Stormy Weather Researchers find Money in Trees - Welcome to ...

AAMU Reports EnrollmentIncreaseThe number of students attendingAlabama A&M University has increasedby 9 percent, according to the fall 2010preliminary enrollment figures from theOffice of Institutional Research, firstreleased in September.Overall, AAMU gained nearly 500students at the undergraduate andgraduate levels, reports Dr. Frank Archer,who heads the unit which compiles theschool’s institutional statistics. Last fall,AAMU’s total enrollment peaked at 5,327.The preliminary overall enrollment figurefor fall 2010, however, stands at 5,814, anincrease of 487 students.The undergraduate enrollment of 4,940students this fall, represents a 9 percentincrease over fall 2010, while graduateenrollment (874) has increased by 5percent, the most recent data indicate.While more detailed statistics bydisciplines have not been finalized for fall2010, some areas appeared to showupward trends in enrollment and wereabove their six-year averages in fall 2009.These included, for instance,undergraduate programs in art,agribusiness, civil engineering, foodscience, forestry, urban and regionalplanning, special education and physicaleducation and others.Normal IndexOnline“The Hill Project”One aspect of the expansion of therecent week-long Louis Crews Classicactivities was the concept of linkingAAMU with a local high school. S. R.Butler High School (Jacqueline Wyse,principal) was selected because of itsaccomplishments in increasing itsgraduation rate,from 63% in2008, to 83% in2009.The goal isto continue themomentum untilthe schoolreaches the stategraduationstandard of95%.. The Hill Project-Class of 2014 wasthe outcome of this partnership. TheNinth Grade Academy of S. R. Butler HighSchool has entered into a four-yearcommitment with Alabama A&MUniversity. The Ninth Grade Academystudents will be invited back to “The Hill”each year until 2014. Personnel fromAlabama A&M will be invited to Butlerduring the academy’s monthly assembliesto keep the students focused on the goalof graduation.On September 10 the Butler studentsmade their first visit to Alabama A&M.The students participated in twoinformative workshops: One on decisionmaking and the second on how to preparefor college right now. Students had achance to tour the campus and speak oneon-onewith college students. Thestudents also worked on a legacy projectthat will be left at A&M. Each studentreceived a ticket to the Louis CrewsClassic game.There was nocost to thestudents toparticipate.Dr. Ann RoyMoore,Huntsville CitySchools’Superintendentsupported thepartnership, while Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr.,president of Alabama A&M Univeristy,has signed the students’ Commitment toExcel agreement.Dean to Serve onGovernor’s CommitteeThe Dean of Alabama A&MUniversity’s School of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences has beenreappointed by the Governor to serve onan important state committee.Dr. Robert W. Taylor will continue hisservice on the 15-person Forever WildLand Trust. Taylor’sappointment byGovernor Bob Rileywill expire December31, 2016. Over thecourse of nearly twodecades, the ForeverWild Land Trust haspurchased more than200,000 acres in a thirdof the state’s counties, according to itsliterature.The acquisitions by the state bodyenable support to several state parks,wildlife management areas, naturepreserves and even recreation areas.“I have made honesty and integrity apriority in my administration,” noted Rileyin a recent letter to Taylor, “and I knowyou will embody these two virtues whileserving the people of Alabama.”6