University of Alabama updates

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by Packer16

Chad, I'll try to find a list. Certainly, the Goldwater Foundation has a record. Great that you're taking your kids on a tour of the campus. There couldn't be a better time with outstanding weather and the campus in full bloom. Recruit!!! Recruit!!! Recruit!!! LOL

Also, BAMA BLITZ is back and will be open for donations until noon on Thursday. RTR

https://bamablitz.ua.edu/

Another successful blitz indeed. Over $1M raised. We do need to point out the Law School though. Yikes only $1,005 from 7 donors. From alumni that make a lot of money in their profession, that is kind of sad. Culverhouse leading the way with over $400K donated from 73 donors. Impressive

[Packer16]

To the Law School alumni's defense, they have been inundated, lately, with campaigns, including a fundraiser for a cool outdoor teaching plaza. That said, I have no problem giving lawyers Hell. The BAMA Blitz is very short, for a capital campaign, so rocking more than a million in less than a day and a half is pretty good in today's economy. As a matter of fact, this may be as good as it gets for awhile. RTR

[Packer16]

Quick notes from the BOT meeting in Huntsville.

The pooled-assets UA System Endowment stands at $7.5 billion, as of 2/28/26.

Also, UA resident tuition will increase from $5,842 per full-time semester to $5,959 for the Fall 0f 2026. And, UA non-resident tuition will increase from $17,271 per full-time semester to $17,962 for the Fall of 2026.

Also, the freshmen class numbers look very similar to last year and are a result of the planned leveling off of the Undergraduate student population on campus. RTR

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by Packer16

To the Law School alumni's defense, they have been inundated, lately, with campaigns, including a fundraiser for a cool outdoor teaching plaza. That said, I have no problem giving lawyers Hell. The BAMA Blitz is very short, for a capital campaign, so rocking more than a million in less than a day and a half is pretty good in today's economy. As a matter of fact, this may be as good as it gets for awhile. RTR

Oh I didn't realize that they were getting pinged all the time for donations. On a side note, I see that we are dropping in the rankings and are at the lowest we've been in several years. As usual I don't believe these "rankings" truly take into account how good our programs are so I'm not falling for it.

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by Packer16

Quick notes from the BOT meeting in Huntsville.

The pooled-assets UA System Endowment stands at $7.5 billion, as of 2/28/26.

Also, UA resident tuition will increase from $5,842 per full-time semester to $5,959 for the Fall 0f 2026. And, UA non-resident tuition will increase from $17,271 per full-time semester to $17,962 for the Fall of 2026.

Also, the freshmen class numbers look very similar to last year and are a result of the planned leveling off of the Undergraduate student population on campus. RTR

Thanks for the information Packer. Were you a part of the meeting? If so, now I know why you have so much information. Thanks for sharing everything you do.

It was just a matter of time before the tuition was to increase. I believe it had been frozen for a number of years while everyone else was raising theirs.

Looking forward to seeing the numbers in September/October to see undergraduate and graduate stats. Still want to see those in-state numbers increase and see the STEM majors increase. It seems that the new president has really focused on the health field so I expect to start seeing increases in nursing, biology, chemistry majors going forward.

[Packer16]

Chad, I lost my respect for US News and WR a long time ago. All they are is a ranking business and they are not very good at it. It's like ranking restaurants. It's nice for the business to print and frame the ranking and hang it in their lobby, but, is it really accurate? I know that UA has a top-notch Law School and it continues to get better. Here are some other opinions .....

https://nationaljurist.com/best-value-law-schools/

https://abovethelaw.com/top-law-schools-2025/

[Packer16]

By the way, I was not in Huntsville, but, a couple of my good buddies were there. RTR

[chadinhsv]

Here is a little more information from President Mohler on his vision for UA

https://www.ua.edu/future-ready-flagship/

Sounds like a lot of the focus is on the state. In my opinion, he will be targeting more in-state students for the school in the coming years

[Packer16]

I have a lot of respect for him. He was contacted, when the OSU job came open, and he told them he was committed to UA. I'm looking forward to seeing him develop and implement his plans, here. RTR

[Packer16]

This is what I want to see from our University. I want to, not only, be a National University, but, a National Leader in many areas of education. This is a great example. RTR

https://news.ua.edu/2026/04/ua-among-nat...MDAkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzcwNjU2MDAkajYwJGwwJGgw

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by Packer16

Chad, I lost my respect for US News and WR a long time ago. All they are is a ranking business and they are not very good at it. It's like ranking restaurants. It's nice for the business to print and frame the ranking and hang it in their lobby, but, is it really accurate? I know that UA has a top-notch Law School and it continues to get better. Here are some other opinions .....

https://nationaljurist.com/best-value-law-schools/

https://abovethelaw.com/top-law-schools-2025/

UA advanced as high as #31 among publics by 2011-12. What happened? Other schools raised admission standards. UA did not. If you look at the USNWR criteria, it is very clear that failure to raise the admissions bar explains the dramatic fall in the ranking. Auburn ALSO has fallen in the rankings because it too has not continued to raise admission standards, however, it had already raised standards earlier, so did not drop as much as UA. If anyone doubts me, just look at the criteria for the USNWR ranking and see how lower selectivity greatly impacts ranking, often in indirect ways, such as graduation rates, and peer assessment. Even Packer now seems to agree that UA needs to tigthen admission standards. Sure hope Dr. Mohler follows through and has the courage to raise standards even higher.

[Packer16]

Comprehension = the capability of understanding what one reads or is told.

https://thecrimsonwhite.com/128440/news/...king-in-at-least-13-years-from-u-s-news/

During this period of The University of Alabama's decline in the US News and World Report rankings of Law Schools, UA's average LSAT scores increased from 163 to 167. And, the mean GPA increased from 3.76 to 3.97.

Another ranking that matters, https://law.ua.edu/news/alabama-law-ranks-7-nationally-in-federal-judicial-clerkships/

RTR

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by Packer16

Comprehension = the capability of understanding what one reads or is told.

https://thecrimsonwhite.com/128440/news/...king-in-at-least-13-years-from-u-s-news/

During this period of The University of Alabama's decline in the US News and World Report rankings of Law Schools, UA's average LSAT scores increased from 163 to 167. And, the mean GPA increased from 3.76 to 3.97.

Another ranking that matters, https://law.ua.edu/news/alabama-law-ranks-7-nationally-in-federal-judicial-clerkships/

RTR

Um, University Law Schools have nothing to do with the UNDERGRADUATE USNWR rankings. I have NOT studied the criteria for USNWR Graduate Program rankings, so I can not explain the UA Law's ranking decline. However, it would be interesting to see if the improvement in UA Law's mean LSAT and GPA was less than that at higher ranked schools. I don't know. Again, different ranking, and different criteria.

[atlanta68]

Priorities for UA Campus Construction and Renovations: https://buildingbama.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ACDP2024.pdf

I wanted to see if the UA Athletic Arena was still on the planning board, and it does not look good based on this document. Why don't they just fully renovate Coleman's interior at this point? I recall they originally planned for that, and it would have brought seats closer to the floor and kept max capacity closer to the current 15,000 plus. I think it was around 12,000, vs the 10,000 the more recent planned arena would have had.

Anyway, if you want to see which planned buildings have highest priority and which do not, check out the above document. Projects labeled 1 are highest priority, and 4 lowest priority. LP means it is dependent on legislative policies and grant success.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I don't understand why Gorgas has not been expanded yet. That was expected back when I was an undergrad!!! (07'-11') The main library desperately needs more study space and expanded room for enlargement of the collection. We haven't kept up with peer schools in the SEC and it's an embarrassment.

As for the arena situation, I have always loved Coleman and don't want it replaced; it needs to be overhauled as they have previously proposed. I think the reason it hasn't been replaced already is because Coleman started seeing larger crowds when Nate Oats was hired and basketball began performing at a much higher level. Other schools have been building smaller venues, and I don't want that at the cost of capacity. IMO, redo the existing building's interior and turn the parking between the front of the building and Bryant Dr into a promenade akin to the Walk of Champions.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by SpawnOfVulcan

I don't understand why Gorgas has not been expanded yet. That was expected back when I was an undergrad!!! (07'-11') The main library desperately needs more study space and expanded room for enlargement of the collection. We haven't kept up with peer schools in the SEC and it's an embarrassment.

As for the arena situation, I have always loved Coleman and don't want it replaced; it needs to be overhauled as they have previously proposed. I think the reason it hasn't been replaced already is because Coleman started seeing larger crowds when Nate Oats was hired and basketball began performing at a much higher level. Other schools have been building smaller venues, and I don't want that at the cost of capacity. IMO, redo the existing building's interior and turn the parking between the front of the building and Bryant Dr into a promenade akin to the Walk of Champions.

Fully agree on both Coleman and Gorgas! I once saw a video of Gorgas after Phase 4 is done, and it looked really good. The north exterior had columns! That video was made like 18 years ago lol. They also need to remove the parking lot between Gorgas Libary and the three Victorian buildings.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

Fully agree on both Coleman and Gorgas! I once saw a video of Gorgas after Phase 4 is done, and it looked really good. The north exterior had columns! That video was made like 18 years ago lol. They also need to remove the parking lot between Gorgas Libary and the three Victorian buildings.

I recall the video you're talking about. The parking between Gorgas and Clark was supposed to be turned into a pedestrian walkway with busways.

[atlanta68]

Gordon Palmer and Hardaway will both undergo major renovations, which surely means they will look better after the renovations are done.

Notable #2 priority renovations: Rowand-Johnson (old TheaterDept building) and Moody Music Building


Far more of the buildings on the list are #4 priority


The Shelby Scholars Research Collaboratory Building:
I noticed on the list, The Shelby Scholars Research Collaboratory Building, Phase 1 and 2, which would cost a total of about $140 million. That proposed project is dependent on either grants or legislative funding. It seems like the next most exciting new possible major building project, at least in terms of a transformational impact.

The addition to the Nursing Building was only #3 priority, but I believe that project has already been approved given the decision to double the College's enrollment.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

Gordon Palmer and Hardaway will both undergo major renovations, which surely means they will look better after the renovations are done.

Notable #2 priority renovations: Rowand-Johnson (old TheaterDept building) and Moody Music Building

Good thing about Gordon Palmer and Hardaway, they've long needed updating. Gordon Palmer has that awful 60s attempt at Greek Revival that just never got off the launch pad... hate that building, btw; all of my math classes were in there...

RoJo and Moody Music have long needed interior updates. The exterior of Moody is dated and the interior was just never built to last. I wonder if they'll do any updates to the music hall.

[atlanta68]

https://buildingbama.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ACDP2025-watermark.pdf

Found this newer one at the Building Bama site. Priority has changed for both Gordon Palmer and Hardaway. Oh well. Hopefully, they will still be renovated soon.