Electrician Contractor in Birmingham, AL

Get the Ed Chat newsletter: Enter your email for weekly updates about Alabama schools from Trisha Powell Crain:

A pair of T-shirt-clad students stood at the front desk of Birmingham-Southern College’s welcome building Tuesday. They wanted copies of their transcripts.

Students at the small, private liberal arts school in Birmingham are meeting with faculty individually this month to plan their next steps. Everyone is assessing their options.

Daniel Coleman, the college’s president, said he hopes students won’t need paperwork to transfer schools. Coleman is in the midst of a last-ditch effort to save the school, which has been in financial distress for years. Officials are asking for $37.5 million from state and local funds to replenish their endowment, which they say will be enough to get the college back on track.

“We really just want our students to know we’ve got their back,” Coleman said in an interview with AL.com this week. “Whatever happens, we’re going to take care of them.”

Through January and February, students, staff and alumni have held legislative strategy meetings, launched a letter writing campaign and have written to the press in efforts to sway lawmakers, who will ultimately have to approve the request and put it in the legislative budget.

But with less than a month until the legislative session begins, the clock is running out.

Hiring cycles for faculty have begun, and officials are advising fall applicants to keep their options open.

“We have to know this semester,” Coleman said. “Our students need to start thinking about a plan to transfer in April, so we don’t have a lot of time.”

Does Alabama want to help?

Birmingham-Southern officials maintain that the private college’s requests for public funding – for $12.5 million from the pandemic recovery fund, $17.5 million from the Education Trust Fund and an additional $7.5 from local delegations – aren’t unprecedented, and would barely make a dent in the state’s historic surplus.

Some opponents, however, haven’t budged on the ask, calling the request for public funds a “slippery slope.”

“As we go through the process, we’re getting some more momentum,” Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, told AL.com last week. “But at this point, there’s plenty more work to do. There’s plenty work to do.”

Experts say Birmingham-Southern isn’t in a unique situation. About 20 college campuses, mostly private, close a month, according to recent research.

Still, it’s rare for a state legislature to offer substantial public support.

“They’re all looking for a way out,” said Carlo Salerno, an education economist who has studied public funding models for private institutions. “For the state to step in here and offer that kind of support – that becomes a game changer to these thousands of small private colleges that are worried about their existence. And that’s what I think scares lawmakers.”

Coleman, meanwhile, said he’s exhausted all other funding options.

Recent transition in the U.S. Senate has made it difficult to ask for federal funds, he said, and the Methodist church, which provides some scholarships for BSC students to go into the ministry, isn’t in a position to provide substantial support. Other colleges aren’t interested in a merger, he added.

And Coleman feels up against a wall with Gov. Kay Ivey. He said Ivey has denied his previous requests for COVID relief funds.

But he’s hoping a meeting with her may change her mind.

“There’s lots of voices on the legislative side, but we need leadership from the Governor’s office to get things done,” he said.

Public support for private schools

In Alabama, there is some precedent for public support of private schools. But how officials make that determination isn’t always simple.

Some private colleges, like Marion Military Institute, Athens State and Walker College were taken over by the state in recent years or have merged with other colleges. Others, like Judson College and a for-profit college in Selma, did not receive state support and have since closed.

“I think Birmingham Southern has a great reputation,” said Jim Purcell of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. “The question is whether the contribution to that institution should occur, or that money should be sent to other institutions or provided to other students so that they can attend other schools. And I think that is more of a political decision than a policy decision.”

Last year, $14.95 million of state funds directly went to four Alabama private colleges, supporting about 3.2% of their combined operating budgets, according to data provided by ACHE. But the bulk of that money went to Tuskegee University, which the state retains some control over.

The Alabama Legislature also created the HBCU Deferred Maintenance Grant Program in 2021, which supported $1.82 million in maintenance projects across six private Historically Black Colleges and Universities – much less than the $5.67 million originally requested by those institutions.

An additional $9.2 million in state financial aid went to a total of 6,206 students at all private colleges in 2021-2022, according to ACHE.

Salerno said in most other states, small amounts of public money may go toward private colleges for research or student support services – but they rarely finance the institutions themselves.

“It’s a tough row to hoe,” he said. “I sympathize, and I feel like they understand that this is the eleventh hour and this kind of feels like a Hail Mary, which it is. But I don’t know that any state would want to do something like this.”

Will students come?

Private colleges in Alabama enrolled about 23,000 students in fall 2021, according to ACHE. Birmingham-Southern has an average enrollment hovering just above 1,000 students.

During the pandemic, enrollment dipped to 975, according to data provided to AL.com by the college.

Officials say they have seen an increase in applications for enrollment this cycle; if applicants end up enrolling, the college could bring in about 1300 students next year – a five-year high.

But they’re having a harder time recruiting students from their own backyard.

“We have to show stability,” Coleman said. “The Birmingham area knows how unstable we are more than the kid from Kentucky.”

If the school sees another dip, Coleman said the college is prepared. He estimates that the funding, if they get it, would be enough to offset a tuition loss of up to 20%.

Coleman also has committed to using those funds to provide new academic programs in data science, cybersecurity and computer science, which will aim to bring in about 2,000 part-time students by the time they’re up and running.

“In a weird way, there’s some really great things going on here,” he said. “Despite the financial crisis, and wear and tear on the college over the last 10 years, there’s a lot of great stuff going on.

“If we can just stabilize, I think this college will take off.”

Read more:

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

The UAB basketball team made its own bed and now it has to lie in it.

Flush with talent and picked to win the conference by the league’s head coaches, the Blazers were set for a regular-season title but struggled to defend and lost its best player for five games midway through January.

When everything could have been lost, UAB found a way on defense, welcomed back its ailing superstar and finished the regular season on a confident run into the conference tournament.

“I don’t know if we’re spiteful or even angry,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy said. “We understand that we put ourselves in this position. We still have confidence that we’re playing good basketball, but we can play better. They feel there’s unfinished business there.”

The third-seeded Blazers enter the 2023 Conference USA tournament without qualms or fear and face sixth-seeded Rice in today’s quarterfinal at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

“I’m excited about the opportunity that this tournament provides,” Kennedy said. “We were in a very similar situation last year where we went in with high expectations, not as high as this year based on what we accomplished last year, but we didn’t meet our first goal which is to win the regular season championship.”

“This league, maybe the first time in the current formation of the league, is where it could be a multi-bid league just based on the work that FAU put in. They’re deserving of that, and based on their numbers, they’ll see that come to fruition if they don’t capture the tournament championship, which we certainly hope they do not.”

The possibility of C-USA earning multiple NCAA tournament bids this season is higher than in previous years and, indeed, Kennedy is correct when stating the perception of the league changed with FAU’s impressive season.

The Owls are 15 in the NCAA NET, the highest among C-USA schools, and were ranked 19 in the AP poll at the height of their 20-game winning streak -- ultimately snapped in an 86-77 loss at UAB in early February. Along with FAU, North Texas has essentially been a top-50 NET team all season and enters the league tournament at 42 in the NET, 16 spots ahead of the Blazers (58).

UAB is the 3-seed in the C-USA tournament and would possibly face the second-seeded Mean Green in the semifinals provided that both teams claim victory in the quarterfinals. FAU, by virtue of winning the regular-season championship, sits atop the bracket on the opposite side of the Blazers and North Texas and would only face UAB in the title game.

On neutral ground, North Texas and FAU are both Quad-1 games for UAB and a split between the two -- the Blazers advancing to face the Owls in the championship – could give credence to an at-large bid but more than likely would send UAB to the NIT.

“It gives us an opportunity at proving what we believe is that we are one of the best teams in this league and we have to go play like that,” Kennedy said.

The Blazers roared into the conference schedule at 9-2 overall with losses coming on a neutral court to MAC regular-season champion Toledo (26-6), who advanced to the MAC tournament semifinals Thursday, and on the road at West Virginia (19-14), who fell to Kansas in the BIG 12 quarterfinals.

UAB opened its league slate at 3-0 but hit a skid that included a three-game losing streak and losses in five of six games. During that stretch, Jordan “Jelly” Walker, currently the nation’s third-leading scorer (23.2 ppg), suffered a foot injury and missed five straight games as the Blazers learned to win without him.

As Walker sat on the bench, UAB went 1-2 before earning wins over LA Tech and Rice, and when the senior returned, the Blazers put it all together to finish the regular season winning 10 of 11 games and on a six-game streak entering the conference tournament.

“We were not completely off the rails because we lost three one-possession games,” Kennedy said. “It would be so easy to be sitting here still undefeated in the league, however, we didn’t. I was already contemplating that we needed to change some things and then we get the word that Jelly is out. Honestly, we didn’t know if it would be five games or whether it was going to be a half, it was kind of based on him.”

“It forced us to make changes and figure out who we are,” he added. “In his absence, it forced other guys to take on more prominent roles and that has helped us now that we’re back to full speed. Different guys have had to step up in different situations and as a result of that, we’re playing our best basketball.”

The league’s yearly awards and all-conference teams were announced earlier this week and Walker earned first-team honors while Trey Jemison was named third-team and all-defensive team. KJ Buffen and Eric Gaines were honorable mentions.

Despite leading the conference in scoring and having slightly better numbers than North Texas’ Tylor Perry, Walker did not repeat as C-USA Player of the Year as Perry took home the league’s top individual award.

“Those things are important to Jelly and he’s man enough to admit that,” Kennedy said. “Some people are like, ‘I don’t really care,’ but he’ll tell you he cares and he does. He understands that the big picture is the big picture and we still have unfinished business. He didn’t play particularly well and we didn’t play particularly well in the NCAA tournament last year, and he wants an opportunity to make amends for that.”

“Keeping jelly on an emotionally stable platform -- I haven’t done a good job of that throughout his time,” he added. “It’s going to be volatile but that’s who we are and that’s who he is. Jelly has enough trust in the process that he realizes we’re going to put him in the best position possible to make plays. He’s playing great basketball and we anticipate that will continue throughout this weekend.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Sponsored

Are you ready to kick your spring break plans into full gear? From perfect weather to amazing deals, the fun-filled vacation of your dreams is just around the corner. If you’re looking for some destinations that aren’t too far from The Magic City, we’ve made a list of five perfect spots. Trust us, you’ll love them!

There’s no place like the beach, especially in spring. Whether you want to play at the beach or chill by the pool, The Island Resort at Fort Walton has you covered for all your vacation essentials. They also have amazing on-site restaurants, nightly entertainment, a beachside bar and more.

When you’re ready to book your dream vacation with The Island Resort, take a look at some of their exclusive packages like the Sunshine and Vitamin Sea. With this awesome deal, a daily beach chair rental is included in your stay so you don’t have to put that on the packing list.

To claim this deal, book your vacation online and explore more savings and specials here.

Are you ready for some more beach fun? Shake off those winter blues and take a sunny trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Bury your toes in the beautiful white sand or take a dip in the emerald waters of the Gulf. If that’s not your jam, they have tons of other fun activities like parasailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, fishing and more.

If you’re a foodie, consider a weekend getaway at Auburn. The city just opened The Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, which is a bustling academic building with a state-of-the-art restaurant, five-star hotel, delectable food hall and so much more. Relax and enjoy beautiful scenic views of Auburn, taste internationally-inspired food at Hey Day Market, study innovative cooking methods through cooking classes and much more.

There’s no better way to celebrate spring than with a stay-cation in the best city ever—Birmingham. Okay, we may be biased, but it’s called “The Magic City” for a reason. There are tons of events to look forward to in March from show-stopping performances to exciting hockey games with the Birmingham Bulls. Take some time to either explore the city or visit the Greater Birmingham Area and find something new to enjoy. Need help planning? The Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau has you covered for tons of exciting events happening in the ‘Ham.

Escape to the City of DeKalb this spring with DeKalb Tourism. Explore the mountains and mystic falls that Fort Payne has to offer. Here are some recommended stops to try:

Are you ready to make your travel plans? Check out DeKalb Tourism’s website for more ideas.

For the latest, buzziest news, sign up for our FREE newsletter and follow us on Instagram + Facebook.

Sponsored by:

The 2024 Transplant Games of America is heading to Birmingham.

Awarded by The Transplant Life Foundation, The Games, will take place July 5-10, 2024. The event will bring together nearly 10,000 members of the transplant community. Keep reading to learn more.

All about the Transplant Games of America

Held every two years, the Transplant Games of America is a celebration of life for transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, individuals on the waiting list, caregivers and transplant professionals. The Games honor the legacy of donors, highlight the need for organ donation, celebrate the success of transplantation and increase the national and state donor registry numbers.

Ad

“In 2022, there were almost 44,000 organ transplants in the United States, setting a new record. This remarkable life-saving medical advancement is only possible through the selfless act of individuals who, in passing gave others a chance at a return to health. The Transplant Games helps remind us that over 100,000 patients are on the waiting list for an organ. We are thrilled to bring this event to the Birmingham community and can’t wait for our teams and their families to experience the warmth and friendship that visitors to Alabama enjoy.”

Bill Ryan, President + CEO, Transplant Games of America

Economic impact

The Transplant Games of America (TGA) is expected to generate over $10M in economic impact for the Birmingham region alongside over 10,000 visitors.

“This celebration of life for transplant recipients and donors fits perfectly in the Magic City. With one of the nation’s busiest transplant programs located in Birmingham, our city clearly understands and embraces the mission of the Transplant Games of America. We look forward to celebrating the success of transplantation, the inspirational stories of athletic achievement on display during the games and the powerful human connection that occurs whenever a multi-sport event comes to Birmingham.”

Randall L. Woodfin, Birmingham Mayor

Events

The weeklong event features thousands of athletes from all 50 states competing in 20 athletic and recreational competitions. Joining the nearly 43 domestic teams will be international guest teams from Australia, Brazil, Columbia and others.

The full lineup will be announced closer to the date but be expected to see:

In addition to the medal events, the Games will host more than 45 special events and programs designed to bring the community together, including:

“This is a special event with an incredible legacy. Hosting the Transplant Games of America not only gives our community a chance to be a part of its mission and impact, but it further establishes greater Birmingham as an international sports destination.”

John Oros, President + CEO, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

These events serve as an opportunity for donor families, recipients, living donors and professionals to engage with one another and share stories. It also celebrates donors who gave the selfless gift of life.

The 2024 Transplant Games of America will be the 18th edition of the event, which was established in 1990 and has been previously hosted in cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, Houston and San Diego.

For the latest, buzziest news, sign up for our FREE newsletter and follow us on Instagram + Facebook.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career? Our projects have made an impact on the revitalization of Birmingham, including the Citizen Apartments, that we developed, designed and built, providing the most attainable rents in Parkside and creating a new multifamily type for Birmingham and the Southeast.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Make decisions based on integrity, live in the day and measure in decades — Morgan Snyder.

What’s a lesson you learned from a mistake? I am not good at everything. On a team you must lean into each others strengths and hold each other accountable primarily through good communication. GBS said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Leading an amazing team at Creature, on the bleeding edge of innovation in the architecture, engineering and construction Industry, truly enjoying my family and friends every day.

What would it take to get more young people to embrace Birmingham? I believe the young people that are here have embraced Birmingham. We just need more young people, which is facilitated by continuing to attract innovative companies and increasing the variety of entertainment in the city center.

What’s one change you would make to improve Birmingham? Birmingham needs to keep the momentum going. Every year progress is made. Specific to the context of urban design we have got to get rid of these surface parking lots at street intersections.

What is your favorite place to eat in the metro area? We designed and built a lot of the restaurants in town, so it is kind of like picking a favorite kid, but when my wife (Brooke) and I want to last-minute go out to eat, our go-to is Bamboo on 2nd. My lunch craving is the La Fresca lunch sandwich.

If you could go back and tell your teenage self something, what would it be? Improvement is important, but who you are is good, too. Stop caring about what everybody else thinks of you; fear God not man. I would say take it slow. Every step is actually important to be ready for where you are headed.

What would you like to see Birmingham accomplish by 2033? Increase job density downtown at a healthy pace. We do not want to be Atlanta, but if Birmingham can continue its momentum, increasing job density downtown will require the appropriate organic growth of the architectural backdrop and cultural evolution.

What is the biggest lesson you learned during the pandemic? Relationships are your most important asset. Anything worth doing is hard, and in that process, you will find yourself needing help at some point. If you have not invested in relationships, you will not make it.

If you could pick one superpower, what would it be? I would like to be a Jedi … They can heal people and move things with their minds.

If you had to choose a different career, what would you pick and why? If I had to, probably medicine… I like assessing (diagnosing) a list of variables (symptoms) and creating an impactful solution (procedure)

What is the top thing on your bucket list? Go play a decent round of golf at St. Andrews with some close friends or play a round at Augusta.

What is your education background? 5 year professional bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Auburn University and Masters of Community Planning and Urban Design from Auburn University