Celebrating the Blazer Spirit

UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

VOLUME 62, ISSUE 7

Celebrating the Blazer Spirit

SEE HOMECOMING SPREAD ON PAGE 4 BLAZERNEWS

Will the flu get to you?

P. 2

BLAZERNEWS

P. 3

New transportation methods to come to the Magic City

CITYLIFESTYLE

P. 6

Why are sexually transmitted diseases so prevalent in the South?

PAGE 2

TUESDAY, OCT 22 , 2019

blazer news

What to do when the flu finds you Students and experts share their opinions on vaccinations Hannah Richey Contributing Reporter hgrichey@uab.edu Flu season has officially kicked off, which means many students and faculty members are running to get vaccinations and are remaining conscious of flu-like symptoms. The UAB Flu Who? Not You! campaign kicked off on October 9, and Flu Shots are available in the Student Health and Wellness Center and are covered by health insurance providers.

Students and faculty can receive shots from 8 A.M. 12 P.M. then 1 P.M. - 5 P.M. Carol Griggs, administrative director of student health services, said timing is important when it comes to preventing the spread of the flu and limiting one’s potential of becoming infected.

“Infected individuals are contagious from about one day before symptoms develop to five to seven days afterwards,” Girggs said.

Griggs said that in a university setting, the spread of flu can be extremely common due to the close proximity of students and number of students going in and out of buildings each day.

“In a setting where a large number of people are congregated in relatively close contact, flu

vaccination is very important,” Griggs said Griggs said herd immunity for flu vaccinations is just as important as getting vaccinated for other illnesses.

“Receiving influenza vaccination is the most important and effective step to reduce flu related illness and complications,” Griggs said.

Eric Chang, freshman in biomedical sciences said he makes the decision to get his flu vaccination each year to ensure he will maintain his health during flu season.

“I get my flu shot just to be safe,” Eric said.

Uab.edu/flu said if you begin to show flu-like symptoms, the best thing one can do is prevent the spread of the flu virus by taking precautionary measures.

“Stay away from others if you’re ill,” Uab.edu said “Don’t go near people who are ill, stay away from people if you are ill, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer, don’t touch your face, keep your space clean by wiping down your desk and door handles.”

While some students find importance in receiving a flu vaccination, other students such as Hannah Patton, junior in marketing, are significantly against being vaccinated for the flu.

“Never gotten a flu shot,” Patton said. “Never got the flu.”

Patton said she feels like since most students at UAB care about taking precautionary steps to avoid the flu, she will be less likely to get sick even though

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAB IMAGE GALLERY

Flu experts encourage students to get vaccinated.

she chooses to not get vaccinated.

For students that choose to not receive a vaccination, uab.edu/flu said there are ways to make being sick less miserable and promote a swift recovery time. Uab.edu/flu suggests you get your flu shot early—before the end of October—to lessen the likelihood of contracting the flu.

UAB.edu/flu also said they recommend keeping healthy habits before you get sick can keep you safe, including receiving your flu vaccination.

HOMECOMING

Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu

Mary Ann Jimenez, junior in public health from Kellen, Alabama was chosen as Ms. UAB 2019, and along with that title, Jimenez said she serves UAB in many capacities.

“I am currently an Orientation Leader, UAB Ambassador and Resident Assistant,” Jimenez said. “In the past, I have been on the Leadership and Service Council and USGA.” Along with her service activities, Jimenez said she enjoys participating in some unique events at UAB as well.

“A fun fact about me is that I won the bagel drop earlier this year on the UAB Dining Instagram,” Jimenez said. “I definitely think I peaked that day.”

Jimenez said her favorite part about attending UAB is the people she has met.

“I chose to apply for Ms. UAB to continue serving as a mentor to my fellow [Blazers],” Jimenez said. “UAB is so loving and supportive. I am so thankful to represent an amazing community.”

Jimenez said her favorite university event is the Blazer Showdown that occurs each year during homecoming week.

“Greek life has so much talent,” Jimenez said. “I always love seeing all their dances.”

Jimenez said she admires UAB and appreciates the community for their encouragement of the Mr. and Ms. UAB program.

“Right now, UAB is already recognized worldwide but there is still so much room for creating history as we are still developing,” Jimenez said. “I am excited to help the university grow while I serve as Ms. UAB. Thank you all so much for the support. I am excited to serve as Ms. UAB.”

Mr. and Ms. UAB announced during half-time.

Details on UAB’s newest student representatives

PHOTOS BY CAMERON MCPHAIL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Getting acquainted with Mr. and Ms. UAB

Markell Jones, junior in medical industrial distribution from Trussville, Alabama was chosen as Mr. UAB 2019.

After graduation, Jones said that he hopes to enter the workforce and in the future, become a blazer once more.

“I plan on working for a nonprofit organization for grant writing,” Jones said. “Then [I plan on] coming back to be a medical equipment sales rep.”

Jones said there are many reasons he enjoys attending the university.

“I love our beautiful Collat School of Business,” Jones said. “[Along with] the diversity within UAB.” Jones said an interesting fact about him is a special experience he had during the return of UAB Football.

“I worked for UABs football team and got a ring from the return season,” Jones said.

Jones said he is involved with many different organizations and groups on campus.

“I am the president of Best Buddies and a Student Alumni Representative,” Jones said.

Jones said one of his favorite things to do on campus is attend athletic events.

“I love UAB football games and the tailgates that come along [with them],” Jones said. “They [show] the true blazer spirit.”

Jones said there are certain qualities that make UAB stand out from other universities. “[Attending] a non-traditional campus [makes UAB unique],” Jones said. “It’s so special and a culture that is unbeat.”

TUESDAY, OCT 22, 2019

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SCHOLASTIC UPDATES

What’s next for UAB’s future USGA recently held a forum that featured department heads from across the university, in order to bring awareness to upcoming changes and programs at UAB. Below are highlights from the meeting.

Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu

PHOTO BY JULIE MAULDIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

President Watts speaks about UAB’s presence in Birmingham.

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Opening regards for the USGA Student Forum came from President Ray Watts, where he talked about UAB’s community engagement steadily increasing and announced the State of the University Address that will take place on October 29.

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Bradley Barnes, Ph.D and vice provost of enrollment management at UAB, said since 2015, enrollment as increased by 20.44%. Barnes also announced that the academic quality of new students has increased with a 3.78 average high school GPA of the freshman class and a 25.6 mean GPA.

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Paulette Dilworth, Ph.D and vice president of the office of diversity, equity and inclusion announced an ongoing session that discusses social issues within the university with dates and times found on uab.edu.

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Andre Davis, director of UAB transportation, discussed that the transportation department is transforming interaction and services between the department and UAB students. Davis said the department is implementing change to encourage students to bike, walk or carpool to class to decrease the need of parking on campus, known as the TDM program.

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Angela Stowe Ph.d, director of student counselling services and wellness Promotion at UAB, spoke about the counselling services offered on campus. Stowe said the university has seen an increase in students making counselling appointments and has recently started walk in appointments for first time students to increase access to care.

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Brian Bowser, resident district manager of UAB Campus Dining said there are changes coming to UAB dining. These include a “redesigned Commons on the Green” where students can grab homecooked style meals on the go that is launching this week, Bowser also announced that UAB Dining is working to become the first Fair Trade Certified institution of higher education in Alabama and new restaurants will soon be coming to UAB. These restaurants include Moe’s, a new convenience store called “The Grid” offering local and organic items and a Slice of Life pizza restaurant that will deliver to resident halls.

BIRMINGHAM TRANSPORTATION

Goodbye Zyp Bikes, hello to Birds Scooters Alternate ways of commuting eliminate the Bikeshare program Odalys Ordonez Contributing Reporter ordonez@uab.edu The bright green bikes that are dispersed throughout the city will soon be leaving Birmingham, according to a recent announcement from REV. REV introduced the eco-friendly bikes in 2015 and after 4 short-lived years and are now putting an end to the Zyp Bikeshare program.

“Thanks to a five-year commitment from sponsors, Birmingham was able to embrace shared mobility,” Julie McKinney, a representative of REV Birmingham said. “REV, as a place-based economic development and revitalization nonprofit, was intentional in leading a planning team with the Regional Planning Commission and the City of Birmingham to design the future of micro-mobility.”

However, according to REV, despite the initial increase of ZYP bike users, the use of the bikes have been slowly decreasing.

“Essentially, Zyp bikes are not the end for ecofriendly transportation in Birmingham,” McKinney said. “Although, despite the bikes’ appeal to a better environment, we did a survey and most of the students found that the bikes were often times “not convenient’’ or “too expensive.’’

After REV found that students found Zyp bikes too expensive, they recently lowered day passes from $6 to $3. Yet, even with the reduction, Zyp bikes were not being utilized enough, according to McKinney.

According to McKinney, Zyp bikes will now be slowly minimizing the amount of Zyp bikes in the city until they can transition a new eco friendly transportation option.

Birmingham City Councilman Darrell O’Quinn, said the city will now be transitioning from Zyp bikes to implementing dock-less electric scooters – Bird Scooters.

“As has been the case in most other cities, previous leadership has focused exclusively on moving cars,” O’Quinn said. “That period has come to an end in Birmingham, Alabama. We are also actively working to give citizens additional options for getting around. Additional mobility options are actively being discussed and explored.”

Bird an electric scooter and bikeshare company that is similar to Zyp in terms of its commitment to reduce pollution will be arriving to Birmingham, according to McKinney. The slogan of the company is, “Be free from traffic, be free from pollution, be free.”

The Bird scooters made a short-lived visit to Birmingham last year, with scooters being able to be taken from their charging zones or picked up from a previous rider’s parking spot and left on any bike rack (if available) anywhere within the city for the next person to use. After three months, Bird scooters left Birmingham. Now, with a new contract they are set to arrive back to the city by Spring 2020.

PHOTO BY JULIE MAULDIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHE Zyp bikes will soon be disappearing from campus

According to O’Quinn the city will be focusing on alternative transportation methods aside from Bird scooters for Birminghamians.

“We want to make it easier to get around in Birmingham,” O’Quinn said. “We don’t believe our city should be a place where a person has to own a car in order to conveniently get to work, health care and other basic services, grocery stores with healthy foods, or any other place one desires to go.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

PAGE 4

Gurney Derbey One of the most of the unique traditions on campus where students race down 13 Street South, this year’s first place winner wad the Physician Assistant Program students.

This was their second first place prize in a row. “Fly by the Seat” team placed first with 28.62 seconds this year. “Feel the Gurn” placed second and “Alpha squared placed first.

UAB Honors Program finished the race and won the Dead Last Award.

Photo by Drew Crenshaw/ Photo Editor

Homecom Blazer Showdown • Comedy Show • Gurney Derby

Blazer Showdown

Sororities and fraternities danced and competed for first place showing off their step skills. Themes of the night included Jumanji, Scooby Doo, Alaadin. Photo by Drew Crenshaw/ Photo Editor

Pancakes and Karaoke

The Blazer Spirit Council hosted Pancakes and Karaoke where students combined their loved for sweets with their stage presence. Photo by Drew Crenshaw/ Photo Editor

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Hoops on the Hill

Celebrating UAB’s 50th anniversary, this year the men’s and women’s basketball team gathered to play Hoops at the Hill Student Center.

Each team cheered their players as they competed against each other. Photo by Drew Crenshaw/ Photo Editor

UAB vs. Old Dominion

Blazers slayed the Lions, Old Dominion University, yesterday with a final score of 38 to 14. With this game, UAB is now bowl eligible for a third straight year.

Photo by Cameron McPhail/ Staff Photographer

ming 2019 Hoops on the Hill • Parade • Homecoming Game Parade Once again, the streets surrounding UAB campus were flooded with green and gold for the annual Homecoming Parade.

Participants road in vehicles decked out with artwork of images any Blazer would be familiar with like Blaze the Dragon or the Magic City sign at the Rotary Trail. Floats were created in part of a competition where those whose floats showed the most creativity, effort and Blazer spirit would award for best display. Different programs, teams and schools filled the streets and represented Blazer spirit while also throwing candy and gear to the crowd.

Photo by Drew Crenshaw/ Photo Editor

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AWARENESS

STI rates increase in the South An analysis of STI rates spreading across the country Allison Brown Senior Staff Reporter browna17@uab.edu

One in two sexually active people will get an STI before the age of 25, according to research by the CDC. Kachina Kudroff, program director at the 1917 Clinic said she believes that one of reasons sexually transmitted infections are so prevalent in the South is because of the lack of good comprehensive sex education, stigma related to sexually transmitted infections and sex in general in the South.

Alabama is one of 26 states that requires an emphasis on abstinence when discussing sex education, according to Guttmacher Institute’s State Policies in Brief.

“The law for sexual education [in Alabama], one, doesn’t require that it’s taught,” Kudroff said. “So, a lot of schools are going to avoid it entirely. And two, it’s written in such a way that states that you should focus on abstinence until marriage as the best way to prevent everything.”

Kudroff said that without proper education, people don’t know they are at risk, which leads to neglect of testing and treatment as well as the continuation of STIs spreading.

Kathleen Pridgen, M.D., and associate medical director at UAB Student Health Services, said abstinence only education doesn’t cut it.

“If you’re educating abstinence only and you’re not educating about sexually transmitted infections, then it’s sort of ignoring the problem,” Pridgen said. “It’s ignoring the fact that it exists, and people need to be aware and know that these things can happen.”

The Student Health and Wellness Center offers free STI screening, according to Pridgen, who said the center ran about 5,700 STI tests over the course of the 2018-2019 academic year.

“Common sexually transmitted infections, like gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomonas, all of those are treatable and curable, typically with a single dose of various types of antibiotics,” Pridgen said. “So, we try to reassure students that again, this is very treatable. But we do tell students to have an honest conversation with their partner.”

The Planned Parenthood Generation Action club said they try to educate students about STIs and about resources available to them through Planned Parenthood. “[Our club] focuses more on education and resources,” said Shreya Pokhrel, president of the club. “The clinic here in Birmingham provides STI testing and screenings, treatment options and they can also direct you to other resources in the community and connect you with other medical outlets.”

For students who have a STI or for those who are sexually active, Kudroff said don’t be too concerned.

“Most of these infections are completely curable,” Kudroff said. “If not, then they’re very treatable. They’re not these terrifying, life-ending, negative, nasty things. Just because someone had an STI doesn’t mean that they still have it and it doesn’t mean that they are dirty, which is often the stigma associated with it.”

Earn a master’s degree combining your science background with policy and management!

Bioscience & Health Policy

ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN HILLER? VISUAL CONTENT EDITOR

STI Testing in Birmingham -Planned Parenthood: 1211 27th Place South -The Hub: 2217 6th Ave. South -Central Health Center: 1400 6th Ave. South -1917 Clinic: 908 20th St. South.

City Council Highlights Birmingham City Council approved two grant agreements with the National Trust for Historic Prevention. Over $122,000 will be given to the development of the 16th Street Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Church and St. Paul United Methodist.

A new ordinance creating boundaries for smoking will go into effect on December 1.

These areas include Children’s of Alabama, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, Jefferson County Department of Health, Southern Research, UAB and the VA Hospital. If caught smoking on these properties, a fine will be given.

Learn more about this 2-year degree program at Rice University

www.profms.rice.edu

Birmingham City Council approved a rezoning case at the city council meeting October 15. The development will be at the Wells Fargo Bank drive through off 18th Street South. The new design is specifically for graduate-level students at UAB. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN HILLER/ART EDITOR

Join the

Kaleidoscope family!

Going on our 51st year of operation, the Kaleidoscope team is as strong as ever. Every week during the semester, our reporters, photographers and designers create a newspaper that reflects and observes what matters most to UAB and to Birmingham.

Our family can never get too big. We are always accepting new members who share our passion for storytelling, design and photography.

Join our community and help us share the story of the Magic City!

Open positions include: • Copy Editors • Graphic Designers • Opinion Columnists • Social Media Managers • Reporters

For more information, visit us at uab.edu/studentmedia/kaleidoscope or contact Sufia Alam at sufia@uab.edu.

Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @kaleidoscopeuab

PAGE 8

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

CROSSWORD

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1. Last name of the USGA speaker to discuss UAB community engagement and the State of the University Address.

2. Alabama is one of the only states that requires an emphasis on __________ sex education in schools.

3. UAB had won what number of consecutive home football games.

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

Moon Taxi Avondale Brewing Company 7 p.m.

Green Carpet Affair Birmingham Museum of Art 6 p.m.

4. The last name of the Ms. UAB 2019.

5. This type of immunity is important when it comes to flue protection.

6. This homecoming event was held on Tuesday, Oct. 15 and was served with pancakes.

Last week’s crossword answers: 1. Green 2. Yusef 3. Gladwell 4. Beats 5. Vape.

6. Derby

Emma Owen Blazer News Editor emmaowen@uab.edu

Allison Brown Web Content Editor browna17@uab.edu

John Hiller Visual Content Editor jdhiller@uab.edu

Wendy Martinez Social Media Manager wendymz@uab.edu

Diwali Sterne Library 11:30 a.m. - 1:00

Alabama Literacy Conference Birmingham 7:30 p.m.

Networking in the Magic City Abroms-Engel Institue 1624 Bessmer Rd 6:00 p.m.

1 p.m.

Unfolding UAB

Interested in working with the Kaleidoscope?

Contact us for more information.

No experience is required.

4th Annual Zombie Night Run Rail Road Park 6 p.m.

Coin Music Festival Iron City 7:30 p.m.

Magic City Classic The Takeover III Iron City Bham 9 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