Untitled Document

Monday, August 7, 2006

Good morning! Here's today's summary of news coverage of Auburn University.
NOTE: Any errors in text are due to formatting by the publication.

Total Clips: 8

	Date	Outlet
College Briefs	08/07/2006	Press-Register
Experts give tips for best first-day experience for young students	08/07/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Less Than A Whisper	08/07/2006	Decatur Daily
Seeing results: Learning center helps children meet challenges of autism	08/07/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Aetos Technologies wins award for CytoViva technology	08/07/2006	Health & Medicine Week
Beer sales falling flat as wine, other beverages grow in popularity	08/06/2006	Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Auburn U Year one, Day one	08/06/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
AU needs more from provost position	08/06/2006	Montgomery Advertiser


College Briefs 08/07/2006 Press-Register		Return to Top
Earl H. "Buddy" Weaver of Brewton will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during Auburn's summer graduation today in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. The award is given once a month to a non-faculty staff member who has demonstrated outstanding attitude, innovation and work ethic. Weaver previously earned three degrees from Auburn, including a doctorate of education. He's co-chairman of the "It Begins at Auburn" campaign, a six-year organized effort by alumni volunteers to raise $500 million in new private support for Auburn. The campaign has raised nearly $400 million so far. Troy University Mike Staples, director for auxiliary services on Troy University's Montgomery campus, won the Vergil Parks McKinley Award for July. The award is given once a month to a non-faculty staff member who has demonstrated outstanding attitude, innovation and work ethic. Staples has been a member of the Troy staff since 1996. University of South Alabama ? Mohammad Alam and Aed El-Saba, faculty members in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of South Alabama, presented 12 technical papers at the 2006 International Society for Optical Engineering Defense and Security Symposium in Orlando, Fla., in mid-April. Ten of the papers were co-authored by USA graduate students and postdoctoral research associates in the department.
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Experts give tips for best first-day experience for young students 08/07/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Beverly Harvey		Return to Top
Auburn Early Education Center Principal Dr. Lilli Land always makes sure she has plenty of coffee and Kleenex available on the first day of school. Land knows that the first day of school can be an emotional, stressful and exciting time for the hundreds of kindergartners and first-graders - and their parents - across Lee County. "I think, in general, all children, a lot of them, have mixed feelings about starting school," said Land, who will be welcoming more than 400 kindergartners when AEEC and the rest of Auburn City Schools open Wednesday. A positive experience on the first day of school is important for 5- through 7-year-olds, because it can set the tone for how well they enjoy the rest of the school year. Jeter Primary School kindergarten teacher and 2005 Outstanding Early Childhood Practitioner Denise Dark, allows students to get to know their classmates on the first day of school by providing get-acquainted activities. "My goal is for the kids to walk away the first day and say, 'I loved school. I made a lot of new friends,'" Dark said, adding, "I want my students to have a very happy first day." Auburn University Elementary Education Assistant Professor Dr. Kathleen Tate, AEEC's Land and GreatSchools.net recommend the following tips to help parents prepare their kindergartner or first-grader for the first day of school, as well as for academic learning: - Talk to your child about starting school, and take time to answer their questions. The majority of a child's fears are due to them not knowing what to expect with the new experience. - Teach your child how to be independent. "It's important for them to wash their own face, choose clothes and wash their own hands," said Tate, who noted that teachers can’t always be there to help with such tasks. - Let your child practice social skills such as sharing and initiating conversations with siblings or friends. This will make it easier for them to adjust and make friends when they enter the classroom. - Have older siblings or other children talk to your child about their experiences at school to give your child a better idea of what school’s like and make them feel more at ease. - Take the time to walk around the school campus with your child. If possible, play on the playground, too, to help them become even more familiar with the campus. - Teach and encourage your child to ask questions while at school. This will help them feel more independent and help them become better learners. - Get to know your child’s teacher and school by visiting their Web sites. Surf the Web sites with your child. While you’re there, check to see if a class schedule is provided. ' Incorporate school curriculum into everyday tasks. For example, Land recommends having your child set the table by using math skills to figure out how many plates, forks and napkins are needed. Or add some science to your day by exploring the backyard and discussing the bugs and other creatures you encounter with your child. "There are all kinds of opportunities for learning that are just in our world every day," said Land, who added that children learn through conversations and play. Reading can help some children deal with their first-day worries. Books that feature characters also facing the first day of school are helpful, Tate said. GreatSchools.com also recommends the following books for kindergartners and first-graders: - King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood; - The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn; - Miss Smith’s Incredible Story Book by Michael Garland; - Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant. Land and Dark also recommend reading to your child to get them interested in books and to help them practice their reading and storytelling skills.
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Less Than A Whisper 08/07/2006 Decatur Daily Paul Huggins		Return to Top
Cindy McCall, a Ph.D. equine specialist and professor at AU is quoted in this story. Trainer teaches silent language of horse world EVA — Imagine the teaching effort Ernestine Linton could have saved if she had the same telepathic ability to speak with her former English students as she apparently does with her horse. Her students from Wallace State Community College or Eva School could do her bidding as easily as Goldie obeys her silent commands in the horse ring. She demonstrated her newfound skills at K-I-N Stables by walking Goldie in a 12-foot-wide circle around her using a loosely held lead line. Linton's teacher instructed her to mentally invite Goldie to come to her after the second lap. Linton did so without calling or tugging on the rope, and before Goldie completed the third lap, she strode casually to Linton. "I never would have believed it," said Linton, who began taking natural horsemanship lessons from Jim Swanner three weeks ago. Swanner said whether the horse truly read Linton's mind or if, instead, Goldie noticed a subtle hint from her owner's body language isn't what's important. The point is Linton communicated with Goldie in a way that used minimal effort to move her, and the horse did so in a comfortable manner that makes her safer to handle. Safety is the cornerstone of the natural horsemanship method Swanner began learning two years ago and which he hopes will become the preferred training style for the state's nearly 187,000 horses. "All horses communicate with each other silently, non-verbally," Swanner said. "Man needs to learn their language to fully enjoy them. Mostly all we've ever done is force them to do what we want by using mechanical devices. This may get them to do or go where we want, but if it upsets them, they're more likely to be dangerous. "A horse that is scared will hurt you quicker than a horse that is mean," he said. Swanner, 52, has learned to communicate with his walking horse, Scooter, so well that he can ride without use of a bridle and reins. He uses body positioning, gentle leg pressure and a technique of focusing on his direction to tell the horse which way to go. DAILY Photo by Gary Lloyd Scooter and Jim Swanner demonstrate a mutual love and respect. Horses naturally fear man, Swanner said, so he teaches horse owners how to remove that fear and replace it with trust. Though not a dominant form of training, natural horsemanship is done worldwide. Swanner has no idea how many trainers do it in Alabama, where one in 20 households owns a horse, but he's the only one he knows of in North Alabama. Cindy McCall, a Ph.D. equine specialist and professor at Auburn University, said natural horsemanship is a proven and growing training method and quite a few trainers in the state use some variation of it. "It works very well," she said. "It's very easy on the horse and the person." Whether or not a rider uses a bridle, the basic concepts of natural horsemanship teach the same thing, McCall said. Many riders would never feel safe enough to ride without a bit and bridle to control the horse, she said. When he tells people what he does, Swanner said, most people immediately think of Robert Redford and the movie "The Horse Whisperer" in which Redford's character uses his special ability to communicate with horses to help a young girl and her horse recuperate from a collision with a truck. Swanner said what he does is "similar," but the movie doesn't truly portray what he does. The basic premise of natural horsemanship is understanding that horses are prey animals like rabbits, deer and other animals that have eyes on opposite sides of their heads. Man, on the other hand, is a predator, like wolves and other animals that have both eyes on the front of their heads. In other words, horses naturally fear man, Swanner said, so he teaches horse owners how to remove that fear and replace it with trust. A key to achieving that, he said, is not using mechanical devices like metal mouth bits, blinders, spurs or tie downs to train horses or forcing them to go against their will. "My horses want to instead of have to," Swanner said. He starts training sessions by playing a simple game of pulling a short rope over the horse's neck and back for five to 10 minutes to mimic the way mares play with their colts. He also shows the halter, blanket and saddle to the horse prior to attaching them as a way to get the horse's permission. Linton began riding two years ago, and initially used another trainer for a walking horse. The horse proved too wild for her to enjoy and she sold it. She appreciates that Swanner teaches her horsemanship rather than training the horse. "If I knew then what I know now, I would never have gotten on one unless I knew somebody like Jim," she said. Swanner said anybody can learn natural horsemanship and he noted he only started handling horses daily six years ago. He grew up in Limestone County and rode regularly as a youth. But as an adult, he got caught up in the corporate world and didn't ride again until six years ago when he moved to Eva. "You know God gave everybody a talent," he said. "It took me 52 years to learn what my talent is. This is what I'm going to do the rest of my life."
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Seeing results: Learning center helps children meet challenges of autism 08/07/2006 Opelika-Auburn News William White		Return to Top
Young children with autism see growth at a center which puts these preschool children with typical peers and Auburn University psychology students in an learning environment for all involved. "Auburn is the only school in the state that has this particular training program in their psychology department," said Jerre Brimer, co-founder of The Learning Tree Inc. "They are to be commended for starting this program. They're training people to be support personnel and specialists in school settings and other kinds of settings." Measurement of the success in a setting like this is almost immediate, says the head of the university's program. "This is one of those programs where the measure is immediate," said Dr. Barry Burkhart, chairman of AU's psychology department. "We get to see, almost immediately, the effect of training our students. You can see it in the changes of behavior in the children. "Change is inevitable. Growth is optional," the chairman of AU's psychology department said. "When the kids work with our students, we see growth and not just change. Change can be bad if it is not managed." Burkhart said the department of psychology has a real commitment to giving back to the state, and in some ways, this program may be their most direct deposit in giving back to the state. "Every one of these students are working with kids every day. When they leave they take with them an expertise that they didn't have and the state doesn't have. It's like we take the intellectual capital of the university and deliver it across the state." Brimer, Burkhart along with both Learning Tree and Little Tree staffs, AU students, graduate students and faculty and guests meet over a meal at Auburn City Limits recently to look back over the first year's progress. Little Tree's program director Holly Rogers said the children with autism come for four hours a day. "We serve eight children with autism and eight typical children from 2½ to 5 years old. The children with autism come for four hours a day. They come in two shifts: morning from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and second shift from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Our typical kids are there all day long." Rogers said they hope to get these children into the regular school system. "Our goal is to get them into the regular education classroom. We have six kids in our classroom. There are only two children with autism in there and four typical children. This gives them special interaction and peer interaction that they need. We always have two staff in there continuously." Rogers said the AU Department of Psychology is how the center runs. "If we didn't have the graduate students and undergraduate students, then we couldn't survive. Except for our paid staff, our staff comes strictly from psychology students." The program director, who moved up from the residential program near Mobile, said this center is well beyond her expectations. "The level of engagement, the level of programming, and individualized goals for kids are above what I expected. "The data that we have shows them growing. Kids who did not talk when they entered the program are talking now. Kids that didn't interact with other kids are now interacting, playing and saying hi and bye and all that stuff." Brimer and his wife, Pat Murphy, founded The Learning Tree Inc. more than 20 years ago after working as public school teachers for multiple handicap and deaf students. As The Learning Tree, the company operates residential homes in Mobile, Jacksonville and Tallassee for children and adults ages 7 to 21 with developmental disabilities who engage in challenging behaviors. For the past 23 years, Learning Tree Inc. has served those individuals for Alabama’s departments of education, mental health and mental retardation and human resources. In an interview before he went on a fund-raising bike ride for the center in late May, Brimer said it has been critical to get the early intervention education with typical peers at the center. "They learn patience," he said. "They learn tolerance for diversity. It's a really great learning experience for them." He said up to 88 percent of children with autism will develop challenging behaviors if they have not had the opportunity to interact with their typical peers as role models. "If you can get to them early and establish good positive behavior early on then you’re being proactive from them ever needing to be referred to residential kinds of services." In less than a year, the local center has seen "tremendous results" by combining the autistic children with nonautistic children in a preschool setting that includes art and music programs and social skills development. "Just look at the data and it's obvious to see the progress our kids are making," he said. The Little Tree Learning Center in Auburn, which opened in July 2005, is a service project of Learning Tree Inc., and is grant-funded, with primary assistance from the Alabama State Department of Education, and in collaboration with the Department of Psychology at Auburn University. Brimer's more than 520-mile, fund-raising bike ride took him from The Little Tree Learning Center's parking lot to Marianna and Panama City, Fla., and back to Montgomery and Auburn. At the recent dinner at Auburn City Limits, the 55-year-old said there were a few unexpected things along the way, like when he broke a spoke in Panama City, but the surprise of the ride happened in Crenshaw County in south Alabama. "I stayed the night in Opp. The next morning it was a quarter to five when I hit the road. I was going across rural Crenshaw County after six o’clock in the morning. "I have driven across Crenshaw County in the past, but never really looked at anything. It was Memorial Day and all the people were getting their grills out and getting ready for the holiday. I thought this is really nice. This is what America is all about. Families were getting together in this real rural area. I came back telling people how pretty Crenshaw County was. "People were nice on the road," he said. "Everybody was real polite. I got on the road before 5 a.m. and did about 88 miles a day on the bike. I had about 50 miles done by 9 a.m. and broke the trip to 10-mile segments and taking breaks." Brimer said that his ride, which raised more than $6,000, was a way to help provide tuition for the children at the center. "We subsidize the children's tuition. We provide the therapy, and everything that we provide them nationally averages $40,000 a year per child. That’s what a public school would pay to provide those services. "We are providing that for the parents, just saying you pay anything you can," he said. "We pick up the rest and will help you. I thought the ride would be a good way to help raise money for the parents to use toward tuition for the kids."
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Aetos Technologies wins award for CytoViva technology 08/07/2006 Health & Medicine Week		Return to Top
This story also appeared in Biotech Business Week. The optical microscopy-imaging system in this story was invented by AU Professor Vitaly Vodyanoy. CytoViva, an optical microscopy-imaging system, has been selected by R & D Magazine as one of the top 100 most technologically significant products introduced to the marketplace in 2006. Invented at Auburn University and commercialized by Aetos Technologies, Inc., CytoViva is a revolutionary product combining fluorescence and high resolution optical imaging to create a new, unparalleled level of microscopy performance. This unique system allows researchers to view both fluorescent and non-fluorescent sample structures simultaneously, in real-time and at high resolution. To date, the CytoViva system has been used by scientists representing laboratories in academic, government and private industry sectors. Research in these laboratories include initiatives focused on infectious disease, nanotechnology and drug discovery. For example, CytoViva enables observation of the toxic effect of nano-particles used for targeted drug delivery. Charles T. Ludwig, president of the company's CytoViva division, notes, In its first year of commercialization, applications for CytoViva have already extended beyond traditional biological research to include materials science based researchers, many of whom are on the forefront of the nanotechnology revolution. We are honored to receive this award as it further validates what our scientific customers have already told us about CytoViva's ability to impact their research efforts. The R & D 100 Awards were established in 1963 and have recognized winning products such as the automated teller machine, halogen lamp, fax machine, liquid crystal display, Nicoderm antismoking patch and HDTV. All entries are initially judged by more than 50 outside, independent, experts chosen from professional consultants, university faculty, and industrial researchers with superior expertise and experience in the areas they are judging. Aetos will be recognized in the September edition of R & D Magazine and at the 44th annual banquet held in Chicago, where the magazine is based. Aetos' chairman and CEO, Thomas R. Lawrence, said, This award once again demonstrates that our universities have technologies that have commercial viability. Having a mechanism such as Aetos Technologies to move research from laboratory to market plays a critical role in commercial success stories. This article was prepared by Health & Medicine Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Health & Medicine Week via NewsRx.com. Copyright © 2006 Health & Medicine Week via NewsRx.com


Beer sales falling flat as wine, other beverages grow in popularity 08/06/2006 Pittsburgh Post Gazette Ben Boselovic		Return to Top
Michael R. Solomon, an AU professor whose specialty is consumer behavior, is quoted in this story. If the above phrase leaves an oxymoronic aftertaste on your palate, you have an idea of what beer makers are up against. U.S. beer shipments last year were flatter than a stale ale, falling 0.1 percent according to the Beer Institute. The industry group says shipments to the U.S. market -- which accounted for about 86 percent of overall business -- declined 2.2 percent to 178.8 million barrels. The drop was offset by a 7.2 percent increase in imports and an 8 percent increase in exports. Shipments fell in 30 states including Pennsylvania, where they declined less than 1 percent to 8.6 million barrels. Meanwhile, the Wine Institute reports wine consumption grew 5.2 percent in 2005 while the Distilled Spirits Council says sales rose 2.9 percent based on the volume of alcohol sold. Marketing experts say the disparity indicates the degree to which wine and distilled spirits producers have capitalized on changing consumer tastes. Drinkers are more sophisticated, willing to try something new, and looking for different beverages that are appropriate for different occasions. More importantly, they don't want to be seen drinking the same thing as everybody else. Brewers, long criticized for advertising that targeted the lowest common denominator, are finally realizing that a crucial market is more sophisticated than their baby boomer parents. 'This twentysomething is so different from anything we've seen before,' says Judy Ramberg of Iconoculture, a consumer research consulting firm. 'They don't want to be seen as a guzzler, a dumb guy, six-pack drinker. They want to be seen as a connoisseur.' The beer industry created those perceptions with high-priced advertising Old Milwaukee's Swedish Bikini Team, Miller Lite's 'Catfight' ad featuring two scantily clad women trying to resolve the 'tastes great, less filing' debate, and Coors Light's bikini twins. Chart How beer, wine and distilled spirits stack up 'When you drink a lot of wine, you're refined. When you drink a lot of beer, you're just a beer drinker,' says Michael R. Solomon, an Auburn University professor whose specialty is consumer behavior. Perception is only part of the problem. While major brands such as Budweiser, Miller Lite and Coors Light still dominate the market, all the growth is coming from craft brewers and imports. That reflects what Mr. Solomon calls 'some sort of boredom with the major brands.' Drinkers want something unique, something that makes them stand out. 'Domestic beer occupies this territory of being ordinary, every day,' says Jim Forrest, vice president of Synovate, a market research firm. 'It's hard to get incremental growth when you're perceived to be ordinary and every day.' Mr. Forrest says wine and distilled spirits producers have done a good job of fashioning strategies around occasions to consume their products. Craft and import beer producers have done the same, he says. The popularity of wine and other beverages such as Doc Otis' Hard Lemon Malt Beverage and Mike Hard Lemonade have taken a bite out of beer sales. Click photo for larger image. The importance of appealing to more discriminating, higher-brow tastes is evident in the distilled spirits industry. While overall sales grew 8 percent last year, sales of premium products grew at a double-digit clip, says David Ozgo, chief economist for the Distilled Spirits Council. Consumers view a $30 or $40 bottle of vodka as an affordable luxury and 'tend to want to drink better,' he says. Brewers are catching on. To tap demand for specialty brews, Anheuser-Busch introduced Beach Bum Blonde Ale this summer, the fourth in its lineup of seasonal beers. 'Beach' and 'blonde' may conjure images of previous advertising, but the marketing literature takes the high road, highlighting the ale's 'rich golden color, pleasant hop aroma and slightly spicy and malty taste.' The industry hopes to capitalize on more discriminating palates through its Here's To Beer campaign, an initiative spearheaded largely by Anheuser-Busch. Advertising features Spike Lee and other famous people describing who they'd like to share a beer with. 'You want to romance the product. The young consumer wants a variety of experiences with their drink,' says Kevin Sproule, general manager of Fuhrer Eagle Sales and Service, the South Side wholesaler of Anheuser-Busch products. The St. Louis brewer has stakes in two craft brewers -- Redhook Ale Brewery of Seattle and Portland, Ore.-based Widmer Brothers Brewing. More recently, it paid $82 million for the Rolling Rock brands, beers that are marketed nationally but retain a cult following because of Rolling Rock's green bottle. Ms. Ramberg says Anheuser-Busch realizes it has to grow by increasing its portfolio of specialty products, not by getting more people to drink its flagship brands. The danger is that the specialty brands will lose some of their appeal if drinkers realize who's making them. 'If beer drinkers find out they're involved in some of these craft beers, they'll lose all of their cachet,' says Ms. Ramberg, a Heineken drinker. Mr. Forrest disagrees, arguing many drinkers don't connect the dots. He says many people in the industry don't realize Blue Moon Belgian White is made by Molson Coors, the world's fifth-largest brewer. Protests from diehard Rolling Rock aficionados notwithstanding, the iconic brew should give Anheuser-Busch a buzz. 'From a consumer standpoint, as long as they stay true to what that brand represents ... they'll still have the following,' Mr. Forrest says. There are some signs the industry's new approach is paying off. Nearly half of the 250 bartenders and bar managers surveyed recently by Synovate are forecasting domestic beer sales will top 2005 results, while only one out of 25 forecast a flat to light year for beer. 'Bartenders may be reacting to the domestic beer industry's renewed focus to appeal to a wider range of consumers and their innovative strategies to make beer consumption more palatable,' Mr. Forrest says. (Len Boselovic can be reached at lboselovic@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1941. )
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Auburn U Year one, Day one 08/06/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
Editors note: This is the first in a series the Opelika-Auburn News is doing throughout the 2006-07 school year on the life of a freshman at Auburn University. Adjusting to life as a college freshman shouldn't be difficult for Lane Mobley. Her roommate is a childhood friend. Her older brother, Wes, lives in Auburn. Parents, Ray and Leesa, and boyfriend, Dick Norman, are 30-minutes away in Georgia. And her residence hall room has all the decorations of her bedroom in Columbus. 'I was so sad sleeping in my room last night,' she said. 'There was nothing in it.' Moving into the hall Saturday morning wasnt hectic or backbreaking at all, but practically effortless. It took the family all of 15 minutes to unload everything from Lanes Jeep Cherokee. 'I dont really know how its supposed to go,' said Mobley. 'I dont have anything to compare it to. I guess its going pretty well.' With an early start, she and roommate Nancy Roberts seemed to be ahead of the game, unpacking clothes while other girls on their floor were hauling boxes and luggage in. Many students moved in long before classes start Aug. 16 so they could participate in Rush Week this week. Mobley admitted to being more nervous about rushing than the start of school because it happens first. She believes it will be a good experience though because it will be an easy way to meet people beyond her floormates. Mobley could have let Auburn assign a roommate, but thought it would be better to live with someone familiar. Since Roberts was bound for Auburn too, they agreed to try it. Another familiar face, a high school classmate, lives two rooms down the hall. 'We know well get along,' guaranteed Roberts. They didn't plan on much except for who was bringing a TV and who was bringing a microwave and getting matching bedding. As they unpacked, they didnt seem to double-up on anything, except for bathroom scales. Mobleys might go to her brother. Both brought their share of photo arrays. A shelving unit the Mobleys purchased Friday was quickly filled with multiple frames, leaving no room for books. Her dictionary is on the side of it. 'I don't know (where I will put those). Those aren't important,' Mobley said. A place for food and books is to be determined. Saying goodbye to mom and dad wasn't difficult. No tears were shed. It probably won't be too long before she sees them again anyway. It won't be hard to part with Norman, a high school senior, either. The couple have been dating for about a year. Mobley plans to visit him every Tuesday after class and every weekend. She has to make it home for Friday night football, but vowed to return home - to Auburn - for Saturday AU games. 'We travel for football,' Mobley stressed. Mobley enjoyed high school at Brookstone School so much, she wouldn't mind being there another year. But, on the other hand, is excited to see what life in Auburn as a freshman will be like. 'I'm anxious to see if my freshman year will top my senior year (of high school),' she said. aweaver@oanow.com 737-2534
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AU needs more from provost position 08/06/2006 Montgomery Advertiser Letters to the Editor		Return to Top
The latest Auburn scandal, 'GradeGate,' stems from the lack of oversight of an academic program at Auburn University. For those of us on the inside, that comes as no real surprise. Academics have taken a beating at Auburn ever since Dr. Muse created the position of provost in the early 1990s. The intent was good -- to place somebody of impeccable academic credentials in charge of the academic side of the university. However, the trouble has been that we have suffered through a series of interim or in-house 'usual suspects' in this important office from the get go. The one person truly hired from outside the AU 'family' lasted only a few months. During the past 10-plus years, not only have we had the turmoil related to lack of leadership from a true president, we have not had a true provost overseeing the academic side of things. This is not a trivial thing. Along with the president, the provost and vice president for research serve at the pleasure of the board of trustees, and therein has been the problem, of course. Until AU has a real president who can come in and recruit good second-tier administrators (from outside AU), the academic problems will persist. Similarly, the lack of a real admissions policy or plan for recruiting the most qualified students to AU stems from this same problem. But people only seem to care when football gets dragged into it. Jim Saunders Professor of Geology Auburn UniversityAuburn
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