UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 58, ISSUE 10
B’HAM STANDS FOR CHANGE, ENGAGEMENT Citywide project aims to denounce political division, engage community. Read more on page 7.
The
Kaleidoscope CELEBRATING OUR
50th YEAR OF PUBLICA-
On the up and up Blazers fry Rice, become bowl eligible with sixth win Will Harris Asst. Sports Editor On Saturday, Nov. 4, the UAB Blazers faced the Rice Owls in a Conference USA west division showdown. Rice came into the
matchup with a 1-7 record, while the Blazers needed one win to become bowl eligible. Rice kicked off to start the game, but the kickoff went out of bounds giving UAB the ball at their own 35-yard line. The Blazers
FAST FACTS: UAB vs. Rice Completing 20 passes in 21 attempts, quarterback A.J. Erdely set a new conference record for completion percentage in a single game. Running back Spencer Brown rushed for 140 yards to break 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Wide receiver Andre Wilson caught seven passes for 68 yards, breaking 500 receiving yards on the season. The Blazers become bowl eligible for the fifth time in school history and for the second time in as many seasons with the win. UAB moves to 6-3 on the season and is now ranked 57 out of 130 NCAA FBS teams. Three games remain on the Blazers’ regular season schedule (at UTSA, at Florida, vs. UTEP).
moved down the field with ease and scored on a one-yard touchdown run by Spencer Brown. Nick Vogel added the extra point making it a 7-0 game. After a short three-and-out by Rice, the Blazers capped off their next drive on a 43-yard touchdown pass from A.J. Erdely to Donnie Lee. Vogel added the extra point to go up 14-0. On the ensuing drive, Rice started deep in their own territory. On a third and long, Rice quarterback Sam Glaesmann was intercepted by UAB’s Darious Williams who returned it to the Rice nine-yard line. On the next play, Brown rumbled his way into the end zone. Vogel added the extra point to make it 21-0 with 5:12 left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Brown led UAB down the field again with a 42-yard run and a one-yard touchdown run. Vogel added the extra point to make it 28-0. However, Rice quickly answered with a 70-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Austin Walter. Will Harrison added the extra point to make the score 28-7. After the Rice touchdown, the Owls attempted an onside kick and recovered the ball, giving them the ball at the UAB 40-yard line. On the ensuing play, Smalls’ pass was intercepted by UAB cornerback Brontae Harris
See FOOTBALL, Page 6
FACILITIES
UAB doing asbestos it can
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Natural mineral currently not a health concern The word asbestos refers to a group Lauren Moore Campus Reporter Since the emergence of UAB as an independent university in 1969, its campus has continuously been expanding and revitalizing to accommodate the always expanding UAB staff and student body. However, as new buildings rise, some original, decades-old buildings bring a possible health hazard to students. “If the building was built before the late 1970s, asbestos may be found in insulation, both batt-type and vermiculite insulation,” said Dr. Michelle Fanucchi, associate
of six types of naturally occurring minerals. All of the asbestos mineral is made up of fine fibers. The material is chemically inert and also fire-resistant. It also does not conduct heat or electricity. These properties make it a sought after component for insulation of all types. —Dr. Michelle Fanucchi professor of environmental health sciences. “It may also be found in spray-on ceiling
coatings, in textured paint, in vinyl flooring, in the insulation of heating systems and
ALABAMA THEATRE
Marquee will be restored
electrical equipment.” Many faculty, staff and students alike fear that some of these buildings pose a greater threat than simply being worn down, fearing that there may be potentially dangerous elements to these outdated buildings. One main concern is the threat of asbestos in the building. “The word asbestos refers to a group of six types of naturally occurring minerals,” Fanucchi said. “All of the asbestos mineral is made up of fine fibers. The material is chemically inert and also fire-resistant. It also does not conduct heat or electricity. These properties make it a sought after component for insulation of all types.” Van Thursby, director of industrial hygiene with the
The Alabama Theatre will once again shine down on 18th Street with the restoration of its vertical marquee. With $120,000 from American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America, Alabama Theatre will regain
See ASBESTOS, Page 4
See THEATRE, Page 8
Competition win secures $120,000 prize Bella Tylicki Community Reporter
OPINIONS Fall 2017 Editorial Board Chandler Jones Editor-in-Chief chanj1@uab.edu
Wallace Golding Managing Editor wsgoldin@uab.edu
Sufia Alam Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu
Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor kribal@uab.edu
Connor Gentry Sports Editor zcgentry@uab.edu
Will Harris Asst. Sports Editor willhrrs@uab.edu
Marie Sutton Advisor masutton@uab.edu
Patrick Johnson Production Manager
Page 2 November 7, 2017
OPIOID EPIDEMIC
C
Time to modernize treatment Elliott Greene Opinion Columnist
targeting minority communities, criminalization of narcotics remains a mainstay of y the time you finish American drug policy. reading this paper, Alternative strategy fosomeone in the United cused on rehabilitation and States will have died of a drug support see little support in overdose. The National Instithe U.S. While countries like tute on Drug Abuse reports Portugal demonstrate how more deaths by overdecriminalization can dose than firearms and reduce death rates and car crashes combined. disease transfer, the While psychoacU.S. refuses to embrace tives have been a part progressive policies. of society since preUnfortunately, drug history, the past two use under this punitive decades have seen an system has grown into Greene a bigger problem than it unprecedented surge in fatalities related to drug was at the start. Prouse. The past five years show grams shown to improve puban acceleration with opioid lic health, like needle shares deaths leading the charts. and safe injection sites, face Calls for legislative action resistance from conservatives, to combat these deaths grow exacerbating the issue. by the day as communities Even if one accepts Amernationwide feel the economican drug laws have been ic and personal burden of appropriate historically, their neighbors and families clear evidence exists of their succumbing to drug abuse. modern ineffectiveness. Over Despite this, government represcription of opioids for sponse has been lackluster. chronic pain at the turn of the Since the Nixon era, feder- century created a new type of al response to drug crises has drug addict. been punitive. Despite critiPolicies encouraging abcism for disproportionately stinence and punishing those
B
who partake could work in a time when first exposure to drugs was always illegal. In the modern era, addicts get their first hit from a pharmacist. Modern drug addicts develop their addiction from prescribed pain treatments. Once the script runs out, addiction forces seeking of deadlier highs. “Just Say NO!” loses effect when the dealer has an M.D. and the future addict has a broken leg. This runs counter to drug laws that assume drug addicts are willing criminals, and the disconnect shows. This philosophy stems from perception of drugs being linked to poor and minority communities, despite evidence to the contrary. The opioid epidemic, comparatively, refuses to be tied to any one demographic. New paths to addiction mean the abuse has overtaken middle-class and white communities in mass, while the inability to ignore or imprison the problem leaves politicians unsure how to proceed.
Easy answers rarely present in public policy, and the same applies here. While a solution may be hard to find, understanding the failings of current approaches are easy. This makes it quite disheartening when politicians double-down on bad ideas. Vice President Mike Pence rejected evidence-based policies by shutting down needle shares when he was governor. This resulted in an HIV crisis in Indiana. Rural American towns faced HIV rates unseen outside of the Third World. Pence eventually conceded and reopened some needle shares. Clearly, the obvious failings of American drug policy failed to register with Pence. Now that he has ascended to higher office, we can only hope he and his colleagues have learned to approach the issue with open minds, but all evidence points to the current administration being woefully unprepared for the current crisis. Elliott Greene can be reached at elliottg@uab.edu.
plj3@uab.edu
ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/ILLUSTRATOR
HAPPY BUDGETING
Saving, investing to meet financial goals Stephanie Yates Financial Columnist
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to Chandler Jones, Editor-in-Chief, at chanj1@uab.edu. The Kaleidoscope functions as a memeber of UAB Student Media in association with UABTV, BlazeRadio and Aura. Website: UAB.edu/kscope Twitter @UABkscope Facebook facebook.com/uabkscope/ Instagram instagram.com/ uabkscope/ The Kaleidoscope is produced in the office of UAB Student Media. Suite 130 Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd. Birmingham, 35233 (205) 934-3354
The difference between saving and investing is the timeframe involved. Saving typically involves setting money aside to meet financial goals within one year. Investing is more long-term. That means that we should be willing to take on a bit more risk due to our longer time horizon. That also means that the vehicles we use would differ also. You might consider devising an investment plan for accumulating money for a major expense such as a down payment on a car. For example, let us assume that you want to treat yourself to a new car as a graduation present. You have decided to spend up to $10,000 for that car. Howev-er, you do not want to finance the car for more than four years and would like to keep your monthly payments under $200. Bankrate.com currently shows that interest rates on 48-month new auto loans average about 3.74 percent. You can use a payment calculator on the internet to figure out
the most you could fi-nance given those constraints. What you should find is that the maximum that you can borrow over 48 months at 3.74 percent with a $200 monthly payment is $8,903.57. If you have decided to spend $10,000 on a car, you will need a down payment of $1,096.42 plus any additional taxes and fees. Now that you have identified a financial goal, you can devise your investment plan. How will you come up with $1,096.42 for your down payment? Let us assume that you expect to graduate in April 2021. That means that you have approximately 42 months to reach your goal making this an investing activity as opposed to a savings activity. Therefore, you probably do not want to park this money in a savings account because you have enough time to take on more risk and therefore earn a higher return on your investment. Three options are a savings or money market account, a certificate of deposit or a short-term mu-tual fund. The money market account and CD are less risky because they are typically Federal Depos-
it Insurance Corp. insured. However, the CD is less liquid. That is, once you deposit your funds, your bank will charge you a penalty if you withdraw funds before the agreed upon date. Another consideration is whether or not you wish to invest your money today in a lump sum so that it may grow to the desired amount or if you wish to make regular investments over a period of time. For instance, assume that today you only have half the funds necessary for your down payment or $548.21. The rule of 72 is a handy way to figure out how long it will take your mon-ey to grow given a certain interest rate – or in this case, what interest rate we must earn for our money to double in a certain timeframe. Using the rule of 72, we divide 72 by the time horizon to determine our required interest rate. In this case 72 months/3.5 years = 20.57 percent. It might be difficult to find an investment that pays more than 20 percent per year. Let us now consider monthly investments. If we simply divide $1,096.42 by 42 months, we find that sav-
ing $26.11 would allow us to reach our goal. However, the time value of money says that a bank would reward us with interest on our savings which would lower how much we would need to deposit each month. If we can earn 2 percent per year on our savings, we would only have to save $25.22 per month. That’s not a big difference, but it begins to show the power of compound interest. The higher the interest rate, the faster our money grows and the lower our required monthly in-vestment over a given time period. Also, the longer your time horizon the more options you have that would afford you a higher return on your investment. Hopefully, this exercise shows how you can create a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timebound – or SMART – financial goal and devise a plan to achieve it. If you have specific questions about managing your money, please send your questions to us at RIFE@uab. edu. You just might see your question answered in the next edition of the Kaleidoscope! Happy budgeting!
CAMPUS
Page 3 November 7, 2017
THEATER ARTS
Breaking stereotypes An authentic showing of working class Lauren Moore Campus Reporter Breaking perceived stereotypes of America’s working class and giving an authentic representation of them, UAB Theatre will soon host a musical, Working to provide insight into the lives of those in professions that are often times taken for granted or forgotten by society. “Some jobs are meant to be invisible” said Valerie Accetta, head of UAB musical theatre and director of Working. Stephen Schwartz adapted the book into the original 1977 musical. Schwartz incorporated a wide variety of composers, including James Taylor, Micki Grant, Mary Rogers and Craig Carnelia. “We started to talk about what we were going to perform for this season a year prior to the shows, which happened to be during last year’s election,”Accetta said. “Regardless of where anyone stood politically, it was a time where everyone [stopped] listening to each other. This is a musical where we hear a lot of people’s voices, and we thought it was an important message to share.” The original version of the show that premiered in 1977 contained two acts with 30-40 cast members. However, in 2012 the show was rewritten for
PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS The cast of the musical consists of six members who will portray over 25 different characters.
only six actors, with two new songs added by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The updated show runs for 90 minutes with no intermission. UAB WANT TO GO? Theatre What: Working will be When: Nov. 8-11 and Nov. 15-18, 7:30 perp.m. with a matinée forming on Nov. 18 this Where: Alys Stephens Center’s updatOdess Theatre ed verCost: Students, $6; sion. faculty and staff, In the $10; general admisupsion, $20. dated musical, each of the six actors in the show plays at least 25 roles. Zachary Lampe, freshmen in musical theatre and playing the
role of “Man 1”, said his favorite character to play in the show is Ralph. “Ralph is a 19-yearold kid with lots of dreams, and he also represents this idea of privileged youth” Lampe said. “In a typical show you have a set character, but these are different in that these are real people’s word-for-word stories. It gives the show a sense of realism. I’d say the dances within the show are also my favorite part, because they are so elaborate and incorporate a lot of physical movement.” Alicia Batterson, senior in musical theatre and playing the role of “Woman 3,” says that
her favorite character to play is a fundraiser coordinator named Candy. “She’s a larger than life character,” Batterson said. “One of the good things about doing this show is that you see all different kinds of people. There are people who are very shy and timid, and then there are people like Candy who I kind of identify with as being a character in herself.” The audience also serves as an important aspect of the show. The theater will be set up so that audience members must walk through the set before they can take their seats, and the action during the show
will be very inclusive as well. In preparation for the show, cast members took a tour of the U.S. Pipe Factory as well as had some of the workers speak to them. “I wanted us to have experiences that we’d never had before,” Accetta said. “Some of those workers are coming to the show as well which is really exciting. I want people after coming to see this show to have more awareness of one another, and to be more aware of the person with the job and not just the job itself Lauren Moore can be reached at lrm33@uab.edu.
FESTIVITIES
Calling all creative students
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Students to showcase talents of writing, reciting Myah Clinton Campus Reporter Honors College students interested in sharing their hidden talents of writing, reciting or performing will soon have an opportunity to showcase their skills in the first Honors Poetry Fest. “We personally have been trying this year to have events that cater more to our non-sciWANT TO GO? ence What: Honors Poetry honors Fest students,” When: Nov. 8 from 6 said p.m. to 9 p.m. Rebecca Where: Sanctuary of Spencer Honors Massey, the presiHouse. dent of the Cost: Free Honors College Leadership Council. “There are all kinds of majors in the Honors College and people with all kinds of passions.” According to social committee member Abby Thompson, this even will unite all Honors College members. “We thought it would be a really cool idea to do an open mic night,” Thompson
said. “It was really important to all three of us, because I would say we’re all like into the arts and there’s not arts and humanities representation in some of the events that we put on.” Massey said the HCLC’s social committee planned the event. “There’s no requirement that you have a certain caliber of work or something,” Massey said. “If you’re passionate about reading your work or reading something that speaks to you then you’re totally free to do that.” The HCLC asks students who will perform or attend the event to fill out the Google Form linked on the Facebook event and the Honors College News Blast, so they will know how much food to bring, Massey said. The HCLC will provide a hot chocolate bar and Insomnia Cookies. Students who have not signed up for the event are still allowed to perform their work. They will have to go after those who signed up, according to Massey.
You can just put a small set of words together and they can be so powerful. —Abby Thompson Some members of the HCLC will perform. Thompson, will be reciting two poems, “Poetry Slam” from the movie “22 Jump Street” and an untitled work from Rupi Kaur’s poetry collection “Milk and Honey.”
“You can just put a small set of words together and they can be so powerful. I like all of the topics they can encompass and the wide range. I like it as a means of expression
too,” said Thompson about poetry. Nadia Anabtawi, HCLC secretary and special events committee member started writing poetry in high school. “My favorite thing about poetry is its ability to be recited. It’s something you can share with other people,” Anabtawi said. “It’s just a creative way of telling a story.” Myah Clinton can be reached at mkc16@uab.edu. Abby Thompson showcases her book, “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur, to plan which poems she will be reciting at the Honors College Poetry Fest. PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Page 4 | Campus
The Kaleidoscope
November 7, 2017
STUDENT SUCCESS
Tips and tricks for 4.0s Allie Milton Campus Reporter Studying is an integral part of any student’s life. According to most official UAB syllabi, students should spend about two hours studying for every hour spent in lecture. For full-time students, this makes college a full-time job. Many students, though, especially freshman who might not have adjusted to the rigor of a college curriculum, may struggle to make the most of that study time and utilize it to the best of their abilities. It might be tempting to wait until the night before a test to study or not study at all, but good study practices are essential. “I didn’t study much in high school,” said Trevor Stewart, freshman in marketing. “But now that I’m in college, I spent a lot of time experimenting with study techniques to find out what worked out best for me. I found that I study most effectively when I place myself out of my usual environment. I also try to motivate myself to study by rewarding myself post study sessions.” Many students, in fact, take advantage of UAB’s two libraries when searching for an optimal study location. Sterne Library is open 24 hours and features cubicles, computers and even private study rooms for students to use. The library also has a Starbucks for post-studying treats and coffee for motivation. “Now that I am in college, I am realizing that my ‘go with the flow’ nature from high school is not working in college,” said Eleah Nokovich, freshman in management. “I am learning that school is my No. 1 priority, so making time during the day to
Asbestos
From Page 1
the Occupational Health and Safety Department, is one of the individuals in charge of asbestos control on campus. “Part of our program here is to make sure that any asbestos that is here is managed properly,” Thursby said. “We manage it by making sure that it is in good condition and that it poses no threat to our occupants. If it gets age on it and starts deteriorating to a point that it may be a possible hazard, we take care of it.” However, according to Fanucci, simply the presence of asbestos should not be enough to cause concern. “Asbestos is only of concern when it is ‘friable’ or easily crumbled,” Fanucci said. “If the asbestos is encapsulated, then there is very little risk unless it is disturbed. The risk then becomes when the asbestos is disturbed or aerosolized and amounts are inhaled over long periods of time. If testing reveals asbestos before a renovation or tear-down, then the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has regulatory requirements that need to be followed for removal.” In case an asbestos issue should occur, campus maintenance personnel are properly outfitted and trained yearly to ensure that they are not harmed. This includes use of half-face respirators and cleaning off when any potential contact has
go to the library instead of hang with friends has really helped me. Learning to time manage and prioritize is becoming my best friend.” Students can use a variety of materials to aid them in their purposes, from flash cards and practice tests to online resources. Many students also utilize their technology for good study results. Besides creating study playlists that consist of soothing “coffee-house” tunes to focus on the task at hand and keep their minds from wandering, some students favor playing white noise or other background sounds. Timers are another important component of good study habits for some to apply the popular Pomodoro technique. The underlying principles of the technique are simple. Using a timer to make sure they are properly regulating themselves, students will devote a set amount of time for studying. According to the traditional approach of the study technique, students should set the timer for about 25 minutes. After an interval of studying, students should give themselves approximately five minutes to take a break and rest. Getting up and going for a short walk is often very conducive as it allows blood to circulate throughout the body and improves study quality. After those five minutes, students should settle into studying again and repeat the process for as long as needed, being sure to take short breaks to improve study quality. After four rounds of studying, students should allow themselves a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes. Even if not using the traditional Pomodoro studying technique, taking short breaks is a great way
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Sites are always checked for asbestos, regardless of if we think it is present or not. However, the drive of our department is not to get rid of asbestos but rather to simply be updating older buildings on campus, and, as a result, it also takes care of some of the asbestos issues. —James Fowler been made. The department examines every complaint received to ensure that the issue is not asbestos. If any investigation reveals the problem to be asbestos, the material is removed or encapsulated. “We have air sampling around campus that is constantly making sure that there are safe levels of asbestos in the air,” Thursby said. “When it comes to managing the deconstruction of old buildings, the county oversees UAB. All asbestos is removed before any demolition or renovation can begin.” James Fowler, director of Planning, Design and Construction at UAB, is one of the individuals responsible for making sure all demolitions of campus buildings stay safe, including asbestos-free. “Sites are always checked for asbestos, regardless of if we think
it is present or not,” Fowler said. “However, the drive of our department is not to get rid of asbestos but rather to simply be updating older buildings on campus, and, as a result, it also takes care of some of the asbestos issues.” Many UAB buildings are scheduled for demolition, including the Worrell Building, the Cancer Research Center, the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources and the 1200 “Food Fair” Building. If someone finds a potential issue that they would like to report they must fill out a work order. If any issue is found then the matter will be investigated further. The department also works with consultants and contractors on the bigger projects, oftentimes using outside consultants. Lauren Moore can be reached at lrm33@uab.edu.
to improve overall study quality and retention of materials. These breaks are important for lessening eyestrain and mental overexertion. Introducing small bouts of exercise is even more productive and offers numerous other benefits both in relation to studying and health. Setting weekly studying goals or quotas is also very important in preventing procrastination. Devoting small but frequent amounts of time to studying is more effective than studying for a large chunk of time only once. “I find that I study best when I’m under the pressure of selfmade goals,” said Ben Pentecost,
freshman in biomedical sciences and instrumental performance. “I believe that it’s healthy to hold yourself to a certain standard of excellence.” Various recent studies have also shown that students who make study plans specifying what they want to learn and how they feel they can best learn it before studying improves student test scores by as much as a whole letter grade. Time is a valuable resource, so learning how to use it well is just as important as learning the material itself. Allie Milton can be reached at miltona@uab.edu.
PHOTO BY AUSTIN SIMPSON/PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Michaels studies for his upcoming math test at the Mervyn H. Sterne Library.
10 IN 10
with Ash Nanda Vice President of Student Services 1)What is your role as Vice President of Student Services? I want to make sure that everything we are doing with USGA, we are fulfilling a niche or we are partnering with organizations to make sure we are not being redundant. A lot of that is centered around town halls and participating in information or resources panels. 2) Why do you think student services are so important? I think there are a whole lot of resources and services that students might not know about. I think it is important for us to a) articulate that and b) make sure that students know about that and they are accessible. I think it is part of the responsibility of the USGA that students are utilizing these resources and at least cognizant of them. 3) In which ways do you inform students of the available resources? Within each of the subsets of student resources division, we look to publicize resources that are relevant. For example, within sustainability, we are looking to create a guide for how to live sustainability on campus. 4) What are you the most valuable resources available to students? Funding for Registered Student Organizations, travel grants and emergency student loans. 5)What are the most underutilized resources? Historically, I would say counseling that’s free to all students. I am part of an advisory board that talks about the state of mental health every month or so. Also, Blazer Pantry, I think it is important for people to know that food
insecurity does happen on campus and that there are resources to help. 6) What do you hope students can take away from USGA after utilizing these resources? We are trying to be here for students. We are doing what we think is best to make ourselves accessible. We have office hours; we publicize everything we do; and we are very willing to accept feedback. 7) How do you accommodate for the biggest class size in UAB history? We try to continue to improve what we have done in the past. Make sure we are connecting with people on social media. Just having open lines of communication and making sure we are accessible. 8)How are these resources organized or enhanced semester to semester? Essentially, there are always ways that incoming administration see that they could potentially change things. So, trying to incrementally improve the resources. 9) What is the most important thing that you do in this job? Advocate, I know that is vague and broad, but it is intentionally so. I think that element is very important, not just for me but for everyone in USGA or in any leadership role on campus? 10) How do you think your work fits into the whole of UAB student life? Making sure we are able to gauge what students need in terms of what new services we would want to see. Providing some input from our own end but trying to gauge it from particular students as well.
SPORTS
Page 5 November 7, 2017
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SOCCER
Tourney hopes die at home Sarah Oetken Sports Reporter
PHOTO BY AUSTIN SIMPSON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Imani Johnson (No. 34) shoots a free throw during the Blazers’ matchup versus Montevallo on Nov. 1 at Bartow Arena.
Beat like a drum UAB torches Montevallo in exhibition game beat down Sarah Oetken Sports Reporter
The lady Blazers dominated the court on Tuesday, Oct. 31 when they played against the Montevallo Falcons. The UAB women’s basketball team saw the score fly high to 113-20 against the Falcons. The Blazer defense stood stalwart and allowed the Falcons to score 20 points for the entire game on a 12.1 percent shooting while the offense would not be denied with five players scoring in the double figures. “Exhibition games are great opportunity to work out all the kinks,” said Randy Norton, UAB women’s basketball head coach. “It’s like dress rehearsal
and that’s why we play two of them, just so we can get ready for our season.” The lady Blazers held Montevallo under 10 points for each of the four quarters. The team kept held off the Falcons during the second quarter, leaving them scoreless. Overall, the Blazers forced 20 turnovers, posted 14 steals and blocked five shots. “Our kids, we’re not paying attention to the scoreboard,” Norton stated. “They realized that there a lot of things to improve on and they were locked in to try to get better defensively, execute on offense, and they realize that this is what they are supposed to do in exhibition game.” By the third period the
lady Blazers were leading with 81 to 8 over the Falcons. The lady Blazers kept their score high by keeping both defense and offense in control, while having a 45-34 lead in rebounds. “The entire team stepped up tonight,” Norton said. Sophomore Katelynn Thomas scored 22 points and hauled in nine rebounds, and finished the game shooting 10-for-16 to allow the team to create a strong offensive effort. The lady Blazers finished the game and connected on 36 of their 69 shots from the field. “I thought everyone contributed,” Norton said. “There were some positives and of course there is always stuff to work on.” Sophomore Imani John-
son posted a double-double off the bench for the Blazers, racking up 15 points and bringing down 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of competition. “We had it all scripted out, how we were going to rotate so it allowed everybody to play, get in front of a crowd because it is different playing in front of a crowd than playing at practice,” Norton said. “We learn and get better every day.” UAB returns to action on Nov. 7 in exhibition as the team hosts Judson College at 6 p.m. The Blazers’ first regular season game will be Nov. 11 against Mississippi Valley State at 2 p.m. in Bartow Arena. Sarah Oetken can be reached at sarahoak@uab.edu.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Blazers cage Maroon Tigers Team, Norton return to the hardwood in exhibition game Connor Gentry Sports Editor The UAB Men’s basketball team began their 2017-18 campaign with an exhibition game against the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College. The Blazers were picked to finish second in Conference USA by conference officials behind Middle Tennessee State University. Seniors William ‘HaHa’ Lee and Chris Cokley were named to the Conference USA preseason team. Lee was also named to the NBC Sports mid-major preseason All-American team. The starters for the Blazers were junior Nick Norton, who returned from a torn ACL during the first game of last season, freshman Zach Bryant, sophomore Nate Darling, who won a world championship with the Canadian FIBA U19 team, Lee, back to back conference defensive
player of the year winner, and Cokley. The loss of Norton last season was a big blow to the Blazers as they were left without a true point guard until Denzel Watts burned his redshirt. Lee and Cokley are poised to finish their careers at UAB with a run to a postseason tournament. UAB head coach Rob Ehsan changed to lineup on the court many times throughout the first half which led to some inconsistent offense early, but the Blazers led by one, 36 to 35, at halftime thanks to a buzzer beater layup by Bryant. Bryant raced down the court with three seconds left on the clock to score. The Blazers and Maroon Tigers went back and forth in the second half until UAB pulled away for a 15-point win 84 to 69. The Blazers were led junior Jalen Perry in scoring with 19 points
PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER UAB junior guard Jalen Perry defends Morehouse guard Tyrius Walker in the backcourt during the Blazers’ 84-69 win.
on seven of nine shooting. Darling contributed 17 points while shooting five of 10, Cokley chipped in 16 points on seven of 10 shooting and Norton contributed 11 points on four of six shooting. Cokley also pulled down 12 rebounds for a double-double. Overall, the Blazers connected on 32 of 60 shots
for 53.3 percent from the field and 10 of 21 from beyond the arc. The Maroon Tigers were led by Martravious Little with 21 points on seven of 10 shooting. Tyrius Walker and Jordan Wallace both contributed 18 and 11 points, respectively. Morehouse made 25 of their 60 shots from the field
and seven of their 21 three-pointer attempts. The Blazers begin the regular season on Friday, Oct. 10th against Jacksonville University Dolphins at 7 p.m. in UAB’s Bartow Arena. Connor Gentry can be reached at zcgentry@uab. edu and on Twitter at @Kscope_sports.
The UAB Men’s soccer team battled the Gamecocks of South Carolina in conference play at home this past Friday. In the first half, the Blazers had three shots on the goal, while South Carolina had five. Those shots were shut down by UAB goalkeeper James Teal. “I think we controlled the match from the opening whistle, and we had 16 chances to score,” UAB head coach Mike Getman said. “We did everything we could except we couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net.” In the second half, the defensive struggle continued. However, at the 69th minute the Gamecocks scored on a goal by Christoffer Wallander Ianev. Both teams pressured the opposing team well in the defensive battle. With the chance of heading to play at the conference tournament quarterfinals on the line, both teams did not give up on any loose ball, kick, or pass. The Blazers had a late surge of offense and nearly scored on a shot by Massimo Ferrin with two minutes left in regulation. Ferrin’s shot missed wide of the net and the Gamecocks held on for the 1-0 win. UAB fired 16 shots to the Gamecocks eight. “This team fought and battled every match all year long,” Getman stated. “Even though the results did not go our way I think we played really good soccer, and played really well as a team and in that aspect, I couldn’t be more proud.” This was the Blazers last game of the season and it was also senior night for the five senior players on the team. The loss was tough for the seniors, but the camaraderie among players did not go unnoticed. “The past four and half years, all of the friendships and brothers I have made, at the end of it is soccer and I love it so much,” forward Rami Danjani said. “The biggest takeaway is all the relationships I have made with all my friends and how close we have been these past four years. I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.” The Blazers finished the 2017 season with a record of 5-7-4, 1-6-1 in conference play. The win gives the Gamecocks the number seven seed in the Conference USA Tournament. “It was the biggest game of the season for us. We couldn’t get the job done, but I’m proud of every one of my teammates,” Dajani said. Sarah Oetken can be reached at sarahoak@uab.edu.
Page 6 | Sports
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Kaleidoscope
November 7, 2017
VOLLEYBALL
Hearts break in Florida Blazers drop opening round match to Owls Will Harris Asst. Sports Editor The resurgent season for UAB women’s soccer came to an early and abrupt end against Florida Atlantic University on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The firstround match was a part of the Conference USA women’s soccer championship tournament held in Boca Raton, Florida. The lady Blazers entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed, while FAU, the host school of the tournament, was the No. 6 seed. UAB had a shot to gain an early goal to lead in the twenty-fifth minute but the long shot struck the top post of the goal. FAU was able to regain the rebound off the post and the scoreless affair continued. The matchup was a defensive struggle for 90 minutes as neither team was able to score in regulation, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, FAU’s Tiril Haga sent the ball into the box that was received by Elisa Holmes. Holmes was able to push the loose ball forward to Asta Arnadottir who shot across the net past UAB goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty. The golden goal gave FAU the 1-0 win and ended a strong UAB season. “My heart is broken for our kids.” said first-year women’s soccer head coach Erica Demers. “It wasn’t a lack of effort that hurt us today. We made a mistake and Florida Atlantic capitalized on it. We had chances to finish the game and unfortunately, we came up short. When you get to tournament play and the game is tight like it was tonight, the margin for error is so small.” Senior Amy Brewer’s 25 points puts her at 10th-most single season points in UAB history. Daugherty was the Conference USA leader with an average of 0.75 goals allowed per game. Daugherty’s seven shutouts this season is the second-most in school history. “I am beyond thankful for the experience this year has brought for our program and staff,” Demers said. “We grew as a team and as people. We will miss our seniors deeply and I wish we could have done more for them today and stay together as a team to fight another day. All the best to Florida Atlantic in the next round.” The Owls accumulated 15 shots with six being on goal. the lady Blazers had seven shots with six being on goal. The Owls’ goal keeper collected six saves to UAB’s five. Both teams had five corner kicks. The lady Blazers finished the season with a final record of 13-4-3, 7-2-1 in conference. The team finished their best season since 2004 and earned several all-conference honors in the process. These players include Daugherty and Brewer on the first team, Rachel Green on the second team and Audria Wood on the third team. Wood also made the conference’s all-freshman team along with Regan Kommor. The lady Blazers won nine more total games than the 2016 season and six more conference games under Demer’s first year as head coach. Will Harris can be reached at willhrrs@uab.edu and on Twitter @Kscope_sports.
PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Haley Jared (No. 33) spikes the ball against Southern Miss’s defense in their game on Nov. 3 in Bartow Arena.
Served a striking loss Lady Blazers drop match in straight sets to USM Connor Gentry Sports Editor The UAB volleyball team squared off with conference rival University of Southern Mississippi. The Lady Blazers began the first set of the match with back and forth scores. The game was seven to seven when the Golden Eagles scored three-straight points to take a 10 to seven lead. Both teams traded scores until Southern Miss built a 19 to 12 lead. The Lady Blazers tried to rally, but fell 25 to 22. UAB had 12 kills to Southern Miss’s 15. The Golden eagles committed
more errors with five than the four of UAB. The Golden Eagles had a higher hitting percentage with a .312 to the Lady Blazers’ .276. The second set began with the lady Blazers rushing to a six to three lead. However, the Golden Eagles stormed back to tie the set and then took a nine to seven lead. The lady Blazers fought back and took a 14 to 12 lead and then extended that lead to five points. The Golden Eagles then scored five straight to tie the game at 19. UAB took a 22 to 21 lead. Southern Miss responded with a 26 to 24 victory to take a 2-0 lead for the match.
The lady Blazers outkilled Southern Miss 13 to seven but committed three more errors than the Golden Eagles. UAB had a higher hitting percentage with a .049 to Southern Miss’s -.030. The lady Blazers looked to keep Southern Miss from winning in straight sets in the third set. However, the Golden Eagles had other plans. Southern Miss jumped out to a quick four to one lead. UAB was never able to get closer than a three-point deficit for the rest of the set. The Golden Eagles won the final set 25 to 19 and swept the lady Blazer 3-0 for the match.
The Golden Eagles amassed 20 kills to UAB’s 10 in the final set. The lady Blazers committed two errors to Southern Miss’s five. Southern Miss had a higher hitting percentage at .341 to UAB’s .222. UAB was led by senior Haley Jared with nine kills. Senior Erika Zembyla contributed eight kills and one block, junior Victoria Young chipped in seven kills, three blocks and a service ace and redshirt senior Gabby Deshotel had six kills. UAB takes on Florida Atlantic University on Thurs, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. for senior night. Connor Gentry can be reached at zcgentry@uab.edu and on Twitter @Kscope_sports.
Football From Page 1
and taken back 64 yards for a touchdown. Vogel’s extra point gave UAB a 35-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Rice’s next drive ended in a fumble that was recovered by UAB’s Garrison Mitchell at the UAB 34-yard line. UAB answered with a strong drive thanks to running back James Noble’s runs of 20 and 17 yards. UAB ended the drive on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Erdely to Andre Wilson. Vogel added the extra point to make it 42-7. UAB halted a late Rice drive and went into halftime leading 42-7. UAB stopped Rice on the opening drive of the second half and started at their own 20-yard line. The UAB drive ended in a five-yard play-action touchdown pass from Erdely to Wilson. Vogel added the extra point to make it 49-7. Rice answered the UAB touchdown with a 6-play 80-yard touchdown drive that ended on a 9-yard run by Smalls. Harrison added the extra point to cut the UAB score to 49-14. The next UAB drive stalled out after the Blazers failed to convert on third down in the Rice redzone. The Blazers settled for a 27yard field goal by Vogel to extend the lead to 52-14. STAT CORNER Rice 21 17 227 236 463 3 30:49
Score First Downs Passing Yards Rushing Yards Total Offense Turnovers Time of Poss.
UAB 52 21 197 242 439 0 29:11
PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Brontae Harris (No. 33) returns an interception for a touchdown in the Blazers’ game against Rice on Nov. 4 at Legion Field.
Late in the game, Rice drove down and scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Smalls to wide receiver Aaron Cephus. Harrison’s extra point cut the UAB lead to 52-21. UAB ran out the clock and won the game by a final of 52-21. Brown finished the game with 140 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Brown
also broke 1,000-yard mark on the season, becoming only the fifth player in school history to do so. Erdely completed 20 of his 21 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. His completion percentage for this game is a Conference USA record. Williams’ interception was his fourth straight game with an interception. “I could not be more
proud of these guys, our fans, our community and our city,” said Head Coach Bill Clark. “It just doesn’t get much better than this right now.” UAB (6-3, 4-2) will now head to University of Texas San-Antonio on Nov. 11. Will Harris can be reached at willhrrs@uab.edu and on Twitter @Kscope_sports.
LIFE & STYLE
Page 7 November 7, 2017
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Communicating change Birminghamians take a stance for their causes Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor
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olitical division, tense relationships among groups of people and a lack of overall unity as a nation are some of the issues the country faces. However, the project Bham Stands refuses to accept these adversities as permanent conditions and is devoted to encouraging everyone to take a stance for what they believe is right, starting with Birmingham. Bham Stands is a citywide project that engages the community in taking a stance on what they believe The group brings boards with the phrase stating “I stand for…” to various area events, letting the attendants fill in the blank with a sentence or two about their beliefs and opinions. They also take one-onone pictures with people who want to make a statement about what they stand for. “We’re a loose group of friends wanting to expose people who do positive things,” said Tim Majors, creator of the project. In response to the events in Charlottesville earlier this fall, Majors said he wants to use the status of Alabama being the “last people to change their view” as an advantage in his hopes to unite and improve the country. He uses the quote by the civil rights activist Fred Shuttlesworth, who famously said: “As Birmingham goes, so goes the nation.” Majors wants Birmingham to set an example of unity and love, so that other parts of the country will follow accordingly. “We want to make Birmingham a motivation for the country,” he said. “If we can do it here, everyone else can get along.” The project, however, aims its sites not just at the community as a whole, but emerges through the art and entertainment scene. Majors said he wants the project to give a voice to activists and artists who are already involved in making change. Bham Stands started out by bringing boards to art shows and performance events, but it expanded to them visiting larger events and places such as the annual celebration of “Día de los Muertos” and UAB Department of Art. “I love anything that gives a voice to the people,” said musician Carey Fountain. “You have to make people believe that they can make a difference.” According to Fountain, letting the project move through the art community will help it reach a greater audience. He said that since Birmingham has deep roots in music, which evolved to have a national influence in the
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY BHAM STANDS CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER RIGHT CORNER: Tim Majors, Mugdha Mokashi, Crystal Peterson, Carey Fountain, Marc Lloyd-Princeton and Randall Woodfin hold up signs stating causes that they stand for as part of Bham Stands, an area project focusing on promoting change.
music industry, a movement like this could potentially grow exponentially. “One thing I noticed about Tim is that he really knows how to engage the community,” said Dikerius Blevins, a spoken words artist. “I am very interested in seeing where it progresses and what it creates in Birmingham.” Blevins also said the new, young mayor represents the demand of younger people to be involved in politics. According to him, bringing younger and older artists together will help their community to expand and evolve. “Art itself is political,” he said. “Bringing artists together makes a platform where they can speak about oppression. It creates spaces
for artists to see multiple perspectives and teach each other.” With over 3,000 followers on Instagram and a recurring presence in the community, Bham Stands is continuing to grow with every event they attend, connecting more and more people together and creating a sense of unity within the city. “Change starts when people believe that change can happen,” said Fountain. “Birmingham can show the rest of the country that you can start a movement among the people that can impact the world.” Kristina Balciunaite can be reached at kribal@uab.edu and on Instagram @kristinaib.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
‘Tis the season of coughs, sneezes Recommended measures to take for avoiding flu Brittany Guimond Campus Reporter Though not an identifiable season on a calendar, flu season occurs during the cold half of the year and creates commotion whenever it comes. As flu season approaches, many pharmacies begin advertising vaccination opportunities and other methods to minimize the spread of flu. The key to prevention is to start early and be prepared for the season according to Angela Blackwell, pharmacist at the CVS location on campus. “Flu season starts around the end of September,” Blackwell said. “The best time to start getting immunizations is somewhere around two to three weeks before
this time period. Here, we like to say better proactive than reactive.” The annual vaccine for flu is developed in the U.S. by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after receiving information on the yearly flu strand from China, which sees its effects first. Then, a specific vaccine is formulated which is tailored to those symptoms, making annual vaccination crucial, according to Blackwell. In fact, in some cases it is better to either get the vaccine early or not get it at all. “If your body is already fighting the vaccine, and you get actual flu on top of that, you are going to be in even worse shape than without the vaccine,” Blackwell said. However, while early
PHOTO BY AUSTIN SAMUELS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A student receives a flu shot at the Health and Wellness Center.
prevention is crucial, it is not the only step to be taken, nor is it the end of the world if someone does not receive a vaccine. Hygiene is just as important when it comes to keeping one’s body healthy, not only for flu season, but as an everyday aspect of life, according to Blackwell. Things such as washing one’s hands frequently or using hand sanitizer, as well as keeping one’s immediate environment clean are crucial to limiting the amount of bacteria
one encounters, therefore lowering the risk of flu or other viruses. According to Blackwell, this becomes especially important for students
who are on campus frequently. “Your risk of getting flu is highest when you are often in tight spaces with other people,” Blackwell said. “This is why many students get flu, due to living in small dorms together and being in busy classrooms for hours at a time.” Some students can attest to this firsthand. “I was hospitalized due to flu at the beginning of this semester,” said Dalton Campbell, a freshman in chemistry. “The doctor’s orders to prevent it from hap-
pening again were to wash my hands regularly, sterilize common surfaces like computers or counters, take more vitamin C and cover my mouth when sneezing or coughing.” According to Dr. Mickie Powell, Ph.D. in biology, it is important to “wash your hands and cover your cough” and while it may seem a simple method, limiting the spread of bacteria and receiving vaccinations is what flu prevention is all about. Brittany Guimond can be reached at bguimond@uab.edu.
COMMUNITY
Page 8 November 7, 2017
AVONDALE
Hand-in-Paw digs in to new furcility Parker Rose Community Reporter
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BIRMINGHAM LANDMARKS INC. Area mascots dance in front of the Alabama Theatre sign on 3rd Avenue.
Theatre From Page 1
its 1957 glory. The Alabama Theatre is one of 11 historic sites to receive a chunk of the $1.5 million after winning the popular vote in the Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign. “These grants will enable main streets to preserve the historic features that make these districts so special,” said Timothy J. McClimon, president of the American Express Foundation. “When we support our local historic sites and main streets . . . we drive development, preserve character, attract visitors and propel commerce.” Brant Beene, president of Birmingham Landmarks, the nonprofit owner of the Alabama and Lyric Theatres said they received over 54,000 votes from Facebook friends, customers, employees of the major contributors and customers. “We have found that Alabama Theatre customers are a dedicated bunch,” Beene said. “They love this theatre, have many great memories here and want to keep the Alabama [Theatre] preserved and
The Alabama Theatre has been a pillar of the city center throughout its seasons of change, and we look forward to seeing its exterior restoration projects return the theater to its fully original splendor. —David Fleming operating so their children and grandchildren can enjoy it the way they did. That’s what we want, too.” Sign fabrication has begun, and plans call for the new 18th Street sign to be unveiled and lit on the stroke of midnight this new year’s eve in celebration of the theater’s 90th birthday year, according to REV Birmingham, the local economic development agency that nominated the theater. “The volume of local votes and, of course, local donations show strong support for historic preservation in our beautiful city with no shortage of historic charm in need of
preserving,” said David Fleming, CEO of REV Birmingham. “The Alabama Theatre has been a pillar of the city center throughout its seasons of change, and we look forward to seeing its exterior restoration projects return the theater to its fully original splendor.” The grant will supplement funds pledged by Birmingham’s corporate donors such as Altec, Bradley Arant, Gray Construction, Cindy & Ken Rhoden, ServisFirst Bank, Southpace, Wells Fargo and Wiggins Child Pantazis. Bella Tylicki can be reached at btylicki@uab.edu and on Twitter @_belty_.
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Avondale is having a doggone time. Hand in Paw recently broke ground in Avondale, and have been raising money to fund expansions to the building. “We found a building in Avondale to call home, but we don’t have training space,” said Laura Caldwell, an executive director of Hand in Paw. The group has been providing Birmingham and north central Alabama with animal-assisted therapy services since 1996. Since then, they have built over 100 facilities in Alabama and had volunteer groups regularly lend their services to places such as UAB Hospital or Children’s Hospital. “[The funds raised] will provide us the space to not only train these teams but also to serve as a community center,” Caldwell said. Caldwell is interested in hosting Hand in Paw’s partnering organizations as well as informational training events which would
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...That new facility will enable us to get more volunteers... We might even be able to expand some of the research... —Andie Thompkins increase awareness for animal-assisted therapy. The fundraiser’s goal is still set at $2 million, and, currently. they are $40,000 short. The money they raise will be spent in two phases. The first phase will be expanding the building, while the second phase will be expanding services. “Our services are in high-demand,” Caldwell said. “People understand the value of what we do, but it’s also very hard on us, because we have to say no to a lot of folks. We do not have enough
therapy teams to meet the demand.” Caldwell said that the reason they have to turn down so many volunteer groups is because of the lack of space, and that the new renovations would allow Hand in Paw to welcome more groups to help meet this need. “That’s the main reason we are doing this, is [we want] to support and increase our volunteer base,” said Beth Franklin, founder of Hand in Paw. Hand in Paw has also recently been conducting a study with UAB’s Spain Rehabilitation Center on the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. The new renovations of the Avondale location will benefit that. “Having that new facility will enable us to get more volunteers trained up,” said Andie Thompkins, Ph.D., who is a lead researcher on the project. “We might even be able to expand some of the research we are interested in doing.” Parker Rose can be reached at pdrose@uab.edu.