Untitled Document

Monday, September 11, 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: 17

	Date	Outlet
AU lecture series continues Tuesday	09/11/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Area honors Patriot Day	09/11/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Poll finds 35 percent of young Alabamians would avoid draft	09/11/2006	Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Loophole lets students pull double duty	09/11/2006	Athens Banner-Herald
Outdoors notebook	09/11/2006	Birmingham News
Education Briefs	09/11/2006	Birmingham News
Auburn-Opelika: Area's economic potential touted in magazines	09/11/2006	Montgomery Advertiser
UAB to test minority teacher training plan	09/11/2006	Birmingham News
AU enrollment at all-time high	09/11/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Exercise, food safety all part of day at office	09/11/2006	The Kitchener Record
AU prof's work proves employees perform better with incentives	09/10/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Pine beetle's havoc spreads among trees	09/10/2006	Tuscaloosa News
Maybe 'blue laws' weren't so bad	09/10/2006	Christian Science Monitor
UA passes Auburn in enrollment	09/10/2006	Tuscaloosa News
Keep vigilant against armyworms, which can wreak havoc in the fall	09/09/2006	Shawnee News-Star, The
AU enrollment hits an all-time high	09/09/2006	Montgomery Advertiser
Life In A Brush Pile	09/09/2006	MyMotherLode.com


AU lecture series continues Tuesday 09/11/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Community News, Staff Report		Return to Top
This Community News section covers an AU College of Education Truman Pierce Institute initiative as well as the lecture series. Auburn Universitys 'Auburn Through The Years' lecture series, created for AUs 150th anniversary year and featuring highlights of its history, will continue Tuesday with talks by Martin Olliff and Harold A. Franklin on desegregation at Auburn. The 'Auburn University Desegregates' lecture is at 4 p.m. in the Special Collections Room of AUs Ralph B. Draughon Library. Franklin enrolled at AU in 1964 as the universitys first African American student. His action was a defining moment in the history of the university as it grappled with the tensions of pro- and anti-segregation sentiments. Olliff directs the Archives of Wiregrass History and Culture at Troy University in Dothan, and has researched and written about this period in Auburns history. The lecture series continues Sept. 21, when the Alabama Cooperative Extension System hosts an exhibit of Works Progress Administration paintings depicting the history of agriculture in Alabama. The exhibit will open at 4 p.m. in Foy Union gallery with a lecture by Extension Art Specialist Bruce Dupree. The paintings, by Mobile native John Augustus Walker, were first displayed at the 1939 Alabama State Fair in Birmingham in an exhibit titled Historical Panorama of Alabama Agriculture. The WPA exhibit will also be open before the AU versus Buffalo game Sept. 23, with Walkers son on hand to talk about his fathers work. For more information and a schedule of lectures, please visit www.auburn.edu/150 or call the Center for the Arts & Humanities at 334-844-4946. The lectures are sponsored by the Auburn University Libraries, AU Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, AU Outreach and the AU Sesquicentennial Committee. College of education earns grant to help rural schools The Truman Pierce Institute in Auburn Universitys College of Education will use a $200,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help rural school systems in four Alabama counties overcome the difficulties they face in recruiting and training highly qualified teachers. The grant will fund 'Sustaining School Success,' TPIs school improvement initiative designed to expand professional development opportunities for administrators, teacher leaders and student leaders in Alabamas Fayette, Hale, Macon and Tallapoosa counties. Specific goals of this grant include improving instruction in kindergarten through 12th grade, helping first-year educators and administrators transition into their new roles, reducing the dropout rates and increasing the number of students seeking higher education. 'It is the AU College of Educations goal to develop competent, committed and reflective professionals,' said Dean Frances Kochan. 'Through the Truman Pierce Institute initiatives and ARC funding we can achieve that goal by serving those in critical education positions, and thereby the students, who represent the regions future.' TPI strives to foster collaboration between higher education and public schools, develop partnerships, provide programs for schools that help build leadership capacity, and improve conditions within schools and communities that influence the effectiveness of leadership.
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Area honors Patriot Day 09/11/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Tamiko Lowery		Return to Top
This story mentions AU's participation through the AU Program Council and the AU Department of Communication and Journalism. Old Glory will be flying at half-staff today in Lee County to remember those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. President Bush proclaimed Sept. 11 as Patriot Day. On this day, the President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff and displayed from individual American homes, at the White House and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments - home and abroad. The President also asks Americans to observe a moment of silence beginning at 7 46 a.m. CDT marking the first plane crash on Sept. 11, 2001. Patriot ribbons, sponsored by the Auburn University Program Council, will be handed out from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today along Haley Concourse for all AU students, faculty and staff to wear. Meanwhile former CNN Middle East Bureau Chief Jerry Levin and his wife, Dr. Sis Hare Levin, will accompany a group of local 'concerned citizens' on a visit to Congressman Mike Rogers Opelika office where Cheryl Cunningham, Rogers representative, will meet with the group at 11 30 a.m. 'For us, the patriotic thing to do on Monday is to visit our government officials and let them hear from us, their constituents,' Auburn resident Lu Stand said. 'We have ideas how to make our country a better place and we expect them to listen.' Later in the day, the Levins will speak at Auburn University during John Carvalhos 2 p.m. journalism class at 301B Tichenor, where the public is invited. Levin was based in Beirut when he was kidnapped by extremists in 1984 and held captive for almost a year. Following Levins speech, the AU Department of Communication and Journalism will hold an informal 3 p.m. reception in Logue Library to give faculty, students and the public the chance to interact with the couple. The Levins, who are currently based in the Middle East and involved in projects promoting non-violence, will also participate in a Patriot Day Vigil at 5 p.m. at Toomers Corner and then at 7 30 p.m. will speak at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thach Ave., where Jerry Levin will address, 'The Piece Process Continues The Struggle Against Myths, Propaganda, Annexation and Violence in Palestine and Israel.' Dr. Sis Hare Levin, who is the great niece of Auburns Cliff Hare, will speak about her PeaceBuilder program in Bethlehem for Muslim, Jewish and Christian teachers and students, 'Education for Peace The Unique Violence Prevention Method.'
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Poll finds 35 percent of young Alabamians would avoid draft 09/11/2006 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Associated Press		Return to Top
This AP story also appeared in the Press-Register, Herald-Tribune, Gadsden Times and the TimesDaily. MONTGOMERY, Ala. - About 35 percent of the young Alabamians in a poll published Sunday said they would try to avoid military service if the nation reinstated a draft, but more than 60 percent said they would either enlist or comply with the draft when their number came up. A poll of people younger than 30 found that 20 percent said they would pursue any means to avoid being drafted, and another 15 percent said they would pursue legal options to avoid serving in the military during a draft. But the Press-Register/University of South Alabama poll found that a majority of young people surveyed - 62 percent - said they would either enlist before being drafted or willingly accept being drafted. South Alabama political scientist Keith Nicholls, who directed the poll, said he expected a higher percentage of young people to express opposition to the draft and to state plans to avoid it. He added, though: "That 35 percent who would attempt to avoid a draft is not an insignificant number, and the majority of them said they would choose any option available to get out of being drafted." The poll, which surveyed 801 adult Alabamians of varying ages from Aug. 28 through last Thursday, found that 35 percent of respondents would approve of a draft being reinstated, while 57 percent would disapprove. A college GOP leader who supports President Bush said the numbers weren't what he expected. "I'm surprised that that many people would admit to draft dodging," said Blake Harris, an Auburn University junior who serves as president of the Alabama College Republicans. Harris' Democratic counterpart, Corey Shepherd, said he also was surprised at the number of young people who admitted they would seek a way out of service. The administration has repeatedly said there were no plans to reinstate a draft, last used during the Vietnam War. The Pentagon says the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force are all meeting or exceeding their recruiting goals.
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Loophole lets students pull double duty 09/11/2006 Athens Banner-Herald Rebecca K. Quigley		Return to Top
AU is mentioned in this story.* University of Georgia junior Brooks Andrews doesn't mind if his peers think he's an overachiever because he's finishing a master's degree within the same four years as his two bachelor's degrees. Andrews also plays golf at UGA, is on the Terry College of Business Dean's Council and is working on a community service economic development project for Athens' Hancock neighborhood. "I've gotten a little bit of flak from my friends ... but it's all relative," said the student from Marietta. Andrews is one of 106 ambitious undergrads working to finish graduate degrees along with bachelor's degrees within four years at UGA. And along the way many of them have found a loophole in the HOPE grant program, which is meant to fund just bachelor's degrees. By delaying completing the requirements for their bachelor's degree until the end of their four years at UGA - because HOPE eligibility requires a student be an undergraduate - many students have found a way to also pay for the advanced degree with the scholarship. The basic concept of HOPE was to help residents of Georgia complete undergraduate degrees, said Tom Daniel, senior vice chancellor for external affairs at the University System of Georgia. According to state law, undergraduate students at UGA can use HOPE for a maximum of 127 credit hours, with the exception of five and six-year professional programs such as pharmacy. "Institutions don't have any more flexibility than the law allows," Daniel said. But because students can test out of as many as four semesters of college at UGA, which accepts an unlimited number of advanced placement courses from students who earn a high enough score on the tests, some students have managed to squeeze the rest of their undergraduate classes and two years of grad school out of the HOPE. "I personally think it's great if people work that hard in high school to get enough credit hours (to earn both degrees)," said Sen. Brian Kemp, R-Athens. "On the flip side, that's the reason why we capped the number of hours (allowed with HOPE)." Some other SEC schools allow students to rack up an unlimited number of credits for AP scores, including Auburn University and the University of Kentucky. Vanderbilt University allows a maximum of 18 credits toward graduation while University of Mississippi allows a maximum of 63. The majority of the 106 students in both master's and bachelor's programs came to UGA with more than one advanced placement course that earn them an average of 12 credits per student toward an undergraduate degree, according to university reports. Andrews received 53 credit hours towards an undergraduate degree because he came to UGA with eight or nine AP classes that he began taking as early as his sophomore year. Andrews essentially started UGA as a junior, thanks to a combination of AP credits and a handful of summer courses Andrews took before starting full-time in fall 2003. "Until last semester, I had not taken a science, math or literature class in college," said Andrews, who plans to graduate in May 2007 with a bachelor's in finance, and a bachelor's and a master's in economics. "It's kinda sad because that should be a part of college education." UGA administrators see the dual track as a boon for keeping more top students in the state and at UGA. A higher-caliber pool of applicants with more and more AP courses under their belts, student interest and buy-in from the UGA business school and the Honors Program have all contributed to the phenomenon that has only happened in the last five years, said UGA Vice President for Instruction Del Dunn. "The ability for students to pursue both (a master's and a bachelor's degree) is an advantage in recruiting good students," Dunn said. The number of students working toward both degrees still is small enough that it shouldn't have much effect on HOPE scholarship availability for Georgia students, he said. "I think students that come here should be able to take as much training away as they can, and this is one way to do it," Dunn said. The students are better prepared for the job market because they've accomplished much more in their four years at UGA, he said. Andrews, a year before graduation, received a job offer from an investment banking company in New York where he interned over the summer. "It helped to differentiate me from other people ... like when I went up against someone from Princeton," he said, explaining that he was offered the job over 110 undergraduate interns, most of whom came from Ivy League schools.
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Outdoors notebook 09/11/2006 Birmingham News		Return to Top
This outdoors news roundup mentions AU's Department of Fisheries. Oak Mountain State Park will host three archery hunts this season in an effort to further reduce the deer herd at the park. The hunts are scheduled for Nov. 28-29, Dec. 19-20 and Jan. 23-24. An online registration process will randomly select 80 hunters for the three hunts. Registration opened Friday and closes Oct. 31 at www.outdooralabama.com. Conservation officials have announced several changes, hoping to increase the overall deer harvest. Changes include allowing the 80 hunters to participate in all three hunts and increasing the bag limit to three per day, one of which may be antlered. A $6 fee payable by debit/credit card is required at the time of registration. Applicants may register more than once. The 80 chosen hunters pay $50 per hunt to help offset costs associated with closing the park and conducting the hunts. Dove hunters warned of season's start date State wildlife officials are warning dove hunters that the correct opening date for the north zone season is Sept. 16. An incorrect opening date was published in a commercial hunting and fishing magazine being sold in the state. "It should be a reminder to all hunters to consult Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources publications for official seasons, bag limits and hunting regulations," said Chief of Law Enforcement Allan Andress. "By using these official resources, hunters can be assured they are hunting during the legal season." Alabama to protect shoal bass Alabama will shut down the harvest of shoal bass in the tributaries of the Chattahoochee River beginning Oct. 1 as a result of studies that show immediate protection is needed for the species. Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries in conjunction with the Auburn University Department of Fisheries began a study in 2004 examining the status of shoal bass in Alabama. After extensive sampling in all available shoal bass habitats, few fish were collected, and only one viable population was observed. The shoal bass is one of five bass species found in Alabama. In Alabama the shoal bass is found only in the tributaries of the Chattahoochee River drainage system. Compiled by News staff writer Mike Bolton.
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Education Briefs 09/11/2006 Birmingham News		Return to Top
This roundup of education briefs mentions iPods for AU's Executive MBA students. Wallace State Community College-Hanceville will host a celebration of Hispanic and Latin American culture from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Monday in the lobby and auditorium of the James C. Bailey Center. The event will feature a discussion about culture by a panel of guests from Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala and Panama, a Latin dancing exhibition and lessons and music by a Mariachi band. U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, will speak at 2 p.m. Monday at a meeting sponsored by the University of Montevallo Student Government Association and the UM chapter of Habitat for Humanity. It will be in the Merchants and Planters Band Auditorium in Comer Hall. The University of Alabama will commemorate the nation's second Constitution Day with a forum, "The Tension Between Liberty and Security in the Aftermath of 9/11." It will begin at 3 p.m. Sept.18 in Room 151 of Shelby Hall. The University of Alabama College of Engineering will host Engineering Day, an open house for high school students and their families, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 5. E-Day gives prospective students a closer look at the College of Engineering via tours, exhibits, and information on housing, scholarships, financial aid and honors programs. FURTHERMORE The University of West Alabama Foundation's board of directors recently named Gladys M. Mason of Camden, a 1973 graduate and a member of the board since its inception, the first director emeritus of the foundation board. New officers of the board are Kenneth Tucker of Demopolis, chairman; Hal Bloom Jr. of Montgomery, vice chairman; and retired faculty member Glen Bridges of Livingston, a 1951 graduate, treasurer. New members of the board are UWA alumni Tommy Bryan of Livingston, Jody Wise Campbell of Bay Minette, and Andy Coats and Dan Young of Birmingham. Four students at The University of Alabama have received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship. They are Crystal M. Lowe of Dothan, Michelle McGaha of Albertville, Jackson Switzer of Gulfport, Miss., and Dylan Whisenhunt of Vestavia Hills. Auburn University's College of Business provided video iPods this fall to students in its Executive M.B.A. programs. Students entering the Class of 2008 executive M.B.A. and physicians executive M.B.A. classes received video iPods loaded with business basics such as accounting, economics, marketing and finance. The University of Alabama will receive a $937,867 grant for conducting research to evaluate programs designed to reduce youth violence. The grant is administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the Department of Justice. Troy University has begun a realignment that places all of its international programs under one administrator. The programs are now under the administration of University College, the division that operates all Troy campuses outside of Alabama.
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Auburn-Opelika: Area's economic potential touted in magazines 09/11/2006 Montgomery Advertiser Bob Lowry		Return to Top
David Laband, an economist at AU, is quoted in this story. AUBURN -- Prime location and superior education: Those are the reasons cited repeatedly by economists, bankers, industrial recruiters and chamber of commerce officials for the Auburn-Opelika area's rise to the top nationally in economic development and job growth. Entrepreneur magazine this month ranked the adjoining cities No. 1 nationally among small cities for best places to start and grow companies, while the Sept. 9 issue of Forbes magazine rated Auburn No. 20 on its list of "Best Small Places for Business." Auburn, a city of 51,000, also was rated No. 1 in rapid growth. A series of education reports in the 1980s and 1990s ranking the Auburn public school system among the top in the state and nation convinced thousands of new residents to move to Auburn during the past 25 years. Between 1980 and 2003, Auburn's population grew by 65 percent, and its economy expanded by 220 percent. The unprecedented growth in Auburn does have its critics, however, who point to the sprawl of fast-food joints, car dealerships and strip malls along busy South College Street -- the once-quiet gateway from Interstate 85 to the city. Terry Rodriguez, who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in the Aug. 22 city elections, said Auburn needs to do more to protect green spaces and the aesthetics of the college town. "The council has talked about balanced growth and smart growth, but it hasn't happened," she said. Growth has brought additional jobs with new business and industry, but it also has required spending on infrastructure, such as new schools, medical facilities and highways. The East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, which serves five counties, is undergoing a $42 million expansion that will expand its capacity from 270 beds to 352 beds. Transportation has played an important role with the expansion and building of new I-85 exits to both cities. Also U.S. 280, an east-west trucking link, has been expanded west of Auburn through Opelika to connect with U.S. 431 and I-85. For Opelika, its Tiger Town, a larger version of Montgomery's Shoppes at EastChase shopping center, opened two years ago, and is continuing to add major retailers and restaurants. Wendi Routhier, president of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, said growth in Lee County has exploded, in part, because of its location. "Location has lined up beautifully for our area," she said. "For example, we can get to the Atlanta airport quicker than people living in north Atlanta. "We've got an extremely low unemployment rate (3.3 percent). People coming here are finding jobs in all sectors -- manufacturing, retail and service. We have incredible health care, and we're only 17 minutes from Kia (a proposed automobile assembly plant in West Point, Ga.)." David Laband, an economist at Auburn University, says the university, which has 23,000 students at its main campus, itself is a draw. "Convincing highly skilled employees to relocate to Auburn is a pretty easy sell," he said. Business and industry also like the area because of the quality of the public schools. For example, Auburn High School was ranked No. 55 in the nation this year in Newsweek magazine's annual education survey. "People move here specifically for the schools," said Laband. "Then they commute back to their jobs in Columbus (Ga.) or Montgomery. That makes the schools an extra selling point for Auburn." Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller last week was entertaining an industrial prospect from Korea that he said was impressed that his city of 30,000 was near a major research university, only an hour from the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, about 20 minutes from the proposed Kia plant and an hour from the Atlanta airport. "He loved the fact that he could drive an hour, get on an Korean Air flight for a direct flight to Seoul, and return and check out his plant here within an hour's drive from the airport," said Fuller. Phillip Dunlap, Auburn's director of economic development, says much of the growth was fueled by the automotive industry that sprung up in Alabama after Mercedes-Benz first built an assembly plant near Tuscaloosa. "Prior to Mercedes' coming, Alabama didn't build cars. (Their coming) made Alabama a hot place to do business," he said. "If you look at the region, it was really quite a sign of success we had in attracting major automobile plants like Hyundai in Montgomery, the Kia plant in Georgia and all the spin-off plants." Auburn has not gone after major industry, choosing instead to recruit what Dunlap describes as "value-added technology-based industry," including small manufacturers that make components for the Corvette, Chrysler's Crossfire, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mercedes and Toyota. "I think we've paced ourselves fairly well," he said. "We don't go after every industry that comes down the road. If it's not a match, we pass." Over the past decade, he said the city has recruited more than a dozen international companies. "They like it because it (the city) has an international flavor. We have a cosmopolitan atmosphere even though we're small, because we have people from everywhere here." The growth of the Auburn-Opelika area is even more remarkable, considering that it was recognized only as a Standard Metropolitan Area -- meaning it had reached a minimum population of 100,000 -- following the 2000 census. Now, it's the fastest-growing SMA in Alabama and ranked 19th in the United States. "We have been successful in retail and industrial recruiting and new business over the past three to five years," said Ronnie Wilson, president of Columbus Bank & Trust and chairman of the Opelika Industrial Development Authority. "In large part, that's been because of our location, our access to the interstate and Auburn University in general." One of the concerns of many Auburn residents is a move by developers to buy up property near downtown and build multilevel "game-day" condominiums." The condos are sold to out-of-town Auburn football fans who only use them for football weekends. "A lot of people are concerned about the aesthetics of downtown," said Rodriguez. "We don't want to see a four-story game-day condo on (Toomer's Corner)." To address the concern, the city has formed the seven-member Urban Core Task Force, headed by former Mayor Jan Dempsey. The panel is scheduled to present its findings on how to preserve the aesthetics of downtown in November.
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UAB to test minority teacher training plan 09/11/2006 Birmingham News Patrick Hickerson		Return to Top
AU is mentioned as a participant in this program. The National Science Foundation has tapped UAB for a pilot program seeking to increase the number of minority teachers with math, science and technology backgrounds. The University of Alabama at Birmingham will receive $600,000 to select 17 students who will receive full tuition and fees with a $20,000 stipend, housing allowance, student teaching assignment and job placement. The Bridge to Teaching pilot program includes two other universities, City University of New York and Arizona State. "They want to put it in different locations. They want someone in the South," said Louis Dale, UAB vice president for equity and diversity. He has three math degrees, including a doctorate from the University of Alabama. Dale said UAB is recruiting students for the January semester with the expectation that the students will have their teaching certificates by January 2008. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents; have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale; and, by December, earn a bachelor's degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics from a college or university participating in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Participating Alabama colleges are UAB, University of Alabama, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Auburn University, Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University, Miles College, Tuskegee University, Oakwood College, Stillman College and Talladega College. Interested students can obtain an application by calling 934-8762 or e-mailing Dale at ldale@uab.edu. The lure of higher-paying jobs in the private sector for math and science graduates isn't a barrier, Dale said. "What we have found in Alabama is that everyone who gets an undergraduate degree does not fit the mold of wanting to make a lot of money," he said. "There are those people who get an undergraduate degree who really want to become teachers."
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AU enrollment at all-time high 09/11/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
In its 150 years, Auburn University has never enrolled as many students as it did this year. Numbers released by the university's Office of Institutional Research and Assessment show a total enrollment for the fall semester of 23,547, surpassing last year's record high of 23,333. In addition, AU received an unprecedented 15,921 applications for fall semester 2006 from new freshmen, a 12 percent increase from the 14,249 applications received for fall semester 2005. "Indicators for Auburn's future are very bright and our record enrollment is an example of that," said AU President Ed Richardson. "These numbers are evidence that there is still a great demand for an Auburn education. In fact, our demand for 2007 is already exceeding what we would have expected." There is also a vast increase in the number of minority students attending Auburn. A record 691 minority freshmen currently enrolled represents a 17 percent increase over last year's minority freshman class of 574. Of those 691, 481 are African-American, which is almost 100 more than last year. The total number of freshmen enrolled is 4,092, down slightly from last year's record of 4,197. "While the number of new freshmen enrolled for fall 2006 is less than our all-time high from last year, that number reflects the university’s desire to manage our enrollment to match our available resources," said John Fletcher, AU's assistant vice president for enrollment management services. AU enrolled 2,472 new freshmen from in-state, four more than last fall, and 1,620 out-of-state new freshmen, a decrease from the 1,729 admitted last fall. AU's freshman class averages a 24.3 ACT score and a 3.56 high school grade point average. Fletcher attributed the increase in overall enrollment partially to an increase in the number of transfer students enrolled. AU enrolled 1,278 new transfer students, an increase of more than 200 enrolled last year. Fletcher also cited AU's ranking among the top 50 public institutions for the 14th consecutive year by U.S. News and World Report as an important factor leading to increased enrollment. Other fall semester enrollment numbers include 19,367 undergraduates, up from 19,254 last year; 935 first-year professional (veterinary medicine and pharmacy) students, up from 910 last year; and 3,245 graduate students, up from 3,169 last year. The numbers reported Thursday are official enrollment numbers, calculated after the 15th class day of every fall semester.
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Exercise, food safety all part of day at office 09/11/2006 The Kitchener Record		Return to Top
This story includes a quote by Barb Struempler, a nutritionist with AU's Nutrition and Food Science Department. When Elayne Bowden DeMary worked at an Aflac customer call centre, she was confined to her cubicle for more than seven hours of every eight-hour day. Yet she never experienced any of the injuries associated with being stuck at a desk. How did she manage it? "A lot of standing, a lot of stretching, a lot of shaking out your hands, a lot of rolling your shoulders and your neck," DeMary says, adding that she would stand and exercise as soon as she felt tired. She worked at the call centre for five years and still practises her desk-side exercises today. The way you sit at your desk influences the way you feel, mentally and physically. Slouching can contribute to conditions such as fatigue, eyestrain, headaches, repetitive-use injuries and muscle pain. Of desk-related injuries, "the most common things we see are the upper-extremity repetitive injuries like numbness and carpal-tunnel syndrome, and then the upper-back and lower-back postural strain," says Dr. Frank Kelly, an orthopedic surgeon who is on the board of directors of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Having a healthy workstation starts with how it is configured. Ideally, you should have enough work space and legroom to move around and change positions, and your keyboard height, chair and computer monitor should all be adjustable for your individual needs. But sometimes we have to work in old, muscle-unfriendly setups. In that case, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends varying your tasks so that, for instance, you type continuously for only 10 minutes before switching to phone calls or something else not centered on the computer. Sometimes disconnecting a few of the fluorescent bulbs above your desk will reduce glare on your monitor. If you don't have the power to make the changes to your work area, talk to someone who can. TRY EXERCISING Sherrie Williams, account executive for the Georgia Physical Therapy Association, detailed several quick exercises that can be performed at your desk. Done twice a day, these exercises get rid of tension and fatigue, improve circulation and prevent cramps and aches. (1 star) Legs: Stand up and lift up on the balls of your feet and your toes. (1 star) Back: Stand up, bend over, and let your head and arms dangle toward the floor to stretch the lower back. (1 star) Arms: Hold a stapler or a small three-hole punch and do arm curls. (1 star) Head and shoulders: Roll your head clockwise and counterclockwise. AVOID EYESTRAIN Reading or typing on a computer for extended periods can lead to eye discomfort and vision problems. Dr. Maurice E. Zadeh, an optometrist and president of the Georgia Optometric Association, says computer eyestrain can be caused by desk setup, bad lighting, uncorrected vision and/or dry eyes (we blink less in front of computers, which causes dryness). Eyestrain is marked by symptoms such as burning, redness, dryness, blurry vision, uneven vision or eye coordination, halo effects and/or headaches. Zadeh gives these tips : (1 star) Visit your optometrist once a year and talk about how much time you spend at a computer and whether you need glasses or contact lenses designed for computer use. (1 star) Avoid having direct light on the computer screen or in your line of vision. (1 star) If possible, adjust the room's lighting so that it's neither too dim nor too bright. (1 star) If possible, use incandescent rather than fluorescent bulbs. (1 star) Manually adjust the monitor's contrast or consider a glare filter to reduce the contrast on the screen, especially if it is an older model. (1 star) Take a 10-minute break for every hour spent at the computer. (1 star) Use rewetting drops if your eyes are dry. HEALTHY EATING It's not good to eat at your desk -- it's full of germs, and you should take a break. But if you have to, here are some tips to keep you safe. (1 star) Wash your hands. "Your hands carry a tremendous amount of bacteria, and if you can start with clean hands, I think you're halfway there," says Barb Struempler, a nutritionist with Auburn University's Nutrition and Food Science Department. (1 star) Keep disinfecting wipes handy. Wipe down your desk before you eat lunch. (1 star) Use a paper towel as a place mat. (1 star) Bring smart food choices for lunch and snacking. If you know you can't get away for lunch, bring it from home. Fresh fruit and low-calorie snacks will keep you in good working order. (1 star) Dole out portions beforehand. When you eat while working, you're distracted and might overeat. Measure out portions instead of eating straight from the container. IMPROVE YOUR FOCUS If your job requires concentration but you're easily distracted, the answer may be that you need even more distractions, but the right ones. Jack Groppel, adjunct professor at Northwestern University, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and author of The Corporate Athlete, says losing focus is a common problem. But we can retrain ourselves to concentrate with short breaks and mini-meals -- managing our energy instead of our time. Groppel's approach is based on the physical relationship between mind and body. Sitting quietly at a desk encourages our bodies to operate at their slowest metabolic rate, he says. If we make them function at a higher rate, we'll increase our concentration and productivity, and soon we might not even notice loud conversations around us. Here's how to do it: (1 star) Eat small, nutritious meals every three to four hours and stay hydrated. (1 star) Move around every 20 to 30 minutes by doing light exercises at your desk. (1 star) Every 90 minutes get out of your chair and walk down the hall, go to the bathroom or do anything else that gets you away from your computer.
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AU prof's work proves employees perform better with incentives 09/10/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Staff report		Return to Top
An Auburn University professor has helped prove that Catbert, the "evil" director of human resources character in the popular "Dilbert" comic strip, is wrong. A study of nearly 20,000 organizations shows that employee incentives really are good for business. Data from 19,319 organizations reveal that when a company emphasizes human resource activities such as incentive pay and flextime, it can enjoy a 10 to 20 percent improvement in employee retention, employee productivity, profitability and stock price, according to an upcoming study in the journal, Personnel Psychology. Meanwhile, companies that cut these programs can expect a 10 to 20 percent reduction in their bottom line. "Over the last 25 years, corporate America has debated whether the human resources function adds value or if it is just a necessary evil," said Dave Ketchen, study co-author and Lowder Eminent Scholar at Auburn. "Our results show that negative images of human resource managers miss the mark. Skilled HR managers can make the difference between a company making a profit or losing money." The study found that performance improvements are stronger when companies take a systematic approach to human resources rather than implementing one or two practices. "A firm can't view training or team-building as a magic bullet that will deliver profits," said Ketchen. "Executives need to adopt a strategic view of the human resource function and create sets of practices that reinforce each other." The study also found that human resource activities make a bigger difference among manufacturing firms than among service firms. "Manufacturing jobs often involve complex and dangerous machinery," said Ketchen. "In high performing companies, the services that the human resource function provides, such as safety and training, support other programs such as quality management and lean manufacturing systems to make sure that workers are safe, motivated, and productive." The study used a technique called meta-analysis to mathematically combine the findings of 92 previous studies published since the mid-1980s. Co-authors with Ketchen on the project were James Combs, Yongmei Liu, and Angela Hall, all of Florida State University
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Pine beetle's havoc spreads among trees 09/10/2006 Tuscaloosa News Robert DeWitt		Return to Top
"Auburn University foresters" are cited as source in this story. TUSCALOOSA \| There's no hiding a dead pine tree. Rusty brown against a field of forest green, their numbers have been growing rapidly during the last month.They're under stress because of the drought,' said Wayne Ford, Tuscaloosa County Extension Service coordinator. When they're stressed, that's when the pine beetles move in.'The number of pine beetle infestations exploded during the latter half of June and throughout July, said Dana McReynolds, forest health coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission. The state had only 21 beetle spots at the beginning of the year. By the end of July, there were 599.It takes several weeks for the trees to respond to the drought,' McReynolds said. In June and July, there was an explosion of beetle spots.'Southern pine beetles can also take a bite out of a landowner's wallet. Last year beetles did an estimated $893,000 in damage to Alabama forests. Three main species infest Alabama trees. The ips engraver beetle is currently the primary nuisance insect in southern Alabama, while the southern pine beetle -- the most destructive -- is wreaking havoc in northern Alabama, McReynolds said. The black turpentine beetle also attacks Alabama's pine trees.The insects bore into the bark and get into the cambium layer of the tree, Ford said. They eventually do enough damage to interrupt the flow of water from the roots and the flow of food down from the needles. At that point, the tree dies. Beetles also spread damaging blue stain fungus to the trees, Ford said. Normally, trees use their sap as a natural defense. When the insect bores into the tree, sap flows into the damaged area creating a pitch tube.' A healthy tree can use the sap to push the beetle out.That's why beetles prefer trees under stress.The trees are so dry they don't have enough sap to produce a pitch tube,' McReynolds said.The pitch tube, a ball of resin the size of a small piece of popcorn, is usually a telltale sign that pine beetles are attacking a tree, Ford said. However, with the intensely dry weather, tree owners won't see pitch tubes because the trees can't produce them.Ford advised tree owners to look for sawdust in the bark crevasses and on the ground beneath the tree. Holes about the size of a pencil lead are another sign. The Southern pine beetle leaves S-shaped galleries or lines on the inside of the bark. The ips engraver beetle leaves I-shaped or X-shaped galleries, Ford said. Another sign of pine beetle infestation is the rusty brown color of the needles. But by then, it's too late.There aren't many options,' McReynolds said. When you see the signs such as the brown needles, the tree is dead. The only thing you can do is harvest or salvage the tree.'Watering trees can help them fight off beetles if the damage hasn't progressed too far.Once they get inside the tree, there's not a whole lot we can do except try to keep it healthy by watering it,' Ford said. That's something you can do with trees in your yard. About the only thing you can do in a pine plantation is cut the trees down.'The most effective insecticides, Lindane and Dursban, have been banned from the market, Ford said. There are some insecticides available, like Onyx, but Ford notes that Auburn University foresters don't recommend Onyx and it's best used as a preventive measure, rather than a cure. To keep the beetles from spreading, landowners should cut infested trees. But an infestation dries out the trees and makes them lighter. Trees are sold by weight, so it's difficult to get loggers to cut infested trees, Ford said. The recommended practice to stop an infestation is to cut the infested trees and then cut all the trees within a radius of that tree equal to the infested tree's height. In other words, if an owner cuts a 40-foot infested tree, he should also cut all trees within a 40-foot radius of the stump.A lot of people just won't do that,' Ford said.It's particularly difficult to do under some of the conditions that McReynolds reports seeing.I'm seeing situations where you have 20 or 30 trees infested in one location,' he said.Despite worsening conditions, pine beetle infestations aren't as bad this year as last year. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan damaged trees and their root systems, putting them under stress and creating major pine beetle problems in 2005. However, the effect from this year's drought may be even more devastating next year, McReynolds said. Infestation has yet to reach epidemic proportions, McReynolds said, though epidemics have been declared in two east Alabama counties and one central Alabama county.It's not an epidemic because we're just now getting a lot of beetle spots,' McReynolds said. Next year it may be different.
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Maybe 'blue laws' weren't so bad 09/10/2006 Christian Science Monitor By David R. Francis		Return to Top
David Laband, an economist at Auburn University, contributed to this story. Christian ministers would point to Moses' fourth commandment 'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.' Owners of mom-and-pop retail shops would plead to keep a legal 'day of rest' that prevented big stores from luring away business by staying open on Sundays. But growing numbers of women worked outside the home and found it difficult to shop during the week. States hoped Sunday store hours would boost tax revenues. Today, the battle is largely over. In most parts of the country, one can easily find stores open on Sunday. Over the past two or three decades, state blue laws limiting retailing on that day have been repealed or weakened. What have been the consequences? It may be no surprise that families took advantage of the changes to scoot to the mall on Sundays. Faced with such secular competition, attendance and donations at churches have fallen. But there was unanticipated fallout as well. New research finds that many youths who had been classified as 'religious' because of their church attendance succumbed to temptation after blue laws were repealed. They drank more alcohol and used other drugs. Apparently, 'religion truly affects behavior,' says Daniel Hungerman, an economist at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind., and an author of the study. 'It really matters.' If teens and young adults attend church services or Sunday School, they will be less likely to drink heavily or use other drugs, he says. Professor Hungerman and his coauthor, Jonathan Gruber, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have taken what may be the first look at the impact on churches and young people of the erosion of Sunday retail-closing laws. 'We have said for many years that a common day of rest has a whole array of positive social values,' says the Rev. Diane Kessler, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. Since church attendance tends to be a family affair, she's 'not surprised' to see a correlation between fewer blue laws and more risky behavior among youths. In recent decades, economists have used their statistical skills to examine not only economic affairs, but also social issues, including religion. For example, another recent paper by Professor Gruber finds that when there is greater 'market density' in religion - that is, more people sharing a religion in an area - religious participation tends to be higher. Further, he finds these areas have higher levels of education, income, and marriage - and lower levels of welfare, disability payments, and divorce. The Gruber-Hungerman paper - titled 'The Church vs. the Mall What Happens When Religion Faces Increased Secular Competition?' - finds that after blue laws are repealed by a state Religious attendance drops about 5 percent overall on average. About 15 percent of those who had been attending religious services weekly no longer attend so regularly. 'Individuals are not dropping out of churchgoing altogether, but rather ... they are simply going less frequently,' the authors write. Religious contributions decline 13 percent, or about $109 per person per year. Spending by religious institutions falls by about 6.3 percent. Drinking rates by youths go up. Before repeal, about 40 percent of nonreligious youths (those in their late teens and 20s) reported having had six or more drinks at one sitting sometime in the past month. About 30 percent of youths defined as 'religious' because of their church attendance reported such episodes of heavy drinking. After repeal, that 10 percent gap closed by about half - the religious drank more. Marijuana use goes up. Prior to repeal, 18 percent of nonreligious youths reported smoking marijuana in the past 30 days. Only 9 percent of religious youths used pot. After repeal, the gap disappeared, the study finds. Similarly, the gap between the nonreligious and the religious taking cocaine (3 percent vs. 1.5 percent) closed entirely. Key data for these findings come from the huge National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, started in 1979 and repeated in several subsequent years. David Laband, an economist at Auburn University in Alabama and author of a 1987 book on the history of blue laws, says the Gruber-Hungerman findings on religious attendance and contributions after repeal are new, but comparable to noting that 'water runs downhill.' He's skeptical of the findings on alcohol and recreational drug use, however, especially since drug use is still illegal. 'Some of it does not add up to me,' he says. Regardless, the study raises an old issue To what extent should government interfere in activities of its citizens, even when that interference may be helpful? 'Who am I to say that people shouldn't go shopping on Sunday?' Hungerman says. Buy Shoes
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UA passes Auburn in enrollment 09/10/2006 Tuscaloosa News Adam Jones		Return to Top
TUSCALOOSA \| When University of Alabama President Robert Witt announced his plan for growth in 2003, enrolling more students than Auburn University wasn’t his goal. Nonetheless, if preliminary numbers for the fall hold steady, UA will have more students on campus than Auburn for first time since 1949. Auburn, which started classes a week before UA, announced an official enrollment of 23,544 on Thursday. UA won't release final numbers until later this week, but an early count puts about 23,800 students on campus this fall. The last time UA was the largest state institution, Harry Truman was president, Witt was 7 years old and Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute. It was fall 1949, and 7,974 students attended UA, while 7,284 students were enrolled at API. "We are not striving to be the biggest institution," said Provost Judy Bonner. "We are striving to be the institution of choice for the best and brightest. We are experiencing growth, but it is planned. And the emphasis is on quality." Auburn has grown faster than UA, garnering more than 20,000 students in 1988. By contrast, UA never had more than 20,000 by the time Witt arrived in 2003 and set an enrollment goal for 28,000 students by 2013. "At that point, he did not know what Auburn's enrollment was," Bonner said. "The enrollment goal that was selected was what President Witt believed was needed to move UA to the next level." Witt and his staff have aggressively recruited inside the state to bring top students to Tuscaloosa, rather than Auburn or elsewhere, as was the case in the years before his arrival. In 2004, UA had more in-state students in its freshmen class than Auburn, reversing a lopsided trend. In 2005, UA had 2,576 Alabama freshmen, compared to 2,464 at Auburn. Five years earlier, in 2001, Auburn had 2,447 in-state freshmen. UA had 1,800. "I think Alabama had done a great job of paying personal attention to students from the president on down," said Karen Lytle, the college advisor at Mountain Brook High School, a high performing secondary school in suburban Birmingham. In 2005, more Mountain Brook graduates enrolled at UA than Auburn, a first. That year, 71 of its students went to Tuscaloosa and 50 to Auburn. This year, UA dominates, with 97 freshmen from Mountain Brook High compared to 48 at Auburn, Lytle said. Auburn has had an unstable administration since William Muse resigned as president in 2000. Two interim presidents followed – though both had the title removed by trustee – and a search is underway for a permanent replacement. Despite the turnover, Auburn has had record enrollment three of the last five years, and is still working toward a goal of 25,000 students. At that point, enrollment will be capped. "The goal of 25,000 was established years and years ago, and that’s still a very general goal the university has," said John Fletcher, assistant vice president for student affairs over admissions at Auburn. "Auburn is really interested in enrolling the best prepared students we can into our university, and we certainly have a goal of reaching those milestones." At a board meeting earlier this month, Auburn trustees expressed frustration with recruitment. "The way we recruit would have been fine in 1940," Trustee Jack Miller was quoted as saying in The Opelika-Auburn News. Auburn trustees approved an additional $3 million to Auburn's scholarship fund to help recruit the state's top students. Lytle said UA’s scholarship offers often prove to be the deciding factor for college-bound students. "While in-state competition for the best students is absolutely increasing, I would hope recognition on the part of our board of trustees by the identification for new funds for scholarships wouldn’t certainly assist us in recruiting the best Alabama students," Fletcher said. Also, Auburn is currently forming a strategic plan covering all corners of the university that should identify areas where the school wants to recruit aggressively, he said. "We certainly are aware of Dr. Witt's desire to grow to 28,000," Fletcher said. "For Auburn University, we need to access where we are, and through that process decided as a university where we want to be." Bonner also said basing goals on what other institutions do is unwise. "Young people growing up in Alabama usually grow up as an Alabama fan or an Auburn fan," she said. "Young people who want to attend Auburn will probably do that. We do not try to change their minds."
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Keep vigilant against armyworms, which can wreak havoc in the fall 09/09/2006 Shawnee News-Star, The		Return to Top
"An Auburn University entomologist" is cited as a source in this story. Many parts of Pottawatomie County have recently had some beneficial rains. Some parts more than others, with hopefully more on the way. I have seen many dried-out areas with little or no forage come back to life with new growth. I have also heard of folks talking about planting alfalfa, wheat, fescue and other fall seeded crops, including lawns. In past years of drought, I have noticed an unusually large number of armyworms that can come in on some of these plantings, creating havoc on much-needed forage. This column is a heads-up to watch for armyworm damage and be ready to control and quickly if you find them. Fall armyworms are caterpillars that directly damage sorghum heads, fescue and bermudagrass pastures, seedling wheat, soybean and residential lawns. In addition, fall armyworm infestations were numerous in sorghum fields in Oklahoma during the latter part of August, and several people have commented about all of the heavy 'moth flights' that are currently occurring. The signs point to the possibility that another generation will pop up in early to mid-September that could cause some serious problems for grass pastures, seedling wheat and residential lawns. Female fall armyworm moths lay up to 1,000 eggs over several nights on grasses or other plants. Within a few days, the eggs hatch and the caterpillars begin feeding. Caterpillars molt six times before becoming mature, increasing in size after each molt. Newly hatched larvae are white, yellow or light green and darken as they mature. Mature fall armyworms measure 1 12 inches long with a body color that ranges from green to brown to black. They can be distinguished by the presence of a prominent inverted white 'y' on their head. However, infestations need to be detected long before they become large caterpillars. Small larvae do not eat through the leaf tissue, but instead scrape off all of the green tissue and leave a clear membrane that gives the leaf a 'window pane' appearance. Larger larvae feed voraciously and can completely consume leaf tissue. To scout for fall armyworms, plants from several locations within the field or pasture need to be examined. Examine plants along the field margin as well as in the interior. Look for 'window paned' leaves and count all sizes of larvae. A treatment threshold in seedling wheat is two or three 12-inch-long larvae per linear foot in wheat and three or four 12-inch-long larvae per square foot in pasture. An Auburn University entomologist developed an easy-to-use scouting aid for pasture by bending a wire coat hanger into a hoop and counting fall armyworms in the hoop. The hoop covers about 2/3 of a square foot, so a threshold in pasture would be an average of two or three 12-inch-long larvae per hoop sample. It is crucial that you target smaller caterpillars (1/2 inches or less) for control for two reasons. First, the caterpillars don't cause really severe damage until they reach an inch long and, secondly, smaller caterpillars are much more susceptible to insecticide control than larger caterpillars. Let's hope that fall armyworm problems don't rear their ugly heads, but keep vigilant just in case. A final reminder we will not be out of the woods for a fall armyworm outbreak until we get a good killing frost, so don't let your guard down. There are a number of insecticides labeled for armyworms. Making sure that your pesticide dealer has a labeled insecticide and you have a method of application may be prudent. If you have questions concerning this topic or related topics, please contact the OSU Extension Center at 273-7683, stop by the office at our new location, 14001 Acme Road, or visit our Web site http //countyext.okstate.edu/pottawatomie.
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AU enrollment hits an all-time high 09/09/2006 Montgomery Advertiser		Return to Top
AUBURN -- Auburn University's fall semester enrollment is at an all-time high and applications to the university continue to increase, according to numbers released Friday by AU's Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. AU's total enrollment of 23,547 exceeds its previous record of 23,333 set last fall. In addition to this record, AU received an unprecedented 15,921 applications for fall semester 2006 from new freshmen, a 12 percent increase from the 14,249 applications received for fall semester 2005. A record 691 minority freshmen enrolled fall semester represents a 17 percent increase over last year's 574 minority freshmen enrolled. The total number of freshmen enrolled is 4,092, down slightly from last year's record of 4,197.
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Life In A Brush Pile 09/09/2006 MyMotherLode.com		Return to Top
Auburn University is cited as a source of information for this story. When we built our home in East Sonora 10 years ago, there was an existing brush pile. It consisted mostly of dead manzanita branches. We added to this pile as we removed more dead wood from other manzanitas on our property. We could see that it provided shelter for some of the many quail we had then and so left the pile undisturbed. In time we saw fewer quail and blamed feral cats for this. We had the large pile removed when we became concerned that it posed a fire danger. However, it wasn't long before we had another brush pile. Throughout the year we gather mounds of yard waste including twigs and branches and have decided we like the wildlife habitat this creates. This pile is not close to any structure or under a tree canopy. According to information from Alabama's Auburn University, if you want to attract wildlife to your property one of the easiest ways is to build a brush pile. The California Forest Stewardship program tells us that one study found 29 species of birds in brush piles in California oak woodland. Other animals known to inhabit brush piles include rabbits, squirrels, other rodents, and various types of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Songbirds are known to make use of them too. While haphazard piles of limbs, leaves and twigs, like mine, may be used by wildlife, a carefully constructed brush pile will provide more useful habitat. The idea is to create ground level pathways into the brush with internal spaces where creatures can find a quiet corner or perch safely off the ground. If building a brush pile appeals to you, the best way to start one is with rocks, logs or even pallets. This type of base will elevate the brush, allowing animals to move more freely as they enter or depart. Chances are strong you'll see quick results when birds of many varieties start using the brush pile. Once completed the pile should be undisturbed. One of my many fall projects will be to build another one using this method. The Humane Society of the United States offers the following tips for creating a better brush pile. Choose an area with good drainage near a forest edge, along a stream or at the edge or back corner of a property and close to food sources and shrubs. Ideal piles are four to eight feet tall and from 10 to 20 feet in diameter. Brush piles are flammable. They should never be built near structures or under tree canopy. Be sure that the piles are discontinuous, with adequate clearance around each to protect from wildfire. On larger properties with little natural cover, create three or four brush piles per acre. Plant a pretty vine as an attractive cover for the brush pile or border the pile with wildflowers. Rot and decay are a normal process of brush piles. As they rot, they attract more insects, providing additional food for birds. The piles should be inspected yearly to see if the state of decay is such that a new brush pile should be constructed. Brush piles should be situated near grassy areas or cultivated lands so that food and nesting habitat can easily be found near the protective cover of the piles. Along woodland borders, one brush pile every 200 to 300 feet will provide adequate cover as well as travel lanes to other areas. Even at a residence in town, a small brush pile in a corner of the yard will attract birds without being a nuisance or an eyesore. A few square feet in the corner or in a flowerbed can work well. Raking up a small amount of leaves for the brush pile can add to its versatility. Bugs grow in decaying leaves. Birds feed on the bugs. Some grass clippings on the ground, along with the leaves, may bring red worms and night crawlers. I hope you will be inspired to use the brush pile method of attracting wildlife to your home. See you in the garden. Nina Bynum has been gardening in the foothills for 12 years. She became a master gardener in 1996.
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