October • 4 • 2016
Volume 56 • Issue 51 UAB’s Official Student Newspaper
Road Rage: I-20/59 Sparks Movement
Interview with Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee p. 3
Sorority brings hispanic heritage to campus p.14
2 EDITORIAL
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016
Dear readers, First and foremost, the Kaleidoscope staff and I would like to extend our condolences to the family, friends and professors of the student who passed this week. I did not know her, but I have heard of her smile and her sense of humor. I do not know how it must be for those who remember passing her in the hallways or around campus, or shared a class with her, or shared drinks with her, or laughs or a relationship. I can only imagine that you are now confronted with a void that perhaps you felt you could have prevented. For many, this may have been the first death of a peer that they have ever experienced. During this difficult time it is especially important to engage in self-care. As a matter of fact, UAB has a number of mental health resources for students. For example, as you’ll see on our calendar, a mental health townhall will be held next week to address mental health concerns on campus and provide students with any resources they might need. This is such an important subject, especially in the aftermath of such a loss. As someone who has survived a suicide attempt in the past, I know personally what it is like to experience serious mental health concerns. At my worst, I felt as if suicidal thoughts were like a heavy blanket that had fallen all over me. It was warm and familiar, though it was suffocating me. To have a say-so in whether I lived or died was the only thing I felt like I had control over when I felt like everything else was outside of my hands. Nothing that anyone could have said or done would have pulled me out of it except myself. But I am still alive, fiercely, though I was annoyed to have survived at the time of my attempt. I, and others who have come out of suicidal thoughts or even attempts alive, are not weaker, for not “going all the way,” or stronger, for “getting over it,” than those who “complete” a suicide attempt. We just had different circumstances and it’s an indescribable shame that some do not happen across the circumstances that would have allowed them some emotional leverage. The thing is, we can offer suicide prevention resources to everyone, we can even force them upon them, but ultimately only you are in control of your own life and death when it comes to your mental health. Please, if even for the sake of enjoying your coffee the next morning (the only thing I looked forward to many days,) seek counseling, even if you don’t feel as if it will help. From there, they will work with you to make sure that you have the resources you need to help yourself. Everyone’s situations are different, though, and while everyone’s situation is different, remember, no one is less important than the other. I have often been told my problems are trivial because I’m a middle-class white American who is attending a four-year university — in many ways, this is true, because yes, I do not have to worry about being sold into sex slavery every day or finding clean water, so my day-to-day stresses may seem miniscule — however, if these problems are significant enough to someone to make their mental health suffer, they are not trivial. No human life is trivial. Not yours, not mine, not anyone’s. Not even if you feel truly alone -- the future is still ahead and each day is a new day.
With love,
STAFF Sarah Faulkner editor@insideuab.com Tamara Imam managing@insideuab.com Corey Bright art@insideuab.com Tessa Case news@insideuab.com Surabhi Rao features@insideuab.com Ian Keel photos@insideuab.com Mark Linn copy@insideuab.com Dabney Bragg socialmedia@insideuab.com Loren Gilbert online@insideuab.com Melvin Griffin Jared Chestnut Chad Freeman Marie Sutton info@insideuab.com Patrick Johnson plj3@uab.edu
Editor-in-Chief Managing & Sports Editor Head Illustrator News & Science Editor Features & Opinions Editor Photography Editor Copy Editor Social Media Editor Online Editor Distribution Team
Advisor Production Manager
Physical Address Suite 130, Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205 Mail HSC 130, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-1150 Phone (205) 934-3354 Web UABkscope.com Email editor@insideuab.com
The Kaleidoscope is the official student newspaper of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Unsigned editorials and the opinions of the Kaleidoscope’s columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinions of individual student writers, editors, Kaleidoscope advisers or university administrators. Signed columns and letters reflect the opinion of the writer and serve as expressions of fact and opinion to Kaleidoscope readers. Letter Policy: Letters to Kaleidoscope are always welcome. Unless otherwise directed, all letters will be forwarded to the editor. Letters must be no longer than 200 words and must be typed. A name and a phone number must accompany each letter. Letters will appear at the discretion of the editorial staff and can be sent by mail, fax or electronic mail. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2016 by Kaleidoscope and protected under the U.S. Copyright Laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of the Kaleidoscope.
Nobel Peace laureate brings wisdom to inaugural event Ajanet Rountree Contributor arountre@uab.edu n Thursday, Sept. 29, the O Kaleidoscope had the opportunity to sit in on an interview between Leymah
Gbowee and UAB’s Institute for Human Right’s intern, Ajanet Rountree. Gbowee, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, is a Liberian peace activist, social worker and women’s rights activist, according to her biography on the Nobel Prize website. She is best known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s 14-year civil war in 2003. Gbowee also recounts her experiences in her book “Mighty be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War.” Rountree: In your book, you talk about being a messenger for girls, telling their stories. Why is it important that the narrative of the female be brought to the front? Gbowee: I think that there, what we’re saying about women, there’s been a lot of myths about what women can do as a result of their socialization. And over time, when you think that given all of the glass ceilings that have been broken down in terms of women’s work and what they really want to do, people will be more open to raising this new narrative of women as, you know, just, doctors, lawyers, engineers and people who can also contribute to change. It’s still a struggle, and when it comes to young women, in many societies, they are still seen as people who are not serious, they are still seen in many ways as sex objects, they’re still seen in many ways as unable to contribute and their issues are always left behind. So, my thing is, or my call is, like my Nobel sister, Jody Williams, says the Nobel Peace Prize is a big tool that you can use for good, and I have chosen to use mine for this platform as a means of elevating the role that young girls and young women play in every society. They are not daft, they are not crazy, there is a lot of competence and intellectual ability. Rountree: What are your thoughts [on Birmingham] so far as to what you’ve seen? Gbowee: Most times when I come to place, I’m a weird soul, I’m not looking for the beauty of the community. I appreciate the beauty but I’m also looking at some of the social issues and social problems.
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Let me put it this way: I was in Texas once, and a little girl asked me, “Are you amazed by all the tall buildings?” I said to her, “Look, not really at the tall buildings, but amazed at all the humans that have to sleep underneath the tall buildings.” That’s the kind of thing that tends to capture my attention. The empty lots, the empty buildings, and, so, maybe between now and the future I’ll be able to see much more. Rountree: Have you always had that sense about you where you noticed what other people may not notice? Or did that come as a result of war? Gbowee: I think I’ve always been that way. As a young child, I think I was very observant, could feel out different things and I would ask questions to my grandmother and mother that no other children would ask. Rountree: How do you think that positioned you for the Liberian Mass Action? How do you think that impacted you? Gbowee: I think one of the things that I recognized about this gift that God has given to me is that I’m able to strike the right conversation with people at the right time. And when we did the Mass Action, very important for me to connect with people in ways that make them know [me] beyond my faults, and see me as a leader. Because, predominantly or most of them, when they get in leadership position, people tend to just focus on the outward faults and it tends to override all of the leadership quality that you bring that makes the work very essential. So I was pushing back on the narrative of me as a single woman, of me as a single mother, someone who had problems with alcohol, of someone who had had multiple sexual partners or multiple relationships, and I was trying to be- let them see me as the compassionate, charismatic leader who was trying to get all of us to a place where we could change the narrative of our nation.
Editor’s Note:The following was an excerpt of the interview. To view the full conversation, go to the Institute for Human Rights’ website.
Leymah Gbowee led the Liberian Mass Action that led to the end of a 14-year civil war.
Photo by Charles Coleman
4 NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016
TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS
Founder addresses self-harm, addiction Sufia Alam Staff Writer sufia@uab.edu
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amie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, visited campus Monday, Sept. 26 to offer advice on dealing with depression, addiction, selfinjury and suicide. TWLOHA was founded as a nonprofit organization in 2006 by Tworkowski after he admitted his friend to a treatment center for self-injury, addiction and suicidal thoughts. The main goal of his organization is to encourage, inform and be directly involved with treatment and recovery of individuals battling with these issues. “The best thing I get to hear is someone saying they are still alive because of this organization,” Tworkowski said. “Someone saying that they ended up getting help because of a talk or event, that’s my ultimate, practical goal.” The name of the organization was inspired by a friend of Tworkowski’s, who struggled with addiction and suicidal thoughts, self-harmed and who wrote an intentional, hurtful phrase on her arms. Tworkowski titled a story “To Write Love on Her Arms,” a play on the phrase the friend had used, that he used to share his five day experience with her before she entered treatment. He also created
T-shirts to help cover the cost of her treatment, which led to their fame when music band Switchfoot first wore one. Currently, Tworkowski travels around the country advocating for mental health and raising awareness for related issues. “In high school my best friend suffered some self-harm issues,” said Pete Watson, a senior psychology major. “And I would always give him presents with TWLOHA written on them to show my support and love.” Naema Patella, a sophomore biomedical engineering student, said the reason she decided to attend was because TWLOHA had a direct impact on her life by helping her with some issues she was dealing with. Students who attended the lecture were able to listen to Tworkowski’s journey, which began 10 years ago. “The reason why I have been able to keep up my work all these years is because I have always kept the dialogue open with honesty and compassion,” he said. “Honesty is willing to ask the hard questions and compassion is fighting for what you believe in.” During his talk, Tworkowski mentioned the importance of students being aware of issues such as suicide risk and mental health and actively trying to remove the stigma behind
these issues. He said talking about these issues openly and honestly is the first step to overcoming a problem, as he believes it invites others to do the same. Hannah Barnes, a freshman nursing major, said the reason she attended was to learn more about how to fight the stigma that goes along with mental health and other topics that she feels many people are not willing to discuss. “A lot of times, people with mental health issues don’t speak up because they think what they’re suffering should be suffered in silence because mental health isn’t something you should talk about,” Barnes said. UAB students looking to get more involved in the nonprofit organization can join the website and participate in activities such as fundraising to submitting blogs of their personal experience. Students struggling with mental health issues have options available on campus as well. The Student Health and Wellness Center offers counseling services. According to their website, counseling services hope to assist students in developing their potential in physical, academic, spiritual, psychosocial, emotional and vocational areas. They offer counseling services for individuals and couples, crises, wellness, group opportunities and educational resources.
Jamie Tworkowski, of To Write Love On Her Arms, speaks to students during a lecture at the Hill Student Center. Photo by Ian Keel
‘Build the brand’ UAB, Under Armour sign seven-year deal to outfit athletics Tamara Imam Managing Editor managing@insideuab.com
Undeclared students make major discoveries Kristina Balciunaite Contributor kribal@uab.edu
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AB will net $50,000 a year from sports apparel outfitter Under Armour, per a sevenyear agreement recently signed by the university. According to AL.com, the contract states that the agreement began on June 1 and will run through May 31, 2023, and can be renewed for three more years. The athletics department, together with Under Armour’s manager of collegiate team sports Todd Locklear held a press conference on Sept. 29 to announce the partnership. According to athletics director Mark Ingram, discussions with Under Armour began about a year ago, and student athletes began wearing the brand’s apparel in July. “We’re so excited that we’re able to provide such a high level, high quality product for students to compete in, to practice in, to train in and to perform in,” Ingram said in the presser. “All the feedback that we’ve gotten from our students so far has been very positive, as we expected.” In addition to the direct financial benefit that the partnership offers the university through the annual rights fee, Ingram stated that more official UAB
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On-display apparel from Under Armour shows design for upcoming season.
merchandise will be available in retail outlets for fans to purchase and serves as a marketing tool for potential recruits. “This is really good for us as we continue to build the brand of UAB and build what we want it to be nationally and where we’re headed and all the great things we’re doing, this was a logical step and made good sense for us,” he said. Locklear, who also spoke at the press conference, cited a number of factors in Under Armour’s decision to partner with UAB. “UAB checks a lot of boxes for us. First and foremost they demand excellence on and off the field. We feel the same way,” he said. He also focused on the strategic location
of Birmingham and the return of the football program. “The market that you guys are in in Birmingham, Alabama, that’s a strategic market for Under Armour. One of our biggest partners, Hibbett Sporting Goods is right here in Birmingham and we just opened a field office right around the corner,” Locklear said. “And then the rebirth of football, I’m very interested in that. When those kids run out of that tunnel next year and kick that program off again, just the thought of them having Under Armour on their jerseys, it meant a lot to us.” For Locklear and Ingram both, the agreement was a “natural fit.” “We kind of thrive on
Photo from uabsports.com
that underdog mentality,” Locklear said. “Together, two underdogs, we’re going to make a lot of noise here in the next few years.” “We want our students to have a world-class experience in every way, and having the appropriate amount of apparel, footwear and protective equipment is a big part of that,” Ingram said. Softball head coach Marla Townsend and football head coach Bill Clark gave the closing remarks at the press conference. “Somebody that made a commitment with us is what we were looking for, that sees the vision of where our programs are headed and where we want to be on the national stage,” Clark said.
n Wednesday, Sept. 28, students had the opportunity to explore the different majors available at UAB. The Major Discovery Fair, according to their announcement, is designed to help students find what they love by offering information on what majors are available, program requirements and possible job opportunities. Faculty and staff from each major were available to answer questions for students. Sam Smith, an undeclared freshman, attended the event. Smith chose UAB because she enjoyed the learning environment, and aspires to become a professor one day. She is interested in a double major, but could not decide between physics, music or literature. “I have learned a lot more about the fields I am interested in,” Smith said. “It helps to speak with the professors in person.” “This is my kind of environment. I love it here in general,” Smith said. Madison Sanders, another undeclared freshman, was excited to attend the fair. Despite being undeclared, Sanders felt it was essential to go to college because it opens up more doors. Other students, like Alyshia Bohannan, were browsing
majors simply because they were not certain about which options would suit them best. According to Bohannon, UAB was her first-choice school because she thought it would help her create networks. Bohannan is interested in science and medicine, and has a big interest in pediatrics. Her goal was to find a way to combine these interests into one major, which she was able to accomplish at the fair. Study abroad opportunities were also discussed at the fair. Morgan Sanders, a freshman, came to the fair to explore majors. In addition to narrowing down her options to psychology and counseling, she was also presented with the idea to take a semester or a year to study in another country. UAB offers exploratory advising through the Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center. VMASC, according to their website, hopes to promote and foster student success. Meredith Noseworthy, one of the exploratory advisors, was a guide for students at the fair. “Going to this fair helps students to be aware of the majors that are available, so that they have time before making decisions,” Noseworthy said. “It’s important to know your options early.”
6 NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016
RESEARCH AT UAB
Crowdfunded study saves nine lives, more to come Mark Linn Copy Editor copy@insideuab.com
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crowdfunded study that began in 2015 to provide life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication to members of the community has already saved nine lives. In May 2015, a UAB researcher and her team began a crowdfunding project to purchase kits of the drug naloxone, also known under the brand name of Narcan, a medication that blocks the effects of opioids such as heroin and prescription medication used to relieve pain. The study is headed by Karen Cropsey, Psy. D., an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry who focuses on treating substance abuse in vulnerable populations. The original goal of the study was to raise $7,500 to purchase 170 Narcan kits and then distribute and train individuals in their use. The goal was exceeded with a total of $11,500 raised, allowing Cropsey and her team to purchase around 348 kits. The purpose of the study, aside from providing potentially life-saving medication to those at risk of experiencing or witnessing an opioid overdose, is to follow the individuals who were given the Narcan kits for six months to see if the medication was used, who it was used on, whether the overdose victim went to the emergency room and if they entered substance abuse treatment later. “The benefit is that normal individuals can be trained to recognize signs of opioid overdose and they can intervene faster and hopefully that can allow the person to live long enough to get to the hospital to get the proper medical treatment,”
Naloxone is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids such as heroin and similar prescription drugs.
Cropsey said. Of the nine people that received Narcan to reverse an overdose, most of them were not participants in the initial study, but a third party that one of the participants witnessed overdosing. Cropsey stressed that Narcan is not the only response needed to treat an overdose. Since the effects of the opioid-blocking medication only persist for an hour or so, the effects of an overdose may persist after the naloxone has worn off. “It’s really not in place of medical care or going to the hospital,” Cropsey said. “It’s really just a way to intervene sooner and to hopefully prevent a fatal overdose so that the person has time to get to the hospital.” “It’s a harm reduction strategy,” Cropsey said. “It’s not really treatment, we’re hoping that people will live to seek out treatment.” To address concerns that access to Narcan kits might encourage opioid users to act more recklessly in their drug use or discourage them from seeking substance abuse treatment, Cropsey said that the effects are not a permanent, or even pleasant experience. “The thing about naloxone is
The benefit is that normal individuals can be trained to recognize signs of opioid overdose and they can intervene faster and hopefully that can allow the person to live long enough to get to the hospital to get the proper medical treatment. Karen Cropsey, Psy. D. it’s pretty aversive,” Cropsey said. “That’s why people continue to use opioid, is that the withdrawal symptoms are pretty nasty, people liken it to sort of having the worst case of flu in your life.” The effects of naloxone force patients to experience the effects of withdrawal immediately, which can cause severe nausea, vomiting and chills. “I don’t think anyone
would seek to get into that kind of withdrawal situation,” Cropsey said. Cropsey and her team are now hoping to continue the study and get more funding to purchase additional Narcan kits. “We’re really hoping to be able to raise additional funds to be able to continue the project and expand it even further,” Cropsey said. “We’re collecting data on
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how many kits are being used, and who they’re being used on and are people able to follow our instructions.” The researchers hope that their findings will help inform policy decisions by lawmakers to address the rising death tolls from opioid overdoses. There were 28,647 deaths from opioid overdoses across the U.S. in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control, a number that has quadrupled since 2000. In Alabama, 723 people died from overdoses in 2014, a 19.7 percent increase from the previous year. “I would like to see naloxone be distributed when a doctor prescribes any opioid for any pain condition,” Cropsey said, pointing out the risk of accidental overdoses when mixing opioids with alcohol or benzodiazepines like Xanax, which are used to treat anxiety. “I don’t know how many people are aware of those kinds of interactions,” Cropsey said. “So I would like to see naloxone to be much more readily available to people at risk.”
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Men’s soccer defeats Howard Bison
Blazers claim victory after team excels in defense, goalkeeping Jack Ryan Staff Writer jackryan@uab.edu
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he men's soccer team defeated the Howard Bison 3-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 27, improving the Blazers' overall record to 4-3-3. By the end of the first half, the game remained scoreless; however, the second half gave UAB several opportunities to score. "Part of what we’re trying to do as a team is to make other teams chase us as much as possible. If we can keep the ball moving and make them defend for long periods of time, it gets very tiring. Sometimes making a team defend in the first half does create opportunities in the second half. If you look at most of the games this season, that has happened. Our possession early in the game leads to us scoring goals late in the game," head coach Mike Getman said. "It wears them down, plain and simple. It’s a big field out there and to defend and cover that much space for 90 minutes is really hard. It’s a little easier to play when in possession than when defending. Our hope is that we can control the possession and that eventually it will create chances.” The first goal of the second half came off of a one-timer shot from Philip Makinde, with an assist from Ryan Sullivan. The second goal was scored off a penalty kick from a take down in the box of Andrew Nkpolukwu. The physicality of substitutes like Nkpolukwu has played a big part in the offense, especially in the second half. "Andrew is a unique player because he is big, but also athletic and skillful. There aren’t many guys like that. As teams get tired, he has been very effective late in the game. Against Xavier, he scored a goal late that led to us winning the game. Against Howard, his size and power created the penalty kick that
‘HOOPS ON THE GREEN’
Fifth annual event to kick off basketball season Trinity Dix Staff Writer tri915@uab.edu
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Junior midfielder Ryan Sullivan dribbles the ball down field during the Howard Bison game.
became the second goal," Getman said. "As players get tired, they get matched up with this beast of a man and the only way they can stop him sometimes is to foul him. He is a big, physical player and it’s hard to play against that for 90 minutes. But he is also a skillful player that can help us keep possession, which he does extremely well. It’s not just that he is a physical powerhouse but he has the skills to play as well. He is a great combination of skill, physical ability, and power.” Something else of note from Tuesday night's performance was UAB's defense and goalkeeping. "It’s a two-way street. The defending has been good which allows a goalkeeper to feel confident and play well. Because the goalkeeping has been good, it allows our defenders to play well and know that if they do make a mistake, they have somebody
Photo by Ian Keel
behind them," Getman said. "I was pleased Julian (Mehl) got a chance to play. He is a terrific goalkeeper who needed an opportunity to show what he could do and he played well,” Getman said. "I wouldn’t say there is anything from that game that we really have to improve upon. Just getting people healthy and back on the field. We started the match without four starters. At times you could see the fatigue because we did not have the depth we normally have. Hopefully we can get those guys back on the field quickly. This team has been successful because this team is deep and we have been able to make the substitutions we need to make." The Blazers continue home play against Santa Clara on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m at BBVA Compass Field.
his month will kick off basketball season with the fifth annual “Hoops on the Green” event spotlighting the men’s and women’s basketball teams. “The event symbolizes the start of the men’s and women’s basketball season,” said Ted Feeley, the associate athletics director for communications. “It’s a chance for the fans to get a glimpse of the teams for the upcoming season.” The Hoops on the Green event began back in 2012 and is entering its fifth year under first year head coach Robert Ehsan. Originally, the event was known as “Hoops on the Haasephalt” after former head coach Jerod Haase, who in March left UAB after four seasons to take the head coach position at Stanford. Under Haase, the men’s basketball team received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they upset Iowa State to make it to the round of 32. “We wanted to keep the name recognition,” Feeley said about the change in the name of the event. “We didn’t want to change the name too much.”
The event, hosted by UAB Athletics, will this year be sponsored primarily by Pepsi with Golden Flake, the UAB Bookstore, Legacy Community Federal Credit Union and Viva Health as presenting sponsors. Hoops on the Green includes activities such as performances by UAB cheerleaders and Golden Girls, with competitions and music provided by the Marching Blazers. “It’s a nontraditional event where the fans and newcomers can meet with the team,” Feeley said. “It is a fun night all around with music and games.” Last year’s event, where WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder was a special guest, drew a record 7,500 people. “I think we’re expecting the same amount that we had at the Green and Gold Game, which would be about 5,000 people,” Feeley said. “It is a highly successful event for the past few years. We hope that many people come out.” This year’s special guests include UAB President Ray Watts, Ph.D. and athletics director Mark Ingram. The event will take place on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., and will be held on the Campus Green.
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ne unique aspect to being a student or employee at UAB is that, for good or ill, you attend or work at an urban campus. Where the university stops and the city begins is ill-defined and, like it or not, the UAB community is part of the Birmingham community. There are downsides to this: traffic, bad parking and limited space. But it also means having access to many opportunities not available at non-urban colleges. Downtown Birmingham is currently experiencing an urban renaissance, spurred by economic development around additions like Railroad Park. This revitalization has fed a new battle over the heart of Birmingham: Interstate 20/59, which runs through downtown. Many community leaders say this concrete barrier has had long-running negative impacts on the economic, environmental and cultural health of the city and that the city has a once-in-alifetime opportunity to address it.
The portions of the interstate that run through Birmingham, known as the I-20/59 downtown viaduct, were completed in 1971. The original design was constructed to accommodate 80,000 vehicles each day. Today, the stretch of highway has the highest traffic-flow rate in Alabama, with twice the number of vehicles it was intended to accommodate passing over it each day. By 2035, the Alabama Department of Transportation estimates that this number will increase to more than 225,000 vehicles per day. ALDOT’s plan, which is currently being implemented, seeks to reinforce the existing structure while adding more lanes and removing several downtown exits. The original plan simply called for a repair and maintenance project for the viaduct, but was later expanded to improve safety and traffic flow. The plan widens the deck from six lanes to 10, increases the height of the bridge and replaces steel girders with concrete. With the plan, most existing entry and exit ramps in the downtown area would be closed. The widened interstate would cut closer to the Sheraton and Westin hotels,
‘Look at the bi
I-20/59 SPARKS DEBATE IN well as the new Uptown Entertainment District and other downtown entities. “The urgent matter now is that the bridge has got to have something done with it,” said DeJarvis Leonard, the head engineer for the East-Central Region of Alabama. “Now whether you agree with re-decking or you say reconstruction we’re looking at it from a convenience stance to the public. And that’s what we’re doing our best to try to make that operate the best we can for the next 20 to 30 years, because what’s what Birmingham will have to live with until another corridor can be developed if that’s even possible.” Opponents of the plan agree that immediate safety concerns need to
be met, but contend that alternatives to simply reconfiguring the existing structure, such as lowering the highway below ground level or moving it altogether, haven’t been properly considered by ALDOT. “Based on our investigations and engineering studies it has been determined that the dig would not work,” Leonard said. “It would not [be] feasible to make that happen. The relocation, even if it were possible, you’re talking about 15, 20, maybe 30 years because of the environmental issues that would have to be address as well as establishing an alignment and purchasing the right-ofway that’s needed.” A Birmingham nonprofit, Move I-20/59, was created last year to oppose ALDOT’s plan. The group is led by Darrell O’Quinn, Ph.D., a civic activist and associate researcher at UAB. “The highway functions fine for moving cars. And
as
Story by Mark Linn // Copy Editor // copy@insideuab.com
igger picture’
N HEART OF BIRMINGHAM with ALDOT’s plan it will function even better for moving vehicles,” O’Quinn said. “But it does not really serve the area that it passes through. And it’s actually been a hindrance to development whenever you look towards properties north of that line.” The Birmingham City Council has been divided on the issue. In 2014, before an organized opposition movement to ALDOT’s I-20/59 plan arose, the council passed a resolution in support of the plan. Now Jonathan Austin, the president of the city council is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against ALDOT attempting to halt the project. The lawsuit alleges that ALDOT and the Federal Highway Administration have failed to offer substantial analysis on what it describes as “significant negative socioeconomic impacts,” as required by law. Other plaintiffs in the suit include O’Quinn and Birmingham Board of Education president Randall Woodfin. “The cost of planning and building
the thing is only one factor to consider,” O’Quinn said. “You have to look at the bigger picture and look at all of the other associated costs. So what we’re saying is that if we can do something and potentially reap a bunch of greater benefits, can we afford not to do it?” One institution that literally feels the effects of I-20/59 is the Birmingham Museum of Art. Located a short distance from the interstate, the museum’s proximity to the highway has caused many complications to the art exhibits over the years. “A number of objects on the north side of the building, our Wedgwood collection, other ceramics collections and everything that is especially lightweight has to be waxed down because they walk, they just move across the shelves and fall and break,” said Gail Andrews, R. Hugh Daniel director of the museum. The constant vibrations from the highway have also caused the 2,000-pound statue in the front of the museum to move two inches in the past decade, according to Andrews. “Our Renaissance painting collection is also on this side and the floor below, and we don’t know the impact on a 16th century panel painting having that constant vibration, but I don’t think it’s a good one,” Andrews said.
9 Since efforts to halt the expansion have failed thus far, the museum has been in contact with a specialist who has dealt with similar issues with vibrations in other cities across the country in order to determine what would be needed to protect the art collection. Andrews said that they have not been able to get a timetable from ALDOT on when the construction will reach the museum. A 2009 feasibility study on lowering the interstate was done by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a multinationalengineering firm that has managed similar highway-lowering projects in other cities. The study found that a project to depress I-20/59 in downtown Birmingham was “technically feasible from an engineering and design perspective.” It also found that there were no “insurmountable challenges” to the construction of such a project. The study specifically addressed several of the reasons ALDOT has cited for why such a project wouldn’t be feasible, such as the need for additional right-of-way and problems associated with underground water drainage. The study found that such problems were manageable with standard practices. However, ALDOT contends that there are issues with construction that the study did not adequately address. “It was a very high level study, it didn’t get a lot into the details so we evaluated what we could with the information that was provided,” said Lance Taylor, a region assistant preconstruction engineer with ALDOT. Lance said that the study made assumptions about the grade of the incline required to connect the depressed interstate with the Red Mountain exchange and the I-65
interchange that were not feasible with region standards. Another argument put forth by opponents to the plan is that the ALDOT hasn’t adequately addressed the economic impact of keeping the interstate where it is. “If you look at it from an economic perspective, can we afford not to lower the highway?” O’Quinn said. “Because if you’re making a more accessible pedestrian friendly downtown, reconnecting the BJCC to the business district, making more property available for development, bringing in thousands of new jobs into the city center. What is the economic impact of that, versus what ALDOT intends to do?” On Sept. 19, the Birmingham City Council approved a resolution that enters the city into a preliminary agreement with ALDOT that would go toward a corridor study to relocate I-20/59. Under the agreement, ALDOT will contribute a maximum of $2 million for the study. ALDOT released a statement that the study would not halt or otherwise impact the current project already underway, which it said was “of immediate need to ensure the safety of the traveling public,” and that the feasibility study concerned relocating the interstate “20 or 30 years into the future.”
Photo by Ian Keel // Photo Editor // photos@insideuab.com
10 OPINIONS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 , 2016
How much for that scantron? Aaron Stuber Opinions Columnist abstuber@uab.edu “Bring an extra scantron, just in case a student needs one too.” Just last week I was preparing to take a history exam when the professor told us we need to bring a scantron to the exam — excuse me? As a senior who put off taking this 100 level history course because procrastination is a thing, I was rather shocked that I had to buy a scantron for the class. In all my time as a student, I have never once had to do this. I mean, isn’t UAB promoting Canvas now? Why wasn’t this exam even done on the computer anyway? Needless to say, I was taken aback by the later statement the professor made telling us we should bring extra in case a peer needs one. Now, I understand times are tough, but really? Can’t the department who is getting over $1,000 worth of my tuition alone (never mind the other 150 in the class) afford 450 Scantrons for the course (we have three exams)? By the way, if you’re curious, a quick google search returned a pack of 100 for $6.99. Taking into
consideration that I needed to buy the ridiculously marked-up scantrons from the UAB Bookstore, I think it is ridiculous that as increased tuition
costs plague campuses, ours didn’t even bother buying scantrons to pretend like they care. Data collected by the American Institutes of Research’s Donna Desrochers, and Steven Hurlburt, summarized in their Delta Cost Project, stated that both public and private university cost to price ratio keeps increasing, thus the need to push more of the cost onto students. One of the driving factors to determine college tuition is institutional subsidies, which is defined as the
difference between the money spent to provide us with education, and the net amount of revenue received to pay for it. For a public school like UAB, we rely on state and local money, while the esteemed Harvard relies on “daddy’s money.” Public universities were hit the hardest with their subsidies decreasing by as much as 4 percent, and if your university was lucky and ended up being a research university, it could be hit as hard as 8 percent (#goblazers). With tuition costs becoming as high as they are, one would think universities would take a step in cutting out unnecessary spending, but that doesn’t seem to be a solution. In fact, it has almost become paramount that a school offer the latest amenities it can muster to attract as many high-paying students that it can. Some of these examples include
Illustration by Corey Bright
things such as the lazy river (which I’ve never used), rock climbing wall (again, never used) and beautiful full glass buildings (which I can’t usually enter because I’m too busy finding parking). Additionally, school sports programs are coming under the microscope as perpetually more money is put into their programs, and even in the lucky universities such as the University of Alabama where the surplus of revenue exceeds $30 million, it is not always the case that this money is spent on the general student population. While sports and amenities are nice to use for entertainment, they can be criticized for their usefulness to a student’s education. For example, in UAB’s case, the funds were used to cancel the football program and later bring it back (could’ve used this money for a Scantron). Along with general entertainment spending, the increase of administration salaries, and even coaching salaries, are being questioned as many across the country can received a hefty sevenfigure salary. This brings into question why professor salaries, the ones on the front line, have seen minimal increases while their administrative counterparts continue to see growth. One would think that as the world amasses knowledge, so too would the student who is amassing debt; however, from the way current trends are set, education seems to be the last priority for a higher education institution. Who knows, maybe the plan all along is to increase college tuition, and leave us too stupid to do anything about it.
FEATURES 11 CHEAP EATS: TIP TOP GRILL
The top choice for the all-American meal Gavin Gilliland Contributor gjgill@uab.edu
T
The view provided at Tip Top Grill inspires both the name and returning customers.
Photo by Gavin Gilliland
ip Top Grill is a small restaurant located in a small community in north Hoover called Bluff Park. The view is absolutely stunning with picturesque rolling hills for up to 55 miles on a clear day. The Grill is situated inside a converted gas station originally built in the 1950s with the conversion to a restaurant occurring in Oct. 2003. At first glance, the Tip Top Grill is definitely a place that has seen years of use. When you drive up to restaurant you immediately get a sense of a small town diner nestled in the treetops. The exterior is also true to the nostalgic 1950s style of construction. The interior of the restaurant is very small, with only enough room to place your order. There is a sitting area inside with bar-style seating and one large table, but the majority of the seating is outside at picnic tables or at bar style seating on the cliff side deck. As you walk out onto the deck, you are met with a view that is unlike any restaurant in Birmingham. Seated at the outdoor bar, I felt transported into a peaceful, natural landscape. It felt hard to believe that that I was less than 10 miles away from a bustling metropolis. The menu is fairly small and simple, with options ranging from a variety of hot dogs such as “the Special” (a hot dog covered in mustard, kraut and ground beef sauce) or a chili dog, as well as a variety of hamburgers. The prices are especially affordable for a Birmingham-area restaurant. I was able to purchase a cheeseburger with all of the toppings, a regular side of fries
and a regular drink for about $7 including tax. The price is low but the portions are large, and I was not able to finish my entire meal. Before I got my meal, though, I had the chance to speak with Curt Reamer, the owner of the Tip Top Grill. I asked him several questions about the area but the most powerful response I received was after I asked him about what brings customers to Tip Top Grill. “I would hope it would be the food, but I know better than that,” Reamer said. “The view is spectacular.” The cheeseburger was juicy, hot and had that homemade burger taste. It even has a special sauce that has a southwestern spicy flair but without the intense heat. The fries were a crispy golden brown with just the right amount of crunch. The fries were absolutely my favorite part of the entire restaurant. After my meal I spoke with one of the regular customers. Roy King has been coming to Tip Top Grill for about five years periodically throughout the year. “It’s quiet, has a great view and good food,” King said when asked about his favorite part of Tip Top Grill. I asked him what his favorite items on the menu are, and he remarked that the Special Dog was his favorite. My visit to Tip Top Grill was complete with stunning views, college student-friendly prices and first-rate food. If you are looking for a change of perspective during lunchtime, you should put Tip Top Grill at the tip top of your list of places to eat in Birmingham.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016
FEATURES 13
On evolution, how many years until acceptance? Jordan McGill Contributor jmcgill@uab.edu
O
n Friday, Sept. 30 Kevin McCain, a philosophy professor who works in epistemology and the philosophy of science, gave a lecture on the acceptance of the theory of evolution around the world. McCain spoke about the statistics involving acceptance of evolution and some of the explanations as to why they may be what they are, and how people might be able the current rates could be improved. McCain lectured and then followed with a brief 15 minute question and answer session in which
faculty and students across all departments of UAB participated in an active conversation. The audience of the Haddin Arts and Sciences Forum consisted primarily of UAB faculty; however, there were a few students sprinkled throughout the room, and this forum offered McCain an opportunity for his work to be discussed, promoted and seen from outside perspectives. “The Haddin Forum was great because it gave me a chance to present these ideas to a broader audience,” McCain said. “Usually most of the work I present is just to other people that work in philosophy, so this was
Illustration by Sarah Faulkner
great to get an input from biologists and people from across the university.” McCain also hopes for improvement of education and the way people interpret scientific
information out of his talk in the forum, and eventually, that people will be able to see a better broad understanding of scientific principles and theories.
“There might be grounds for more optimism when it comes to acceptance rates for various scientific theories,” McCain said. “They seem like they’re pretty bad in the U.S, but they may not be as bad as we think because the polls testing these rates are not designed as well as they should be.” McCain also commented on the importance of the topic. According to him, philosophy of science, and philosophy in general, is an important skill with many applications outside of simple thought experiments and hypotheticals, and it can be used to help make good decisions about everything to endeavor in.
“Our slogan for UAB is knowledge that will change your world, and one of the things that I work on that got me really interested in philosophy is what is knowledge,” McCain said. “Constantly people are trying to convince us of one thing or another whether it’s through advertising or political ads, and philosophy is really helpful in developing the right sorts of tools to work our way through all the messages we’re being given.” The next Haddin Forum will be on Friday, Oct. 28, and will be led by John Moore, a professor of Spanish.
we get out what you put in,
put that recycling in the right bin.
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14 FEATURES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016
SIGMA LAMBDA GAMMA
Sorority brings Hispanic heritage to campus Jordan McGill Contributor jmcgill@uab.edu
A
n annual celebration of Hispanic Cultural Heritage Month took place on Thursday, Sept. 29 in front of the Commons on the Green. The event was organized by UAB’s Sigma Lambda Gamma National sorority, Inc. chapter and took place from 6 to 10 p.m. “Our chapter is the only one in the state of Alabama,” said Maria Cruz, the current president of Sigma Lambda Gamma and junior computer informations systems student. Sigma Lambda Gamma is a Latina based multicultural sorority that aims to help spread cultural awareness and represent some of the diverse backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in Alabama. Last year, 3.2 percent of the student population at UAB was Hispanic, and the sorority was chartered as a way to bring together this community as well as to bring together students from every cultural background. “I’m a first generation student, my parents are immigrants, and I really needed someone to whom I could relate to and get help as a first generation student,” Cruz said. “Once I came and met the girls they really
Students outside the Commons on The Green sample Hispanic food and participate in engaging performances.
inspired me and became my role models because they had a similar experience to mine, and I’d never really met someone who did.” As a relatively small sorority, they put on many events throughout the year in an effort to achieve their chapter’s goals and become a larger part of campus life. Thursday’s celebration included home-made traditional food, music
and dances on the Campus Green. “For our third time I think it went really well,” Cruz said. “We weren’t expecting this many people, and we got really authentic food, some of it we and our moms made and some of it was donations from local Latino restaurants, but it overall went really well with a great turn out.” The celebration has been in the making since
last semester, according to Marquise Pruitt, a junior nursing major and member of the sorority. “We had to make a lot of calls, network, get to know people, we asked many restaurants if they could donate food,” said Pruitt. “I don’t think we bought anything. We even had representation on the news, and I think that’s the best part, just getting the word out.” The celebration yielded such a large crowd this
Photo by Gerrie Lim
year that they ran out of food early, and people walking by stopped to join in on the celebration. “I heard the music, and I had to be nosy, you know, and see what was going on,” said Maya O’Neal, a sophomore majoring in chemistry. “I saw all the flags, and everyone was dancing and having a great time so I had to join.” Next month the sorority is planning an
event to raise funds for and increase breast cancer awareness called Who Rocks the Rest of Us, and as a multicultural sorority they focus on a number of issues and topics with many other events planned for throughout the year. More information on Sigma Lambda Gamma and their future planned events can be found on their UAB OrgSync page.
CALENDAR TUESDAY Building Walls: Immigration in the U.S.
Oct. 4 -10
WHAT’S UP 15
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Liberal Arts/Social Sciences Career Day
Orpheus Brewing Introduction Party
Women’s Volleyball vs. North Texas
Men’s Soccer vs. Kentucky
Pooch Plunge
This year’s Free Food for Thought series focuses on exploring disparities that exist in the legal system.
An opportunity to meet with employers from a diverse group of fields that hire liberal arts and social science majors.
Introducing the new Atlanta-based brewery with several beers and representatives from Orpheus.
The Blazers face off against the Mean Green as part of the Fight Like Hal Memorial Invitational.
The Blazers face off against the Kentucky Wildcats.
Bring your fourlegged friends to take a plunge in an outdoor pool. $10 for admission.
The kickoff to OutWeek. Learn about LGBTQ resources, meet other people, enjoy free food and win prizes.
Michael Sam
Leon Bridges
Tiempo Libre
Family Fall Festival
Mental Health Town Hall
HSC Ballroom B 5-7 p.m.
HSC Ballroom CD 7:30-9 p.m. UAB Lecture Series presents NCAA AllAmerican football player Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL.
HSC Ballroom 12-4 p.m.
Alabama Theater 8-10:30 p.m.
The J. Clyde 5 p.m.
Bartow Arena 11:30 a.m.
Alys Stephens Center 6-8 p.m.
Gospel and soul singer and songwriter from Fort Worth with special guest Lianne La Havas. Tickets on sale through Ticketmaster
A free outdoor event with Tiempo Libre, a group of seven classically trained musicians internationally acclaimed for their Latin-infused music.
UAB vs. LSU Hockey
Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena Oct. 7 at 10 p.m. Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. Come out and cheer on the UAB Men’s Hockey Club as they take on the Louisiana State University Tigers for the opening weekend of UAB’s inaugural season!
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BBVA Compass Field 7-10:30 p.m.
Levite JCC of Birmingham 1-3 p.m.
Avondale Walking Track 5-8 p.m.
Give your family a night to remember at this annual fall festival. There will be games, rides, food and more.
Coming Out on the Green
Campus Green North 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
HSC Alumni Theater 6:30-9 p.m. A panel discussion representing undergrad, grad students and faculty regarding mental health concerns on campus. Free T-shirts and food.
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