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SPORTS: Felix has new home in Alabama, Page 6 SCENE: 10 Holiday Movies: a preview, Page 10 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 Serving the University of Alabama since 1894 Volume 111, Issue 47 Faculty Senate talks health costs By JOAN GARRETT passed easily with the backing of the financial affairs com- qualified faculty and adminis- Mathew Winston said there their contribution of health Senior Staff Reporter of the Alabama Education mittee, said the bill concerns tration from coming to the should be a grandfather clause care, reduce the prescription Association and Alabama UA faculty members because University. that would exempt those who drug deductible from $50 to The Faculty Senate passed State Employees Association, it would increase faculty It could also cut back on have already retired in $25 and create further restruc- three health-care-related reso- will impact about 340,000 health care costs for retirees mature faculty from coming to Alabama but did not work in turing of health premiums. lutions Tuesday, as well as dis- state and education employ- that have not worked 25 years the University who might the state for 25 years. Holt, who wrote the resolu- cussed several new public ees, retirees and their families. in Alabama. retire in Alabama, she said. Wythe Holt, co-chairman of tions, said the University con- health care bills passed Faculty senators expressed For example, Steckol said if “Everyone will stay here for- the Faculty Life Committee, tributed a lower percentage of Tuesday in a special session of concern over House Bill 3, a faculty member had only ever or never come,” she said. said Senate members should health care costs the past two the state Legislature. which requires public employ- worked in Alabama 11 years “We have gotten shot in the protest the Legislature and years while faculty members Five bills designed to curb ees who retire after Sept. 30, when they retired they would foot.” somehow express their dis- have contributed more. the estimated $1 billion spent 2005, with less than 25 years of have to pay 2 percent more for Steckol said that those who content with the bill. He said this is because the each year on Alabama public service to pay 2 percent more health insurance for 14 years. are nearing retirement should The Senate also passed University only pays on pre- employee and retiree health each year for health insurance This is not competitive with have a contract with the state three resolutions pertaining to miums and does not shoulder insurance await Gov. Bob until they have reached 25 other states’ health benefits, so that these changes will not faculty health benefits, calling the cost of deductibles. Riley’s signature today. The years of payment. she said, and it could prevent affect them. on the University administra- bills, proposed by Riley and Karen Steckol, co-chairman endowed chairmen and other Senate Vice President tion to remain consistent in See SENATE, Page 5 Rezoning could help students Pinnacle of split living costs Poise By KRISTIE BUSAM Senior Staff Reporter New zoning ordinances for the New University Neighborhood Plan could take place as early as December. The plan would rezone residential neighborhoods two blocks west of 10th Avenue and residences behind Julia Tutwiler Hall so that three to five unrelated people, instead of just three, could live together. In historic districts, the number of unrelated people would drop from three to two. The plan is set to go before the city of Tuscaloosa planning committee in a December meeting, said Robert Reynolds, president of the Original City Association. Officials from the Tuscaloosa planning department, the University and the SGA will be present. “Everyone will voice agreement at the meeting, and recommend the plan to the City Council and [Mayor Al DuPont],” Reynolds said. “The mayor will go before the planning commission and recommend it.” The plan must have two readings in front of the council, he said. “We are looking for the adoption of the plan in January, and an immediate implementa- “We are not tion,” Reynolds said. Reynolds said decreasing the trying to run number of unrelated people living in historic districts is not an anyone out, we attempt to force students out of some areas. are just trying to “We are not trying to run create a quality, anyone out, we are just trying to create a quality, more dense more dense area area around the University,” Reynolds said. “We are trying around the to make it more expensive to University.” stabilize the historic district, while areas around the —ROBERT REYNOLDS president of the Original City Association University are used mostly for rental properties.” CW/ Elliot Knight The density of students around the University will increase The Dance Alabama! program is a culmination of UA dance students' choreographic training and features many different styles of dance. Shows run today through Friday in Morgan Auditorium at with new ordinances, Reynolds said. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for the general public, $10 for UA faculty, staff, and senior citizens and $8 for students. For more Dance Alabama! photos, see page 5. Students who live in residences behind Tutwiler said they are in favor of the plan. “The landlords charge so much for rent for old, crappy houses, if more people were allowed to live in houses it would be easier to split costs,” said Corinne Mixon, a senior public relations and Spanish major. “We had a problem in AKA hosts forum on future race issues the past with our old landlord who threatened to kick us out because we had seven people living in the house.” By MICHAEL POLKE Cayce Sherman, a sophomore majoring in marketing who Staff Reporter currently lives with three people in a five-bedroom house, said having more people in the house would make life easier. The status of blacks in America was discussed at Tuesday “It would be easier for bills and it would help with cleaning night’s “Where Do We Stand?” forum sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Speakers addressed topics ranging from black See REZONING, Page 5 life expectancy to the war in Iraq. “The Status of Black America,” a report of the National Urban League, shows that relative to whites, the percentage rate for HIV contraction is nearly 20 times as high for black females. That percentage even surpasses that of intravenous drug users. Bryan Fair, a UA law professor, raised several points. “Our [black] community has continually been divided, and I wonder, have you seen our community lately?” he asked. “I think that under the Bush administration, we will continue see the wealthiest Americans get wealthier and the poorest Americans will get poorer,” Fair said. Fair also charged audience members to be responsible for their education and to be self-determined individuals. “When we [blacks] acquire wealth we need to help others acquire wealth. We cannot simply pull the ladder after we have reached the top.” Many children are raised in single-parent households, he said. “Single-parent households in the African-American community live at a devastating 60 percent at or below the poverty line compared to that of white community,” Fair said. He also said crime is often closely tied to poverty. CW/ Elliot Knight “Nearly one-third of all African-American males is in or has CW/ Jessica Maxwell Student housing areas like this one on the 1000 block of 13th Street could be affected by a Dr. Shadi Martin, an associate professor of social work, speaks Tuesday evening in Mary Hewell rezoning ordinance that would allow up to five unrelated people to live together. See FORUM, Page 8 Alston Hall at the “Where Do We Stand?” forum held by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. The Crimson White | Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 | Newsroom — 348-6144 Fax — 348-4116 Advertising — 348-7845 Classifieds — 348-7355 | Editorial content — [email protected] | News content — [email protected] Page 2 • The Crimson White NEWS Wednesday, November 17, 2004 the Date auction to aid research Obstetric fistulas have a group date Sunday at labor the babies are usually but one out of 10 African World the Rotaract house. All bidders stillborn, and the women women will die from the dis- severely affect are required to bring a takeout are left with a hole in their ease and many more will live meal for their date, and bodies. The women can no in anguish. women in African, Rotaract will provide drinks longer control their bodily “Our goal is to raise $500 for Asian countries and dessert. functions, and it causes them this issue,” Pezent said. Brief “Organizations can send a to leak foul-smelling waste. The organizations are hop- By JENNIFER KITT representative to bid on one Their husbands usually leave ing that at least 100 people IN person and attend the group them because they can no attend the auction. Staff Reporter CAMPUS date,” Sharif said. longer have children, and their “We understand college It’s difficult being a single The groups are holding the community abandons them students don’t have that UA Film Society to show double feature tonight college student. For those much money, so before the looking to make a quick love “We’re going to auction off a lot of leaders date auction begins we will The UA Film Society and the Ferguson Center will pres- connection, the Rotaract Club take smaller donations,” ent a double feature tonight with director Richard and XXXI will be hosting a date on campus including SGA President Hal Sharif said. Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” at 7:30 followed by its sequel, auction Thursday night at 7:30 She said it was an easy deci- “Before Sunset,” at 9:30 in the Ferguson Theater.

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