Horizons 2007 ■ NEWS 1 THE CRIMSON WHITE TABLE OF CONTENTS Meet the SGA president Make it with a meal plan Senior R.B. Walker heads up the Learn about the choices students 2007-08 SGA at the University. have when choosing a required Page 2 meal plan. Page 25 Transit and parking changes Letter from the Editor With the introduction of the new The Crimson White’s 2007-08 editor Crimson Ride campus transit Mike Faulk shares his wisdom with system, parking on campus will the incoming freshman class. see change. Pages 26-27 Page 5 Decorating your room Entertainment Check out tips on how to decorate From restaurants to local theater, for less and where to find cool stuff arts and movies, Tuscaloosa has in Tuscaloosa. it all. Pages 6-7 Pages 30-40 Getting involved Sports UA offers many options to get Get all the information you need students involved. Check out these to know about Alabama athletics, stories on involvement on campus, including football and basketball and sororities and fraternities. previews. Pages 8-10, 18 Pages 41-56 The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The The Crimson White is ... University of Alabama. ■ The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced ■ Jessie Patterson - editor, David Dailey - creative ser- by students. [email protected], 348-8047 vices manager, 348-8042 The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial deci- ■ Kathleen Buccleugh - design ■ Khalid Al-Qahtani - territory sions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. editor and entertainment manager, 348-8044 Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, editor, [email protected] ■ Jonathon White - territory Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertis- ing mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. ■ Megan Honeycutt - chief manager, 348-2598 The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published weekly June, copy editor and designer, ■ Brandon Clark - account July and August, and is published four times a week September [email protected] executive, 348-8041 through April except for spring break, Thanksgiving, Labor Day and the months of May and December. ■ Meghan Menard - student ■ Drew Gunn - account The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any life editor, [email protected] executive, 348-8054 other papers are $1.00. ■ ■ The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Amanda Peterson - campus Jeff Haas - account Checks should be made payable to the University of Alabama affairs editor, executive, 348-8735 and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. [email protected] ■ Tomas Nation - account Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at ■ Caroline Gwaltney - sports executive, 348-6876 Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. editor, [email protected] ■ Leigh Anne Landis - account POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. ■ executive, 348-2670 Zach Summers - graphics All material contained herein, except advertising or where editor, [email protected] ■ Lindsey Patillo - graphic indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2007 by The Crimson White ■ Alison Pollini - photographer designer and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. ■ Cassie Edwards - advertis- ■ Lindsey Mayhall - graphic Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, ing coordinator, 348-8995 designer written permission of The Crimson White. Horizons 2007 ■ NEWS 2 THE CRIMSON WHITE A look at the new SGA president “I always say if you’re not at the BY MICHELLE TANNER SGA, but also that every president is table, you’re on The Crimson White different than every other president. “I intend to do a lot of things — I the menu.” R.B. Walker is a senior from want a much bigger SGA, one that — R.B. WALKER Montgomery majoring in political is more organized,” Walker said. SGA president science and is no stranger to the He plans to create offices SGA. that will be housed in the vari- After serving on the judicial ous offices of the vice presidents, board and working as an execu- making them more action ori- tive adviser, he became the first ented and more permanent. sophomore to be appointed SGA “It’s all about empowerment chief of staff at the University. this year,” Walker said. “We need to He redefined the position, mak- empower the officials within the SGA. ing it an advisory role as well If you give people a title and a list as a chief administration offi- of specific duties and responsibilities, cer of the SGA. Walker referred end results come back ten fold.” to himself as the “chief of stuff.” Big plans for the upcoming year During his sophomore year, include the new transit system, former SGA President Justice which Walker is determined to Smyth selected Walker to head make sure students are prepared his campaign, and after his vic- for and are happy with in addition tory, appointed Walker to be his to working with the Strip Advisory chief of staff, making him the Council and the legal law clinic to only person to have the job twice. make it the SGA legal clinic. Walker said he doesn’t have any Students can e-mail Walker at huge changes in mind in terms of [email protected] or call his management and the ideology of office at 348-6127. Tailgating? We Cater! BOX LUNCHES • SANDWICH TRAYS 405 15th St. East Tuscaloosa • Next to Forest Lake WWW.SCHLOTZSKYS.COM THE CRIMSON WHITE Horizons 2007 ■ NEWS 3 4 Horizons 2007 ■ NEWS THE CRIMSON WHITE Like Comfort Home Featuring: Milly Nanette Lepore Tibi Tocca Kay Unger Donald Pliner Shoes Cocktail and Evening Dresses Hudson Jeans Ella Moss Located in the Tuscaloosa Galleria 1653 N. McFarland Blvd. 205-349-2077 320 Paul Bryant Dr. Tuscaloosa, Al 35401 205-752-3200 THE CRIMSON WHITE Horizons 2007 ■ NEWS 5 Student infl ux, transit brings parking changes BY JAMES JAILLET consist of 15 buses used during parking deck will be the main lowest. The Crimson White the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. shuttle hub, with all four shut- “We’re not trying to make and seven buses between 7 tle routes connecting making a bunch of money. We’re just Due to the growing num- p.m. and 2:30 a.m. Four routes stops there at either the begin- trying to stay competitive,” ber of needed parking spaces will be used in the transit ning or end of the routes. D’Esposito said. “It’s not to and the transit system coming system, covering east, south, Parking congestion on punish people — we just want this fall, Transportation and north and core zone with three campus and the needs of the the transit system to work Parking Services has made routes having four buses and transit system have caused properly. We want a system several significant changes one route having three buses. UA transportation services to that is effective, efficient and to student parking and road- “In theory, the buses should raise parking ticket prices sig- most importantly safe. We ways on campus, said Ronnie can’t have the Robertson, the director of buses bogged transportation. down in traffic, Commuters must now or it will result choose a specific commuter in a breakdown zone and can only park there or of the system.” in a perimeter zone. Residents Last year, of Blount, Paty and Ridgecrest improper zone, will use the Ferguson Center improper park- parking deck, but other resi- ing, parking in dential parking will stay the a fire lane, not same. parking in a Also, many of the roadside space and dou- parking on campus roadways get across campus in seven nificantly for the upcoming ble parking are all fines of $10. will no longer exist next year. to eight minutes,” said Chris school year. This year, each will be raised The Student Recreation Center D’Esposito, the assistant direc- D’Esposito said com- to either $25 or $50. Improper parking lot will not be avail- tor of parking services. pared to other SEC schools zone violations, which repre- able because it will be a perim- There will be more than 40 the University had the most sented nearly 40 percent of last eter zone lot. bus stops on campus marked available parking spaces yet year's 86,000 violations, will be The transit system will with signs. The Campus Drive parking ticket prices were the a $50 fine. 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Target also has desk are just a few items on every lamps costing between $7.99 freshman’s list. and $29.99, accent lamps cost- Stores like Wal-Mart, Target ing between $14.99 and $49.99 and Hobby Lobby are popular and lamp shades starting at local venues for finding inex- $4.99.