Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

May Commencement Set for Friday, May 17
Inspiration for "The X-Files," "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Copycat" to Speak
Collaborative Lectures Set
Author Bob Inman to Sign Books at Hoole
Relay for Life Event Scheduled on Campus
Crimson Campers Taking Applications
Spring Break 2003 Dates Changed
McRae's Invites UA Employees to Participate in Charity Sale
Library Extends Hours During Exam Week
Museum Expedition 24 to Excavate Remains of State's First Territorial Capitol

The University of Alabama's May Commencement will be held Friday, May 17, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum. Everyone is encouraged to attend. Those participating in the processional will report to the southwest lower concourse by 8:20 a.m. and/or 12:20 p.m.

For more information, contact Brenda Hunter at 348-4886 or visit http://universityrelations.ua.edu/commencement2002.

Inspiration for 'The X-Files,' 'The Silence of the Lambs' and 'Copycat' to Speak

Robert Ressler, considered to be this country’s foremost criminologist and the world’s leading authority on violence in contemporary society, will speak at UA on Monday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom. The University Programs lecture is free. For more information, contact University Programs at 348-7525.

Ressler is the acknowledged true-life hero of "The Silence of the Lambs" and was a consultant for "Copycat." The hit television series "The X-Files" was inspired by Ressler’s work at the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. He also wrote the best-selling "Whoever Fights Monsters" and "Justice Is Served." Ressler is the founder and former director of the FBI’s acclaimed violent criminal apprehension program.

During his 26-year career with the FBI, he has been an expert on serial killers and sexual homicides. He has investigated infamous killers including Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz. Ressler has gone into prisons to hear the bizarre first-hand stories of countless convicted murderers.

Collaborative Lectures Set

The College of Communication & Information Sciences in collaboration with the Blount Undergraduate Initiative is presenting two lectures on diversity issues on Friday, May 3.

First, Dr. A. Susan Owen of the University of Puget Sound will speak on "Whitewashing Jim Crow" from 1-2 p.m. in room 30 ten Hoor. Second, Dr. Peter Ehrenhaus of Pacific Lutheran University will speak on "African-American Resistance to Race Violence During Jim Crow" from 4-5 p.m. in 216 Reese Phifer Hall.

Owen’s research focuses on representations of women in popular media and on representations of cultural memory, warfare and trauma, and national identity. Ehrenhaus’ research centers on the continuing presence of Vietnam in the American political and cultural landscape and on issues of cultural memory and national identity.

The lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Blount Undergraduate Initiative office at 348-1706.

Author Bob Inman to Sign Books at Hoole

UA graduate, journalist and writer Bob Inman, author of "Home Fires Burning," "Old Dogs and Children," and "Dairy Queen Days," will be at the Hoole Special Collections Library Monday, April 29, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. to sign copies of his latest novel, "Captain Saturday" as well as other works. The new UA Press book to which Inman contributed, "The Remembered Gate: Memoirs by Alabama Writers," will also be available.

Inman was named "Outstanding Alumnus" of UA’s College of Communication in 1989. Before becoming a full-time writer, Inman was a television news anchor and Sunday columnist for the Charlotte Observer. He is a native of Elba, Ala.

Relay for Life Event Scheduled on Campus

The UA Student Recreation Center in conjunction with the American Cancer Society of Tuscaloosa County will hold the 8th annual Relay for Life event on the SRC fields complex. The 12-hour event begins Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. and continues until the next morning, Saturday at 6 a.m.

Teams are presently forming to raise funds for beating cancer. There will be live bands, games, contests and team-related entertainment.

For more information on forming a team or volunteering, contact George Brown at 348-3994.

Crimson Campers Taking Applications

The Student Recreation Center is now signing kids to the 3rd annual Crimson Campers Recreational Day Camp. There will be three weeks of day camp for kids ages 6-13: Week 1 -- May 27-31; week 2 -- June 3-7; week 3 -- June 10-14.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The cost is $135 a week. Kids bring their lunches. The day camps will involve the kids in all kinds of activities such as swimming, tennis, volleyball, arts and crafts, field trips and more.

For more information, contact Jill Tappen at 348-1337 or jtappen@sa.ua.edu. A registration packet is available at the SRC.

Spring Break 2003 Dates Changed

The Office of Human Resources has announced the dates for spring break week 2003: April 7-11. This change is for 2003 only. The dates will coincide with the dates for spring break for the Tuscaloosa city and county schools. Currently there are no plans for UA to always alter dates to coincide with the local schools’ calendars.

For information or questions, contact HR at 348-6690.

McRae's Invites UA Employees to Participate in Charity Sale

McRae’s department store is hosting its May charity sale to benefit local charities and non-profit organizations. The sale will run for four hours, Saturday, May 4, from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. Admittance tickets are $5 and may be purchased from charity volunteers until the day of the sale or in advance from any sales associate. All proceeds from the ticket sales go to the charities.

In addition to sale savings, there will be store giveaways including a cash prize of $1,000 to one patron. Registration for the prizes will take place during the charity sale.

For more information, contact Michael Harman at McRae’s at 554-4300.

Library Extends Hours During Exam Week

Through the cooperation of SGA, the UA Department of Public Safety, and University Libraries, the Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering will be open extended hours during exams week.

Sunday, May 5 through Thursday, May 9, Rodgers Library will be open until 2:00 a.m. the following day. Friday, May 10 Rodgers Library will be open until midnight. The purpose of this service is to provide a safe and quiet place for students to study.

University Libraries hours from the end of exam week through interim term follow:

Saturday, May 11 -- 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 12 -- Closed
May 13-31:

Monday-Thursday, 7:45 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Sunday, 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Museum Expedition 24 to Excavate Remains of State's First Territorial Capitol

Scene from last summer's Expedition 23 at Moundville Archaeological Park

The early 19th century remains of the Globe Hotel at the site of the state’s first territorial capital will be excavated by a team of participants in an archaeology camp hosted by UA’s Alabama Museum of Natural History. The camp will be held in four, one-week sessions, June 9- July 6.

The archaeology camp, known as Museum Expedition 24, is designed for high school students, teachers, and parents, but it is also open to history, science, or archaeology enthusiasts who wish to learn excavation techniques, lab procedures, and artifact identification. Those age 14 and older who wish to join the dig must register by May 10.

The Museum has hosted these authentic scientific digs with professional and academic archaeologists since 1979 and remains one of few archaeology camps in the country to provide a hands-on scientific field school to young participants. For more information, telephone 348-0534, e-mail museum.expedition@ua.edu, or visit the Web site at http://amnh.ua.edu.