of most here at The University of Alabama as Saturday’s lastminute Iron Bowl loss continues to make headlines on “SportsCenter” even days after the initial event. And why shouldn’t it? This loss is as bad as it could have been. We had the chances; we had the team; we had the championship in our sights. It was on a big stage; it was away; it was decided in the last second, and it was against Auburn. Doesn’t get much worse. But I have a confession: I have never been more proud to be an Alabama fan. Why, you ask? How could this possibly compare to seeing my first BCS Championship Game last year? It’s simple, really. I am a firm believer that true character reveals itself in the face of adversity. And let me tell you, Tuscaloosa, the University and, most importantly, the 2013 Crimson Tide football team have true character. After I had gotten over

Maxton Thoman my initial shock and disappointment, I started looking around at my fellow Alabama students, and I honestly have never seen as much outright and absolute support as I did among my peers. From Facebook posts thanking our seniors to Kaitlin Goins’ masterful letter to Cade Foster, I know that almost every note had a positive tone and a gracious attitude of support for our program. These are true Alabama fans – those who congratulated the opponent, those who welcomed our boys home. Those who sent Foster threats, attacked the team from the safety of the Internet

and who continue to speak in only negative connotations are nothing more than spoiled, fair-weather fans. I understand disappointment, but for you to really consider yourself a fan, you have to be prepared for the good times and the bad. And with the Iron Bowl, you can never be sure which one is going to happen. But what’s an even greater indicator of the character of the Crimson Tide was the outright respect and brotherhood shown by our team. For instance, McCarron tweeted almost immediately, “Love my Team!! Salute to AU players Great program but let me say this we win & lose as a team,” and he was just one of many. Everyone got in line behind Foster, just like we all should. Our football team has more morality and valor than any other I have ever seen, and that’s a true testament to what Saban does on a daily basis. It’s also why our program is only going to flourish from here. So, I will fall in line behind our team, who we are blessed to have not only on the field, but also as role models off it.

Still, people continue to talk about it, as the question, “How are you doing?” has taken on a completely new meaning, being voiced in the connotation of, “How are you dealing with this? Is your sanity intact?” Of course, Tuscaloosa will be all right. We’ve merely hit a snag in the road. Mind you, in this connotation, a “snag” has still ensured that we will attend one of the largest BCS bowl games – be it Orange, Sugar, Rose or the National Championship (for which we still have 60:1 odds). And if this were 2014, a snag would merely have us at a lower seed in the playoffs. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more OK I am with the defeat. This loss has merely broken me of my “title town bubble,” stripping me of my insane ignorance of defeat. This loss has merely reinforced my love for this program, for this town, for this school. Congratulations on an amazing season, guys. Here’s to many more.

Graduate school provides more career options As I sat at home during break and surrounded myself with an assortment of homecooked food, like I am sure many of my fellow classmates did, I took a moment to step back and think. I realized this semester has completely flown by. It is almost time for my second semester of junior year, which means it’s time for decisions to be made. As an aspiring public relations professional, I have the tendency to plan everything out. So basically, I had my fiveyear plan in place before I even walked across my high school graduation stage. I had always planned to take a year off after I received my undergraduate degree, but lately, everywhere I turn, the topic of graduate school has seemed to be staring me in the face. When thinking about it, we all have been attending school for roughly 14 years. That’s 14

Amber Patterson years of sitting in classrooms, studying for tests, taking tests and receiving final grades. A time to breathe is welldeserved, but in life, is there ever a moment to breathe? After graduating, we may have a few short days to catch our breath before it’s time to look for an apartment, start to pay bills and take the steps neces-

sary to further our careers, also acknowledging the fact that in today’s world a better degree equals more zeros on a paycheck. So here is the dilemma: grad school or the real word? Should we dedicate another two or four years to the same routine, or should we dive headfirst into the real world and put it off till later? As I was leaning toward the latter option, my best friend asked me a question that changed my perspective. “Amber, if you take a year off from everything school related, would you really want to go back?” she said. Honestly, I am not ashamed to say I would not go back. It would be hard to get back into the routine of school again after a year of not being paranoid about due dates and staying up late nights just for a letter grade and not a paycheck. But could I reach my full career aspirations

without a better degree? The answer to this question was no, so I decided to suck it up and began to research schools. For some, graduate school is a given option. For example, aspiring doctors and lawyers cannot fully reach their career goals without going to medical school or law school. Would you trust a doctor with your life if you found out all he had was a four-year undergraduate degree in biology? For other majors like those in communications or business, experience seems more appealing. I am pretty confident that we all one day want to have that dream job and life that we see in our heads all the time. To achieve this, we must not overlook options. It is a proven fact of life that even though we make plans, they often change. Amber Patterson is a junior majoring in public relations. Her column runs biweekly on

EDITORIAL BOARD

WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS

Mazie Bryant editor-in-chief

Letters to the editor must contain fewer than 300 words and guest columns less than 800. Send submissions to letters@ cw.ua.edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.

Lauren Ferguson managing editor Katherine Owen production editor Anna Waters visuals editor

Mackenzie Brown online editor Larsen Lien chief copy editor John Brinkerhoff opinion editor

America will be the leader of the world for as long as it wants to be.

Maxton Thoman is a sophomore majoring in biology. His column runs on Wednesdays.

COLUMN | GRADUATE SCHOOL

By Amber Patterson | Staff Columnist

The idea that China will overtake the United States of America as the dominant world power has grown in strength throughout the years, but it is largely a myth. China has neither the capacity nor the will to lead the world and is seemingly perfectly happy living and growing with America at the head of the table of nations. Here’s why: Let’s pretend for a minute that China wants to become more than a regional power. It is incredibly limited by the realities created by more than 70 years of American democratic and capitalistic influence being infused into the government systems of the majority of the nations on Earth. To its east: one of America’s closest allies and a nation literally reborn in the image of the West after World War II, Japan, where thousands of American troops are currently stationed. To its north: a graying bear and part-time Chinese ally in Russia, which Bard College professor Russell Mead said is like “France

pining for Napoleonic glory, except bigger, uglier, meaner.” In other words, they are not the best friends to count on. To its south: an unstable and starving North Korea, which China is constantly forced to embarrassingly defend on the global stage, strong and fiercely democratic South Korea. Democratizing Indonesia, and democratic Australia and New Zealand. Not to mention the hurting but pro-American power of nearly 100 million, the Philippines. To its west: China has to contend with the world’s biggest democracy, India, a democratizing Nepal (who just had elections that rejected hard-line Maoists from power) and a democratic Bangladesh. In fact, in the entire region of South Asia from Pakistan to Bhutan and back again, around 1.6 billion people now live in democratic countries. Even Sri Lanka, a nation that lost roughly 40,000 people in a brutal civil war that ended in 2009, is being shamed by the

Rich Robinson international community, especially in a valiant effort from the British prime minister and “special relationship” partner David Cameron, to embrace total democracy. Why are all these nations democratic? Because they have come to age under what The Economist calls the era of Pax Americana. Internally, China is going to have to come to terms with a housing market bubble that is primed for a damaging burst. Jack McCabe, a real estate expert, said there were 14 million vacant housing units in the United States in 2009 after the American bubble burst. He also said right now, China has over 64 million empty residential units. And that’s with a 2013 GDP target of 7.5 percent. So how can this be? Well the middle class, also known as the people who can afford to live in these residential units, is not nearly big enough to sustain the growth. As a result, McCabe said entire cities like Daya Bay and Zhengzhou have areas that are basically empty. On top of that, China’s GDP per capita is only $6,188, according to the World Bank, slightly more than the Dominican Republic. For comparison, the United States GDP per capita sits at $49,965. Americans are by and large more engaged with the global marketplace than the Chinese and have more built up equity in institutions and established systems. Couple those sad numbers with the lack of basic human rights like the freedoms of speech and press in China, plus countless civil liberties violations and laws that do not protect or encourage business innovation or intellectual property. China has made no real moves to position itself as a superpower on the world stage. It refuses to get involved in humanitarian crises and stands in the way of progress in the UN Security Council. While its form of communism has done a good job of lifting millions out of poverty, it is yet to be seen whether it can sustain a thriving middle class that is not based on an unsustainable growth trend. In the end, China is still very much a developing country and should be viewed as one. America will be the leader of the world for as long as it wants to be. Rich Robinson is a junior majoring in telecommunication and film.

Last Week’s Poll: What Thanksgivng break activity are you most excited about? (The Iron Bowl: 65%) (Thanksgiving: 31%) (Black Friday shopping: 4%) This Week’s Poll: Would you support the Auburn Tigers if they made it to the BCS National Championship in Pasadena, Calif.? cw.ua.edu/poll

p.5

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Miss America contestant creates cookbook By Emily Williams | Contributing Writer Miss Point Mallard Katie Malone is using her platform in the Miss America Organization to make an impact for struggling families this holiday season. Malone has created a cookbook to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama, featuring recipes from local and national celebrities. The Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to stay while their critically ill children receive medical care. There are currently houses in both Birmingham and Mobile and a family room in DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. Malone, a senior majoring in broadcast journalism, has been involved with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of A l ab a m a since her senior year in high school. She has held and participated in various events with the organization, including fundraisers and silent auctions, but Malone said she wanted to do something different. “I wanted something that was out of the box,” she said. “So I thought about my interests, and it always came back to cooking. When I was a little girl, my grandmother was a caterer, so when we were in her house, there was always something in the oven, something on the stove, something we were helping her out with. I decided what a perfect way to raise funds through a cookbook.” The cookbook includes over 465 recipes. Some of the famous names who contributed recipes include Nick Saban, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, Bill “Bubba” Submitted Katie Malone created a cookbook to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House. Bussey from the “Rick and

Why se le for

ONE ROOM when you can have the

WHOLE APARTMENT for LESS? Join us Wednesday, December 4th 10am‐1pm UA Housing Fair Ferguson Center

SealyRealty.com Aspen Village 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes

Mountain View Studio,1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans

Bent Tree 1& 2 Bedroom Floor Plans

NorthBrook Studio,1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes

Canterbury Apartments 2 Bedroom Floor Plans Forest Trail Studio, 1,2, 3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes Fountain Square 1 & 2 Bedroom Floor Plans High Country 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans

Regal Pointe Studio, 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans Rivermont 1,2,3 Bedroom Floor Plans Stone Creek Studio, 1,2, 3 Bedroom Floor Plans & Town Homes Furnished Available

205.391.6000

Ham Delights Sharbel, founder of the Ronald McDonald House Recipe By: Marianne Charities of Alabama

Ingredients: 1/2 pound soft butter 3 tablespoon mustard 1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 medium onion (chopped)

1 pound baked ham/chopped 1/2 pound Swiss cheese/grated 2 packages of small dinner rolls (12 per package)

Directions: ingredients that have been mixed together. Add chopped ham and grated cheese. Put tops on rolls. Wrap in foil. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. May be frozen prior to cooking.

Bubba” radio show, founder of the Ronald McDonald House of Alabama Marianne Sharbel and Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan. Malone included several of her grandmother’s recipes but also contributed one of her own, “Super Clean Protein Salad.” Malone would not say what recipe Saban contributed for the book. “I’m not going to tell people; they need to buy it.” Malone said. “I have to say that when I received his recipe I was expecting something a little different than what he gave me, but, hey, that’s OK. It works, and it’s one of my favorites.” Malone said it was one of her experiences at the Ronald McDonald House that inspired her to start working on the cookbook. “A lot of times what I do to kind of explain it to people that don’t already know is I tell a story about a little boy that I met there, and his name was Kylen Tolbert, a 2-year-old from Mobile,” Malone said. “He had a very rare form of brain cancer. [Only] 17 percent of the kids that are diagnosed with it walk away from it. The only hospital he could get treatment from was Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. Honestly, that’s unfeasible for his mom to drive five hours a day for him to receive treatment, so the house provides a place for these families to stay while their child is receiving treatment for a ter-

minal illness or waiting on a transplant.” Kylen died on Feb. 9, 2013. “The Ronald McDonald house is what made that relationship, and that’s something that has changed my life forever,” Malone said. “Even though Kylen’s story had a short end to it, a lot of these kids walk away with smiles on their faces, and they get to go home, and it is the sweetest thing to watch. They become family to the staff at the RMD House... So it is hard to say goodbye, but you’re so happy to see them go home with beaming faces full of joy.” Kathy Robson, development manager for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama, has been working with Malone for three years and helped her implement the idea for the cookbook. “Katie is very passionate about the house,” Robson said. “She cares deeply, and she’s such a hard worker. She’s the one that headed it all up. It was her idea, her passion and her drive that’s taken it to this point, and I’m just very proud of her. I think she’s an amazing young woman.” The cookbook is $15 and available on her website, mad4rmh. com, at Butterflies in Fultondale and at Goody2Shoes in Decatur. Malone said she expects to raise more than $7,000 with her first round of orders. All proceeds from the book sales go directly to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama.

p.6

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Professors work to expand Head Start By Emily Williams | Contributing Writer Two University of Alabama professors were awarded a $2.2 million grant to expand the Head Start preschool program for children in West Alabama. Head Start provides enrichment for preschool-aged children of low-income families. Caroline Boxmeyer, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine, and Ansley Gilpin, an assistant professor of developmental science, began piloting a program called PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) in 2011, which incorporated resources and education for parents into the existing Head Start curriculum. They applied for and received a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, which is allowing them to expand the program. Boxmeyer said the goal of PATHS is to involve parents in the curriculum their children are being taught and to give them resources to help reinforce that learning. “The goals of the grant mechanism that we responded to were actually to support family wellness in a variety of ways including parent mental health, as well as their basic ability to find and hold a job and also manage the finances for the family,” Boxmeyer said. “We are planning to implement the program that we did with the pilot and then enhance it with additional job skills and financial management training for the parents as well as for the family’s well-being.” Gilpin said one of the challenges was making sure the program was as effective as possible in a classroom setting. “We are working with the administrators and the teachers and the parents that Head Start has in something called a Parent Involvement Committee, kind of like a PTA, and they are really helping us make sure that it’s as tailored to individual schools as it can be and as practical

and useful as it can be,” Gilpin said. The classroom program is intended to create a positive classroom environment for these children, who are learning to articulate and process high-emotion events with other children. “The goal is to first of all create an environment where they can communicate about their needs and give them very concrete, specific steps of how to go about that,” Gilpin said. “It gives the children a feelings vocabulary, so they learn to name and label a range of specific feelings.” Boxmeyer said the Head Start program was an important part of helping the community and the children deal with recovering from the April 27, 2011, tornado. “The Alberta Head Start is the program where we first initiated the pilot, and that structure actually held up through the storm,” Boxmeyer said. “Being able to stay in school and stay on a regular routine is one of the protective factors for children recovering from a trauma like that, so that was immensely beneficial. But many of the families were affected. It’s possible that the expanded program with this new grant will enable us to work with parents who have lost a job or who are having difficulty finding a job as a result of the tornado damage.” Boxmeyer and Gilpin are working with groups from the University of Oregon, University of Southern California and Northwestern University to expand Head Start on a national level. “It’s great because this could possibly have some changes that might be more widespread at the end,” Gilpin said. “So it gives Alabama a really neat opportunity to make a difference, not only directly, but also nationally.” The grant money was implemented in October of this year and runs through September 2018. The first year will be a planning year, but Boxmeyer and Gilpin will begin to implement the program in the 2014-15 school year.

It’s great because this could possibly have some changes that might be more widespread at the end.

Under 1 5 12

4 3

Under 1 183

1 2 3 4 5

128 169 5,789 10,835 209

Alabama Head Start enrollment by age

Staff

Teachers

— Ansley Gilpin

3,419 Teachers 1,172 Volunteers 22,449 Staff

Volunteers

Alabama Head Start staff and volunteers CW | Belle Newby

p.7

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

CW | Pete Pajor Regina Harrell wrote a column expressing her frustration with electronic medical records, which can take valuable time away from doctors and patients, as well as lead to incomplete charts.

UA professor skeptical of EMR efﬁciency By Samuel Yang | Staff Reporter

“

Every physician has a strong opinion on computerization of the health care system. Some of them love it, some of them hate it, but everyone has a strong opinion.

“

When Regina Harrell, physician and assistant professor in the College of Community Health Sciences, enters the scene of a house call, the first thing she does is pick out a spot to kneel on the floor, practically at the feet of her patient. After some conversation, she pulls out a palm-sized device from her bag and introduces it to her patient as a new toy. The patient puts their fingers on either end and lowers it into their lap. Harrell pulls out her iPhone. The device, relatively new to Harrell, allows for on-the-fly electrocardiograms, which she can receive and download directly onto her phone. After the reading and visit are complete, she closes her bag and leaves, never having touched the bulky laptop she uses for compiling and updating electronic medical records. Harrell recently found herself on the front page of NPR’s website after writing a column expressing her frustration with electronic medical records, which have abruptly become a part of health care nationwide through federal mandate. Harrell’s column “Why a Patient’s Story Matters More Than a Computer Checklist” was published on Pulse, an online health care magazine, and began generating above-average traffic before it was featured on NPR. “You have things happen, and you’re frustrated about them … Writing them down can help congeal the thoughts in your head,” she said. Harrell said the health care industry is currently working to meet standards of care while still working with patients on an individual basis. “There’s a real challenge in health care to nationally prove that people are meeting standards of safety and quality while also providing appropriate individualized care for each individual person,” Harrell said. “I think that’s the crux of where we’re stuck right now.” Harrell said electronic medical records (EMRs), which are meant to streamline and connect a patient’s various health care providers, have become polarizing because they often force physicians to choose between detracting from the quality of in-person visits or adding hours of unpaid, frustrating work to their day. “Every physician has a strong opinion on computerization of the health care system. Some of them love it, some of them hate it, but everyone has a strong opinion,” Harrell said. “They’re asking us to do more and get paid less in a way that’s very unfulfilling … That’s what’s making so many physicians frustrated.” Brian Wilhite, a physician with Internal Medicine Associates, is currently in transition. He said some aspects of EMRs do help ease the process of retrieving records, but for doctors like him who deal with multiple issues per visit, EMRs can also slow the process down. “Currently, many of the EMRs are not yet integrated with other systems. So what you get can be dangerous, an

incomplete chart,” Wilhite said. “Sometimes no chart is better than an incomplete chart because you can potentially have a chart that can give you a false sense of security of completeness.” Wilhite said stipends have not realistically compensated for the expenses EMRs have generated. He has opted out of using scribes for cost and confidentiality reasons but has seen negative impacts on efficiency. “Throughout the training period, I was frustrated with the EMR system, often commenting, ‘But that’s not really important’ or ‘That’s not really how we do it’ or ‘Why don’t they do it this way?,’ as it is obvious that many of the current systems were not developed by physicians. Yet I expect in time this will improve greatly as doctors that are getting burned out and retiring physicians are now occasionally acting as consultants to assist developing EMRs,” Wilhite said. Ultimately, Wilhite said he would increase the stipend or make EMR transition optional. “Overall, I do not believe it will make me a better provider, nor do I believe it will be easier, and I can see how mistakes will not be reduced, possibly even increased,” Wilhite said. Hannah Zahedi, a sophomore who worked at a physician’s office during its EMR transition, said she felt the sentiments of the physicians were generally negative. “It’s definitely less time with patients, more time in front of the computer,” Zahedi said. “They had good intentions; they had the idea in mind that the patient will be able to access their information online through a secure system. But during the visit, you already have a limited time with the doctor, and that’s decreasing more.” Zahedi said the system their office used was flawed, displaying access problems and issues with its dictation system. She said the portable computers that ran the system were definitely noticed by patients. “That puts a divider between you and the patient almost immediately,” Zahedi said. Some practices, however, are experiencing the boosts in efficiency and effectiveness EMRs are supposed to bring. Kristy Sillay, student medical office assistant at G.I. Associates of West Alabama, said the system has been

beneficial to their practice. In her own job, Sillay said, the systems make it easier for her to deal with patients and their records. “I can see [what I need]. It’s right there on the computer screen,” she said. “Any nurse can pull up the chart and see what’s going on and take it from there.” EMRs come in different shapes and sizes, so different physicians often experience different results. Alex Morris, who has worked in hospitals and private practices in Tuscaloosa and at home, has seen both sides of electronic medical records. “If you use it with a scribe or do it afterwards, I think it can be a really effective and efficient tool,” Morris said. “It’s when you try to do two things at once [that there are problems].” At one hospital where he worked, Morris said the system was improperly used and the confusion often resulted in an “electronic paper Hail Mary.” He said the design holds fundamental flaws. “A lot of times there are loopholes with different patients where things don’t fit into clearly defined categories,” Morris said. He pointed to the endless string of checkboxes as something that made the systems cumbersome. Harrell, in fact, targets the checkboxes as an example of why EMRs are rapidly becoming a thorn in the side of practicing physicians. “The checkbox system generates so much computerspeak,” Harrell said. In one case, she used “home health” to reference a personal call, only to find the system had not been equipped to describe that scenario. “It made it sound like I took a tube of home health and put it on her leg,” Harrell said. “There wasn’t a way to generate that with the checkbox system.” The new system, Harrell said, is making it difficult to train new physicians in note taking and is causing record size to balloon. She predicts that changes and modifications will be made to the system over time since the market situation currently creates systems with little focus on doctors and their needs. “The people paying for the system are the hospitals. The people who have to use the systems are the doctors,” Harrell said. “The people who are the end-users are not the buyers.” In fact, among the people who have contacted Harrell in the wake of her publication have been software companies looking for her insight. At the house call, Harrell opted not to use the laptop during the visit, since the process of setting up and connecting to the system can be awkward in a living room, but she isn’t convinced technology has to be a barrier. Pulling her iPhone out again, she started scrolling through pictures of her 2-year old son, who she and the patient joked is the doctor in the family. “Which is okay,” Harrell said. “He’s good medicine.”

Healthy habits help minimize dead week, finals stress By Kailey McCarthy | Contributing Writer As students shuffle in from Thanksgiving break, two weeks of intensive studying and exams separate them from going home for a longer reprieve. This week, popularly known as dead week, is the time for students to hit the libraries for long hours and study nonstop in order to ace their finals. Although studying is an essential part of college, the stress it causes can also adversely affect students’ bodies. “In small amounts, stress can have positive effects on our bodies, such as making us more alert and energized,” said Caroline Boxmeyer, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral medicine. “However, when we face larger or more continuous sources of stress, our bodies can develop a range of physical difficulties, such as headaches, stomachaches, anxiety and irritability.” Boxmeyer said continuous stress can manifest itself in a number of symptoms, often in ways that can make the original problem worse. “These stress responses are exacerbated when we do not keep up with selfcare practices, such as getting enough sleep, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet,” Boxmeyer said. “We

Using alcohol, tobacco or drugs actually exacerbates stress. — Caroline Boxmeyer also become more susceptible to physical illness when we are experiencing significant stress.” Unfortunately, it is harder to keep up with self-care when experiencing specific stressors, such as final exams, and self-medication can often only make the problem worse. “Using alcohol, tobacco or drugs actually exacerbates stress, rather than relieving stress,” Boxmeyer said. Fortunately, there are some things we can do to minimize stress. “To minimize the effects of stress on our bodies during a particularly busy time, it is important to keep up with health practices, such as sleep, diet and exercise, and to avoid alcohol and drugs,” Boxmeyer said. “It is also important to break down tasks into manageable steps and take frequent breaks to relax.” Madison Powers, a freshman

majoring in international business, said even though it’s her first experience with dead week, she is already feeling the stress. “I had finals in high school, but the material I’ve learned here in college is much more extensive,” Powers said. “I am prepared for an exhausting week.” The ways in which students conceptualize its sources can also play a role in how intensely we experience stress. For example, setting a realistic plan for a test and following it, rather than seeing it as the be-all, end-all of academic success, can help mitigate stress. “It is also essential to watch the messages we are giving ourselves, which can be significant sources of stress on their own,” Boxmeyer said. Boxmeyer, who also works at the University Medical Center, said the center experiences a larger increase in need for mental health services around finals and the holidays. Abby Reyes, a sophomore majoring in business and psychology, said preparing for finals can often be more stressful than the tests. “Of course dead week is stressful; it’s almost more stressful than the actual finals themselves,” Reyes said. “Dead week is when all the studying, learning, memorizing and cramming happens.”

Stress is the #1 factor in academic disruption

1 in 5 students has felt too stressed to study or be with friends

1 in 5 have considered dropping out of school for this

only

52%

of freshman say their emotional health is above average CW | Belle Newby *Information obtained from onlinecollegecourses.com

p.8 Abbey Crain | Editor culture@cw.ua.edu

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Students celebrate last day of Hanukkah holiday By Hannah Widener | Contributing Writer

PLAN TO GO

This year, the first night of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving collided to form the WHAT: Last night of Hanukkah mega holiday “Thanksgivukkah,” an WHEN: Wednesday 7-9 p.m. occasion that will not happen again for WHERE: Hillel House another 75,000 years. Hanukkah follows the lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar, and Jewish holidays vary each tree, so I never felt like I missed out on year, which is what allowed the turkey to that,” Bruno said. be cut and the menorah lit on the same Ben Flax, a senior majoring in religious night. studies, decorated a Christmas tree for “It’s something we’ll never see again the first time last year. He refers to the in our lifetime or for generations,” Lisa ornaments as “orbs,” but he saidgrowing Besnoy, director of Hillel Jewish stu- up, he never felt like he was left out when dent life, said. “It was it came to other kids very special because celebrating Christmas it was the first day of traditions. Hanukkah and it was “My dad always Thanksgiving. Jewish Our students had a little bit of made Hanukkah a lot of holidays usually begin As a military chapa different experience because fun. the night before. Our lain, we always were students had a little typically they might not be able on base for at least one bit of a different expenight lighting a massive to go home for Hanukkah ... menorah,” Flax said. rience because typically they might not Lighting the tree can be able to go home for be significant to most — Lisa Besnoy Hanukkah, but a lot families, but for Flax it of our students were is all about lighting the home for Thanksgiving, menorah, he said. Even so they got to share that when he cannot be with with their families.” his family, Flax takes comfort in knowing Some UA students will be celebrating that his family is singing the same songs the last night of Hanukkah at the Hillel and lighting the same candles, even though House with traditional Jewish foods such he said Hanukkah is not a major Jewish as latkes and sufganiyot. holiday. Some unable to attend the event are “Many people think that it is the most choosing to celebrate Hanukkah in their important due to its focus in western own way. “Christmukkah” is the combi- society since it’s around Christmas, and nation of Christmas and Hanukkah. Ben we have to be politically correct,” Flax Bruno, a sophomore majoring in interna- said. “The reason most people focus on tional studies, said he usually celebrates Hanukkah is because it is more attracthe first night of Hanukkah and Christmas tive than say Yom Kippur when everyCW | Hannah Widener by dividing up the gifts and lighting the one is fasting, even though Yom Kippur menorah. and the other biblical holidays are The final candle on a hanukkiyah, or a nine-candle menorah, will be lit for the last night of Hanukkah. “We’ve always had a Christmas more important.”

COLUMN | HEALTH

Krokodil drug gaining popularity despite ﬂesh-eating side effects By Heather Combs Though it seemed drugs could not get worse than crystal meth or bath salts, krokodil has made its way to the United States. This is a drug as frightening as the reptile it is named after. From the brief mention of it in my drug awareness class, only one thing came to mind: zombies. Krokodil, aka “the flesheating drug,” comes from the shores of Eastern Europe, and long story short, it is a less expensive and more hazardous version of heroin. Compared to heroin, it is much more toxic, and the duration of action, or the “high,” is much shorter. The medical name of this drug is desomorphine, and it is made from codeine mixed with gasoline, paint thinner, iodine or hydrochloric acid. I cannot fathom why anyone would willingly inject gasoline into their body, but nevertheless, cases related to this drug are beginning to emerge in the United States.

With continuous use, skin becomes green and scaly, similar to the skin of a crocodile, hence the name. If the vein is missed and the drug is injected directly into flesh, the skin will completely rot off and bare bone will be exposed, hence its other name. This flesh-eating drug has the capability to turn one’s skin into the rotting flesh persona of a zombie. Talk of this drug in the media is increasing due to society’s fascination with zombie culture. Considered to be the most-watched drama in basic cable history, “The Walking Dead” was the center of all conversation up until its Season 4 premiere in October. With this current fad, I am concerned the drug may seem appealing to some of the die-hard “The Walking Dead” zombie fans. Though this thought may seem ridiculous, if people are willing to literally impersonate all aspects of Batman’s the Joker, why would someone not try to impersonate a zombie?

Krokodil also raises the question, “Is this as bad as it gets?” I once thought heroin or crystal meth was the worst of the worst, but I was mistaken. This highly toxic heroin substitute has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and has raised the bar for rapid devastation of the body and mind. A user’s life expectancy goes from unknown to no more than two or three years after first injections. I want to believe that no drug will exceed the ferocity of krokodil, but there is a nagging voice that tells me otherwise. If substances such as gasoline are now being incorporated into today’s drugs, I can only wonder what people will come up with next. With the zombie attraction, the inexpensiveness and the easy access, this flesh-eating drug has the potential to grow in popularity. People should be warned to think twice before choosing this drug. Crocodile skin should only be replicated on handbags, not on the skin of human beings.

GORGAS LIBRARY AND RODGERS LIBRARY

LATE NIGHT STUDY

HOURS GORGAS:

BEGINNING SUNDAY, DEC 1, AT NOON ENDING FRIDAY, DEC 13, AT 7:00 PM

RODGERS:

BEGINNING SUNDAY, DEC 1, AT 1:00 PM ENDING FRIDAY, DEC 13, AT 7:00 PM

24/7

FOR OTHER LIBRARY LOCATIONS AND HOURS, VISIT

WWW.LIB.UA.EDU 205-348-6047

p.9

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Mallet president plans for growth Tara Massouleh | Staff Reporter What do backpacking across China, fusion energy and the Mallet Assembly all have in common? The University of Alabama math and physics senior Brian Kraus. As the newly elected president of the Mallet Assembly, Kraus will oversee the affairs of Mallet’s 200 student members until his graduation in May. “I’ve spent a really long time getting to know Mallet’s place in the University and what our potential is for making change,” Kraus said. He said as president, he will be dedicated to keeping up the momentum that Mallet has had in the past semester to bring about positive change on campus. “There are a lot of issues on campus that I think are being addressed now much better than they have been in the past,” Kraus said. “I’m very excited to keep that going, and I’m very excited to broaden that talk to include more groups.” As a native of Colorado, Kraus came to The University of Alabama to take advantage of the financial opportunities he was offered but found himself finding far more opportunities than he anticipated. One of these opportunities turned out to be the Mallet Assembly. Kraus joined Mallet during the first semester of his freshman year at the University after he attended a Mallet event and quickly realized he fit right in among the different personalities. He said although he enjoyed living in Ridgecrest South, he felt that his social circle there was small and unilateral. Kraus moved to Palmer Hall, Mallet’s current home, during his second semester. “It was an opportunity to go from a suite of me and three roommates to a building of 70 roommates where I could hear so many ideas all the time,” Kraus said. After two semesters at the University, Kraus experienced a culture shock, traveling to Chengdu, China for the entirety of his sophomore year. He toured all parts of the country and became fully immersed in Chinese culture. Kraus said living in China greatly influenced his perspectives on many things in life. “There’s so much you can learn just from realizing how differently people think when you live in other places,” Kraus said. “It really challenges your foundations of thinking, and I really think it has helped me become a more flexible person.” In his junior year, Kraus served on the Mallet executive board as both scribe and vice president. He recently underwent nominations and elections to beat out two other qualified candidates for the position of president after a voting process that lasted from

10 p.m.-3 a.m. based on their home countries. He also Former president Isaac Bell, a junior said he believes it is important to tion sys- have strong student support to majoring in management information re Mallet help welcome foreign students to tems, said he is excited to see where will go under Kraus’s leadership. campus life. on when “I think that having a fresh vision As Kraus prepares to gradunt,” Bell ate from the University and a new leader steps in is important,” esources apply for graduate programs, said. “So, I have given Brian the resources he needs, and now I’d like to give him time where he hopes to eventually re out for figure out fusion energy, he said without me influencing him to figure himself what direction he wants to go.” he will undoubtedly use many e major of the skills he learned in Mallet Sophomore computer science hairman to succeed in future endeavors. and Mallet’s Spring Admissions Chairman Brandon Izor said he feels Kraus will be a He said because of Mallet, he great fit for Mallet president. has learned to work with people, very indi- relate ideas to others and form a “I see Brian being a catalyst for every vidual in the assembly to do good work on strong opinion. munity,” campus and in the Tuscaloosa community,” “There’s a continuing ongoIzor said. ing process in Mallet of refining ng inter- ideas that is so valuable,” Kraus Kraus is responsible for managing on to the said. “I don’t know that there nal affairs within Mallet in addition bout pro- are that many groups on camexternal work he will do to bring about gressive social change on campus and forge pus that are getting that llet and experience.” better relationships between Mallet other organizations on campus. es Kraus One of the most pressing issues sembly’s will address within Mallet is the assembly’s nce 2007, move from Palmer Hall, its home since ajor issue to the Highlands in fall 2014. The major in the move is the Highlands’ lack of comevel of mon space to accommodate the level sociability and sense of community that aid has come to define Mallet. Kraus said he he is working hard to ensure that the n “Mallet experience” will exist even after the move and that its memberss will be happy in their new home. In the coming semester, Kraus said he hopes to better organize Mallet’s voice on campus. He also plans to better manage Mallet’s presence in the media as the assembly continues to grow in size and influence. One issue Kraus said he is passionate about is the lack of representation of certain student groups on campus. As a former study abroad student, Kraus said he empathizes with the international students on campus. “I think, on average, they’re not given the best chances to get into American life, to meet a lot of American people, to get the English and cultural practice, to get everything they really need to succeed here,” Kraus said. Kraus said if international students were better interspersed in housing, they would have a better chance of integrating into CW | Lindsey Leonard American and campus culture The new Mallet Assembly president Brian Klaus plans to expand on the recent conversations on campus. rather than remaining in cliques

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA OFFICIAL TARTAN

Now Available At

p.10

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

COLUMN | SPORTS

Sports can be comforting for fans during tragedy By Sean Landry “It’s only a game,” people always say. “Why should people care so much?” I don’t know if anyone could ever really answer that. Who knows why people care so much – too much, even – about their sports teams and sports in general? I’ve been accused of taking my teams much too seriously, of being too caught up in the fate of my beloved Arsenal or Boston Celtics or Portland Timbers. As Nick Hornby, author of the soccer memoir “Fever Pitch” put it, “For alarmingly large chunks of the day, I am a moron.” It’s only a game after all. Except when it’s not. One of my most precious

Sports can be a kind of therapy to the downtrodden, a community of support for those who have none. sporting memories came Sept. 25, 2006 – the day the Superdome reopened in New Orleans, La. A year earlier, my family fled the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina. That September night featured one of the most intense crowds I’ve ever seen. It was, without a doubt, one of the most

important sporting events in a city’s history – not because of the result on the field (23-3, Saints), but because of the impact that victory had on the people in the stands. Even writing about it now, I have chills, which I don’t think is because it’s drafty in this Starbucks. More recently, think back to the Boston Marathon Bombings. Part of the outrage at that attack was the assault on one of the most cherished, patriotic and unifying events in America. The marathon was supposed to be a celebration of achievement, bravery and determination. That finish line was supposed to represent the realization of dreams for so many people on a day that commemorates the dreams of

the nation’s founders. Instead, the day became a nightmare, shutting down one of the world’s proudest cities. But think of the images that remain after that bombing. People ran toward an explosion with no regard for safety. Marathon runners ran directly to hospitals to give blood. Doctors who ran the marathon ran to their operating rooms. And in the days after, the Milwaukee Brewers stopped their game to sing the “Cheers” theme, and the New York Yankees – the freaking New York Yankees – sang the Boston anthem “Sweet Caroline.” The Boston Bruins played the first sporting event in Boston after the bombing, and their fans, totally impromptu,

sang the national anthem stronger, prouder and – in my mind – better than it had ever been sung before. These examples are just what sports can mean at their highest. Even in normal times, sports can be a kind of therapy to the downtrodden, a community of support for those who have none and an heirloom within families. Passion for sports, appropriately placed, can be a beautiful thing. To quote Nick Hornby again: “… Please, be tolerant of those who describe a sporting moment as their best ever. We do not lack imagination, nor have we had sad and barren lives; it is just that real life is paler, duller, and contains less potential for unexpected delirium.”

Volleyball team to play Oklahoma in an ‘emotional game’ VOLLEYBALL FROM PAGE 1

CW | Pete Pajor Nick Jacobs returned to the basketball court 30 pounds lighter after an offseason of hard work.

Jacobs credits coach for pushing him through ‘tough’ offseason BASKETBALL FROM PAGE 1

best player that he could become,” Grant said. “Our strength and conditioning coach Lou DeNeen did a great job with him and all our guys of challenging them mentally and physically to become the best that they can become.” Fans can look back to this offseason to see how Jacobs transformed his body and his offensive production from last year. He has slimmed down from a season ago, losing more than 30 pounds in the offseason. He is now 6 feet 8 inches and 245 pounds after getting to know DeNeen a little better over the summer. “It was a tough summer for me,” Jacobs said. But he was quick to praise DeNeen for pushing him through it. “I give all the credit to the coaching staff,” Jacobs said. “They worked me day-in and dayout during the summer, getting my body right.” Grant, however, disagreed, giving Jacobs the proper praise for his offseason conditioning. “Nick’s being kind. He put the work in,” Grant said. “It was not myself and the coaching staff. He put the work in, the work on his body and to do the thing he needed to do. Certainly proud of the work he’s put in. Now, the challenge is … to put that work that he put in into use with the competition that we’re going to play against.” However, Jacobs was not performing poorly before losing weight this offseason. In his first two years at The University of Alabama, Jacobs averaged 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 68 appearances. The former four-star recruit also posted double-digit performances in 12 of Alabama’s final 21 games last season. But his teammates have noticed a change in

Advertising space available!

Check out the CW’s NEW app!

PLAN TO GO WHAT: Men’s basketball vs. North Florida WHEN: 7 p.m. WHERE: Coleman Coliseum RECORDS: Alabama [3-3], North Florida [5-4] his game in less than a year’s time. “Obviously this offseason has been really big for him,” Obasohan said. “He’s just made a commitment to improve his body and just work on his game. The combination of those two things has really helped him a lot.” Alabama is 3-3 on the season and will look to bounce back from consecutive losses when it hosts the North Florida Ospreys (5-4) Wednesday at Coleman Coliseum. The Ospreys opened the season with an 8-point loss to the Florida Gators. “They really shoot the ball well as a team,” Grant said. “They’ve got a variety of guys that they go to.” Alabama owns a 2-0 record over North Florida, winning both contests by at least 20 points, and looks to remain undefeated against the Ospreys as the Crimson Tide returns to its home court. Jacobs and his teammates said they want to avoid a three-game losing streak and not suffer another 1-5 December like they did in 2012. “My whole goal this year is to just have a better season than we did last year,” Jacobs said. “We started off last year with that big slump in December, and our whole thing is to just turn the page on it.” But Grant said Jacobs was able to mark another goal off his list thanks to his dedication to losing weight. “He likes wearing tank tops now,” Grant said.

two teams that I’ve had here.” Middle blocker Krystal Rivers was named to the AllSEC team and the SEC AllFreshman team Monday. The redshirt freshman leads the team with 421 kills and a .406 hitting percentage. “This season has just been amazing,” Rivers said. “Coach told me at the beginning that I had a lot of potential, and just being able to work hard and realize that potential and especially doing it with this team like this team is the core team here at Alabama, and it’s going to achieve great things here, and being able to achieve what I achieved while being a part of this team has been amazing.” Alabama will take on Oklahoma (23-7) Thursday in the first round of the Lexington Regional. The Crimson Tide is 3-1 all-time against the Sooners. It isn’t just a regular opponent, though. Oklahoma was

UA Athletics Alabama will take on Oklahoma (23-7) Thursday in the first round of the Lexington Regional.

PLAN TO GO WHAT: Alabama vs. Oklahoma WHEN: Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CST WHERE: Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. RECORDS: Alabama (24-9), Oklahoma (23-7) Allen’s last opponent before he came to coach at Alabama. It’s also where senior right side hitter Andrea McQuaid started her college career. “It’ll be fun,” McQuaid said. “It’ll be kind of an emotional game, but at the

end of the day, it’s also the end of my career too, so it’s just a bunch of exciting things, as for the team as well, so it’s going to be a great time.” Despite the team’s inexperience in the postseason, senior defensive specialist Kelsey Melito said she isn’t worried and the team will approach it like any other game. “We respect everyone, but we fear no one,” Melito said. “Whether it’s postseason play, or whether it’s preseason, you go in, you play the game that you’ve been training for your entire life like most of us have, you get it done.”

p.11

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Campus lags behind in pregnancy services PREGNANCY FROM PAGE 1

University. Two common resources for students, the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Center and the Student Health Center, leave students with few options. WRC Director Elle Shaaban-MagĂąa said the center currently does not offer any programs specific to pregnant students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, the WRC would certainly welcome opportunities to expand services consistent with our mission,â&#x20AC;? she said. The SHC offers pregnancy testing and contraception for a fee that will be charged to the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insurance plan. For some students who are covered by their parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; insurance plans, this may eliminate a discreet way of obtaining these resources. The University runs both the Graduate Parent Support and

Undergraduate Parent Support programs, offering services such as free babysitting, one-on-one support, information about scholarships and family social events. Cori Perdue, a Graduate School Programs director, works closely with pregnant and parent students. Currently, the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GPS program serves 510 graduate students and the UPS program serves close to 700 undergraduate students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our GPS coordinator and myself meet individually with student parents to assist them with their needs and questions throughout the year,â&#x20AC;? she said. When it came to student support, Hudnall said she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know of any organizations at the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had to figure out what my comfort levels were and going to a random group on campus was the furthest thing from my mind,â&#x20AC;? she said. Though Hudnall said she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know of any student resources during her experience, campus groups have started to offer services to

pregnant women and new mothers. Bama Students for Life works closely with the Pregnant on Campus initiative, offering legal advice, transportation, lactation rooms and diaper services for students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pregnant and parenting students have unique needs,â&#x20AC;? Joanna Robinson, treasurer of Bama Students for Life, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example, a common side effect during the first trimester of pregnancy is fatigue, so a young mother at the beginning off pregnancy may have different needs than other mothers. We hope to bring issues like this to light so that professors will be more sympathetic toward the needs of their pregnant students.â&#x20AC;? Robinson said the Pregnant on Campus initiative also works to change campus culture to end the stigma surrounding pregnancy during college. She said the initiative provides free pregnancy tests. Carrie Eckhardt, executive director of the Sav-A-Life Pregnancy Test Clinic, said students who become

MARKETPLACE 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.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When other jewelers say no, Tom says yesâ&#x20AC;?

HOUSING Loft Down town, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, brick walls, plywood floors. $930.00 available January 1st. 752-9020 / 657-3900 Efficiency Unit On-Campus Cobblestone Court Apartments beside Publix. $425 per month. Water and garbage included. No Pets. Call 205752-1277. Email crissy@tiderentals. com Hackberry Place Apartments 1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom Apartment 1 mile from campus quiet location, perfect for grad students No Pets. Call: 205-752-1277 Email crissy@ tiderentals.com FURNISHED 2BR/2B GARDEN HOME MOVE IN READY REDUCED! CALL 205-310-3534 for showing. 2-yr-old 30-year roof. New Trane heat pump & water heater. Gas log fireplace in LR. BRs have ensuite baths & walk-in closets. Appliances included. Laminate floor in LR &

kitchen, frieze carpet in BRs, ceramic tile in Bs. Landscaped lawn is low maintenance. HOA keeps front yard. Privacy-fenced back yard with patio. 2 car garage with attic storage. Quick access to shopping, interstate, UA. Smoke free. Furnishings negotiable. Move-in Ready. Preinspected; pre-appraised. See us on Craigslist. http://tuscaloosa.craigslist. org/reo/4200856212.html Email cflanagan34@comcast.net Crimson Student Living- sublet until July! Close to campus! 1BR/1Bath fully furnished with hardwood floors includes: TV, bed, side tables, coffee table, washer and dryer, couch, chair, bar stools, and desk. Amenities include: internet/cable, pool, tanning, basketball and volleyball courts, computers with free printing Sublet until July 2014 Email swiftemily12@ gmail.com

Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jewelry Repair Like on Facebook & get a free cleaning! Jewelry Sales

2300 McFarland Blvd East (205) 758-2213

Sudoku

Public Intoxication? Minor in Possession? Driving Under Influence?

HOROSCOPES Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday (12/04/13). Romance, creativity and adventure colored this year. 2014 opens with a profitable bang. Transform your relationship to money to benefit all year. Follow your highest ideals. With respect and acknowledgment, partnerships expand. Spontaneous fun flavors May. Your communications turn golden in late summer, perfect to launch new endeavors or exhibit. Align your career with your passion, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unstoppable. To get the advantage, check the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Dreams contain tricky messages worth deciphering; write them down and consider the puzzle. Attend to career goals today and tomorrow. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend impulsively, even with good reason. Stay put a while longer. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- You find what you seek out. Dive into work without delay. Transform priorities and dress the part; a new haircut or style would be nice. Get something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always wanted. Own your new direction. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Put your heart into your activities. Make big changes for the next two days, but without spending yet. Emotional tension demands release; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing, so let it flow. Take the time to listen. Test your results. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to get your message across. Check your intuition by reviewing data. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try to impress others, despite your brilliant idea. Keep it private for now and prepare. Exercise outside and think it over. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 9 -Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overspend or gamble today. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more work coming. A rude awakening calls you to re-affirm a commitment. Remain patient. Work and make money today and tomorrow. Give and take. Inform the team privately. Offer insights. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Work interferes with travel now, so

Randal S. Ford, Esq. make plans for later. Postpone a shop(205) 759-3232 ping trip. Get an expert for the job (if www.tuscaloosacourt.com youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not one). Your love holds you to your highest ideals. Pay attention to that. Have inexpensive fun. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Shop carefully. The next two days are â&#x20AC;&#x153;No representation is made good for making changes at home. Be that the quality of legal careful, though. Think things through services to be performed is before acting. Get everyone else on greater than the quality of board to make a breakthrough. Sift for legal services performed by bargains; there are plenty of options. other lawyers.â&#x20AC;? Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- The team buys into your plan. There are irregularities in cash flow, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manageable. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re extra brilliant today and tomorrow. Believe you can prosper. Emotions add motivation. Dress eclectic. Create a romantic venue and invite someone. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- A controversy gets sparked. Great abundance can be yours over the %HGURRPV next few days. Edit your lists and stay in motion. Choose your activities well. 0LQXWHV IURP You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to tell everybody. Things &DPSXV 0DOOV could get tense. Try something new. 0RQLWRUHG 6HFXULW\ 6\VWHP Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- The action today and tomorrow *DV /RJV )LUHSODFHV depends on your will power. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make assumptions or spend frivolously. Relax. 7DQQLQJ %HGV Work messes with travel plans. Establish )LWQHVV &HQWHU 5HVRUW 3RROV boundaries. Lighten your load. Your powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasing. Help partners work 2QVLWH 0DQDJHPHQW out a disagreement. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today +DUJURYH 5RDG (DVW is a 6 -- A difference of opinion causes conflict at home. Meditate in seclusion. Note financial shortages and instability. SDOLVDGHVDSWKRPHV FRP Learn from others. Calm someone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upset. Today and tomorrow, reflect and look back. Identify new resources. All ends well. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Dive into a passionate effort. Associates need support now. It takes creativity to reach a breakthrough (but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available). Confer with allies today and tomorrow and try something new or unusual. Despite disagreement about priorities, you perform brilliantly.

/HDVLQJ 12:

)DOOO

w where wher wh eree to pregnant often donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know turn. witho outt options optiion ons â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being pregnant without aug ught h iin ht na is like being an animal ccaught â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yo ouâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d â&#x20AC;&#x2122;d b w lllcage,â&#x20AC;? Eckhardt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d bee wi willrm m o fff tto o ing to gnaw your own arm off escape.â&#x20AC;? heen sh hen he Eckhardt was just 16 w when she preg gna an ntt. Too To oo found out she was pregnant. seek ek o u ut afraid to tell her parents o orr se out he th hou ught gh ht her options, she said sh she thought he had had a herself fortunate when she he pr preg eeg gmiscarriage; however, th the pregn ectopic, ecttopiic, a ec nancy turned out to be an pregna anccy occurs o cu oc curs r rs condition where a pregnancy can n be be fatal fattal outside of the womb and can to women. h nk hi nk â&#x20AC;&#x153;When weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re young we tthink rdt sa said id.. â&#x20AC;&#x153;S So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invincible,â&#x20AC;? Eckhard Eckhardt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So co omp pre rehe heend d at 16, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really comprehend ut st stud u en ud nttss that sort of situation. Bu But students arre options.â&#x20AC;? optiion ns.â&#x20AC;? s.â&#x20AC;? s. need to know that there are lo ocat ated ed d on on The Sav-A-Life clinic iss located d offers offfers free free University Boulevard and co oun nseli ling ng. pregnancy testing and counseling. one-ttim me thing,â&#x20AC;? th hing,â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is not just a one-time herre for fo or pregpreg g-Eckhardt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here th heiir needs.â&#x20AC;? need ds.â&#x20AC;? nant women, whatever their

CW | FiďŹ Wang Erin Hudnall decided to give up her baby after she left UA and moved back home.

RATES

$1.25 for the first 5 words, $0.25 for every additional word A border around your ad is an additional $0.50 per ad

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.

p.12 Marc Torrence | Editor sports@cw.ua.edu

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Crimson Tide experiences home game success By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter For the Alabama women’s basketball team, there truly is no place like home during the 2013 season. The Crimson Tide is 2-0 at Foster Auditorium. In addition to its undefeated home stand, Alabama now also has a neutralsite win to its credit after defeating Cal State Fullerton 69-54 Nov. 30 in the conciliation round of the Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic. “It was fun,” senior guard Shafontaye Myers said. “It felt great because it was our first road win of the year, and we went all the way to California to get it. It provided extra motivation.” Myers led the Crimson Tide in scoring for both games in California with a 17.5 average to land a spot on the all-tournament team. Myers also leads Alabama in scoring average for the season with 13.1 points per game. “I thought she did a great job with

shot selection and letting the game come to her,” coach Kristy Curry said. “She played well on the defensive end. I think defensively she’s really worked hard as well.” Junior guard Daisha Simmons also scored in double digits against Cal State Fullerton while contributing 10 assists, a career-high for Simmons. She is currently tied for 12th in the country in total steals and 18th in steals per game. The Tide’s next opponent, The University of Tennessee at Martin, is 5-3 on the season, with one of its losses coming against SEC opponent Missouri 77-74. The three-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champions Skyhawks are led by senior guard Heather Butler, who set the NCAA record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made last spring in her 80th consecutive game with a goal from behind the arc. “[They have] two very dynamic guards,” Curry said. “They score and

score in bunches. Very well coached, very fundamentally sound.” UTM also has one distinguished alumna from its basketball program: legendary Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt, who coached the Lady Volunteers from 1981-2012 and achieved eight NCAA Championships in her tenure. Myers, who leads the Crimson Tide in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made, said the team has improved in multiple areas since the beginning of the season, including scoring, as the Tide reached its highest point total in the loss to Saint Mary’s. “[We’re] growing as a team and improving in team rebounding,” Myers said. “Our defense has stepped it up a notch, and offense is scoring more.” After UTM, Alabama will take on Houston Dec. 8 in Foster Auditorium and will play two more games at home before Christmas break.

UA Athletics Junior guard Daisha Simmons prepares to defend in a game at Foster Auditorium.

Hegstetter nominated for Good Works Team By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter Alabama women’s basketball sophomore forward Nikki Hegstetter was recently announced as one of 84 nominees for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Good Works Team. Hegstetter, a native of Kennesaw, Ga., is eligible for the 10-person team that will be chosen in February by a voting panel. Tamika Catchings, the 2012 Most Valuable Player for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and former national champion with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers under legendary coach Pat Summitt, heads up the committee that will determine the 10 members. “[We’re] really trying to get away from all the negative attention that is shown to student athletes,” Catchings UA Athletics said of the Good Works Team, which is in its second year. “Whenever they’re Women’s basketball player and sophomore Nikki Hegstetter volunteers at the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, doing something, it’s all out in the open the Summer Food & Fun program and fifth grade Fastbreak – front and center for everybody to see. Program.

Being able to put a spotlight on the great things these ladies are doing in their communities [is what we’re aiming for]. — Tamika Catchings If you take time to recognize people who are doing great things, this team is being put together for that main reason.” In addition to leading the Crimson Tide in field-goal percentage, Hegstetter finds time to serve the Tuscaloosa community. She currently volunteers at the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, the Summer Food & Fun program at the McDonald Hughes Center and the fifth grade Fastbreak Program. “Being able to put a spotlight on the

great things these ladies are doing in their communities [is what we’re aiming for],” Catchings said. Hegstetter has also served at various high school basketball camps, elementary schools, Druid City Hospital and the Capstone Village Retirement Community. Catchings also offered her thoughts on Hegstetter’s place on the Crimson Tide team, currently in a transition period with first-year coach Kristy Curry. “I think as far as Nikki goes, the number one thing is just being a great leader and being able to communicate with her coaches and teammates,” Catchings said. Hegstetter, a regular starter at power forward, is third on the team in points (8.9) and rebounds (4.4). On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide will play the University of Tennessee at Martin Wednesday, whose leading scorer, Heather Butler, is also a nominee.