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.
Dean of Students Tom Strong and Interim President Barry Mason join members of the Avanti Team in sporting "ASK ME!" buttons indicating their willingness to assist incoming students. The Avanti Team is a student service organization that helps introduce new students to campus. Students pictured are (l-r) Chad Hullett of Birmingham, Reagan Golightly of Tuscaloosa, Lauren Levins of Mobile, Elizabeth Dees of Mobile, and Justin Mayfield of Hoover.
Ready to welcome new students
by Cathy Andreen
Freshmen and transfer students who entered The University of Alabama this semester were greeted by a host of welcome events and programs designed to make their first few weeks on campus happy and successful.
From learning the fight song at "Bama Blast" to spending an afternoon doing volunteer community service to enrolling in a freshman seminar, students had numerous opportunities to get involved on campus from day one. Dubbed "Navigating the Tide," these programs involved hundreds of faculty and staff from throughout the university community. They were sponsored and supported by the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Enrollment Task Force, the Healthy Campus 2010 initiative, and many other offices and organizations across campus. Highlights include:
ASK ME!
Students had hundreds of friendly faces to approach with their questions during the first two weeks of the semester thanks to the "ASK ME!" program created last year by the Office of Student Affairs. Faculty and staff volunteers across campus wore big red "ASK ME!" buttons to indicate their willingness to assist students with questions.
In addition, the information desk in Ferguson Center was transformed into "The Oasis" and served as another source of answers to students' questions. The Student Affairs professional staff was on hand to answer questions throughout the first week of classes.
Welcome Tent
For the first time this fall, students and their parents found a Welcome Tent on the Quad offering refreshments, maps, and directions as they arrived on campus. Opened on August 17, the tent was up through August 20. Providing the tent was one of the first recommendations of the Enrollment Task Force, established this past summer by Interim President Barry Mason to look into a variety of issues including creating a more welcoming environment for new students.
The task force, headed by College of Engineering Dean Tim Greene, also spearheaded efforts to place new directional signs and maps on campus before the new students arrived.
"All of us are here to help students," said Greene, noting that the tent, signs, and endorsement of "Navigating the Tide" activities were just the first steps in the task force's yearlong effort to make recommendations to improve recruitment and retention of students, and enhance the university's image and environment.
Hooking Up with the Tide
Students as well as faculty and staff had an opportunity to get involved with community service on Saturday, August 24, through "Hooking Up with the Tide," a volunteer day sponsored by Residential Life, the Russell Student Health Center, and the Community Service Center (CSC). Participants were asked to register with the CSC by August 21 and join fellow volunteers at the plaza between the Student Services Building and Ferguson Center that following Saturday. Volunteers were placed in project teams to work from 1-5 p.m. at the Salvation Army, Tuscaloosa Family Resource Center, UA Arboretum, American Red Cross of West Alabama, FOCUS on Senior Citizens, University Child Care Services, and Turning Point
In-Depth Seminars
Seminars offered this fall give freshmen a chance to take an in-depth class with a senior professor during their first semester. Classes were limited to 20 students and carried core credit. Course titles included Anthropology of the AIDS Epidemic, Legal and Ethical Issues in Computing, Economic Analysis of Social Issues, Emerging Global Issues, Abusive Behaviors, Holistic Health and Healing, and the African-American Family. |
