TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015 VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 109
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SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SINCE 1894
McWaters
8 TV Reboots
12 Softball
Ashley and Scott McWaters are a married couple who both teach in the University’s English department. The two vary in approaches and materials, ranging from British literature to religious and Southernstyle writing.
In the wake of the recent “X-Files” reboot announcement, the CW takes a look at other TV shows that underwent revitalizations, such as cartoon “Doug” and “Arrested Development.”
The Crimson Tide softball team suffered an 11-5 loss against Texas A&M on Sunday, a season high for the Aggies. The team battles back Tuesday in a game against Mississippi Valley State at 6 p.m.
‘TIME TO MOVE ON’
Saban ‘not sorry’ for giving Taylor chance By Elliott Propes and Kelly Ward | CW Staff
Two days after news of defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor’s arrest on charges of domestic violence and a day after his dismissal from the team, Alabama coach Nick Saban addressed the media. His statement was simple: he was not sorry for giving Taylor a second chance but sorry for the incident. He defended signing Taylor, who was dismissed from Georgia football due to domestic violence charges. “I think it’s very unfortunate but he came here with some very specific guidelines and zero tolerance and obviously he didn’t live up to that,” Saban said. “And while we’ve created many opportunities for players through the years and sometimes those things have worked out extremely well. We’re sad to say in this case it didn’t and we all take responsibility for that.” On National Signing Day, Saban said Taylor was a player who deserved a second chance and was doing a “good job” going through the process of steps they were using to monitor him. Saban said these steps
Coach Nick Saban speaks at the press conference Monday. CW / Hanna Curlette
SEE SABAN PAGE 12
NEWS | VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
Grady named new VP for student affairs Grady was last dean of students at Iowa By Heather Buchanan | Assistant News Editor
David Grady, associate vice president and dean of students at The University of Iowa since 2009, was named The University of Alabama’s vice president for
student affairs today by President Judy Bonner. Grady will begin serving in this position June 15. Grady’s 25 years of higher education experience include a position at The University of Alabama as assistant director of student life from 1985 to 1988; director of the Office of Campus Programs and Student Activities at The University of Iowa in
1992; director of University Life Centers at The University of Iowa in 1998; and assistant vice president and associate vice president of University Life Centers at The University of Iowa in 2002 and 2006, respectively. Grady also has experience teaching courses in higher education programs. Grady earned his bachelor of business administration at
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Mississippi State University, his masters of education from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from The University of Texas. Grady said he was looking forward to working to improve students’ experiences on campus. Grady will take over the position from Steven Hood, interim vice president for student affairs.
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INSIDE briefs 2 news 3 opinions 4 culture 8 sports 12
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TUESDAY March 31, 2015
SCENE ON CAMPUS TCF majors Katrina Monteiro, a junior from Daphne, Alabama, and Scott Braswell, a senior from Charlotte, North Carolina, wait to cover football practice. CW / Amy Sullivan
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845
EDITORIAL editor-in-chief Andy McWhorter editor@cw.ua.edu
managing editor Tara Massouleh
TODAY’S EVENTS
CAMPUS BRIEFS
Art gallery
Branden Greenberg elected SGA vice president of student affairs
WHAT: 2015 Annual BFA Juried Exhibition WHEN: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. WHERE: Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center
production editor Sean Landry visuals editor Sloane Arogeti online editor Beth Lindly opinions editor Patrick Crowley chief copy editor Peyton Shepard
International workshop WHAT: International spouse group WHEN: 9:30-11:30 a.m. WHERE: 105 B.B. Comer Hall
news editor Rachel Brown culture editor Francie Johnson sports editor Kelly Ward photo editor Pete Pajor video editor Patrick Maddox
Art exhibition WHAT: EXIT 2015! WHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. WHERE: 109 Woods Hall
lead designer Ashley Atkinson community manager Alessia Grijalva
ADVERTISING advertising manager Keenan Madden 251.408.2033 cwadmanager@gmail.com
BFA exhibition WHAT: Degeneration: Ali Jackson WHAT: Noon-5 p.m. WHERE: Harrison Galleries
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creative services manager Hillary McDaniel 334.315.6068
is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students.The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are in room 1014, Student Media Building, 414 Campus Drive East. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2014 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
and has served a year as speaker of the senate for the SGA. Greenberg ran his campaign on a platform of change on campus, with a specific plan to enact “Crimson Change Education Reform,” which he said aims to improve student life on campus by easing students’ financial burden in a variety of ways. Compiled by Katie Shepherd
SOURCE position applications due Tuesday Applications for the SOURCE Board of Governors and Directors positions are due online Tuesday. The board positions include director of partnership and engagement; director of communications, director of creative consults and director of finance. These positions are paid positions requiring 5 office hours each week, at least a 2.5 GPA, a status of “good disciplinary standing” from the University and submitted application. The Student Involvement Genius positions was developed from a position currently
found at Apple, Inc., that will help students find involvement opportunities on campus. Applications for both positions can be found at The Source’s website. Interviews will take place Wednesday and Thursday, with decisions announced April 8 and an executive transition dinner for the SOURCE board members on April 21 at 6 p.m. Compiled by Heather Buchanan
Demi Turner named SEC Freshman of the Week
territory manager Taylor Shutt
904.504.3306 territorymanager@gmail.com
Branden Greenberg, a junior majoring in political science from Montgomery, was elected SGA vice president of student affairs in Monday’s runoff election against Tate Thomas, a junior majoring in civil engineering from Anniston, Alabama. According to Kelli Knox-Hall, SGA elections board advisor, Greenberg received 4,931 votes, 69.38 percent of the total 7,107 votes cast. Greenberg has served for two years as an College of Arts and Sciences senator
Wellness group WHAT: How to Read a Food Label WHEN: Noon-12:45 p.m. WHERE: 205 Gorgas Library
Free tutoring WHAT: Physics walk-in assistance WHEN: 2-4 p.m. WHERE: 108 Tutor Suite Osband Hall
Student recital WHAT: Ann Kucharski, oboe WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m. WHERE: 140 Recital Hall, Moody Music Building
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Alabama softball’s Demi Turner was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, her second such honor in three weeks. Turner is only the fifth player in program history to earn multiple Freshman of the Week honors. Turner had three multi-hit games last week, hitting .462 (6-13) with five RBI and four
runs scored. She earned her first accolade two weeks ago after a weekend on the road against No. 8 Georgia. Compiled by Kayla Montgomery
UA Alerts test scheduled for Wednesday The University will test UA Alerts, one of the methods used by the University for emergency communication, at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday. The test, which is completed the first Wednesday of every month, will last approximately 30 seconds. The test will be
non-disruptive. At noon, immediately following the UA Alerts test, the Tuscaloosa Emergency Management Agency will test the outdoor tornado sirens. Compiled by Francie Johnson
TIAA-CREF to hold individual counseling sessions Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., TIAA-CREF Individual Consultants will be hosting counseling sessions in Rose Administration, Room G-54, to assist in setting up long-term financial plans. TIAA–CREF, short for Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund, is the nation’s leading retirement provider in the academic,
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research, medical and cultural fields. When helping people create plans, the counselors will consider factors like potential income sources, taxes, inflation and the larger economic picture. To set up a meeting, call TIAA-CREF at (800)732-8353.
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Compiled by Francie Johnson
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Editor | Rachel Brown Newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Bill promoting charter schools engenders controversy By Alana Norris | Staff Reporter
The House of Representatives and the Senate of Alabama recently passed the Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act. Alabama is one of only eight other states to not currently have a charter schools bill in place. This bill has been controversial among lawmakers and seems to be a partisan issue in the legislature. The senate discussed objections and introduced amendments before the bill was passed. Charter schools are public schools that promise innovation and accountability. There are no entrance requirements or tuition to attend. These schools can be start-ups or established public schools that have been converted into charters. Bobby Singleton, Alabama state senator from Greensboro, said he finds it sad that the state superintendent and other teachers’ organizations didn’t have a lot of input in the bill. “At the end we’re going to see people looking at this bill and we’re going to have to tweak it,” Singleton said. There are still some details that remain to be ironed out in this initiative. Wayne Urban, professor in the University’s College of Education, said these details, including funding, will be answered in the final bill that is passed. “It’s all hypothetical in Alabama right now,” Urban said. “It will depend on the bill and it will depend on how it’s institutionalized.” Todd Ziebarth from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said certain issues will be dealt with based on the individual school. How they will measure the level of teacher performance will be determined on a school-by-school basis. Ziebarth said this will also allow schools to have more flexibility on their curriculum. “A public charter school would have the freedom to hire staff that they think is most qualified to work in the school given whatever the mission of that particular school is as opposed to in a traditional public school, you have your staff assigned to you by the central office,” Ziebarth said. The schools also support accountability.
They promise to hold teachers responsible for their students’ achievement levels. The schools will also be expressly allowed to hire any teachers they deem fit and the selection would not have to go through the school board. Charter schools are setup to deliver innovation to their students. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools wants to give its teachers the freedom to come up with a curriculum based on their student’s needs. There is no specific innovation plan and it is hard to say how this innovation will be attained. Some charter schools may implement career readiness, performing arts or the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) curriculum that other public schools are using. “What might work for one group of kids is going to be different than works for a different group of kids,” Ziebarth said. He said charter schools will probably not open in Alabama until Fall 2016 or even until Fall 2017. He said they don’t want to rush their efforts, and insist on creating a quality learning environment. He said they have learned from mistakes they made in the past, and they strive to educate the public first. As for the success of charter schools in other states, the results have been all over the board. Some charter schools have shown improvement in student achievement while others are performing at the same level or lower than other public schools in their area. “There’s some evidence that charter schools are more effective with lower socioeconomic students,” Urban said. “It’s not overwhelming evidence, but there is some.” Ziebarth attributes the schools that are not as successful to poorly-written or poorly-implemented laws. “Just calling a school a charter school doesn’t mean it’s going to be necessarily a strong school,” he said. “It’s really having scrutiny at the front end with people applying to start charters, making sure that only those that have a high probability of succeeding are actually approved.” Then they will monitor and oversee the schools to detect issues, and close any failing schools.
States without Charter School Legislation: Montana
Vermont
North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska
West Virginia Kentucky
*Alabama's bill was passed by the legislature recently and is waiting for Governor Robert Bentley's signature.
Alabama*
CW / Claire Whoton
“I think Alabama’s law creates a pretty solid foundation for Alabama to look more like the states where things have really succeeded,” Ziebarth said. Even though there is no size criteria, Urban believes most of the charter schools will be instituted in larger population areas like Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery. He said there may be some in Tuscaloosa. Urban said he does not think this will affect College of Education graduates looking for teaching jobs. He said he also doesn’t see the implementation of the charter schools bill having much ramification on the city or county school systems. Singleton said he is concerned with how the bill will affect rural areas like his district in the Greensboro area. “The start-up charters are not going to be, I don’t see from this angle, any better than what we already have,” Singleton said. Singleton had a lot of positive things to say about Tuscaloosa’s city and county schools. He said he wonders how the transfer of some tax dollars to charter schools may impact traditional public schools. The current plans say that the school boards get a certain amount of money per child, and that money will follow the child
to whatever school they attend. Charter schools do not ask the state for additional funding. Instead, they transfer funds that have been appropriated to current public schools to their new institution. These schools are funded by tax dollars that are based on enrollment. The fact that charter schools do not cost more money is a positive attribute for politicians who are looking to get legislation passed and to reform schools. The notion of choice has also propelled the bill. Being able to have a new and different choice in education is tempting to some people. However, some are afraid that charter schools will become a business. Even though the schools themselves are non-profit, they have the flexibility to hire for-profit educational agencies of teachers or through technology. “I don’t mean that profit is a horrible thing, I just mean that it’s not necessarily the same thing as educating children,” Urban said. Singleton said the number one priority is children. “I don’t necessarily support this concept, but I’m willing to work with it now that it’s become law,” Singleton said.
UA colleges to present President’s Faculty award By Collin Burwinkel | Staff Reporter
The University of Alabama will present the President’s Faculty Research Award as a part of its first ever Faculty Research Day. Thirteen faculty members from different colleges across campus will be presented with the award Wednesday, April 8. Carl A. Pinkert, vice president for Research and Economic Development at the University, said recognition faculty members receive for their research is crucial. “I think recognition of faculty members across all colleges and disciplines is very important to all of our university Kim Bissell, associate dean for research and professor of journalism, is one of thirteen faculty missions,” Pinkert said. “With President members selected for the President’s Faculty Bonner’s encouragement, this award proResearch Award. CW / Amy Sullivan gram promises to raise awareness of the
diversity and breadth of research efforts across our campus.” The event, open to UA faculty, will be held in the Bryant Conference Center from 4 to 5:45 p.m. Kim Bissell, associate dean for research and professor of journalism, is one of 13 faculty members selected for the award. “Research is what informs what we do as teachers,” she said. “If I am teaching a graduate-level course in media effects or teaching a Ph.D. seminar in health communication, it seems appropriate that I be a scholar in that particular area. By doing research in a specific area, I am informed about the latest findings, the latest studies, etc., and that allows me to be a better instructor in the classroom.” Individual colleges selected
winners which, in addition to Bissell, include Caroline Boxmeyer, associate professor, psychiatry and behavioral medicine; Jason DeCaro, associate professor, anthropology; Jonathon Halbesleben, associate professor, management; Samantha Hansen, assistant professor, geological sciences; Julie A. Hill, associate professor, law; Yasmin Neggers, professor, human nutrition; Edward Sazonov, associate professor, electrical and computer engineering; Vincent Scalfani, science and engineering librarian; Marietta Stanton, professor, nursing; Rachel Stephens, assistant professor, art; Amy Traylor, assistant professor, social work; and John Vincent, professor, sport management. For more information about the event award winners, visit osp.ua.edu/faculty-research-day.
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Editor | Patrick Crowley Letters@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, March 31, 2015
COLUMN | SPRING BREAK
Spring breakers should have gone phone-free CAROLYN
Duke Staff Columnist
Tribune News Service
COLUMN | SGA
2014-2015 SGA had successes, failures MATTHEW
Bailey Staff Columnist
The 2014-2015 SGA Senate had its final meeting on Thursday, March 26. It was an interesting experience to serve as the law school Senator. Unsurprisingly, all of the legislation that was moderately controversial failed to either reach the floor for a vote or pass. This acceptance of the status quo can easily be explained by the successes and failures of some of the less-boring legislation passed. There are several things that the Senate has reason to be proud of. They helped create the Honor Flight fundraiser, which raised a large sum of money to send World War II veterans to the World War II memorial. Additionally, the Senate has reached out more than in previous years through Say Hey SGA as well as through the creation of Town Hall meetings to hear the viewpoints of students. Several other important acts and resolutions were passed calling for more scholarships for low-income students as well as requiring all SGA officers to participate in Safe Zone training. I was also pleased that the
Senate passed my act and resolution encouraging individuals to vote by reminding them on Election Day of the elections for SGA and Homecoming. The act required the SGA to send out a reminder on Election Day as well as one an hour before the polls closed. The resolution asks the President of The University of Alabama to send a reminder to students encouraging them to vote. If both of these were to happen, it would be a great step forward in ensuring more people have a voice in SGA. Despite these steps forward, there were several bills that died in the Senate or should not have or passed and did anyways. The most concerning to me was the act passed on the last day of Senate that puts almost all the power to decide block seating exclusively in the hands of the vice president of student affairs and an eight-member board that is chosen by the vice president of student affairs. Additionally, attempts to reform the election of the SGA Senate’s leadership to what it was several years ago failed two times. This is problematic because the Senate does not currently elect the leadership through secret ballot, making peer pressure a significant factor where it should not be. Several other types of legislation died before ever reaching the floor or did not get passed. Despite the fact that all other
... but any significant attempt to really challenge the status quo failed. SGA Senates in The University of Alabama System, the Black Warrior Riverkeeper and dozens of businesses and organizations have expressly opposed the proposed Shepherd Bend mine, the resolution never really had a chance to pass. Additionally, attempts to create parties for the SGA elections and attempts to get needed food and funds to low-income students and the FAC failed. Overall, there were some important inclusivity attempts by this last Senate, but any significant attempt to really challenge the status quo failed. The next Senate can do what this one failed to do - really represent and pass bills to benefit all students. I would hope the next Senate, President Spillers and the Executive Board would make a real push to change the status quo and push some boundaries. Matthew Bailey is a third-year law student. He was an SGA Senator representing the UA Law School. His column runs biweekly.
EDITORIAL BOARD
WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS
Andy McWhorter editor-in-chief Sloane Arogeti visuals editor Tara Massouleh managing editor Beth Lindly online editor Sean Landry production editor Peyton Shepard chief copy editor Patrick Crowley opinions editor
Letters to the editor must contain fewer than 300 words and guest columns fewer than 500. Send submissions to letters@cw.ua. edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone
For almost three whole months, the entire University looked forward to the exciting or relaxing spring break we just finished. Many students were enthusiastic to leave for spring break and yet many students probably spent much of their vacation on their mobile device rather than truly enjoying their week being present where they were. The amount of people on their phones as I looked around during break was alarming. We create a grand hype leading up to breaks, but when we get to the trip, we aren’t even fully there to take it in. Popular clichés often repeated, such as “carpe diem” and “live each day to the fullest,” seem to be bypassing our generation. I am no exception to this technology-filled reality we live in. Snapchat notifications, constant Facebook checking and ESPN updates on the Astros suffering in the preseason plagued my spring break. Some great memories were formed on the break, but most of them were infiltrated with constant smartphone usage. I suffered from missing out, not being present and not being wholly satisfied with where I was. Worrying about what others were doing and how my vacation compared to theirs devalued the relaxing aspects of the week. If I could go back to Saturday, March 14, I would do nothing differently except leave my phone in my duffel bag. The rise in usage and popularity of smart devices is no surprise. Having social media, worldwide communication and the Internet at the tip of our fingers is incredible and bound to be popular. Unfortunately, everywhere you look the amounts of electronically-lit faces outnumber the amount of face-to-face conversations taking place in our society. Our culture doesn’t stop to smell the roses anymore; instead they stop to check their phones. The culture we inhabit strives for quick fixes, innovative technology to make lives easier and programs that speed up processes for more time during the day. This aspect of our world is wonderful but costly. It’s ironic these devices have been created to help free up more time in our days due to their efficient manners, yet as we progress, there seems to be less and less time in the day to get what we need done. Now the University is in the homestretch looking forward to the end of the school year and summer vacation. Summer right around the corner means students will be interning, on vacation or spending time with friends. Selfies will be taken, Twitter updates will be tweeted and many will share their best moments on break with the world. Instantly connecting and remaining in touch with others is great but students should be more aware of their phone usage during their breaks. Don’t miss out on the breathtaking view you stand before because you are busy deliberating what filter fits best on Snapchat. Allow yourself to enjoy as many moments as possible without a screen in front of your eyes. Listen to music with others rather than with headphones. Enjoy the break and enjoy friends but don’t enjoy other friends’ breaks via social media or text message updates. Carolyn Duke is a sophomore majoring in secondary education. Her column runs biweekly
number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.
Last Week’s Poll: Should drinking be allowed in sorority houses? (Yes: 56%) (No: 44%) This Week’s Poll: Should Jonathan Taylor have been given a second chance? cw.ua.edu
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OPINIONS Tuesday, March 31, 2015 COLUMN | TITLE IX
Proportionality rule for sports needs to be reassessed JACKSON
Poe Staff Columnist
Title IX is the law that gives women equal access to all publicly-supported education programs. The law was much needed in the early ‘70s and since Title IX was signed into law in 1972, the number of women enrolled in college has grown tremendously and long surpassed that of men. In this regard, Title IX has done its job, but in other areas it has created problems. The problems stem from how Title IX relates to athletics. This is the part that many people are familiar with and the part that creates the most controversy. The athletic part of Title IX requires “proportionality”. Proportionality is defined very arbitrarily. The law states that if a school is 60 percent female, then 60 percent of athletes should be women. This interpretation of proportionality simply does not correspond with the facts. A 2012 study found that only 26 percent of college intramural
participants are female. A 2013 study sports that fund other sports. There showed that only 34 percent of high are many arguments to exclude it from school girls said sports was a big part the equation. Often, schools find it easier to drop of who they are – versus 61 percent for boys. These are just two examples men’s sports than to keep adding of how men and women participate women’s sports. Men’s soccer and in sports at different levels, one that wrestling have been popular choices is not directly proportional to the for schools to drop. They have been absent from the SEC number of men and Alabama for so long and women. that people do not stop Football adds to the ... proportionality could to question it anymore. issue. The Football Bowl to the annual Subdivision allows 85 be defined based on According National High School scholarships with no female equivalent. The male and female high Athletics Participation Survey, men’s soccer 85 football scholarships school athletics partici- and wrestling rank fifth are thrown into proporand sixth, respectively, tionality equation and pation numbers. in high school popularcause serious problems ity based on participation for other male sports, numbers, yet there are putting things closer to home. This is the main reason that the very few options for those athletes to SEC sponsors 12 women’s sports but continue in college. This is not at all a slight to womonly nine men’s. This is why Alabama has a women’s soccer team but not one en’s sports. This is just a fact that, for men. This is a possible contribut- based on the high school participaing factor in UAB’s decision to kill its tion numbers, men are competing football program because it was not in for a small and shrinking number of compliance with Title IX proportional- spots on college athletic teams, while ity. One solution would be to exclude women’s teams are being added that football from the proportionality equa- have very small high school partion. It is in a completely different cat- ticipation numbers. This leads to egory and one of the very few revenue another answer to the proportionality
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WHAT TO KNOW • Title IX has created probelms in college athletics. • Title IX’s proportionality requirement leads to men’s sports being dropped. • Men compete for a shrinking number of spots on athletic teams.
definition problem: Proportionality could be defined based on male and female high school athletics participation numbers. After all, it really boils down to the high school athletes, as they are the ones competing for spots on college athletic teams. The key is defining proportionality in a way that actually relates to athletics. The goal is not to hurt any women’s programs; the goal is to keep all women’s programs but at the same time let Alabama have a men’s soccer team and let UAB keep the football team without concerns over Title IX compliance. Jackson Poe is a junior majoring in finance and accounting. His column runs biweekly.
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NEWS
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Ashley and Scott McWaters both serve as literature instructors in the University’s English department, with Ashley also teaching creative writing courses and freshman composition courses. CW / Amy Sullivan
Ashley and Scott McWaters share marriage and office Ashley McWaters made jump Scott McWaters acts as ‘utility from investment to teaching player’ in English department By Alana Norris | Staff Reporter
Ashley McWaters didn’t always know she wanted to be a teacher. Her undergraduate degree was in art history, and she directed an art gallery in her home town of Memphis before starting an investor relations job on Wall Street in New York City after working as a temp. When she was in her late 20s she began to consider teaching, then decided instead to enroll in graduate school. McWaters earned her master’s degree in English from The University of Memphis and her MFA in poetry here at the University. She has been teaching at Alabama since 2002, when she started the MFA program. She graduated two years later and started teaching fulltime that fall. Wendy Rawlings, a professor in the English department, was McWaters’ professor and is now her colleague. “She has a lot of enthusiasm about the undergraduate creative writing program, and she’s done a lot to help build the program and give it more of an identity outside of the classroom,” Rawlings said. “I’m really appreciative of her efforts.” McWaters was appointed undergraduate coordinator for creative writing because she said the department felt undergraduate students weren’t getting enough attention, as creative writing is offered only as a minor at Alabama and not as a major. Through her efforts, the minor program has grown to 220 students from the 60 or 70 when she started. “She has helped us publicize more undergraduate creative writing contests, she’s organized readings for students and she does information sessions for undergraduate students who might be interested in going on and getting an MSA,” Rawlings said. It’s been said Ashley and Scott McWaters are the power couple of the English department at the University. The married couple shares the same
job at the same institution. When the positions became available they both applied, but they didn’t really think they’d both be hired. “We had the exact same start date,” Ashley McWaters said. “Everything is the same, our retirement, everything is like a mirror.” Even though they share an office, they don’t actually work together. The pair has never collaborated on a class before, but she said they should consider it in the future because it could be fun. They try to set up alternating teaching days so that one of them is at home when their kids get out of school. This helps when a child is home sick and also lets her volunteer at their schools on her off days. Ashley McWaters teaches a combination of three types of classes. “I mainly do freshman English, which is the 101 and 102 classes, literature surveys, which are like the 200-level literature classes, and creative writing classes,” she said. Russell Willoughby, a senior majoring in English and French, took Ashley McWaters’ British literature class her freshman year. She said Ashley McWaters instills confidence in her students and makes subjects relevant. “She’s very engaging, dynamic and naturally gifted at getting everyone in the class, even if they’re not English majors, to be interested in the text that we were reading,” Willoughby said. Willoughby credits Ashley McWaters as being one of the reasons she chose to study abroad for a full year as opposed to just a semester. “She makes a really encouraging environment where she really wants her students to succeed,” Willoughby said. Being a native Northerner, Rawlings said she often tries to emulate Ashley McWaters’ Southern social graces. “She’s definitely taught me that you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, to use an old expression,” Rawlings said.
By Mackenzie Ross | Staff Reporter
Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Scott McWaters said he never thought he would live in the South. But his passion for basketball changed everything. McWaters, now an instructor in the English department at the University, said he originally wanted to be a basketball coach, so he pursued a basketball scholarship at LaGrange College in Georgia his freshman year of college. Before long, he said he developed an interest in literature thanks to authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau and transferred to The University of Alabama to study English. After graduating, he earned a master’s degree in creative writing from The University of Memphis. He has taught a variety of classes at The University of Alabama since 2002. “I see it as a positive to teach a variety of things, and that’s probably what I’ve done the most of over the past decade,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to teach world literature, American literature, British literature, specialty stuff like Cormac McCarthy or William Blake. That’s been really fun – it keeps the job exciting.” Although McWaters no longer plays basketball, he said he’s still an avid sports fan and compared his role within the English department to that of a utility player on a baseball team. While not the most important person on the team, he said his ability to play many different positions or teach different subjects helps him contribute to the success of the English department. In his classes, McWaters said he encourages students to view subjects from different points of view and heavily promotes class discussion as an avenue for learning. Kelsey Brown, a junior majoring in English, had McWaters for two classes and said she wishes everyone could
have him in a class at least once. “He always relates it to the students’ perspective, and he has wonderful examples,” she said. “It’s very, very interactive. We’re not just sitting there waiting for him to ask you a question. He’s constantly pushing you to think more about the concept.” McWaters said he encourages people to read the Bible from beginning to end and approach the reading with a fresh attitude. He said it is rich and poetic, even though it is an old manuscript. He said students should read William Faulkner, especially since his writings relate to life in the South. Abraham Smith, an instructor of English at the University, has worked with McWaters for the past 13 years and said he admires his teaching style and literature recommendations. “He’s an alchemist and a preacher,” Smith said. “His grandfather was a preacher, and Scott’s cadence and myriad inflections sound more like a jazz show than a tweedy scholar pontificating at the podium. That is, students who take McWaters are in for a sonic buffet.” Outside of his classes, McWaters wrote three of his own manuscripts and said he hopes to complete one more. His characters are mostly concerned with spiritual or religious imaginations and the relationship between words and spiritual life. He has not published any of his books yet and said he struggles to balance creativity and the critical side of writing. For now, he said he plans to focus on teaching. “If someone really loves to teach, there’s just nothing else, even within the academic institution in administration,” he said. “None of that would fulfill what you get out of teaching. So while I sometimes find Tuscaloosa boring and don’t know why I’m here, I thoroughly enjoy my classes and students, and that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”
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NEWS Tuesday, March 31, 2015
MBA program named in top 60 By Alexis Winborne | Contributing Writer
Monday’s town hall meeting, “Making the Grade: Reforming Alabama’s Education,” featured Shelley Jones, chairman of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education, Peter Hlebowitsh, dean of the College of Education, and Emily Schultz, executive director for the Alabama Coalition for Public Charter Schools. CW / Alessandra Delrose
Panelists discuss issues for Alabama’s school system By Alessandra Delrose | Contributing Writer
the Alabama Coalition for Public Charter Schools, spoke about the new charThis week’s topic for The University ter schools the state of Alabama will of Alabama’s Honors College’s town implement by Fall 2016. “Before taking charter schools into legishall meeting was “Making the Grade: Reforming Alabama’s Education,” a dis- lation, we went back into prior experience cussion about the main challenges in the other 42 states with charter schools went through in order to make this charter Alabama’s school system. Panelist Peter Hlebowitsh, dean of school in Alabama the best experience and The University of Alabama College of opportunity for the children in Alabama,” Education, said he believed one of the she said. Although Schultz said she believes major issues for Alabama’s schools bringing charter schools into Alabama was reading. “The pathway to school success is is taking a risk, she said it is a risk worth taking. reading,” he said. “We tried to be really thoughtful and Hlebowitsh said he believes students at the University should question what learned from past states’ experiences in order to make these impact they can make charter schools the best and what they can do as we can make them be,” a college to improve the said. reading scores in the state If you don’t take charge of sheHlebowitsh said he of Alabama. “If our college can get change, change will take sees both the positive and the negatives that charin there and improve the charge of you. ter schools in Alabama reading in Alabama, we may bring. can get past one huge chal“The promise of havlenge that our Alabama — Shelley Jones — ing charter schools in school systems are Alabama is the fact that currently facing,” he said. charter schools look at Hlebowitsh said 80 pernew innovative ways to cent of incarcerated individuals are high school dropouts, many educate kids,” he said. “One negative I see, of whom are illiterate. He said he believes though, is the fact that Alabama is allowing that if literacy improves in Alabama, this uncertified teachers to teach at these charcan even impact the state’s incarceration ter schools that will be opened next year.” He said he disagrees with this aspect of and drop-out rates. The second speaker, Shelley Jones, the new charter school initiative. “Some states that have charter schools chairman of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education, said she believes there are require that the teachers are certimany major issues facing the Alabama fied, but in Alabama that will not be the school system, including the use of text- case. Alabama should have registered books over technology and implement- teachers,” he said. All three speakers said the charter ing a curriculum that meets the needs of school idea is risky, but is something increasing population. “The biggest issue to me is the image that can benefit the state of Alabama’s public education today has from society,” education system. “If you don’t take charge of change, Jones said. “We need to have more community involvement or something in order change will take charge of you,” Jones said. “We must do something different in order to change that horrible image.” Emily Schultz, executive director of to make that change we want to see.”
U.S. News & World Report has recently come out with their top 2016 college rankings, and among them is The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business, which was ranked No. 58, increasing 16 spots from last year’s list. Among the factors that go into the rankings each year are standardized test scores, such as the GMAT or GRE, and percent of graduates employed after completion of the program. Tut Wilson, director of recruiting and admissions for the MBA program, said the average starting salary of graduates and national recognition are other aspects that contribute to the ranking. “One aspect of the MBA program that was true when I graduated and continues to ring true years later is how committed the Manderson Graduate School of Business is to providing a personal touch,” he said. “From our well-known team approach to active student organizations to dedicated career services, students are encouraged to get engaged with their peers, faculty and staff. The coursework may be rigorous, but the faculty makes sure our students are successful in the classroom and prepared for the real world.” Affectionately known to the faculty and staff as the “sweet 16,” the rise in ranking comes at the cost of the work that has
The Manderson Graduate School of Business received a ranking of 58 from U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 college listing. UA News
been put in to make sure the program is the best in the country. Some students are also pleased to see the new ranking. “The MBA program provides so many opportunities to grow and make connections in the business world,” said Olivia Pruitt, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering on the STEM path. “It’s great to see that it is improving and increasing its national recognition.” The Manderson website states that they offer “a curriculum that is founded on preparing students to be leaders and innovators in the business world of tomorrow. This strong commitment to student financial support, strong job placement successes and outstanding career services puts graduates in touch with leading U.S. corporations, guaranteeing higher salaries and better starting positions as a result of the Manderson MBA.”
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Editor | Francie Johson Culture@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, March 31, 2015
COLUMN | TELEVISION
Streaming platforms make TV revivals accessible
After three low-rated seasons on Fox (or two and a half, depending on how bitter the fan you ask), Mitchell Hurwitz’s critically-lauded sitcom “Arrested Development” found a home on Netflix in 2013, seven years after cancellation. The revival reunited the original series’s cast and creative team for 15 more episodes, but an ambitious yet occasionally clunky plot structure isolated members of the Bluth family for the majority of the fourth season, a move that divided fans and critics alike. Rumors of a fifth season or longawaited “Arrested Development” film persist.
“Doug”
“The Comeback”
“Arrested Development”
Amazon.com
once again taking the helm. “The X-Files” is only the latest in a slew of television revivals. These revivals have become increasingly common as streaming platforms such as Netflix
Amazon.com
Michael Patrick King, formerly a showrunner for “Sex and the City,” and “Friends” star Lisa Kudrow collaborated on the first season of HBO’s “The Comeback” in 2005, which saw Kudrow playing washed-up former sitcom star Valerie Cherish, who just needs to know she’s being heard. As the world of reality TV became more ubiquitous, “The Comeback” grew in reputation as a prophetic satire of the kind of “Real Housewives” shows that now dominate the airwaves. A second season aired on HBO in 2014, coming full circle with an appearance by “Real Housewives” mastermind Andy Cohen as himself.
make older shows more accessible to new viewers. Bringing a show back to life is a tricky business, no matter how rabid the fan base, and not all television revivals are created equally.
“Mary and Rhoda”
six-episode limited series after 13 years off the air. Gillian Anderson and David Fox announced recently that its Duchovny, who respectively play FBI seminal sci-fi drama “The X-Files” will Special Agents Scully and Mulder, will be return to production this summer for a back with series creator Chris Carter By Noah Cannon
Amazon.com
After becoming a cult animated hit on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1994, the adventures of Doug Funnie and the gang were acquired by the Disney Channel in 1996. The show ran for an additional three seasons and spawned a theatrical film in 1999. Neither fans nor the creative team behind the show were impressed with the new series, which included a new opening sequence and several cast changes. Actress Constance Shulman, the voice of Doug’s romantic foil Patty Mayonnaise, said working on the show under new bosses at Disney felt like someone had “dimmed the magic a bit.”
Amazon.com
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” changed the sitcom game during its seven-season run from 1970 to 1977 and led to successful spinoffs for its supporting cast in Phyllis, Rhoda and Lou Grant. Over two decades later, a television film called “Mary and Rhoda” aired on ABC in 2000, with original stars Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper in the lead roles. The movie was intended to lead to a weekly series, but lukewarm viewer reception put a dent in those plans. Fans of the original series were particularly put out to find that none of the show’s other characters were even mentioned by Mary and Rhoda in the new incarnation.
BFA art displayed in Cultural Arts Center By Cokie Thompson | Staff Reporter
With spring graduation just a few weeks away, many seniors at The University of Alabama are focused on moving on to a job or graduate school. A handful of art students have had the opportunity to practice what they’ll be doing after they walk across that stage. A faculty jury selected seven Bachelor’s of Fine Arts students to exhibit work in the UA gallery of the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center from March 6 to April 3. Ali Hval, a senior majoring in studio art, is one of the students with work in the show. She said BFA students submitted a selection of works to a group of faculty members to apply to be in the show. “They kinda see what works with what,” she said. “We ended up with a lot of red in our show for some reason. We’re all women artists so I’m sure that says something.” Hval said she and the other selected students got together in the space to curate the show and figure out how the pieces were going to fit together. “You have seven people there and you want to make sure everyone’s satisfied,” Hval said. “You want to make sure all the objects have a relationship to one
another so it’s not just all over the place.” Hval said the process has taught her professional skills that she doesn’t get in studio classes. “Now we have some gallery experience, we know how to hang our work, we know how to talk to galleries, we know how to propose our own shows if we want to do a solo exhibition,” she said. As students move up through the BFA program, they are given more freedom to investigate art beyond figure drawing and still life paintings. “We’re not using traditional materials anymore – I work with fabric a lot,” Hval said. “It’s really exciting that you don’t have to stick with one thing.” Ausharea Adams, another senior majoring in studio art, is also having her work displayed in the show. She said she enjoyed working with the BFA students. “Some of them I’ve had classes with, but I wasn’t aware they were BFA majors as well, and the fact that it was an all-women’s show was nice too,” she said. Like Hval, Adams said she noticed similarities in the pieces. In addition to featuring similar colors, Adams said the pieces all had references to the body. Adams has multiple pieces in the show, including a performance piece
she first created for a drawing class. In the performance, Adams moves around inside what she called a pillowcase of nylon stretch fabric. She said she thinks viewers are wary of a live body in an art space and she likes being able to directly see their reactions to her work. “From there I just started thinking about how my body could be translated into art, how it could be used as a medium that kind of exists in three dimensions and changes over time,” she said. “Then I started thinking about it in a more conceptual way, just thinking about this fabric being light, but my movements made it seem like it was something that I was struggling to push away from me.” Adams brought the piece to campus last week and performed outside the Ferguson Center. While the earlier performance focused on anxiety and depression, the campus performance focused on Adams’ experience as a black woman at the University. “I’m just thinking about how this piece can transform based on where I’m at,” she said. “That’s where it is right now but it could transform into something totally different in two weeks. That’s what I think is exciting about the performance pieces is they live multiple lives.”
“Interior Me” by Ali Hval from Hoover, Alabama, is one of several art pieces featured at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. CW / Amy Sullivan
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CULTURE Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Longest-standing statue on Woods Quad replaced By Matthew Wilson | Staff Reporter
Students walking through Woods Quad this month may be surprised by the absence of the long-standing sculpture, “Argyle.” In its place is a new piece from creator Craig Wedderspoon, “Vessel Series 3.” Despite being a source of jokes and nicknames, “Argyle” had became something of a staple among University of Alabama students over the past seven years. Wedderspoon, a UA sculpture professor, said he was shocked that people were upset over the change, which he said was long overdue. He has an agreement with Robert Olin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to switch out the centerpiece every few years. “The funniest thing about it is the entire time it was over there, I’ve got nothing but crap for it – everyone saying it’s this big phallus,” Wedderspoon said. “I never heard anything positive about it from anyone until it was down, then everyone was, ‘Where is it? We love that thing.’” “Vessel Series 3,” a wielded tapestry of metal squares, comes from the exhibition “The Quilted Vessel” at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Wedderspoon said he drew inspiration for the openness of the sculpture’s shape and design from nature on both a macro and micro level. He said the sculpture’s square pattern was a reflection of his memories of his mother, a
‘Argyle,’ the long-standing on Woods Quad, has been replaced by ‘Vessel Series 3,’ a statue by Craig Wedderspoon. CW / Amy Sullivan
master quilter, sewing fabric. Tricia McElroy-Faire, associate dean for humanities and fine arts, walks through Woods Quad almost every day on her way to work. She said she was startled when she saw “Argyle” had been replaced but found the new sculpture to be inviting and engaging. “My unartistic first impression was that it’s shiny,” she said. “The other one had be out there a while. To see part of this series that Craig had done sort of sparkling literally in the sunlight was arresting.” Wedderspoon said people seemed to be taking to the new sculpture, climbing in and out of it. Several students contacted him about the sculpture, including a student majoring in dance wanting to use it in a choreography performance for class and a student requesting to hang a
hammock inside of it, which Wedderspoon said he declined. “That’s kind of the idea, for that whole sculpture garden to be interactive,” he said. “Once it’s out in the public, you can’t stop the public from interacting with it. Once it’s in the public, it’s in the public.” McElroy-Faire said she agreed with this idea of interactivity. She often takes her 6-year-old daughter to look at sculptures in the garden. She said her daughter will want to crawl inside the sculpture. “I kind of want to crawl inside,” she said. “I think there’s something playful about this I really like. It reminds me almost of a playground piece. I think it’s provocative, but for me, that’s what makes it valuable to have out there. If a piece of art provokes art or makes us ask questions or uncomfortable, then I think the artist has
achieved something really valuable.” Bruce Beard, a senior majoring in telecommunication and film, said he is glad to have a change of scenery on his way to class. After four years at the University, he said he was tired of seeing the old sculpture and is excited about the new art piece. Wedderspoon spent hundreds of hours in his work shop, taking a sabbatical for the Fall 2013 semester. It took him eight months to finish all the works for the exhibit. The most time-consuming part, he said, was sanding the edges and corners of the squares to make sure they weren’t sharp. The rest of the pieces from the exhibit will be going to North Carolina, and Wedderspoon said he has already found a home for “Argyle.” The sculpture has been on reserve to go to Amy Echols, executive director of Kentuck Museum Association. McElroy-Faire said she thinks people are puzzled by the new sculpture. She said she’s heard faculty members debate over what the sculpture is and what it means. Wedderspoon said one of his goals is to foster conversation like this. “My entire goal of making art is that it is a visual philosophy,” he said. “It’s nice when people like what you do, but that doesn’t always happen either. The worst thing that could happen is no response. It’s better to have somebody hate something than for them to feel absolutely nothing.”
COLUMN | FASHION
Rainwear can be functional, cute By Sydney Smith
April showers might bring May flowers, but they also make it hard to embrace fashion while avoiding puddles. Fortunately, rain style has improved immensely in the last couple of years, and it’s possible to look straight off the runway while rocking wellies. Gone are the days of yellow raincoats; the new king of inclement weather is the stylish rain boot. The range of choices is endless with brands like Hunter and Ilse Jacobsen, both making quality products with distinct features. Boots now come in a variety of heights, from knee high all the way down to ankle. These boots come in the usual array of bright, punchy colors, but also feature cool prints that look like marble or color blocking. Rain boots aren’t the only shoes getting in on the rainy day action. Styles such as moccasins, Keds, Chelsea boots and even pumps are being cast in rubber, adding further variety to the world of weather-resistant shoes. Because rubber is dense, the Keds are much heavier than their cotton counterpart and can feel a bit clunky. But these alternatives are a great way to brave wet weather conditions while also pulling off business casual, or even business professional, with black rubber pumps. In addition to shoes, rain can also mess up the bottoms of pants. Of course, high waters are almost never a good look, but cuffing jeans or khakis keeps them above the ankle while still channeling a young, easy appearance. Making the cuff
.com
Amazon
a bit messy makes this look just the right amount of disheveled. If it is a warmer day, nothing looks better with wellies than a flouncy skirt or dress. Throw on a comfy, casual t-shirt dress and don’t hesitate to jump through some puddles on the way across the quad. And about the raincoat: this seemingly imperative piece of rainy day clothing has also undergone a makeover. A Northface or Columbia jacket will lend a more casual look. Pull one on over a sundress to create an air of effortlessness. More stylish coats, like those from Michael Kors or Eddie Bauer, are great to pair with the alternative rain shoe options for a more business or dressed-up appearance. These coats are the most versatile as they can be used in practically every aspect of life. No matter what the style, rainy day weather is something that everyone has to contend with. Better to feel good in an outfit and grab an umbrella and boots than give up on feeling good about your appearance. The many choices and variety in apparel ensures that there is a rainy day outfit for every occasion.
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10 Conner returns to Central to coach football SPORTS
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
By Jeremiah Johnson | Contributing Writer
Dennis Conner serves as the head coach of the Central High School football team, but his impact on the players and community extends beyond the drawing boards. Conner grew up on the west side of Tuscaloosa, which is known for being an impoverished area of the city. In 1979, a federal court desegregation order forced the merging of two segregated schools, forming the newly-integrated Central High School. Conner attended Central from 1979 to 1983 and became a standout football player. He would go on to earn a scholarship to play at Jackson State University. The Tuscaloosa native returned to Central five years ago to become the head coach of the football program as well as the Dean of Students. However, things were vastly different than when he attended the school. In 2003, Tuscaloosa was no longer under the desegregation order, and Central was split into three separate schools due to overcrowding. Central, once a school with almost an equal amount of white and black students, has been over 99 percent African American since the split. Conner said he wants all the kids at Central to be exposed to real life experiences. “Me personally, I know the kids are not getting a true feel of the reality of today’s world,” Conner said. “I didn’t look at my teammates as white and black players. I
Dennis Conner Photo Courtesy of Deon Irby
looked at them as teammates.” Central was known for its academic success before the separation, but graduation rates fell below 50 percent after the school was broken up. Over the past three years, however, 95 percent of Central’s football players have graduated. Conner has done a great job of motivating the players to succeed, said Richelle Adams, the school’s athletic director. “He has accomplished making sure that his athletes want to graduate,” Adams said.
Most of Central’s current students reside in poverty-stricken West Tuscaloosa, the same area that Conner called home growing up. Despite a rough upbringing, Conner was able to earn his way into college. Before becoming the head coach of Central, Conner spent 10 years coaching at the collegiate level. The 50-year-old spent a number of years as the defensive coordinator at Stillman College. Conner turned down an opportunity to coach at Central because he aspired to become the next head coach at Stillman, but Conner was later fired from Stillman. Conner said he thought his coaching career was over after he turned down Central’s offer. “I was sitting in my basement for two weeks pouting,” he said. Central would eventually again offer Conner the chance to become its head football coach, and this time the former star linebacker agreed to coach his alma mater. Conner said he still has the release papers from Stillman and keeps them on his front dashboard as a reminder. “That reminds me that when one window closes, another one opens,” Conner said. The rookie coach went 0-10 in his first year at Central. Conner said he was not used to being a part of a losing situation in a football setting. “That was my first time ever being connected to anything losing,” Conner said.
Initially, it was tough on Conner, because the school cared more about the development of the players than winning, said Clarance Sutton Jr., principal of Central. “First couple of years, it was tough on him, because we put more emphasis on culture and discipline than wins and losses,” Sutton said. “He had to bridge that gap, but he did a good job of doing that.” Adams said Conner provides a solid foundation for the players. “He means stability,” Adams said. “No matter what as athletic director, I know that my young men are going to be taught, challenged and disciplined.” Conner said he wants to stress to the importance of having a plan for the future to his players. “I can’t make sure that they’re successful, but I can at least give them tools to work with to be successful,” Conner said. “I want to talk to them to make sure they all have an exit plan.” .Sutton said Conner sets a great example for his players and students. “He is a model,” Sutton said. “He solved the puzzle, and that next generation can see that.” Conner said the best part about being a coach is when his players tell him they learned from his teachings. “My favorite thing about coaching is when kids come back and say, ‘Coach, I understand what you were talking about now,’” he said.
After a weekend of unfortunate events, Alabama football returned to practice Monday. CW / Amy Sullivan
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Wide receiver Cam Sims absent from practice due to ACL injury By Elliott Propes | Staff Reporter
After an eventful weekend, Alabama football returned to practice Monday. Besides the absence of Jonathan Taylor and Geno Smith, there were several other stories surrounding the return to the field. Sophomore wide receiver Cam Sims was absent from practice. Several players and friends reached out to Sims over Twitter on Saturday to share their sentiments. Alabama coach Nick Saban confirmed the reports after practice. “Cam Sims was injured Saturday, and got an ACL [tear]. He is going to be out for a while and definitely needs surgery. It will be a lot of hard work for him to get back at all for next season, but we are hopeful,” Saban said.
WHAT TO KNOW • Backup QB Cooper Bateman joined running back Kenyan Drake in wide receiver drills. Drake has been seen at the spot before, but it was Bateman’s first time. Bateman remained in a black no-contact uniform. • Coker is still receiving first team reps. • Defensive lineup remained the same, with a shift since Taylor was released. • Senior safety Geno Smith was absent from practice following his second arrest on charges of DUI, his second such arrest at Alabama.
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Editor | Kelly Ward Sports@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Track teams to travel to Florida this week By Tyler Waldrep | Contributing Writer
Alabama softball lost the final game of a three-game series against Texas A&M. CW / Shelby Akin
UA to host MVSU Tuesday By Kelly Ward | Sports Editor
A series win over No. 23 Texas A&M wasn’t enough to lessen the sting of No. 5 Alabama softball’s 11-5 loss on Sunday. The Crimson Tide battled back, tying the game and coming within a run before the Aggies pulled ahead and cruised to 11 runs. Name it and Alabama struggled with it on Sunday. “No pitching, no defense, no continuous hitting – you’re not going to win many games,” Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said. “I mean, that’s just — and bad base running, so really 0-for-4.” Freshman right-hander Alexis Osorio (11-4) struck out seven in the loss. She pitched 3.2 innings to start before coming back in the seventh to get the last three outs. She gave up six runs on six hits. She walked three and struck out seven. Sophomore right-hander Sydney Littlejohn came in for
Taylor was released from team Sunday SABAN FROM PAGE 1
included psychological profiling and counseling. He said Taylor never missed a session. “He did everything he was supposed to do,” Saban said. But after an incident Saturday evening where the victim had minor injuries to her neck, according to Tuscaloosa police, Taylor was arrested and held on $1,000 bond and put in mandatory 12-hour domestic violence hold. By 1 p.m. Sunday, he was dismissed from the team. “I’m not sorry for giving him an opportunity, I’m sorry for the way things worked out,” Saban said. “I’m not apologizing for
relief in the fourth inning and pitched 2.1 innings, giving up five runs, three of which were earned. She walked three. The 11 runs were a season high along with the 11 hits given up. “I’m not sure what it was, but hopefully it was just one of those things that happens once a year, because that’s really the first poor start for Lexi, and then Sydney usually does a good job in relief and she didn’t either,” Murphy said. “And then we don’t make a couple defensive plays and then all of a sudden, instead of 6-5, it starts to balloon.” The Crimson Tide scored five runs in three innings. Freshman second baseman Demi Turner had an RBI single in the second to score Alabama’s first run. She doubled in another run in the fourth. After a three-run fourth inning that cut Texas A&M’s lead to 6-5, Alabama had two hits in the last three innings. “I kind of just felt like we got
the opportunity we gave him. We wanted to try and help the guy make it work, it didn’t work. We’re sorry it didn’t work, we’re sorry there was an incident, we’re sorry for the people that were involved in the incident.” Saban was less clear on if Taylor’s charges changes his and the program’s stance on recruiting players with prior domestic violence charges. He said they do not condone that kind of behavior especially when it deals with how women are treated. “That’s something we try to create a lot of awareness for with our players and we would certainly be very cautious about any player that any character problem, especially something like this, would be something that we would be very careful about in the future,” he said.
into a little lull right there, and that’s got to stop,” senior shortstop Danae Hays said. “I’m tired of coming to [the media] and saying, ‘Hey, that just felt like a little lull.’ We’ve got to cut that out, and thank goodness we still have a lot of games ahead of us in the SEC and some good games at that. I’m tired of looking flat on Sunday. I think we come out strong Friday and Saturday and then we just kind of look flat on Sunday.” The Crimson Tide had eight hits and left eight on base in the loss. Sunday drew the largest crowd of the series with an announced 3,128 in attendance. “I cannot stand losing at home,” Murphy said. “It just bugs me. We had a great crowd. All their energy is ready to pour out into us, and we don’t do anything to get it out of them.” Alabama (25-8) hosts Mississippi Valley State (8-26) Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“But I will say this,” he said. “We will continue to try to create opportunities for players and try to help them be successful, and even in Jonathan Taylor’s case, if there’s anything we can do to help him overcome his issues and problem we will still certainly try and help him be successful. But right now the guy just can’t be on our football team.” In the past, Saban has given second chances to players who have been dismissed. DJ Pettway was dismissed from the Crimson Tide after he was charged with two counts of second-degree robbery in February 2013. He returned to Alabama after working through the judicial system. “We’re not apologizing for what we did and we’ll continue to create opportunities for
It’s time to hit the road for the University of Alabama track teams. After competing at home the past two weekends, the teams will travel to Gainesville, Florida, this weekend for the Florida Relays. Coach Dan Waters said both the men’s and women’s teams took advantage of competing at home in the Crimson Tide Invitational. Waters said he was especially proud of the results, considering how hard everyone is working in practice right now. “I thought we performed at a very high level and showed a lot of encouraging development,” he said. “It was an excellent overall showing for us, particularly in that we beat a couple of SEC opponents in the team standings.” Sophomore Joe Williams was one of the athletes who had a great performance at home, finishing second in his discus event. Williams said the team is excited to get back outside. “I think we are hungry,” Williams said. “We want to do something with outdoor that I think we had the pieces to do with indoor, but we just never put them together.” Waters said the tone the team sets early on will be crucial later. He said the team tries to improve every week, and several top athletes such as Remona Burchell will be debuting this weekend for that reason. This weekend’s trip to Florida could be an especially difficult one for Alabama because both Florida’s men’s and women’s teams are currently ranked No. 2 in the country. Sophomore Lakan Taylor
Track and field hosted two home competitions in March. UA Athletics
said this meet was too important for the team to let Florida’s talent intimidate them. “[Early season meets are] very important,” Taylor said. “I don’t think our mindset going into it is worrying about Florida.” Despite the importance of the meet, Williams said the team should not take their events too seriously. He said he has fun when he competes, which helps his focus, and that in turn helps him succeed. Williams said he is confident the team can do well this weekend. He said a good showing at Florida could be important at the end of the season. “If I can compete on a big stage at Florida, then I can compete on a big stage at nationals,” he said.
2015 ALABAMA FOOTBALL PLAYER ARRESTS DL Jonathan Taylor Dismissed from team following domestic violence arrest
DB Geno Smith Arrested last Saturday for second DUI in last three years
LB Ryan Anderson Arrested in January 2015 following domestic dispute CW / Belle Newby, Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Department
people in the future and we’ll very, very closely evaluate anyone’s character that we allow into the program because we all have a responsibility to represent The University of Alabama in a first class way, not to mention how we
should represent ourselves and our family,” Saban said. Saban said Geno Smith, who was arrested Saturday on charges of DUI, has things to do, which Saban would not specify, before he will return to practice.