KeyFacts
The University of Alabama is ranked among the nation's top 50 public universities in U.S. News & World Report's 2002 edition.
The University of Alabama's graduates include 15 Rhodes Scholars, 15 Goldwater Scholars, and nine Truman Scholars. Our most recent Rhodes Scholar is Bradley Tuggle, an English major who received the award in 2001.
The University of Alabama's chapter of the prestigious liberal arts honor society Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest of the three chapters in the state.
Approximately 66 percent of UA's undergraduates receive some type of financial aid.
UA ranks as one of the top public universities in enrollment of National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholars. Our fall 2000 freshman class accounts for 94 of these 300 outstanding undergraduate students.
For over a decade, The University of Alabama has been one of the top public flagship universities in the Southeast in enrollment of African-American students. In fall 2000, African-Americans comprised 14.9 percent of freshmen and 14.5 percent of total undergraduate enrollment, and 13.6 percent of the student body overall. Enrollment of African-American students in UA's Graduate School has increased by 44 percent since 1996.
U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Alabama School of Law among the top 50 in the nation for three consecutive years while our undergraduate business program has made the top 50 nationally for two years.
Across our beautiful 1,000-acre campus, several buildings dating back to the founding of the university are still in use today—alongside other historic structures and recent construction housing state-of-the-art technology. We offer excellent facilities for study and research, including campus-wide computer labs, multimedia classrooms, and online libraries.
More than 20 percent of the university's entering freshmen and 22 percent of all undergraduates received merit scholarships for the academic year 2000-01.
The University of Alabama debate team holds 14 national championships—two more than our football team!
UA offers 215 degree programs.
Founded in 1831, The University of Alabama was the state's first university.
UA Living-Learning Center Provides Freshmen Community
Dr. Ann Webb, assistant dean in A&S, sees the Parker-Adams Freshmen Year Program as an opportunity for developing community.
by Laura Medders
Navigating through the concrete mazes of similar buildings, eating three balanced meals, and finding a friend among the thousands of University
of Alabama students are just some of the challenges freshmen must overcome while assimilating to college life. Leaving the community of family
and friends can be a jolt to the new college student. To help make the transition from high school to college an easier and richer experience,
administrators in the UA College of Arts and Sciences
have developed a living-learning opportunity called the Parker-Adams Freshman Year Program.
Parker-Adams residents enjoy many exciting academic and social activities not available to the average UA student. Through various programs
and specific courses, P-A freshmen become acquainted early on with different resources available on campus, like the Center for Teaching and
Learning and the Counseling Center. Dr. Larry Bowen, the associate director of the CTL, said he's heard students say that being aware of these
services has really made a difference. "Parker-Adams students have access to so much information and so many resources that the average student
can't match," Bowen said.
The theory behind the Parker-Adams Year has proven to be successful. The average GPA of last year's P-A class was about a B. Around 95
percent of last year's P-A freshmen returned to the University this year in good standing.
"There's a lot to be gained by people living in a place defined as a community," said Dr. Ann Webb, assistant dean in the UA College of
Arts and Sciences Office of Student Services. Webb feels that this holistic living-learning community is beneficial to freshmen and assists
them in discovering their niche at UA.
"Student learning is not confined to the classroom. It's important that we recognize and adopt that view," Webb said. Webb wants the
students to see that learning at college is not limited to learning about professional interests. She wants the students to see their dorm as
a place of learning.
Unlike other living-learning centers on campus (such as the Blount Undergraduate Initiative residence hall), students in the P-A Year are
not expected to be honors students, although some are. Webb describes the P-A residence hall as a microcosm of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The program attracts a variety of students with diverse backgrounds and interests. Program administrators recruit participants by sending
brochures to prospective students, inviting them to campus recruiting events and more. "It's designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of students
so people can meet people totally different from themselves," said Bowen, who is a P-A faculty-in-residence.
There are no more than 100 freshmen in the program, six fellows, five resident assistants, and two faculty members in residence. David
Harwell, one of the faculty-in-residence, is a doctoral student in the English department. The small number of residents attracted many
incoming freshmen to the program.
"I wanted to get to know people, which probably wouldn't have happened if I was in a bigger dorm like Tutwiler," said freshman Amanda Baker
of Red Level. The residents gain exposure to the A&S faculty early on. Each student chooses a faculty mentor who volunteers to participate in
the program. "The students get to know that faculty are not scary people," Bowen said.
In addition to faculty mentors, the students enjoy live-in faculty members. "When Dr. Webb approached me about living in Parker-Adams, I
wouldn't say yes right away," Bowen, the P-A faculty-in-residence, said. He moved in during October 2000 and enjoyed the experience so much
he sold his house. He said living with the students has kept him young and active.
Most of the students enjoy having the faculty living with them. "We see them not so much as the dreaded, distant professor. They become
mentors, role models and help us become better leaders," said sophomore Matt Clinton, a P-A Fellow from Montgomery. In addition to resident's
assistants, Parker-Adams also has sophomores who participated in the program. Students in this highly competitive position are able to help
freshmen adjust to the University by giving their sharing their experiences and insights with the freshmen.
While the P-A Year stresses the importance of campus involvement, it does not forget the most important thing—their grades. The P-A freshmen
also take the same English composition course and they are required to attend four hours of study hall each week. "It's nice to take an hour or
two out of your day and dedicate it all to studying in a quiet environment," Baker said.
More information about the program and the students is available online at www.ctl.ua.edu/pa/.
Gorgas Library assistant Denise Gilson (left) and UA Provost Nancy Barrett take a look at one of the 15 laptop computers available
within the library for students, faculty, and staff. The laptop loan pilot project has proven extremely successful during this fall semester,
especially during the prime study hours of 7-9 p.m. Each computer is available for use in the library for up to a two-hour checkout (determined
by battery life) from the reference desk on 2nd floor. Each computer is equipped with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel and has wireless Internet
access.
