Don't pass on parking

UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOLUME 62, ISSUE 1

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

FIRST AMENDMENT

Why UAB won’t fire nationalists Morris and Williams have not violated policies, the University says

Whitney Sides Senior Staff Reporter whitsides@uab.edu After the protest last spring to expel Michael Williams, Ph.D. candidate and the recent backlash of Jeffery Morris, assistant professor and self-proclaimed “civic nationalist”, the university responded to both incidents with firm statements.

But there is one thing they can’t do under the law: fire the faculty and staff in question.

Why? There’s a lot to unpack, but it’s also very simple, according to First Amendment expert and UAB visiting professor William Nevin, Ph.D. and J.D. “The constitution doesn’t single out ‘hate speech’,” Nevin said.

“It doesn’t recognize it. It doesn’t see it as anything other than just speech we don’t like and part of

the First Amendment’s reason for existing is to protect speech that we don’t like.”

According to Nevin, UAB is a state-funded university, it cannot fire faculty or punish students for speech, no matter how unpopular or inflammatory it may be.

See DIVERSITY Page 5

Don’t pass on parking Miscommunications clarified as students finalize parking plans Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu

Schedule classes? Check. Bought books? Check. Order parking pass?

Not yet. Well, contrary to popular belief, purchasing parking passes can be checked off your fall semester to do list.

André Davis, Director of Transportation, said that while some students thought parking passes were sold out for the year, there is a surplus of passes left.

See PARKING Page 4

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ART EDITOR

OPINION

P. 2

We need to finish what UAB didn’t

BLAZERNEWS

P. 4

Quick dishes that can be prepared in a microwave

CITYLIFESTYLE

P. 6

Residents at Southtown Court to be relocated

SPORTS

P. 7

What to expect from this football season

PAGE 2

opinion

POLITICAL MERCHANDISE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A challenge to fellow Blazers victions and experiences.

This puts students at a unique situation where each of us have an opportunity to choose to find only those who are exactly When I first entered UAB, I like us, or to reach out to was a part of a class of 18,698 those who may have comother students. Since then, every pletely different perspectives year a record-breaking number Alam on the same events we have of students continue to enroll. all experienced.

This year, we will represent a In the spirit of the new school class of over 20,000 students. year, I want to challenge my fellow Along with the new buildings, Blazers to approach this year with an the new programs and changes open mind. to curriculum, another thing that Most likely at some point this has continued to increase with our year, you will probably run into classgrowing university is the growing mates and friends who will have diversity in our thought. As a student completely different ideologies and body, we represent over 100 differbeliefs than you. You may even be ent countries, different cultures and baffled on what you perceive is pure backgrounds. absurdity in their argument.

With that, each student arrives to Instead of turning away or rejectUAB with different worldviews, conSufia Alam Editor-in-Chief sufia@uab.edu

ing their point of view, I want to challenge you to truly get to understand where your peer is coming from. Be a better listener. Put your own frustrations to perspective.

As a campus, we pride ourselves in our diversity, inclusion and versatility. I hope this year we will be able to embody all these traits as representatives of our university.

As for the Kaleidoscope, we will continue to hold ourselves to the same standards of professional newsrooms and follow the same code of ethics and operate as any regular news publication would to ensure you will always have all the facts you need to reach your own conclusions.

May this new school year bring a culture of passion, understanding and open mindedness for all of us.

WHITE NATIONALISM

Ever faithful, ever tolerent of racism Whitman Miller Contributing Reporter wlmiller@uab.edu

Last spring, this TA was found to have been a member of member of white nationalist organization “Identity Evropa,” whose posters had been appearing around campus.

We were mad, we marched, we went straight to the administration.

Now it’s a professor whose

A game plan years in the making is being carried out in full force on our nation’s campuses.

Miller What we see every time a college releases a statement saying how they’re upholding the First Amendment right to free speech by allowing white nationalism to cultivate on their grounds, is really the undermining and debasing of that constitutional right. It allows for the campus to devolve into a toxic environment for students of color.

Do these college administrations intend to do this? I don’t think so. I think they’ve been backed into a corner they don’t want to be in, and I think it’s well passed time they gather the strength to pull themselves out of it.

In her statement regarding the most recent incident of white nationalism, UAB’s Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Paulette Dilworth, said; “UAB is a richly ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN HILLER/ diverse and inclusive campus that is STAFF ILLUSTRATOR committed to protecting free speech while maintaining a culture of reblog, which was linked on his UAB spect and civility that is aligned with Biology Department faculty page, our vision, mission and values.” includes racist talking points includLet’s start with the free speech ar- ing defenses of “race realism,” which gument. Free speech is not the issue is a coded term that holds that the differential success between places when what we really have going on like Europe and Africa is explained here is a situation where two men by white genetic superiority. espousing white nationalist talking Quick reminder: this man is a points sit in positions of power over a professor of biology. A man who has diverse class of students, one being these beliefs is teaching biology. At a teacher’s assistant, the other a this university. professor.

This all comes together to paint a dismal picture of UAB. It presents to the world a learning environment that appears to be becoming increasingly hostile and unwelcoming to students of color.

We’re already starting to see prospective students turn away. In previous coverage of white nationalism on campus by the Kaleidoscope, one recent graduate, Christopher Burton, said that he no longer considers UAB an option for graduate school since he doesn’t believe it to be an inclusive environment anymore.

It’s also very important to understand that this is all completely intentional and meticulously calculated on the alt-right’s part. The right to free speech is a cornerstone of traditional liberal democracy that they have spent years attempting to steadily and strategically destroy by devolving it into a cop-out for racism.

By allowing white nationalism a place on this campus, they allow it a place deep in the minds of the thousands of students here who would suffer if such a world as that which this ideology desires were to come about.

I say all this from a place of pure exhaustion and frustration. I’ve had enough. We’ve all had enough.

Now, it is time to demand for change.

Biology students, talk to your professors, talk to your department heads. Let them hear your frustrations. Everyone else, reach high into the upper rungs of administration.

Send them emails, make calls, organize another march if you have to.

We must show UAB that we will not tolerate such a presence on our campus.

Libra, new Facebook currency is problematic Caleb Wood Contributing Reporter calwood@uab.edu

Facebook is pulling out all the stops to ensure that its new cryptocurrency, Libra represented by the symbol ,≋ will be embraced by the public at large, but they still haven’t given us a good reason to embrace it.

What they have given us are good reasons not to embrace it.

Wood Libra is a very complicated system, but the basics are easy to understand. You put in your currency, it transfers to Libra, and you spend it without having to give your name or pay high fees.

Imagine going to Costa Rica for your spring break trip. Now, instead worrying about exchanging your dollars to colons and exchange rates, you simply put in your money to the Libra app. That’s it.

Wherever you go around the world, Libra will always be an available currency.

The goal of Libra is an incredibly optimistic one. The involved parties believe they are creating, as David Marcus, Facebook’s VP of blockchain puts it, “a more inclusive, more open financial ecosystem.”

Facebook is saying: more secure, more versatile and the ability to reach the people who don’t have bank accounts across the world. This is false because: On a practical level, Libra has major faults as well. It does not appear that the Libra association has any plans to vet developers who use their code. Libra is seeking “low barriers to entry” and that could be a serious problem.

When Facebook had low barriers to entry for its developers, Cambridge Analytica came in and stole the personal data of over 50 million users. With the money at stake in Libra, a breach of that size could be devasting.

This new currency puts Facebook and few other powerful Western nations in the driver’s seat of global economic conditions. Libra is just another step forward for corporations trying to sidestep democratic ideals and govern the world themselves.

The reality is a lot more complicated.

Libra would be controlled not by governments or monetary funds as most currencies are, but by private entities. The ruling body is the Libra Association, a consortium of 28 multinational companies, nonprofits, and blockchains. What does that mean for us?

While Facebook’s upcoming Libra app, Calibra, will work to refund lost money, they are not required to do so.

There is no FDIC, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to ensure that consumers are protected because Libra does not wish to be classified as a bank.

If it were to happen in any other Libra application, the kind the Libra Association hopes will develop, consumers would be out of luck.

Libra took a beating from both sides of the aisle in a Congressional hearing recently. Facebook’s representative at those hearings did not appear to know what to say in response. And if we are supposed to trust a company like Facebook to do right by us, they need to be prepared to say a lot more than that.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 , 2019

PAGE 3

blazer news Letter from the USGA president Hana Habchi USGA President habchi@uab.edu On behalf of all of the Undergraduate Student Government Association, I am so excited to extend a warm welcome (or welcome back) to you all for the 2019-2020 school year!

To all incoming and transfer students, we are SO thrilled to have you on campus. It is truly an exciting time to be a Blazer; there are new buildings sprouting up everywhere you look, our university was recently named the number one young university in the U.S. for the SECOND time in a row, and our championship winning football team will be returning to the field this Thursday.

As you navigate your way through these first couple of weeks, I challenge you to be adventurous and go outside of your comfort zone. There

are new opportunities and friends to be made around every corner.

Council Members and myself in Grab all the free food you can As you encounter obstacles this the Office of Student Involvement during the month of Blazer WelPHOTO COURTESY OF HANA HABCHI come, cheer on the Blazers at our Hana Habchi, USGA President, says she looks forward to serving the student body this year. athletics event, and don’t be afraid to go off campus and explore Birmingham. school year, remember that the and Leadership in the Hill Student To my returning Blazers, I hope you Undergraduate Student Government Center Room 230. have had a renewing summer and Association is a resource for you.

Check out our website (uab.edu/ are ready to return to blazing trails.

We are committed to upholding usga) to find our office hours and Let’s make this year one to rememour mission of empowering the learn more about USGA. Remember, ber. Now that you’ve got your footstudent voice, so reach out to us! We we are here to serve you! Hearing ing on campus, I encourage you to have been gearing up this summerfeedback and suggestions from you really double down on finding your for a year of advocacy and campus all makes our job so much easier. To passions. Take that difficult class that change in relation to student life and keep up with us and find ways to get excites you, join that club that piques wellness, sustainability, inclusion, involved, make sure to follow us on your interest, or apply for that intern- and more.

Instagram @uab_usga! ship that challenges you.

With that, I look forward to meetThank you again for the opportuniThere is no time like the present to ing and serving you all during this ty to serve this year. Here’s to a year start making this story your own. I am year. You can find all the Executive of learning, growing, and overcomso excited to see all the great things ing together! Go Blazers! you will accomplish this year.

RECYCLING GUIDELINES

Clean aluminum cans

*All metals are scrap metals and can be taken to the UAB recycling center.

Clean plastic soda and water bottles

Landfill only, no clean aluminum, plastic, or paper

Any kind of clean paper and flattened cardboard

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN HILLER/STAFF ILLUSTRATOR INFO GATHERED BY JORDAN SMITH/CONTRIBUTOR

PAGE 4

PARKING From FRONT

“I think there has been a miscommunication,” Davis said. “No student has been denied an opportunity to purchase a parking permit. We identified a group of housing students who missed the opportunity for a housing parking assignment.”

Davis said that these students were placed on a waitlist and are now able to - Gina purchase a parking permit.

“While some zones are sold out, we still have parking permits available for students to purchase,” Davis said. “Commuter student parking permits are still available. While parking may not be in convenient walking distance of one’s destination, parking is available to those who utilize perimeter parking and Blazer Express.”

As far as UAB’s future parking options are concerned, Davis said that students should be on the lookout for positive changes.

“We encourage all to be patient, as things will settle down after the first two weeks of the semester,” Davis said. “We have additional parking lots opening in the next 30 days, which will offer more opportunities for students.”

To better understand UAB’s parking needs, the university commissioned a study conducted by a premier planning and design engineering consulting firm.

“Based on [the study], as well as input from UAB faculty, staff and students, UAB developed a plan to guide the future of [parking].” Davis said. “The study found that UAB has a Paige slight surplus of parking, however, available parking and the Blazer Express are underutilized in a landlocked urban campus” Erika Cork, junior neuroscience major, said she appreciates UAB’s efforts to make the trip from the commuter lot to class more bearable.

“The buses run every ten minutes,” Cork said.

“They have extra buses if one breaks down, and there are no safety concerns with them.”

Cork said she is fond of UAB preparing for their growing student body by adding additional parking lots.

We have additional parking lots opening in the next 30 days

“If [UAB] is going to build additional classrooms and dorms, that is great, as long as the university provides additional parking,” Cork said. “UAB needs to have the spaces available for their students.”

Cork said that had UAB really run out of parking passes, she would have felt uneasy heading into the new semester.

“The only places I have parked are the in the decks or UAB lots,” Cork said. “I have never had to park anywhere else and honestly have no idea what I would do.”

Haley Mancarella, freshman biology major, said she feels unsettled knowing she will have to use the commuter lot.

“I think its nice that [UAB] has a bus system,” Mancarella said. “However, I think it would be dangerous to have to sit and wait for a bus. If it was late at night, and I had to go from the commuter lot to my dorm, I wouldn’t feel safe.”

Mancarella said that while she is disappointed in having to park in a commuter lot, she is relieved to know that UAB does have available parking passes.

“If UAB were to run out of spaces, I would have to leave my car at my house and walk everywhere,” Mancarella said. “That would have been very inconveniencing.”

TIME EFFICIENT RECIPES

Fast fixins’ for a tasty semester Microwavable masterpieces that send you to flavor town in minutes Allison Brown Senior Staff Reporter browna@uab.edu

Roasted Vegetables

Spaghetti

If the Commons’ roasted vegetables aren’t your favorite, try this recipe for a healthy snack or meal.

After a long and tiring day, this dinner can be made in under fifteen minutes.

1. Place spaghetti noodles in a large, microwave safe bowl and add enough water to cover noodles.

2. Microwave for three-four extra minutes to the suggested cook time on the box of pasta.

3. In a separate bowl, warm spaghetti sauce.

4. Mix, and top with cheese, garlic power, and Italian seasoning.

Scrambled Eggs Get some extra protein the morning before a big test with this quick and easy recipe.

1. Crack one or more eggs into a microwave safe bowl and whisk with a fork.

2. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Heat in microwave in thirty-second intervals, stirring each time, until you are satisfied with the consistency.

Add cheese, chopped vegetables or meat to make an omelet.

Directions: 1. Wash and slice (if needed) your choice of vegetable and add to a large microwave safe bowl.

2. Add one teaspoon of olive oil, a splash of water, salt and spices to taste.

3. Cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave for two minutes (cooking times vary; cook vegetables until soft).

Mug Cake The perfect reward for passing your test, these desserts can be made in less than five minutes with no mess and no hassle.

You can purchase a pre-mixed mug dessert or make your own with the recipe below.

1. Mix ¼ cup flower, two tablespoon cocoa power, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, two tablespoons sugar and a pinch of salt..

2. Add a tablespoon and a half of milk, two tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix well and pour batter into microwave-safe mug.

3. Put one tablespoon mini chocolate chips into the center of the mug.

4. Microwave for one minute and fifteen seconds, or until top is solid. Add whipped cream or ice cream on top for an added treat.

PHOTOS BY ALLISON BROWN/SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 , 2019

Kaleidoscope identifies Michael Williams, Biology teacher assistant as a member of Identity Evropa.

Students protest on campus demanding Williams to be fired.

The investigation regarding Williams is concluded. Williams remains at UAB.

UAB named Best College for LGBTQ students in Alabama by BestColleges and Campus Pride.

Jeffery Morris’ political beliefs on ethnonationalism gain attention through his blog and tweets.

AUGUST

UAB is recognized as Diversity Champion in higher ed in the INSIGHT into Diveristy magazine.

dents and faculty of UAB. However, according to some students, the ideologies of Williams and Morris do go against the policies and the brand of UAB. “Faculty members who are linked to hate groups or that express fascist sentiments are a threat to the safety of marginalized communities on campus and should be removed from their position” said Shreya Pokrel, member of the UAB Students for Diversity and Campus Safety, a student coalition created last spring to address white supremacy on campus.

Dilworth and Jones, however, said they had no problem encouraging students to speak out and exercise their rights while being students of UAB. “But to me that’s a strength of our democracy is that it allows for people to express ideas,” Dilworth said. “And to then debate those ideas and come to some conclusions on your own about whether or not this is something that you stand for.”

As new students arrived on campus for Move in Day on Saturday, they saw flyers featuring Williams and Morris’s photos with a brief overview of their ideologies and a call to action.

Jones mentioned civil discourse in a cornerstone of his efforts in Student Affairs to increase inclusion on campus and as part of that, said his door was always open.

“If you’ve got a problem, bring it to my office,” Jones said. “We encourage that. Our doors are always open. Our emails? They are active. And our phones? They work.”

JUNE

Kaleidoscope identifies Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group, has been making its presence known on campus and in the city.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

“The two biggest misconceptions in this situation are that somehow hate speech can be punished and that UAB would be in some way empowered to act against this employee who believes these things,” Nevin said.

When asked if this also applied to Williams, a member of the white supremacist group Identity Evropa, Nevin said Williams also has protections.

“Assembly is certainly covered under the First Amendment as well,” Nevin said. “You have the right to your memberships in any sort of organization. It’s right there, listed under speech, press, assembly, petition, religion.”

Paulette Dilworth, UAB’s Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has released several statements when asked about the futures of both Williams and Morris.

“UAB is a very diverse institution,” Dilworth said.

“I guess I don’t have to continue to repeat that. We all know that. I can suggest that there are opportunities for us to continue to do more in terms of inclusion and ensuring that people are treated fairly.”

Vice President of Student Affair John R. Jones III, Ph.D., said he wants to emphasize the diversity on campus.

“We have close to 300 organizations, and they

APRIL

From FRONT

are doing some phenomenal things in terms of student involvement,” Jones said. “There’s the Black Student Awareness Committee, the Student Multicultural Diversity Program and within that, the social justice advocates and Free Food for Thought are just some of many.”

Dilworth said she believes civil discourse is one of the most important issues of our day because it speaks to how UAB can begin to help students learn how to be citizens and engage around important issues.

“I want to stress the point that as ugly as ideas or people’s remarks might be, and even hard to stomach, the first amendment doesn’t speak to that,” Dilworth said. “We do however have policies in place and if we discover that any of those have been violated, then we would be able to do something actionable.”

When asked about what specific policies Morris and Willaims did not violate, Dilworth said the following: “While privacy laws and confidentiality prohibit us from commenting on certain details, we can and do address any situation where there is evidence that UAB’s Code of Conduct, Equal Employment Opportunity, Title IX or any other applicable policies have been violated,” Dilworth said. “Further, we work with the UAB Police Department to address any criminal conduct on campus.”

According to Dilworth, both Morris and Williams have not broken any policies expected of stu-

MARCH

DIVERSITY

PAGE 5

1. The Magic City Food Truck

located at Legion Field, the Bartow Arena and various places around campus serves featured meals under six dollars, unless you decide to get extra from the expansive menu.

2. A new student value menu

will be released by Full Moon Barbeque this Fall. It maintains the original menu along with additional combo meals offered in the four to six-dollar range.

3. Throwback Thursday events

will be held by UAB Dining every Thursday until December.

To celebrate UAB’s 50th Anniversary, the clock will be turned back to 1969 when food prices were half as much as they are today.

4.

Students can help the environment with the new Resident dining to-go option. New features allow students to buy a five dollar Choose that can be used throughout the semester.

to Reuse sustainable to-go box

5. On-Campus Starbucks

locations will throw an Early-Bird Pike special, which offers a BOGO free grande or venti Pike Place brewed coffee deal offered every weekday before 8:30 a.m for students who are up at the crack of dawn for their morning classes.

6. The Jamba Juice

will serve smoothies for the low price of three dollars every Monday through Thursday from 5-8 p.m. in the new Collat School of Business building.

Kaleidoscope reports on nationalism presence in the UAB Department of Biology.

PAGE 6

citylifestyle RECONSTRUCTION

Southtown Court to be demolished Around 800 residents will move from housing Caleb Wood Contributing Reporter calwood@uab.edu Warren Saunders moved to Southtown Court in 2000. When the Housing Authority of Birmingham (HABD) demolishes the property, likely next year, he is uncertain of where he’ll end up.

There is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen to the residents of Southtown Court. HABD has submitted a proposal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to tear down the community.

In its place will rise a mixed-used development combining mixed-income housing with commercial property.

This is a process a long time in the making.

The World War II-era units have long seemed out of place in the rapidly developing Southside community.

Southtown Court occupies some of the most valuable land in the city of Birmingham. Sitting at the corner of University Boulevard and Red Mountain Expressway it is within walking distance to restaurants, bars, hospitals, and UAB. As far back as Larry Langford’s tenure as mayor, there have been proposals to tear down Southtown and

PHOTO BY DREW CRENSHAW/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Children’s bikes in front of residence at Southtown Court. put something new in its place.

Residents are concerned, however, that this new development will not have their interests at heart.

Saunders is among those worried.

Birmingham is becoming “what the ones who got it want it to be,” he said.

Currently around 800 residents live in the 456 units that comprise Southtown. The new proposal calls for 459 units. Only 200 of which would be subsidized housing.

Many of the residents in Southtown will be forced to move elsewhere.

HABD plans to allow residents the option to either permanently move into a different HABD owned commu-

nity, receive a Section 8 voucher, join the HABD home ownership program, or temporarily move to another HABD community.

Their plan also works to ensure that children will not be forced to change zones.

Community advocates such as public interest lawyer Richard A. Rice have called for a community benefits agreement to be added to the future master development agreement to ensure that “the community’s interests are represented.”

A community benefits agreement would be decided by associated people in the community such as

residents, nonprofits, professionals, and others. It would work to create programs for residents’ upward mobility. However, no agreement has been approved yet.

Southtown Court, in its current state, is not great for anyone. The units are severely out of date and violence continues to be an issue in the area.

It does have a real sense of community, though. Victor Mack, a former Southtown resident, still considers it his second home.

The memory of Metropolitan Gardens also gives some pause. The HABD owned downtown community was also turned into a mixed-income development, now Park Place. Many its residents never returned back to that community.

Some in the community fear the same fate. They do not believe HABD’s interest lies with them. “They about big money,” said Mack.

Saunders put it more bluntly, “It’s a bunch of s**t.”

HABD plans to work with the community to move forward. They plan to meet with residents and community leaders, but there is a lot more to do before then.

At the August 16 HABD Board of Commissioners meeting, HABD President Marcus Lundy said, “We don’t intend to demolish the units until we have everything in place in terms of funding and the actual development project to move forward.”

This will likely be next year, but for now, residents are uncertain.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Coffee for a cause Special Ed. students prepare for professional employment Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu While some students have been vacationing all summer, Mr. Coppock’s special education class spent acquiring new life skills by serving coffee at Valleydale’s Farmer’s Market.

Empowered, intelligent and serving coffee at a famer’s market near you.

Students from Oak Mountain High School’s special education program have joined forces with Nonfiction Coffee, bringing energy to the Valleydale Farmer’s Market.

Tyler Coppock, Special Education Teacher at Oak Mountain High School and creator of Café Three 21, said he and a coworker chose to start this pop-up café to teach the students important life skills.

“I was in college and I worked with a lot of students with down syndrome,” Coppock said. “There just weren’t

many employment opportunities for those students. At school, we give them job skill training, but it’s all in a controlled environment, there’s not a lot of opportunity for real job training.”

After deciding a coffee shop was the ideal employment opportunity for these students, Coppock said he noticed positive changes within the employees of the café. “[Our students] are practicing social skills and talking to new people,” Coppock said. “It’s really cool to see their personalities brighten up when they meet the [community members].”

Beyond the students benefitting from their employment opportunity, Coppock said community members are getting just as much from the café.

“The customers are becoming more comfortable spending time with our employees,” Coppock said. “A lot of the world does not feel comfortable talking with individuals with special needs, so [the café] is a chance for the community to be around the kids.”

Missy Smith, Paraeducator with Oak Mountain High School’s Special Education Program, said Café Three 21 provides students with job opportunities that will allow them to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in their

hard work.

“You should come “I have seen over the drink and buy our cofyears just how hard it fee,” Gaston said. is for them once they Gaston said that age out of the [special while she has the opeducation] program,” portunity to work many Smith said. “Some of jobs at Café Three 21, them have great [job she does have a favorite opportunities] but we task. have some that need more “I like to hand the drinks breaks, and jobs that don’t to [the customers],” Gaston frustrate them. They still PHOTO BY EMMA said. “My favorite drink is need to work and feel OWEN/BLAZER NEWS the lemonade.” needed by the commuPJ Gaston, Haley’s EDITOR nity.” mother, said the supOak Mountain High Smith said Café Three School Students at their port from the customers 21 has large goals for the Cafe Three 21 stand. makes such a difference future of their business. in her daughter’s life.

“Our goal is to give [the students] “Any opportunity [the students] have opportunities to train and work harder,” to interact with peers and adults is just Smith said. “What we want is to see a really good opportunity for growth,” Café Three 21 become a place that Gaston said. “We appreciate all that can hire these students. the [community members] are doing While the coffee is great, Smith said to encourage them and to help build the personalities of the employees are their skills.” even better.

Gaston said Haley’s social personal“Our community gets to meet these ity helps her to begin this new job with students,” Smith said. “If you know courage. these kids, you are enriched. They “Haley says hey to everybody,” Gasare precious, funny and they love ton said. “She is very outgoing.” everybody. I’ve never seen them shun Each Saturday from 8-12 the joyful anyone.” employees with Café Three 21 are set Haley Gaston, senior at Oak Mounup at the Valleydale Farmer’s Market. tain High School and employee at They offer a variety of specialty drinks Café Three 21 said she encourages the including sweet Lemonade and Noncommunity to support their business. fiction Coffee’s Cold Brew.

PAGE 7

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

sports

FOOTBALL

Blazers prepare for upcoming challenges Blazers prepare for the upcoming season 2019 Nathan Hill Contributing Reporter nhill4@uab.edu After bringing home the Conference USA championship last year, Head Coach Bill Clark and the Blazers hope to keep the ball rolling into this season.

Their challenge will lie in replacing many of their top performers from last year. The Blazers go into this season having to replace their top four wideouts, four starting offensive linemen, all starting defensive linemen, four of their top linebackers and four of their top performing defensive backs.

The Blazer offense sees the return of some familiar faces, with sophomore quarterback Tyler Johnson III starting after taking the job midway through last season. In the backfield, junior running back Spencer Brown returns after a very productive season in 2018. Brown ended last season with 1,227 yards and a school record of 16 touchdowns, leading him to be named First Team All-Conference USA.

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ART EDITOR

Blazers celebrate the Conference USA win in November, 2018.

With the loss of major performers in the receiving corps, the Blazers go into this season with questionable depth. Kendall Watkins and Austin Parham are the only two returning wideouts with receptions in 2018, leaving room for others to step up.

On the defensive side of the ball, UAB suffers their largest setback.

The end of the 2018 season left the defense without eleven of their top players. Luckily, the Blazers see the return of Brontae Harris and Kristopher Moll who combined for 11.5

tackles for a loss and 18 defended passes in 2018. Sophomore corner back Starling Thomas V, who ended last year with 10 tackles and three passes defended, and former threestar recruit CD Daniels could become the new playmakers for the defense.

The Blazers’ 2019 schedule leaves room early on to iron out the rough spots and get the team settled. The season opener against Alabama State, who ended last season with a record of (4-7), shouldn’t prove to be much of a challenge. The

FOOTBALL

First impressions matter Blazers open season with in-state opponent Payton Parrish Contributing Reporter paytonp@uab.edu This coming Thursday, UAB will face Alabama State for only the fourth time in program history. The last time the two teams faced off was eleven years ago in 2008.

Drastic change has occurred since then; notably the shutdown and rebirth of the UAB football program and the hiring of a new head coach.

The 2019 season will be only the third season of UAB Football since it arose from the ashes in 2017.

After coming off a stellar 2018 season, which included their first bowl win in school history and another C-USA championship, Birmingham is eager to see this team back on the field.

The Blazers look to level the series with Alabama State on Thursday; as they currently trail two games to one. When the two teams last met in 2008, the Blazers took home the win with an impressive score of 45-10.

Alabama State is coming off a 4-7 2018 season under new head coach, Donald Hill-Eley. In comparison, UAB is coming off an 11-3 season under head coach Bill Clark; who

PHOTO BY EMMA OWEN/BLAZER NEWS EDITOR

Blazers prepare for the football season during summer practice.

remained loyal to UAB through the program shutdown and just finished his third season.

The first game is always one of the most anticipated and important games of the season as it can set the tone for the remaining games. Both teams are eager for a strong win to start the season that will give their fans a taste of what to expect.

Blazers will face thier opponent at Legion Field this Thursday August 29 at 7 p.m. for their for kickoff.

following five games line the Blazers up against teams who are all placed among the top twenty worst-projected FBS teams for the 2019 season.

They’ll face Akron and South Alabama in non-conference games and Rice, UTSA and Old Dominion in Conference-USA play.

Things take a sharp turn in difficulty as November rolls around, with the Blazers travelling to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC. The regular season’s second half ends with conference match-ups against Southern Miss, UTEP, Louisiana Tech and North Texas.

With the loss of so many key players in last year’s senior class and the uncertainty of depth, this year could prove to be somewhat of a challenge for the Blazers. But if the past tells us anything, it is that this team thrives when challenged. In the past five years coach Clark has improved the team’s record from (2-10) to (6-6) in his first year. Then, having the football program cancelled altogether, getting it back, going to a bowl game in the first year after being resurrected and winning the conference championship the following year. If any team can face adversity, it is this one.

The Blazers play their season opener August 29th against Alabama State at 7 p.m. on Legion Field.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 8

CROSSWORD

1.

1. UAB Head Football Coach’s first name.

2. A permissioned block chain digital currency proposed by Facebook.

3.

3. The first name of UAB wide receiver returning from the 2018 football season.

4.

4. The nickname of the Blazers second opponent of the football regular season.

5.

5. A dorm friendly breakfast item meal in the recipe guide.

6.

6. The act of converting waste into reusable material.

7. The housing project set to be demolished in the summer of 2020.

Editorial Board Fall 2019 Sufia Alam Editor-in-Chief sufia@uab.edu

2.

7.

Myles Womack Managing Editor mjw3@uab.edu

Kristina Balciunaite Visual Content Manager kribal@uab.edu

Lakyn Shepard Art Editor layshep@uab.edu

Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu

Interested in working with the Kaleidoscope?

Contact us for more information.

No experience is required.

EVENTS CALENDAR Connect Fest

Recstravaganza 2019

Campus Green 7 p.m.

Campus Green 5 - 7 p.m.

Beck and Cage the Elephant Oak Mountain Amphitheater 6 p.m.

Dread House Rock Dread River Distilling Co. 6 p.m. - midnight

imerge 2019 Iron City 4 p.m.

Bystander Intervention Administration Building, Penthouse 9 A.M. On-Campus Job Fair Hill Student Center, Ballrooms 11 A.M.

Taste of UAB Hill Student Center, Outdoor Amphitheater 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Caleb Lee Hutchinson Saturn

LGBTQ Sunday Walk and Jog Birmingham AIDS Outreach

9 p.m.

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Labor Day No classes

iPush Foodie & Music Festival 2019

Bham Loft Show

Ensley Live Entertainment Loft

MAKEbhm 7 p.m.

5 p.m.

UAB vs Alabama State Hornets Legion Field 7 p.m.

WE ARE ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS! Interested in joining the Kaleidoscope?

We are looking for reporters, photographers and illustrators who can contribute to our online and print production.

Contact us or visit our office at the Hill Student Center, room 130, to learn more.

Apply today on our website:

bit.ly/ApplyToKscope @kaleidoscopeuab