September 7, 2004

• Glass Artist Peter Ivy Shows Works in Gorgas Library
• Witt Welcomes Freshmen at News Conference
• UA Brings "Touch of Class" to Game Days
• New Professional Staff Convention to Meet Sept. 9
• UA Alumna Helen Altman Opens Art Exhibit at Sarah Moody Gallery
• Book Drive for Iraq Under Way
• NEH summer Stipend Applications Being Accepted
• Women's Resource Center to Begin Activities

Glass Artist Peter Ivy Shows Works in Gorgas Library

"Punctuation Marks — Blown Glass Works and Sculptures," an exhibit by Peter R. Ivy, will be on display on the first and second floors of Gorgas Library now through Nov. 21. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

"Inherent within the challenges for all makers are always the issues of form, function and technique," Ivy said. "This is an exhibition of punctuation marks within my own dialogue concerning the balance of beauty, skill and meaning." Ivy is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and was the first MIT Hazelgrove Lecturer. He currently lives in Japan where he teaches at Aichi University. Ivy is the son of Dr. Robert E. and Mrs. Anne C. Witt.

Witt Welcomes Freshmen at News Conference

UA President Robert E. Witt (third from right in photo below) shared some details about UA's large and well-qualified freshman class with news media at a back-to-school news conference recently. Witt noted that some 92 National Merit, National Achievement and National Hispanic Scholars are members of the class (up from 50 last year), and the average ACT score for the freshman class is among the highest in UA history. The first recipients of the National Alumni Association's Alumni Scholar Awards program are also among this year's freshmen. Applications for admission this fall rose to a record high of more than 9,100, up 25 percent in the last two years. Joining Witt at the news conference were freshmen (L-R in photo below) Drew Hall of Hoover, an Alumni Scholarship recipient; Deontai Clemmons of Hoover, a National Achievement Scholar; Samantha Hernandez of El Paso, Texas, a National Hispanic Scholar; Adam Mestre of Birmingham, a National Hispanic Scholar, and Alex James of Jackson, a National Merit and a National Achievement Scholar.

(photo by Rickey Yanaura)

UA Brings "Touch of Class" to Game Days

Beginning three and one-half hours before kickoff of select home football games, UA's Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Continuing Studies will offer "A Touch of Class on Game Day" at the Bryant Conference Center. For $10, or $5 for a special children's lunch, fans can munch on a boxed lunch and then chew on presentations ranging from the science behind crime scene investigations to a behind the scenes look at the choreography that's involved in Million Dollar Band and Crimson Tide cheerleader performances. Call the conference center at 348-3001 to make reservations. More information is available at www.as.ua.edu/as/.

Oct. 2: Dr. Keith Jacobi, assistant professor of anthropology, will present "CSI Alabama: How Anthropologists Read the Bones." Through descriptions of real police cases, Jacobi will talk about ways anthropologists speak for those missing or murdered people who can't speak for themselves.

Nov. 6: Cornelius Carter, associate professor of theatre and dance and the 2001 national Professor of the Year, will host a panel presentation "Cheerleaders and the Million Dollar Band: Behind the Game Day Show." Alumni members of the Crimson Tide Cheerleading Squad and Million Dollar Band will share their behind-the-scenes experiences creating the pageantry that is college football.

New Professional Staff Convention to Meet Sept. 9

The UA Professional Staff Standing Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, in the Ferguson Forum with other professional staff representatives who have been named by departments and offices to conduct the first Professional Staff Constitution Convention meeting. Dr. John Mason, president of the UA Faculty Senate, is scheduled to address this gathering on the importance of the task at hand, democratic representation in general, and other matters. He plans to refer frequently to a history of the Senate written by law professor Wythe Holt which appears on the Senate Web site. This document can be seen at www.ua.edu/academic/facsen/sendocs/senate-history.html.

UA Alumna Helen Altman Opens Art Exhibit at Sarah Moody Gallery

UA alumna Helen Altman has opened an art exhibit, "Patch of Blue," in the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art. Altman's large torch drawings and quilts emphasize the fragile balance of nature through the variety of domestic and wild creatures that inhabit the open spaces of her work. The effect is one of enclosure, pointing to the control that man has over his fellow creatures. Altman challenges the viewer to consider the benefit, humor, and beauty of the world.

Funding for the gallery is provided by the department of art and the College of Arts and Sciences. Altman's exhibit will run through Sept. 26. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday and 2-5 p.m. Sunday. Contact the gallery at 348-1891 for further information.

Book Drive for Iraq Under Way

The UA Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association are jointly sponsoring a book drive for Baghdad University and other universities in Iraq. Many believe that one way to establish stability, economic prosperity and peace in Iraq is through education. Consequently, a huge need exists for English-language versions of college-level textbooks, especially in the sciences and technology, since most instruction is in English. The university systems of Iraq are nearly two decades behind the rest of the world.

Books in the sciences, including math and engineering, with a copyright date later than 1999, are especially needed. Journals in the sciences and engineering would be welcomed, as would multiple copies of student textbooks. In addition, there is a huge shortage of even simple equipment, including lab equipment, calculators, engineering rules, computers, etc. Based on current information, shipping a mix of materials, such as books and equipment, makes clearing customs easier.

Those wishing to contribute to the book drive should drop off books, journals, or equipment at the SGA office in 356 Ferguson Center. The current plan is to collect these materials until Oct. 15, after which the books, journals, and equipment will be moved to a common collection point in the state and shipped to Iraq. For information on this drive for Baghdad University and other universities in Iraq, please call or e-mail John O. Mason, Faculty Senate president, at 348-2904 or faculty.senate.president@ ua.edu or Hal Mooty, SGA president, at 348-6127 or mooty001@bama.ua.edu.

NEH summer Stipend Applications Being Accepted

Applications for the 2005 National Endowment for the Humanities summer stipends of $5,000 are currently being accepted. The final application deadline is Oct. 1, but the process begins with a preliminary application from the College of Arts and Sciences to be reviewed by the selection committee. This application is due to Katara Smith in the A&S Dean's Office by Sept. 13. Eligibility rules and other information are located on the Web at www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/stipends.html. A committee will convene to review applications. For more information, go to the Web site or call the A&S dean's office at 348-7007.

Women's Resource Center to Begin Activities

UA's Women's Resource Center will begin fall activities with its Everywoman Book Club and Brown Bag series. On Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m., the book club will discuss Shirley Abbott's Women Folks: Growing Up Down South. The Brown Bag series begins with "Yoga: An Introduction," Wednesday, Sept. 15, at noon in 309 Ferguson Center. For information on these and other fall events, call the WRC at 348-5040.

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