144 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(07/01/13 7:10pm)
The defense attorneys for Varez Ward recently learned they will have a few more months to get ready for the former Auburn basketball player's point-shaving trial.
According to Drew Taylor of the Opelika-Auburn News, U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins has granted a motion to have Ward's case continued from the originally set date of July 22 to Nov. 4.
Watkins's reasons for continuing the trial included the defense's request for more time to conclude some pretrial matters. The defense plans to submit a request for a pretrial diversion.
"Based on the foregoing and the circumstances of this case, the court finds that the ends of justice served by continuing this trial outweigh the best interest of the public and the defendant's right to a speedy trial," Watkins wrote in an order issued Friday, June 28. "Failure to grant the continuance would result in a miscarriage of justice, because the defendant cannot submit his request for a pretrial diversion in time for the government to process it before his trial date."
Ward pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to defraud and sports bribery June 6.
If convicted, Ward could face up to a five-year prison sentence.
The former Auburn point guard allegedly tried to fix the point spread during a game against the University of Arkansas Jan. 25, 2012.
Ward left the game early due to an apparent leg injury, and Auburn lost 56-53. He was suspended indefinitely on Feb. 25, 2012, and later left the University.
(06/27/13 4:11pm)
After a national search, the College of Liberal Arts has made a decision on its next dean Thursday, June 27.
Joseph Aistrup, currently the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University, will begin his tenure as dean on Sept. 1.
"The degree programs of Auburn's College of Liberal Arts offer students an exceptional education to prepare them for life," Aistrup said in a press conference. "The college plays a central role in the general education of every student at Auburn, and I look forward to becoming its dean."
Aistrup has been at Kansas State since 2002, serving as associate professor and head of the department of political science. He served as the College of Arts and Science's interim dean before being named the associate dean in October 2012.
Prior to his tenure at Kansas State, Aistrup was director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs and professor of political science and justice studies at his alma mater, Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
"I know that I will find my place among the outstanding faculty members, students and professional staff of the college and university," Aistrup said in the press conference. "My wife, Shelley, and I are excited to become members of the Auburn community."
(06/27/13 1:46pm)
What's in a name change?
The University Board of Trustees approved school designation for four departments during its meeting June 21.
Instead of "department," "school" now precedes communication and journalism, fisheries and allied aquacultures, industrial and graphic design and kinesiology at Auburn.
These four former departments met certain criteria in order to start the lengthy application process for school status.
These criteria contain the number of degrees and majors offered, the number of faculty members and a minimum requirement for total student hours.
But what does the new designation mean for the students and faculty that are a part of these former departments?
"There are several advantages to becoming a school, but I think the most important for us is visibility," said David Pascoe, assistant head of the school of kinesiology. "This designation of a school gives you more distinction. I'm not saying being a department is bad, but being a school recognizes our substantial size and allows us to be a player at the international and national levels."
Tim Boosinger, University provost and vice president of academic affairs, echoed Pascoe during his presentation of the proposal to the board of trustees.
Boosinger said it would be a benefit to students to have school on their resumes instead of department.
"When our students apply for programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, fitness and conditioning, they will now be applying from a school," Pascoe said. "That designation gives you a greater distinction in your application. You could get a degree from one of those write-in programs, but this one at Auburn is a nationally ranked school."
Other faculty members said getting the school designation is recognition of the overall progress the former department has made in recent years.
"(Auburn's) industrial design undergraduate program is currently ranked sixth in the country, while its graduate program is ranked fourth," said Clark Lundell, head of the school of Industrial and Graphic Design. "This elevation of department to school status acknowledges this level of achievement and allows the school of industrial and graphic design to be competitive with other programs nationally."
Other benefits of school designation include advantages in recruiting students and faculty.
"A lot of students looking at prospective universities look for certain colleges and schools within those universities," said Jennifer Adams, journalism program director and incoming head of the school of communication and journalism. "This designation will help get us on the radar of students who are looking for a top-tier school for communication and journalism."
These new schools will also have new opportunities for financial support.
"People don't name departments, they name schools," Adams said. "Our development offers will now be able to hopefully attract a donor who would want to name our school. When you think of the top communication and journalism programs in the country, they're the big named schools like the Grady College at the University of Georgia or the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University."
(06/22/13 2:20am)
While the name-changing, and record-setting, donation from Raymond Harbert to the College of Business received most of the attention, there were several other major decisions made during the Board of Trustees' meeting Friday, June 21.
The board unanimously approved a resolution naming Atlanta-based architecture group jB+a the designers of the redevelopment of Toomer's Corner. The group was behind the redevelopment concept that was unveiled at the Final Roll celebration following April's A-Day scrimmage.
Dan King, vice president of facilities management, recommended jB+a over eight other firms that were interested in the project. The cost of the project was not discussed by the property and facilities committee on Friday.
The board also approved a new strategic plan that will focus on five priority areas at the University for the next five years. The plan calls for enhancements in student success, faculty excellence, research work, public engagement and resource focusing.
"We believe it is a bold plan that will strengthen Auburn's role and prominence as an outstanding land-grant institution," Provost Timothy Boosinger said.
Boosinger helped develop the new plan with faculty, student, staff and administrative representatives.
Four University departments were given school designation by the board on Friday: the department of communication and journalism; the department of fisheries and allied aquacultures; the department of industrial and graphic design; and the department of kinesiology.
SGA President Harrison Mills took part in a presentation to the board on the new Recreation and Wellness Center, which will have its grand opening August 19. The presentation included a slideshow of the center's biggest amenities, such as the one-third mile running track that will corkscrew through the building.
In addition to the College of Business, another campus area's renaming was approved by the board. The Agricultural Engineering Annex, which the University was recently granted $4.6 million to renovate, will now be known as the Biological Engineering Research Laboratory. The name change is said to better reflect the research being coordinated in the area by the department of biosystems engineering and other collaborative programs.
The board also elected trustee Jimmy Rane to the position of president pro tempore, where he will work closely with President Jay Gogue. Rane, the chairman, president and CEO of Great Southern Wood, Inc., was reappointed to a second seven-year term in 2012.
"I am very humbled that you would bestow this job on me, and I am excited about the opportunity to serve, and I'm going to devote all my energy to try to make this successful," Rane said.
Rane, who will serve an initial one-year term as president pro tempore, will replace Harbert.
(06/21/13 5:28pm)
The single largest donation in University history was officially announced during the Auburn University Board the morning of Friday, June 21.
After a unanimous vote to approve the $40 million donation, the College of Business received a new name and a boost towards its vision of national prominence.
The college will now be known as the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business following the historic financial commitment from the Birmingham-based CEO and outgoing president pro tempore on the Board of Trustees.
"This really is a significant change for us, going from an unnamed College of Business to the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business," said Bill Hardgrave, dean of the College of Business. "Over time, what we hope to see is that migration from the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business to eventually what we see with others now, that (the name) just becomes Harbert... and that attracts great students."
Harbert, a 1982 Auburn graduate, serves as chairman and CEO of Harbert Management Corporation, an independent investment firm.
According to U.S. News & World Report, 42 of the top 50 ranked business schools in America are named after benefactors. Auburn College of Business officials believe this gift and name change will give the college a new level of prestige.
"There's a tremendous sense of pride in having the college named for me and it being there after I'm long gone," Harbert said. "The bigger sense of pride will be watching (Hardgrave) implement this vision and watching it become successful. When we are talking about the Harbert College in the same vein as some of the other well-known and great business schools, that will be when I'm particularly proud."
Hardgrave said Harbert's donation will strengthen the college's position as a national leader in many different ways, from creating national eminent scholar chairs for top faculty members to forming a doctoral program in finance.
"It is extremely gratifying to have this opportunity to help move Auburn forward, and I look forward to Dean Hardgrave making these improvements," Harbert said. "I have always felt that college was a place to explore and find out who you are, and I hope this gift will allow Auburn to seek out professors who will challenge the students to be the best they can be."
A $15 million matching gift was included in the $40 million donation, challenging other alumni to partner with Harbert in helping the College of Business achieve these goals.
"(The matching gift) is a very generous thing for Mr. Harbert to do," Hardgrave said. "This allows us to go out now and get those funds in order to grow our endowment. We just went out these last few weeks and already have had three people give at least $1 million as part of this matching campaign.
"So when we talk about a $40 million gift, it really becomes a $55 million gift by the time we're all said and done."
Harbert and his wife Kathryn were presented a gavel made out of the wood from the Toomer's Oaks as a gift of appreciation for his record-setting donation.
(06/21/13 12:48am)
The defense attorneys for former Auburn basketball player Varez Ward say they will file a motion for a delay in Ward's July 22 trial on charges of point-shaving.
According to Drew Taylor of the Opelika-Auburn News, attorney Everett Wess said the motion was discussed during a pre-trial meeting with U.S. Attorney Susan Redmond.
"We jointly agreed that the trial will be continued, but there's no firm trial date set at this juncture," Wess said.
Wess confirmed that he received the case's discovery from Redmond during the meeting. He also received a list of alleged conspirators in the point-shaving scheme, but he declined to give out any of the names on Thursday.
Wess also said that he and co-attorneys Reginald McDaniel and Robert Beeman would ideally be ready for a trial in mid-August.
Ward pled not guilty on June 6 to charges of federal charges of conspiracy to defraud and sports bribery during the 2011-12 basketball season. He was suspended from the team when allegations first arose on Feb. 25, 2012 and never played another minute for the Tigers, leaving school later that year.
(06/20/13 5:00pm)
The College of Agriculture has announced the selection of Deacue Fields to the chair position of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective Aug. 16.
Fields, who joined the Auburn faculty in 2002, replaces outgoing chair and fellow agricultural economics professor Curtis Jolly, who has served in the position since 2005.
"I am excited about becoming the chair for the department," Fields said. "I am looking forward to the new challenges and seeing what can be done differently."
In addition to managing the department budget and working more closely with the state's agricultural community, Fields says one of his biggest responsibilities will be helping the department create an identity.
"I want to think in a business mind-set and ask, 'What is (the department's) comparative advantage?'" Fields said. "We want to look at other ag econ departments across the Southeast and the entire country and find out what gives Auburn an advantage."
Fields also points out the opportunities the department has in helping out the state's poorer regions. Fields said some of the most poverty-stricken counties in the country are found in Alabama, and Fields identifies those areas as targets for the department.
"We now have a World Hunger Center and a Food Systems Institute here at Auburn," Fields said. "Those are two things I want to see this department plug into more and figure out where we can fit in. We need to take advantage of where we are."
Fields cited a lifelong passion for agriculture and rural areas as reasons why he wants to be involved in leadership positions such as department chair. He spoke about operating his family's cattle herd as a teenager and the legacy of his grandfather, who raised a family full of future college graduates on his farm in Louisiana.
"I grew up in it," Fields said. "I showed cattle when I was a kid. My dad was an ag teacher for six years before going to work for the USDA. There are so many life experiences that have kept me in ag econ."
Fields earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., in 1993. He completed his master's degree at the University of Missouri in 1995 and worked as an assistant professor with Florida A&M University's small farms program for three years. Before coming to Auburn, Fields returned to Baton Rouge to complete his doctorate, this time at Louisiana State University.
"All my degrees are in ag econ, and a lot of people think that's all I know," Fields said with a chuckle. "I like the business side of this field and the connection to the agricultural community."
Fields's current role as professor includes extensive work in both the classroom and in research. His research at Auburn has focused on working with the horticulture department on consumer food preferences, and he currently teaches senior and graduate-level courses in agribusiness management.
(06/19/13 1:30pm)
All graduate students seeking employment with the University must pass an extensive background check as a condition for appointment starting Jan. 1, 2014.
The recently adopted policy will require all graduate student employees, including those paid by the hour, to go through checks similar to the ones required of most university employees.
"We are interested in creating a safe environment for our students... We want to provide protection," said George Crandell, associate dean of the Graduate School. "Currently, Auburn University requires background checks for its faculty and other employees.
"The only group that has not been included has been graduate students, and we thought it would be appropriate to bring all groups into the same process. When you look around the country, you see universities similar to Auburn have adopted these same policies."
When asked why graduate students have not always been a part of Auburn's employee background checks, Crandell said there seemed to be less concern for graduate students in years past. However, recent events at other universities have created cause for concern nationwide.
"Graduate students are in direct contact with undergraduate students, and they work in research laboratories," Crandell said. "They are important to the university's mission. We are working towards a safe environment for all students, graduate and undergraduate."
According to the new policy, the background report will include information on any former residences, aliases, state criminal history, county criminal history and sex offenses.
The basic background report, provided by national screening company Verified Credentials, will cost $35. Additional driving records will cost an extra $15.
Crandell said graduate students currently employed with the university will not be required to go through the background checks.
Individual departments can either pay for the background checks or have students charged for the service.
"The fact is there is a number of departments that require faculty, staff and already some graduate students to have background checks, and they are willing to cover those costs," Crandell said.
Crandell said the response from graduate students and departments has been generally positive, although there have been some questions raised about the procedure of the checks.
"Graduate students and faculty here at Auburn believe in the importance of campus safety, and the policy has received a lot of support already," Crandell said.
Anyone with questions about the new policy is asked to contact Crandell at crandgw@auburn.edu or Julie Reece at reeceju@auburn.edu.
(06/17/13 5:07pm)
For many Americans, June 14, Flag Day, comes and goes with little recognition of the holiday which dates back to the late 1800s.
But pedestrians around Toomer's Corner were made aware of the occasion this Flag Day thanks to some military veterans who made great sacrifices for their country.
Several members of the local Twin Cities 95 Disabled American Veterans chapter commemorated Flag Day by passing out hundreds of flags and informational pamphlets to passers-by in the busy area of downtown Auburn.
"The view of the flag by the veteran is different from what you and I may see," said Toby Warren, founder of the National Leadership Congress, a partner of the DAV. "When they see that flag, that may have been their only sense of hope in eventually coming back home. The flag represents life."
The local veterans were joined at Toomer's Corner by Mobile resident David Riley, the DAV's 2010 National Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year and Alabama DAV commander.
"To me, the flag is a living symbol of our nation," Riley said. "I have friends who have given parts of their bodies in defense of what the flag represents. It's a personal responsibility for me to come out and recognize this day."
Riley, a Coast Guard aviation survival technician, lost all four limbs and several internal organs to a bacterial infection in 1997. After spending weeks in a coma, Riley overcame the infection's onslaught and made what doctors called a miraculous push towards physical therapy.
"Disabled veterans do not want to be defined by their disabilities," Warren said. "David Riley definitely is not defined by having no arms or legs. The intent of today is to celebrate what the flag means to all of us and those who have sacrificed."
Riley was presented with a proclamation on the behalf of Auburn Mayor Bill Ham. The proclamation thanked the DAV members for honoring their country on Flag Day and declared the day Disabled Veterans Day in the City of Auburn.
"It has been phenomenal today," said Eugene Benford, Twin Cities DAV commander and Iraq War veteran. "We've done great in trying to reach people as they come by...we have covered every corner down here."
Benford said the decision to commemorate Flag Day on a local level was made just two weeks beforehand. Through the teamwork of the DAV and its partners, the event was finalized in just a few days.
The Twin Cities 98 chapter is currently planning to come back to the campus area in August for the Mobile Service Van, a unique way to reach out to veterans and their families.
"Veterans can file their disabilities there," Benford said. "Those who are students or children of veterans can come by and apply for their school benefits, too."
The Twin Cities DAV chapter meets the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Army Reserve Center, located at 2100 Pepperell Parkway in Opelika.
(06/11/13 10:28pm)
The City of Auburn announced June 7 the appointment of Paul Register as the new police chief, effective July 1.
Register, Auburn's current assistant police chief, will take over for retiring Chief Tommy Dawson. Register has also been the acting police chief since Dawson announced a medical leave in March because of his battle with Parkinson's disease.
"I'm very proud to be able to retire and leave the department in such capable hands," Dawson told the Opelika-Auburn News.
Director of Public Safety Bill James echoed Dawson in a recent press release.
"In the last couple of months, (Register) has done well in an acting position, doing all of the work the chief would do," James said. "He has done an excellent job over his entire career and has proven himself to be able to lead at a high level."
A 25-year veteran of the Auburn Police Division, Register has served in the patrol, detectives and vice and narcotics sections of the division before becoming assistant chief in 2010. He graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with a Bachelor of Science in justice and public safety and attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
"It's an honor to be able to serve in this capacity," Register said. "After working side-by-side with Chief Dawson for all these years, I'm excited to continue what he's put in place during his time here."
Register says protecting the University campus will continue to be a top priority of the APD.
"Auburn University should not see a difference in the Auburn Police Division," Register said. "You will see the same commitment to keeping the students and faculty safe. From our time with Chief Dawson, we have developed a good set of goals and procedures to keep the campus a safe place."
(06/10/13 3:00pm)
Through its handcrafted coffee, live music and local art, The Overall Company in downtown Opelika has made a name for itself since its grand opening in August 2012.
As the Alabama summer begins to heat up, the restaurant's popular frozen treats have paved the way for a new addition to their Civil War Era building.
The Overall Company will open The Pop Factory June 15 with an entire room dedicated to its homemade artisan Popsicles.
Co-owners Ali and Ty Maloney and Laura and Jay Pritchard decided several months ago to expand the Popsicle section of their coffee shop and market.
"We always wanted to do more with the Popsicles because they have so much potential," said Ali Maloney, who will manage the factory once it opens. "Our kitchen is really little, so it was too much for us to do everything for the restaurant in there. The Pop Factory will have all of our Popsicle stuff, and it will give us some more room to be creative with what we do."
With a design that has been called "Willy Wonka fused with Steampunk," the new space features copper countertops and a three-dimensional mural made with old factory materials.
"We really wanted to play off the factory theme: gauges, gears, ductwork and things like that," said Keith Moore, factory designer and local artist. "But, we also wanted to have fun with the design. It's a very whimsical space."
The Pop Factory will allow the restaurant to feature 12 flavors per day and create a station for additional dips and toppings.
Visitors to the factory will be able to watch the employees make the pops, which are made with fresh ingredients.
The restaurant's creamy pops, such as the popular salted caramel or chocolate hazelnut flavors, are made with a liquid base similar to homemade ice cream. Fruity pops start with pureed fruit, usually from a local farmer's market.
Maloney estimates The Overall Company has tripled its pop sales since last season. In addition to its location at 1001 Ave. B in Opelika, the restaurant sells its pops at Bay Pines Marina at Lake Martin, farmers markets and special events such as weddings and birthday parties.
"The pops are super popular now," Maloney said. "When we first started selling these last year, no one knew who we were or what a gourmet Popsicle was. People love fresh, local and cold treats this time of year, so this has been a perfect fit for us."
Customers who visit The Overall Company before the June 15 grand opening will have a chance to win tickets to a VIP party June 14.
Continuing with the Willy Wonka theme, the restaurant has placed 50 "golden sticks" inside special pops.
Winners of these golden sticks will receive VIP tickets for themselves and their immediate families.
(06/06/13 6:14pm)
Former Auburn basketball player Kyievarez "Varez" Ward was arraigned Thursday in Montgomery on accusations of taking part in a scheme to fix a game against Arkansas on Jan. 25, 2012.
Ward, who was released on bond Tuesday, entered a not guilty plea on federal charges of conspiracy to defraud and sports bribery. He faces up to five years in prison on each of the two counts.
Judge Wallace Capel, Jr. set Ward's trial date for July 22.
Ward is represented by Birmingham attorneys Everett Wess, Reginald McDaniel and Robert Beeman.
Wess, who formerly represented Harvey Updyke, said the three lawyers picked up Ward's case on Tuesday and has not yet spoken to anyone at Auburn.
"We're trying to learn more about these games ourselves and what the prosecutors have that might prove he is guilty beyond reasonable doubt," Wess said.
Ward did not speak in court or to reporters on Thursday.
McDaniel says Ward has been in Montgomery since he left Auburn and is currently looking at other schools where he can further his education.
The 24-year-old Montgomery native was suspended by head coach Tony Barbee on Feb. 25, 2012 after allegations of point-shaving arose. While teammate and current Auburn player Chris Denson was cleared of any wrongdoing, Ward remained suspended for the rest of the season and later left the school.
(06/06/13 5:02pm)
Though usually competing for individual research grants or sports championships, three schools from the SEC, Big East and Big Ten are teaming up to combat new issues in advanced power electronics.
The Auburn University physics department will be part of a unique cooperative research initiative, collaborating with Purdue and Rutgers universities to study component efficiency in advanced power electronics.
The initiative, sponsored by the II-VI Foundation, will have up to $1 million in funding as the three universities work with silicon carbide switches in semiconductors, also known as "MOSFETs."
"We are excited to be a part of this unique research initiative with the II-VI Foundation," said Sarit Dhar, assistant professor of physics and Auburn's primary investigator in the upcoming project.
"The foundation has funded individual efforts before, but this is the first time it has sponsored an initiative where multiple universities are working on the same problem."
While the majority of electronics are made from silicon, the material is not able to withstand the high temperatures involved with the high currents and voltages of some advanced devices.
Silicon carbide is different because it has a wide band gap, which allows the compound to work under harsh conditions with greater energy efficiency.
As the demand for more power and efficiency increases with newer technology, silicon carbide switches are solutions that do not demand the cooling silicon materials need.
Auburn's work on the initiative will be focused primarily at the material sciences level, looking at silicon carbide at a fundamental level and understanding all of the compound's properties.
"The three universities involved will be looking at silicon carbide MOSFETs at three different angles," Dhar said.
"There is also an overlap when you are all working on the same problem. We will share our research and help each other instead of looking at it as three separate studies."
The cooperation between Auburn, Purdue and Rutgers can be attributed to the initiative's coordinator, John Williams, physics professor emeritus at Auburn.
During his 37 years at Auburn, Williams maintained relationships with Rutgers' Leonard Feldman and Purdue's James Cooper.
The three universities started working together in the late 1990s on the Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Physics Program. Williams retired December 2011.
"We recognized the work being done at Auburn, Rutgers and Purdue provides three different viewpoints on the same tough problem, and we have a coordinator in John Williams who really understands the strengths and dynamics of each contributing program," said Carl Johnson, II-VI Foundation chairman and co-founder.
"In the past we would have had to fund and administer these programs separately, but with John as the coordinator, we were able to combine efforts for the first time."
Claude Ahyi, assistant professor, and physics graduate students Aaron Modic and Chunkun Jiao will join Williams and Dhar in the research initiative.
The II-VI Foundation's mission statement is to "encourage and enable students to pursue a career in engineering, science and mathematics while maintaining a standard of excellence in that pursuit."
Dhar and others involved in the initiative echoed the foundation's mission while describing the initiative's goals.
"Our effort to educate and train young scientists and engineers in a leading, interdisciplinary technology development program for advanced power electronics is an investment in our country's future," Feldman said at the initiative's announcement ceremony in April.
"Such young people will form a pool of talent that our country must have to significantly increase the efficiency with which we use electrical energy, to hasten national energy independence and to maintain our nation's scientific competitiveness."
(06/01/13 1:00pm)
Silas "Uncle Si" Robertson, a star of A&E's hit reality series "Duck Dynasty," will be one of several celebrities at an upcoming fundraising event at the Auburn Arena.
Si will be joined by his oldest nephew, Alan, at the first "Characters of Character" event taking place August 24 at the Auburn Arena 7-9 p.m.
The Robertsons are two of several celebrities invited to take part in the event, which will benefit local outreach organizations such as Youth First and Orphanage Emmanuel in Honduras.
Youth First director Kevin Flannagan said the organization recently received confirmation from the Robertsons after several months of negotiation.
"When they were looking at our offer for this event, they were looking at 100 other offers as well," Flannagan said. "We had to show that we were serious about wanting them to be a part of this."
Youth First could not confirm any additional celebrities for the event at this time, but the staff was recruiting former professional athletes, Nashville recording artists and comedians to join the Robertsons.
Flannagan and his staff wanted the Robertsons to headline the event because they felt the Robertsons embodied the event's title.
"These guys are men of character, and they're also real characters--they're fun folks, and people really enjoy watching their show," Flannagan said. "Their style may be a little off-kilter, but they work hard and love their families. They bring the character qualities we want to communicate to those in attendance."
"Duck Dynasty" follows the lives of the Robertson family, which runs multimillion-dollar duck call company Duck Commander in West Monroe, La.
While Alan will become a full cast member of the show in the upcoming season, Si has already established himself as a "cult celebrity" since the series premiere in March 2012. A Vietnam War veteran, Si is known for his ever-present blue cup and wild storytelling.
The show's third season finale, aired April 24, was the highest-rated telecast in A&E history with 9.6 million viewers.
The Robertsons' name value alone resulted in more than 1,000 tickets sold in the first week of sales. The event was not official until the Robertsons' confirmation. Although there has not been much promotion yet, the response from the community has been remarkable for Youth First's staff.
While the event will be held on Auburn's campus, Flannagan stressed the event will be for all ages.
“It’s the kind of thing the whole family can come to,” Flannagan said.
General tickets for the event are $25, and passes for a special backstage meet and greet with the celebrities are $250. Both types can be purchased at youth-first.org or by contacting the Youth First office at (334) 501-5637.
(05/31/13 1:00pm)
Each year, more than 23 million pounds of oysters are harvested off the Gulf Coast, known as "The Fertile Crescent of Seafood."
There is just one problem: Although those 23 million pounds make up almost 90 percent of the United States' total oyster harvest, they generate only 73 percent of the harvest's total value.
In upscale restaurants across the country, special varieties of raw oysters from the Pacific Northwest to Cape Cod can cost anywhere from $30 to $50 per dozen.
According to several seafood restaurants in the Auburn area, the current market price for fresh Gulf oysters ranges from $7 to $12 per dozen.
So how can seafood companies based in the Gulf of Mexico increase their oyster profits with such low market prices?
Fisheries and aquaculture assistant professor Bill Walton believes he has an answer.
Since 2009, Walton and his team at the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory in Dauphin Island have been advancing off-bottom oyster farming techniques that help Gulf residents fetch a higher dollar for their oysters.
"Most Gulf oysters are going straight to shucking houses, where the meat is packaged all together and sold by the pint or gallon," Walton said. "Don't get me wrong, that's a great product, but in order to get the top dollar from these fancy restaurants and raw oyster bars, you need a premium oyster."
When a grocery shopper or a restaurant buys from the Gulf, the oysters could originate anywhere from East Texas all the way to Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle. Because the location of the oysters is random, Walton said taste and overall oyster quality are also random.
Off-bottom oysters are different from wild ones because consumers can expect a uniform consistency and flavor every time they buy from a particular area. This practice is established in boutique oyster regions such as Cape Cod, where Walton lived before he moved to Auburn.
Another issue off-bottom farming addresses is the "fouling" of oysters. While the Gulf's waters are ideal for spawning oysters, Walton explains organisms that harm oysters also thrive in the area.
By raising oysters in containers above the ocean floor, farmers can eliminate harmful burial in sediment and decrease the damage from other aquatic organisms. Other off-bottom farming techniques such as low tide simulation expose the oysters to fresh air, further reducing the effects of fouling.
Walton stressed off-bottom farming would not eradicate the old way of harvesting oysters, but seafood farmers could use the technique as an additional way to make money.
"We could never compete with the volume that the traditional way of harvesting oysters gets," Walton said. "This type of farming is a way for people to make extra income by producing higher-value oysters of their own. This is in no way a threat to the traditional fisheries."
Walton compares the niche market of off-bottom oysters from various areas to the craft beer market, where each area has its own unique taste. Since oysters get their taste from the water they grow in, certain areas could act as a "brewery" for specific flavors.
Oyster bars and high-end restaurants seek a variety of oysters for their menus and are willing to pay top dollar for off-bottom varieties from all over the country.
Walton said the chance of additional profit from these high-value oysters has attracted established seafood companies and individuals near the Gulf Coast.
"The people here along the coast have been very enthusiastic about implementing this as a way to add to their profits," Walton said. "Organized Seafood of Alabama has partnered with us and wants to help us teach residents how to be commercial oyster farmers. The residents have accepted it so much to the point where they are encouraging it."
(05/21/13 11:37pm)
Auburn University's Southeastern Raptor Center has released thousands of rehabilitated birds back into the wild over the years, but the recent release of a bald eagle was a special moment for the Auburn family.
On May 11, the Raptor Center released a male adult bald eagle back into the wild near the Auburn Fisheries Center off North College Street.
The eagle is the first local raptor to be rehabilitated and released back into its natural habitat.
"Generally, when we have eagles that are ready to be released, we try to release them as close as we can to where they were found," director Jamie Bellah said. "This guy was found stuck in one of the ponds at the fisheries."
The eagle endured a lengthy series of tests when it first arrived at the center.
Bellah said the eagle was weak at first, but it was not suffering from any major illnesses, or injuries.
"We couldn't find any health issues with this particular eagle, but he was clearly not able to fly with great endurance or vertical lift," said Liz Crandall, a raptor rehabilitation specialist at the center. "This was a unique situation. The birds we usually get have obvious trauma, and we usually have a good guess to what it is going to do in rehabilitation."
The process to get the eagle back to full health took about nine months. The eagle underwent more tests before it was allowed to go back into the wild.
Crandall estimates that approximately 150 people attended the release event.
"We get a lot of support from the Auburn Family and the local community, not just for the Raptor Center, but for the college of veterinary medicine," Bellah said. "As Dr. Jill Heatley said when she was here at the center, 'It takes a college to raise a raptor.' It's a full team effort to get to a release like this one, so it's great to see the public come out and be a part of it."
After an educational demonstration featuring two red-tailed hawks, Bellah released the eagle back over the pond where he was found.
As he flew out of sight, some in the crowd let out a "War Eagle."
"This was very special because it was the first eagle we have been able to release in Auburn," Crandall said. "We may not get another eagle from the Auburn area. We hope there aren't any more injured birds in Auburn, but it was great to get to share this special moment with the community."
The Southeastern Raptor Center admits 250-300 injured, ill or orphaned birds of prey every year. Around 40 percent of those raptors are released back into the wild, while some that are unable to return to their natural habitat are transferred to zoos and other educational facilities.
(05/21/13 11:28pm)
Next month, the American Meat Science Association will hold its 66th annual Reciprocal Meat Conference at Auburn.
As part of the weeklong event, the AMSA will award three Distinguished Achievement Awards to some of the association's youngest members who have made major contributions to industry research.
One of the recipients will be Christy Bratcher, associate professor of meat science.
"When I see the impressive list of people who have won this award in the past, I am touched," Bratcher said. "These former winners are people I look up to in this industry; people I respect greatly."
Bratcher has been a part of Auburn's faculty since March 2008, and has earned more than $7 million in research funding and has published dozens of manuscripts and abstracts.
Her research portfolio includes studies on mechanically tenderized roast beef, the safety of hamburger meat from non-traditional methods and flavor profiles of grass-fed beef products.
In March, Bratcher and a team of scientists from Auburn and Tuskegee University were awarded a $4.8 million grant from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to help ensure the safety of foods produced in local areas.
"I am very passionate about meat and meat science," Bratcher said. "It upsets me that there are a lot of activist groups that target our industry. Therefore, I want to teach others the truth about meat."
Bratcher says her passion first started during her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida.
After an unpleasant experience with organic chemistry as a pre-vet student, Bratcher picked up a class called "The Meat We Eat." Her experience in the class inspired her to change her major to animal sciences and later become a college professor, a career where she could teach and continue working in research.
The AMSA also recognized Bratcher for her success in teaching and mentoring graduate students in Auburn's department of animal sciences.
"She expects us to be proficient at our research responsibilities, thrive in the classroom and assist in extension work whenever possible," said Staci Degeer, graduate student in animal sciences. "We stay busy, but we aren't alone. Dr. Bratcher offers a two-way street of respect, trust and support."
Bratcher places an emphasis on giving her graduate students real-world, hands-on experience in the field they are entering in the near future.
"Instead of handing my students an outline and saying, 'Here is what you're going to do the next two years of your life,' I say, 'Here are the products you have to accomplish before you graduate,'" Bratcher said. "Now you go and figure out how you're going to be able to do these things. I find students learn so much more when they discover on their own and come to me for feedback.
"I don't think a lot of people agree with the way I train my grad students, but I feel it's best to immerse them into what they're going to be doing."
Outside the classroom and the laboratories, Bratcher also serves as the faculty advisor for the Collegiate Cattlemen and Cattlewomen, a student organization that promotes the department of animal sciences across the Southeast while running a full-scale catering business.
"I am excited that Dr. Bratcher is receiving national attention for her accomplishments," said Kim Fisher, graduate student in animal sciences. "She is an incredible asset to the department of animal sciences and to Auburn University."
(11/11/12 5:16am)
Auburn has suffered their eighth loss of the season, falling to rival Georgia 38-0 in this year's edition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.
The visiting Bulldogs (9-1, 7-1 SEC), who needed a win to clinch the league's eastern division title and a spot in the SEC Championship Game, came into Jordan-Hare Stadium and took care of business against a struggling Auburn (2-8, 0-7 SEC) team.
"Georgia is a very good football team," said head coach Gene Chizik. "We didn't play very well tonight in any phase of the game, and the score pretty much indicated that."
The loss marks the first time since the 2008 Iron Bowl that the Tigers have been shut out, and it was also the worst shutout loss Auburn has had since 1980.
"We just didn't finish," quarterback Jonathan Wallace said. "We didn't finish our drives. We made mistakes. We didn't capitalize on opportunities."
Wallace, who made the first SEC start of his career, was 15-of-22 for 181 yards and one interception. Unfortunately for the true freshman signal caller, the Tigers were held to just 57 yards on the ground, placing a lot of the offensive burden on his shoulders.
On the other side of the ball, Auburn allowed 497 yards to a balanced yet explosive Georgia attack. Quarterback Aaron Murray threw for 208 yards while the Bulldog running backs combined for 238 yards on the ground.
The Auburn defense gave up four touchdowns to the Bulldogs on five drives in the first half, putting the Tigers in a 28-0 hole heading into the locker room.
"Any game has its ups and downs," defensive tackle Jeff Whitaker said. "We did some things early that, unfortunately, we were unable to recover from."
The Bulldogs started the second half right where they left off, getting a field goal and a touchdown on their first two possessions. But the Tigers would step up defensively after Georgia running back Ken Malcome's 62-yard scoring run, preventing the Bulldogs from scoring for the final 20 minutes of action.
While the Auburn defense slowed down the Georgia offense in the second half, the offense had two promising drives end with turnovers. After two big receiving plays, Emory Blake, who led all receivers with 104 yards, fumbled the football deep inside Georgia territory. On the Tigers' next drive, Wallace overthrew Blake in the middle of the field for a Bacarri Rambo interception.
From that point on, the two teams traded punts until the clock hit all zeroes.
Even after a painful loss to a rival late in the year, the message from the players was clear after the game: this football team has not given up on the season.
"We have to get back out there and go to work," said defensive end Nosa Eguae. "We have to work hard and make sure we send the seniors out with a win."
Auburn will play their final home game of the 2012 season next week against Alabama A&M. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
(11/11/12 1:47am)
The Auburn Tigers (2-7, 0-6), find themselves down 28-0 after two quarters in this year's edition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.
(10/26/12 4:48am)
On the verge of a disappointing draw with its in-state rival, the Auburn soccer team celebrated Senior Night with a 4-3 double overtime victory over Alabama on Oct. 25.
With 28 seconds left in the match, forward Tatiana Coleman received a deep punt from senior goalkeeper Amy Howard in stride and flicked it over Alabama goalkeeper Shelby Church for the game-winning goal.
"When I got the ball I said, 'You know what, either you end up with a tie or end up with a win,'" Coleman said afterwards. "I knew I had to put (the chance) in for my team and especially for the seniors."
Auburn was able to reclaim the Iron Bowl of Soccer Trophy with the win, avenging last year's heartbreaking 3-2 loss in Tuscaloosa. The dramatic victory also secured a first round bye in the SEC Tournament for the Tigers, a prize that head coach Karen Hoppa says is extremely valuable for Auburn's chances.
"The bye is massive," Hoppa said. "I don't think you can win the tournament if you have to play on Monday. The bye gives us a great chance to defend our title, and that's what we wanted."
Auburn rushed out to a commanding 3-0 lead in the first half, dominating all phases of play for the first 45 minutes.
Senior Mary Coffed got the Tigers rolling in the eighth minute, slotting a low line drive past Church for the opening goal. She would score again less than 20 minutes later off of a cross by Coleman. Coffed also got involved in a 32nd minute attack that ended with Alexa Allen setting up Coleman for a powerful goal just outside the penalty box.
"One of our goals as a team before we kicked off was to match their intensity and start off really strong," Coffed said. "Getting that first goal in the first ten minutes really gave us the boost at the start of the game that we needed, and we were able to rack up that 3-0 lead."
But it seemed like the script was flipped during halftime, as the visiting Crimson Tide were able to get all three goals back in the second half. The Tide's Theresa Diedrich started the comeback with a 55th minute goal off of a well-worked corner routine.
Later Alabama was awarded a controversial penalty in the 69th minute that appeared to be right at the edge of the box. Merel Van Dongen converted the spot kick to bring the visitors to a one-goal deficit. Alabama's comeback was completed ten minutes later when Laura Lee Smith powered a shot off the crossbar and past a diving Howard.
But Auburn was able to hold off the Alabama attack for the final ten minutes of regulation. In overtime, Howard came up with several fingertip saves to keep the Tigers' hopes alive.
"It's hard after you give up goals because that's your one job out there," Howard said. "But you have to mentally get right back in it and pretend like it's 0-0."
Howard's goalkeeping heroics gave Auburn the opportunity to end the game in the first overtime period, but a low shot from Coleman finished on the wrong side of the post with only seven seconds left on the clock.
But Coleman's final shot was able to find the back of the net.
"That's what goalscorers do," Hoppa said. "They can't focus on the one they missed, they have to focus on the next one. Tatiana's got such a great mentality and she showed tonight that she's a great goalscorer."
By securing the bye, Auburn will start their SEC Tournament title defense on Oct. 31 when they face Tennessee in the quarterfinals.