Hello, Blazer! The online student handbook, Direction, is filled with useful information on student activities and programs, student services, housing, student conduct, special resources, the city of Birmingham and much more! Also included for your convenience are links intended as a “Quick Reference” to valuable UAB campus resources. We hope that you will find this information useful during your UAB college experience. Please take the time to get involved in the many programs and activities offered and also take advantage of the special services provided to you. On behalf of the UAB community, we wish you success in your college experience. www.uab.edu/handbook 1 7/31/2014 Life in the 'ham Whether you are a newcomer or native, the UAB experience is unique. There is a vast array of activities, exhibitions and special events going on throughout the year. Newcomers often learn about services and activities through experience and word of mouth. To give you a head start, we’ve highlighted a few we think might be of interest to you as a student. For the latest updates for happenings in Magic City, as well as information about the city and its resources, you might want to bookmark these websites: GREATER BIRMINGHAM CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR BIRMINGHAM ABOUT BIRMINGHAM Alabama Adventure Alabama’s Family Place! Located just 20 minutes from UAB traveling west on I- 20/59. Alabama Adventure Theme Park, home of Splash Beach and Magic City USA, is the state’s only combined Theme and Water Park. Relax by the pools and let the day slide by. Experience Magic City USA where you can race through the day on Rampage, reach for the stars on Space Shot or enjoy a star-studded Concert Series at the Amphitheater. Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame The historic Carver Theater, in the Civil Rights District at 1631 4th Ave. N., is home to Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Alabama Sports Hall of Fame The Sports Hall of Fame is housed in the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex at 22nd St. N. and Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center www.uab.edu/handbook 2 7/31/2014 The Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, located at 1200 10th Ave. S., anchors the Fine Arts Plaza on the southwest edge of the UAB campus. This new performance and teaching facility supports the university’s diverse educational programs in music and theater. It is home for the finest professional artists, nationally and internationally, for the educational and cultural enrichment of both campus and community. For ticket information call 975-ARTS or 934-8001. Arlington House The Arlington House at 331 Cotton Ave. S.W. is a fine example of Greek revival architecture dating from the 1840s. Arlington is a center for historical, cultural and civic activities. Barber Vintage Motorsports Park and Museum Barber Motorsports Park hosts various races throughout the year and is home to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, a collection of more than 900 motorcycles and 50 cars. Located near Leeds at 6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway. Botanical Gardens Few places in Birmingham offer the beauty and serenity of the Botanical and Japanese Gardens, open from sunrise to sunset. With free admission, take the opportunity to stroll along the paths of 67 acres of beautiful gardens next to the zoo on Lane Park. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Celebrate the modern civil rights movement at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute through artifacts, music, multimedia presentations, detailed exhibits, and an archival research program. At 520 16th St. N. Birmingham Museum of Art The Birmingham Museum of Art is the largest municipal museum in the Southeast, with more than 21,000 works of art from all over the world Admission is free with special touring exhibits throughout the year. 2000 Eighth Ave. N. Birmingham Zoo The Birmingham Zoo is the largest in the nine-state region. Across from the Botanical Gardens, the zoo houses animals, birds and reptiles in beautiful surroundings. A sightseeing train and picnicking facilities are available. Monthly events and animal programs are also held. The zoo entrance is at 2630 Cahaba Road. Driver’s License If you’ve moved here from another state, you have 30 days to obtain an Alabama driver’s license. Visit the Department of Public Safety driver's license website for more information. www.uab.edu/handbook 3 7/31/2014 Five Points South This is the place to be almost any time day or night—especially if you’re in the mood for fun. Five Points South may be the party center of Birmingham. It’s a recently renovated historic district featuring unique clothing boutiques, art, music and dance clubs, and book stores… not to mention some of the finest dining in Birmingham. Five Points South encircles the intersection of 20th Street and 11th Avenue South. Libraries If you just can’t get enough of libraries, Birmingham has an outstanding main library at 2100 Park Place with a number of branch libraries. For the branch library nearest you,visit the Birmingham Public Library website. Under a cooperative borrowing agreement with a number of college and university libraries in the Birmingham area, UAB students may check out books from those institutions. Students registered at UAB may also borrow from the libraries of the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Huntsville, Auburn University, Bessemer State Technical College, Birmingham-Southern College, Jefferson State, Lawson State Community College, Miles College, University of Montevallo, and Samford University. For further information, visit the Sterne Library website or Lister Hill Library website. McWane Science Center It’s a magnetic adventure. an Adventure in Science! The energy that fuels McWane Center is as exciting as the human imagination. Come see the wonders of our world in action, and leave with new-found perspectives. And don’t miss the latest feature in the IMAX® Dome Theater!. Natural Offerings When your schedule of classes, studying and the bustle of everyday city life gets to be too much for you, take a break! Aside from the local neighborhood parks, Birmingham is surrounded by parks and lakes that are ideal for an afternoon or weekend outing. Railroad Park is the newest green space in the metro area. Located a few blocks from UAB, the $20 million facility offers hiking/walking paths, water features and is the site for outdoor gatherings and performances. The 19-acre park, located along the railroad right of way, provides a nod to the industry that helped create Birmingham. Oak Mountain State Park has wonderful picnic areas, as well as natural settings for boating, fishing and relaxing. A great place for a get-a-way, the park is located off Highway 119 and I-65, South. An impressive 10,000-seat amphitheater, which attracts headline entertainment during the summer, is also located in the park. Ruffner Mountain Nature Center in East Lake exhibits the natural features of the last undeveloped ridge of Ruffner Mountain through seven miles of nature trails, a wildflower garden, and educational programs and boasts a new multi-million www.uab.edu/handbook 4 7/31/2014 dollar nature center nestled in the trees. Weekend programs are offered. Tannehill Historical State Park was built around reconstructed blast furnaces that once produced iron for Confederate weapons. It is an impressive iron and steel museum. Camping, dining and pioneer-craft demonstrations are but a few of the many attractions of this family park. The craft cabins are open seasonally. Take the Bucksville exit off I-59, west of Bessemer. Complete information about the state’s parks and lakes is available from the Alabama State Parks website. Postal Service Branch offices of the U.S. Postal Service are located across the Birmingham area. To find one convenient to your location, visit the USPS website and select the Find USPS Locations option. The UAB Campus Post Office at 1530 Third Avenue South is a full service USPS facility, offering stamp sales as well as express mail and parcel post. The South Highlands USPS Branch at the corner of 19th Street and 11th Avenue South is convenient to the UAB campus. Printing Services UAB operates a full service graphic arts and printing facility located at 1530 3rd Avenue S. Visit the Printing Services website for more information Sloss Furnaces Museum The Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and Museum at 32nd Street and First Avenue North offers tours of the massive blast furnaces that provided work for Birmingham during the heyday of the iron and steel industry. A converted iron-casting sheds now house stage and seating for special events. Preservation work continues on this national historic landmark. Southern Museum of Flight The Southern Museum of Flight displays Alabama’s air history, including airplanes, models and aircraft parts. Tour the museum at 4343 73rd St. N. Voting Voter registration packets may be obtained from the UAB office of Student Involvement in room 440 or the Hill University Center, any public library, City Hall, Jefferson County Court www.uab.edu/handbook 5 7/31/2014 Houses, at any other social service location, or from the Jefferson County Board of Registrars at 716 21st Street N. Vulcan Park Vulcan is the unique and enduring symbol of the City of Birmingham. Conceived by civic leaders to showcase Alabama’s rich mineral and manufacturing resources at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the St. Louis World’s Fair, this colossal statue was created to make a statement to the world. In 2004 Vulcan celebrated its 100th anniversary, introducing a new Vulcan Park with a visitor education center, outdoor exhibits, and more. Vulcan Park is open year-round, except on major holidays.