The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Seal of The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Established	1936 [1]
Type	Public
Endowment	$332,356,890 [2]
President	Dr. Carol Z. Garrison
Provost	Dr. Eli Capilouto
Faculty	2,049 [3] (91% hold doctorate degree)
Students	18,047[4]
Undergraduates	11,681[5]
Postgraduates	6,366[6]
Location	Birmingham, Alabama, USA 33°30′00″N 86°48′27″W / 33.500000°N 86.807500°W / 33.500000; -86.807500
Sports	17 Intercollegiate Sports (NCAA Division I FBS)
Colors	Forest Green and Gold
Nickname	Blazers
Mascot	Blaze the Dragon
Affiliations	SACS, Great Cities' Universities, NCAA, Conference USA, University of Alabama System
Website	http://www.UAB.edu/

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a doctoral, public research university covering 83 blocks in the heart of Alabama's largest city Birmingham, Alabama, USA. According to the 2009 Academic Ranking of World Universities,which takes into account the number of Nobel prizes and research quality of an institution, UAB is ranked among Top-100 universities in United States and among Top-200 universities in the world. ^[7] The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classifies UAB as an institution of RU/VH or "Very High Research Activity." UAB is the only University in the state of Alabama with the RU/VH rating and one of 96 universities in the nation with the highest designation.^[8] UAB is a vital economic engine of the state of Alabama with an estimated $3 Billion annual impact. UAB is currently the states largest employer with more than 18,000 faculty and staff and over 53,000 jobs at the university and in the health system. Almost 10% of the jobs in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area are related to UAB.^[9]

UAB offers over 140 nationally and regionally accredited programs of study through 12 academic divisions leading to bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degrees in various fields, including social and behavioral sciences, liberal arts, business, education, engineering, health-related fields such as medicine, dentistry, optometry and nursing and public health. The school is highly renowned for its medical research and natural sciences programs. UAB ranks among Top-20 nationally in federal research and development funding and 1st in the state of Alabama, receiving more funding than all other Alabama universities combined. UAB received over $416 million in external grants and contracts in fiscal 2007-2008.^[10] As of 2009, UAB is 4th in the Southeast for NIH research funding behind only Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilt University.^[11] UAB Hospital also sponsors residency programs in various medical specialties, including internal medicine, neurology, surgery, radiology, and anesthesiology. UAB Hospital is the only Level I trauma center in Alabama verified by the American College of Surgeons Trauma Program.^[12] The other two Level I trauma centers in Alabama (Children's Hospital of Alabama and Huntsville Hospital) are not ACS verified.

In the Fall of 2009, UAB celebrated it's 40th Anniversary and enrolled a school record 18,047 students from over 110 countries including 1,517 freshmen. ^[13]The school's president is Dr. Carol Z. Garrison.

Contents 1 Institution History 1.1 UAB Presidents 1.2 UAB Milestones (1936-2009) 2 Campus 2.1 Campus Green 2.2 Recreation Center 2.3 Housing 3 Academic Profile 3.1 Academic Programs 3.2 2010 Realignment 4 Students 4.1 Tuition 4.2 Student Facts and Demographics[21] 5 Academic Rankings and Accolades 5.1 General 5.2 School of Public Health 5.3 Schools of Nursing, Health Professions, and Medicine 5.4 Schools of Business and Engineering 6 Honors Programs 6.1 University Honors Program 6.2 Science and Technology Honors Program 6.3 Global and Community Leadership Honors Program 6.4 The Early Medical School Acceptance Program 7 Health System 8 Athletics 8.1 Future On-Campus Stadium? 9 Fight Song 10 Student Life 10.1 Greek Life 10.2 Intramurals 11 Notable Alumni and Faculty 12 External links 13 References

[edit] Institution History

UAB is the newest and largest in terms of faculty, staff, and budget of Alabama's major universities. UAB began in 1936 as the Birmingham Extension Center of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Because of the rapid growth of the Birmingham area, it was decided that a program for students in the Birmingham area was needed. In 1945, the University of Alabama School of Medicine moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, and took over management of Jefferson and Hillman Hospitals in Birmingham. In 1966, the Extension Center and the School of Medicine were merged into the University of Alabama in Birmingham. In 1969, UAB became one of three autonomous institutions of the University of Alabama System, which includes the University of Alabama (UA) in Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville). The university's name was changed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984.^[1]. UAB is a component of the University of Alabama System and is governed by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama. The President of UAB is appointed by the Chancellor of the University of Alabama System with approval of the Board of Trustees. The President reports directly to the Chancellor, and is responsible for hiring and promotion of faculty and staff on the UAB campus.

[edit] UAB Presidents

Presidents
Person	Years
Dr. Joseph F. Volker	1969-1976
Dr. S. Richardson Hill Jr.	1977-1987
Dr. Charles A. McCallum	1987-1993
Dr. J. Claude Bennett	1993-1996
Mr. Paul Hardin	1997
Dr. W. Ann Reynolds	1997-2002
Dr. Malcom Portera	2002
Dr. Carol Z. Garrison	2002-Present

[edit] UAB Milestones (1936-2009)

• 1936 - The University of Alabama opened its Birmingham Extension Center in an old house at 2131 6th Avenue North. For the first term, 116 students enrolled.
• 1949 - The Class of 1949, the first class to spend all four years of medical school in Birmingham, graduated with 24 male and 7 female students.
• 1955 - Research and training grants at the Medical Center totaled $312,000.
• 1957 - For the fall term, total enrollment at the Birmingham Extension Center was 1,856 students. University Hospital School of Nursing received full accreditation from the National Nursing Accreditation Service.
• 1959 - Groundbreaking ceremonies for Children's Hospital were held. Research grants, training grants, and fellowships at the Medical Center exceeded $1,000,000.
• 1962 - Groundbreaking was held for the Engineering Building. The General Clinical Research Center was established at the Medical Center with a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• 1967 - UAB Advisory Board was established.
• 1969 - Governor Albert P. Brewer announced the establishment of The University of Alabama System comprising autonomous campuses in Tuscaloosa (UA), Birmingham (UAB), and Huntsville (UAH). The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) became one of the three universities in the new three-campus system. Active grants and contracts for the newly independent UAB totaled $18,190,620. Dr. Joseph F. Volker was named first president of UAB.
• 1970 - UAB received acceptance as a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) school. Golf, the first NCAA intercollegiate sports team at UAB, opened its initial season in a match with Tulane University. Total student enrollment for the fall term in all schools for the second year of classes of the new UAB was 6,629, with 2,724 females.
• 1971 - The Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences was dedicated and named in honor of Alabama's long-time former Senator.
• 1973 - The UAB School of Business became the youngest business school in the nation to be accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
• 1977 - The UAB Mini Park was dedicated.
• 1978 - Before a crowd of over 14,800 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, the UAB men's basketball team competed in its first game, losing to Nebraska by a score of 55 to 64. A pink dragon served as the first official mascot for the UAB Blazers.
• 1979 - UAB National Alumni Society was chartered.
• 1984 - The University of Alabama Board of Trustees approved the change of UAB's name from the "University of Alabama in Birmingham" to the "University of Alabama at Birmingham."
• 1986 - The first five students graduated from the UAB Honors Program.
• 1989 - UAB celebrated $100 million in active grants and contracts.
• 1990 - UAB awarded its 50,000th degree.
• 1992 - U.S. News and World Report named UAB as the #1 up-and-coming university in the United States.
• 1993 - UAB's economic impact on the Birmingham region was estimated at more than $1.5 billion per year.
• 1994 - UAB became the first Alabama university to achieve Research University I status in the Carnegie Foundation classification.
• 1995 - The UAB football team had its first win over an NCAA Division I-A opponent, beating North Texas 19-14. Blaze the dragon was unveiled as the new UAB mascot.
• 1997 - HealthSouth CEO and UAB alumnus Richard M. Scrushy agreed to donate $2 million for construction of a new building for the School of Health Related Professions.
• 1998 - UAB's economic impact on the Birmingham region was estimated at more than $2 billion per year.
• 1999 - The university launched a Capital Campaign with a goal of $250 million.
• 2001 - Classes began at UAB on a semester basis for the first time, the last university in the state of Alabama to convert from a quarter to a semester system.
• 2002 - Ground was broken for UAB’s long-awaited Student Recreation Center.
• 2003 - The UAB Capital Campaign officially ended with over $388.7 million raised, the largest fundraising effort by any university in Alabama. The campaign’s original goal had been $250 million.
• 2003 - The Campus Recreation Center opened.
• 2006 - The School of Medicine increased the incoming first-year class to 176 students.
• 2008 - A smoke breathing statue of the UAB dragon mascot was unveiled on the concourse in front of Bartow Arena. Created by T. J. Neil of Homosassa, Fla., the three-ton statue is nine feet tall and sixteen feet long.
• 2009 - UAB celebrated it's 40th Anniversary as an independent institution of higher learning. When classes began, UAB had the largest enrollment in the school’s 40-year history. Freshman enrollment was up 19% and graduate student enrollment hit its largest number ever. A record 18,047 students enrolled in courses at UAB.

[edit] Campus

UAB is located on approximately 83 blocks on the Southside of Birmingham, Alabama. The medical center which is located on the east and north sides of campus closest to downtown contains buildings mostly dedicated to healthcare, research, and support of those enterprises. Also located in the medical center district are non-UAB hospitals, such as the VA Medical Center Birmingham, Children's Hospital of Alabama, and Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. The west campus area near Interstate 65 and the Glen Iris and Southside communities is mostly dedicated to the non-health related schools, student housing, and athletic facilities.

Since 1969, UAB has undergone extensive growth and is sometimes jokingly referred to as "The University that Ate Birmingham"^[14], and construction projects are common across campus. Current projects that are in planning, recently completed, or under construction include:^[15]

• Shelby Biomedical Research Building
• Southern Bio-Safety Lab Alabama Birmingham
• Alumni Affairs House
• UAB Softball Complex
• Campus Green Project
• Women's and Infants Center ^[16]
• Hazelrig-Salter Radiation Oncology Facility ^[17]

[edit] Campus Green

In 2007, UAB constructed a new park called the Campus Green. Planning for the Campus Green began in late 2000. The park is divided into the North and South Greens. The North Green is 340' long and 240' wide. The South Green is 320-foot square of green space and major sidewalks with pedestrian lighting, decorative architectural landscape elements, and multiple trees. There is also a formal garden and a corner plaza. The Green is bordered by Blazer Hall, the Commons on the Green (the campus dining faculty), the Campus Recreation Center, and the new 95,000-square-foot (8,800 m²) Heritage Hall academic building. Blazer Hall opened in Fall 2006 and is a new 753-bed freshman Residence Hall located adjacent to the Commons on the Green. Other aspects of the Campus Green that would make it distinctly representative of UAB are being discussed such as a bell tower and fountains area.

[edit] Recreation Center

Opened in 2006, the UAB Recreation Center serves the students, faculty, and alumni of UAB as well as the surrounding Birmingham community. The 150,000 square feet covers three floors: housing four basketball/volleyball courts, five racquetball courts (one of which can be converted to squash and four for wallyball), four aerobics studios, 18,000 square feet of weight and cardio-fitness areas, game room, KidsZone, aquatics center with both lap and leisure components, CenterCourt gym used for indoor soccer, floor hockey and badminton, juice bar, indoor track, and a climbing wall. The center includes free weights, court sports, swimming pools, group fitness classes, nutrition education, fitness areas, and a climbing wall.

[edit] Housing

UAB has five dormitories on campus:

• Blazer Hall (Freshmen only)
• Blount Hall (Sophomores and higher)
• Camp Hall (Sophomores and higher)
• Denman Hall (Juniors and higher and married couples)
• Rast Hall (Sophomores and higher)

[edit] Academic Profile

[edit] Academic Programs

2009 Fall Enrollment (18,047 Total Students)^[18]

	Total Students	% of Population
Arts and Humanities	1,365	7.56%
Business	1,946	10.78%
Dentistry	367	2.03%
Education	1,720	9.53%
Engineering	1,094	6.06%
Health Professions	1,904	10.55%
Medicine	1,623	8.99%
Natural Sciences and Mathematics	1,829	10.13%
Nursing	1,579	8.74%
Optometry	216	1.19%
Public Health	412	2.28%
Social and Behavioral Sciences	1,768	9.79%
Joint Health Sciences	428	2.37%
General Studies/Undeclared	1,773	9.82%

The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers 51 baccalaureate (bachelors, undergraduate) programs, 46 master's degree programs, and 36 doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. The University is divided into 12 schools and the Graduate School:

• School of Arts and Humanities
• School of Business
• School of Dentistry
• School of Education
• School of Engineering
• School of Health Professions
• School of Medicine
• School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• School of Nursing
• School of Optometry
• School of Public Health
• School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Division of General Studies
• Graduate School

[edit] 2010 Realignment

Beginning January 1, 2010, three schools at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Arts and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Natural Science and Mathematics) will merge into one College of Arts and Sciences. A fourth, the School of Education, will retain its school identity as a distinct unit, but within the new college. President Dr. Carol Garrison stated that "with this move, we have the opportunity to build on that tradition of excellence in our teaching/learning programs, and to provide 21st century curricula and learning for our students. And by strengthening multi-disciplinary research and scholarship, we can continue as a leading contributor in solving the complex problems of our day."^[19]

[edit] Students

[edit] Tuition

For the 2009-2010 academic year, annual average undergraduate tuition is $5,192 for in-state students, and $11,528 for out-of-state students. For the 2009-2010 academic year, annual average graduate tuition is $6,116 for in-state students, and $14,216 for out-of-state students. For the 2009-2010 academic year, annual medical school tuition is $18,140 for in-state students, and $51,394 for out-of-state students.^[20]

[edit] Student Facts and Demographics^[21]

Ethnic Composition of Student Body^[22]

	UAB	Alabama [23]	U.S. Census[24]
Hispanic American	1.7%	2.9%	14.7%
Asian American	4.4%	1.0%	4.3%
Caucasian	65.3%	71.0%	73.9%
African American	27.1%	26.4%	12.4%
Native American	0.1%	N/A	0.8%
International/Other	3.8%	N/A	N/A

• Total students numbering 18,047 enrolled in Fall 2009 from more than 110 countries and all 50 states.
• The ratio of women to men is 60:40.
• 32% are graduate and professional students.
• The average entering freshman ACT score for the Class of 2013 is 24.3 with a 3.5 high school GPA.
• The student-faculty ratio at UAB is 18:1.
• 91.3% of the faculty at UAB hold an academic or professional doctorate.
• Average undergraduate class size of 31 students.
• There are over 150+ student organizaitons on the UAB campus.
• The average UAB freshman in 2009 is 18 years old.
• The average student on campus is 20 years old
• 70% of the entering UAB freshman Class of 2013 is living in campus housing.
• 29% of UAB freshmen come from Jefferson County in Alabama
• 60% of UAB freshmen come from other Alabama counties
• 8.4% come from other states
• 1.5% come from other countries.

In addition to the undergraduate curriculum, the Graduate School at UAB has experienced significant growth. In the past 3 years, graduate enrollment is up 19.5%. There has also been a 30 point increase in the mean GRE score of applicants with an average GRE Verbal score of 530 and Quantitative score of 690.^[25]

[edit] Academic Rankings and Accolades

[edit] General

• The University of Alabama at Birmingham is nationally ranked among Top-20 in total federal research funding and key areas of health sciences receiving more than $433 million dollars in funding.^[26]
• UAB has been identified by the Carnegie Foundation as one of the top twenty research institutions in the country.^[27]
• In the 2010 Princeton Review College Rankings, UAB is listed as one of the "Best Southeastern Colleges" and one of the top 371 colleges/universities in the US. In addition, out of the 371 Best College Rankings, UAB was ranked #3 in race/class interaction, #11 for happiest students, and #14 for best athletic facilities.^[28]
• In the 2010 US News and World Report, UAB is listed as a "more selective" institution and 145th overall (public or private) among 572 universities in USA.^[29]
• As of 2009, the Carnegie Foundation classifies UAB as an institution of RU/VH or "Very High Research Activity," the only university in Alabama to meet that definition. This puts UAB among the nation's Top 96 research universities, public or private. ^[30]
• In 2009, the Scientist Magazine ranked UAB as 5th in the Top 15 U.S. Academic Institutions and up from 47th in 2007. ^[31]
• According to 2009 Academic Ranking of World Universities, University of Alabama at Birmingham is ranked between 152-200 among world universities placing it in Top-100 in the nation(Nationally Ranked Between 71-90) and Top-200 in the world.
• According to 2008 Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities UAB is ranked #65th among all the universities in the world.
• Since 2000, UAB has produced 7 Fulbright Scholars, 6 Phi Kappa Phi Fellows, 8 Goldwater Scholars, 5 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellows, 2 Truman Scholars, 1 Marshall Scholar, 1 Rhodes Scholar
• In 2009, the average ACT score of entering freshman at UAB was 24.4. In 2007, the freshman class had an ACT average of 24, meeting the University's Strategic Plan 2010 goal 3 years early.
• Seven faculty members are members of the National Academy of the United States National Academies.
• The UAB Model Arab League team is among the best government model teams in the nation with over five years of expansion and award winning achievement including multiple "outstanding delegation" awards.
• The UAB Mock Trial team is consistently among the nation's best as a perennial Top 25 program. The program enjoyed its greatest success in 2006, when the team won the national title in the Silver Division defeating the defending national champions of Harvard University.

[edit] School of Public Health

• According to 2007 US News & World Report, the UAB School of Public Health is ranked #16th in the nation.

[edit] Schools of Nursing, Health Professions, and Medicine

• The schools of Nursing and Medicine at UAB are among the nation’s best, according to the 2009-2010 U.S. News & World Report ranking of graduate schools. The School of Nursing is ranked 1st. The School of Medicine is ranked 29th. Five medical specialties at UAB are ranked in the top 20 nationally by the magazine: AIDS, 4th; women’s health, 8th; internal medicine 18th; geriatrics, 19th; and pediatrics, 19th. The school’s primary care program was ranked 34th.
• The Master of Science in Health Administration program has been ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News since the early 1990s and is currently ranked 7th in the nation.
• The Master's in Physical Therapy program is ranked 25th.
• The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program is ranked among the top 30 nationally and is one of only 2 programs in the nation that has a surgical focus.
• The School of Health Professions is #1 in the nation in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and holds the record for 26 consecutive years in either first or second place.

[edit] Schools of Business and Engineering

• The UAB MBA program is recognized by The Princeton Review in its 2010 edition of "Best 296 Business Schools" as one of the best in the nation.^[32]
• The UAB School of Business was ranked 7th in metropolitan state business schools by US News and World Report in 2004 and is accredited by AACSB International.
• UAB accounting graduates first-time pass rates on the CPA exam that are 30% higher than the national average.
• During the past 11 years, a UAB graduate has achieved the highest score in Alabama on the CPA Exam 9 times.^[33]
• UAB School of Business finance graduates pass the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam at a rate 20% higher than the national average.
• UAB's School of Business has 4 tenured Black faculty in the Department of Management and Organization but UAB as a whole has a very small percentage of tenured Black faculty.
• The Industrial Distribution Program is the only fully integrated business-engineering ID program in the U.S.
• A UAB School of Engineering student has been named by the ASPE (Alabama Society of Professional Engineers) as the state of Alabama’s Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year from 2004-2009 and 9 of the past 12 years.^[34] The School of Engineering has been nationally accredited through ABET since it's founding in 1969.
• The biomedical engineering program is ranked 40th in the nation by US News and is the only biomedical engineering program in the state.

[edit] Honors Programs

[edit] University Honors Program

The University Honors Program (UHP) is UAB’s core liberal arts honors program. This program provides students with a variety of interdisciplinary courses that are designed to be more challenging, innovative, and personal than normal courses. The program only accepts a maximum of 50 students per year that represent a diverse range of majors and disciplines in order to create a unique and cultivating learning environment.

This program does not have any minimum requirements for admission. Applicants are considered if they demonstrate particular academic or creative talent and after having a personal interview.

[edit] Science and Technology Honors Program

The Science and Technology Honors Program, otherwise known as Sci-Tech Honors or S&T Honors, is UAB’s research based honors program. This program prepares students for research careers and graduate school by connecting them with labs and mentors in their undergraduate years. The first two years of the program focus primarily on teaching the methodologies and techniques used in scientific research, while the last two years are spent on developing the student’s Honors Thesis, consisting of an individual research project and report that will be submitted for publication.

The program also encourages collaboration amongst students and boasts its tight-knit learning community, which is facilitated by numerous program meetings, activities, and summer retreats. In order to promote these ideas, the program only accepts a maximum of 50 students each year.

The minimum requirements for application are a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and an ACT or SAT score at or above the 90th percentile in math and science. However, all applications are individually reviewed and there is no definite cut-off based on ACT or SAT scores.

[edit] Global and Community Leadership Honors Program

The Global Community and Leadership Honors Program (GCL Honors) is composed of students interested in community and global issues. Students in this program are commonly study foreign languages, culture, and international studies. The program is designed to facilitate student interest in being leaders in their community and in the world and to help them explore the issues facing the world today and apply them to their own goals. This program provides specialized curriculum and incorporates Study Away/Study Abroad programs into its required courses

[edit] The Early Medical School Acceptance Program

The Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP) is the most competitive honors program available at UAB. EMSAP serves as a magnet for academically superior high-school seniors, attracting them to UAB’s undergraduate programs by offering guaranteed acceptance into the School of Medicine, Dentistry, or Optometry, after completion of their undergraduate degree at UAB.

EMSAP is a combination of three separate programs: the Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP), the Early Dental School Acceptance Program (EDSAP), and the Early Optometry School Acceptance Program (EOSAP). Currently, EMSAP accepts only 10 students per year into its program while EDSAP and EOSAP, both of which are new programs starting Fall 2008, are anticipated to accept only 1-2 students each per year.

The minimum requirements for application are a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and at least a 30 ACT or 1320 SAT (out of 1600). However, the average ACT score of those accepted ranges from 32 to 36. The minimum academic requirements for remaining in good standing are a 3.5 GPA in natural science and math courses and a 3.6 GPA overall. Should a student’s GPA drop below these minimums, the student is placed on probation and has one year to bring their GPA back up to the minimum, or be expelled from the program. In addition, EMSAP students must achieve a minimum score of 28 on the MCAT examination before their matriculation into the School of Medicine, while EDSAP and EOSAP students must make at least average scores on the DAT and OAT.

EMSAP web site: http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=27435

[edit] Health System

The UAB Health System is a partnership between UAB and the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF). The UAHSF is a private, not-for-profit medical practice made up of the faculty of the UAB School of Medicine.The UAB Health System is governed by a board of directors which has representatives of the UAHSF, the University of Alabama Board of Trustees, and UAB administrators. The UAB President is the ex officio chairperson of the UAB Health System. The CEO of the UAB Health System reports directly to the UAB Health System board and is appointed by the chairman of the board. Organizational units of the UAB Health System include:

• UAB Hospital
  • UAB Highlands (formerly HealthSouth Medical Center)
• The Kirklin Clinic
  • UAB Health Centers
• Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital
• Viva Health (HMO)

Managed by the UAB Health System through management agreements are Medical West in Bessemer, and Baptist Health of Montgomery. UAB also has affiliations with the Birmingham VA Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Alabama, and Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville.

[edit] Athletics

The UAB Blazers are the forest green and old gold-swathed athletic teams at UAB. The school is one of the twelve member institutions of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA. The UAB football team, which competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision is led by Neil Callaway and plays its home games at 71,594-seat Legion Field. The school's men's basketball team, coached by Mike Davis, plays in 8,508-seat Bartow Arena.

The basketball program's first coach was Gene Bartow, who was John Wooden's successor at UCLA. Bartow left UCLA after several exceptional seasons (52-9 over three seasons, including a berth in the Final Four in 1976) to head up the founding of the first UAB men's basketball team. He served as the school's first head basketball coach and athletic director for 18 years. Bartow led UAB to the NIT in the program's second year of existence, and followed that with seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips to the Sweet 16 in 1981 and the Elite Eight in 1982. Bartow retired from coaching in 1996, and in 1997, UAB renamed its basketball venue from UAB Arena to Bartow Arena in his honor. Bartow continues to support the university as an influential booster and currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee where he serves on the staff of the Memphis Grizzlies as a Special Advisor. In 30 years UAB has made 13 NCAA appearances, 3 Sweet Sixteen appearances, 1 Elite Eight appearance, has had 27 winning seasons, of which 19 of those were 20+ wins seasons.

In addition to football and basketball, UAB also has programs in men's sports for baseball, golf, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports programs include softball, basketball, golf, soccer, synchronized swimming, tennis, track and field(indoor and outdoor), cross country, rifle and volleyball.

[edit] Future On-Campus Stadium?

The current football home field as of the 2009 season is the 77-year-old stadium Legion Field or "The Gray Lady". The stadium has multiple structural, repair, and upgrade issues leading to the AHSAA football state championships to abandon the site and move to separate facilities in 2010.^[35][36]Since the early 2000s, UAB has considered building a new 40,000 seat stadium on campus to replace the aging off campus facility Legion Field. In 2007, the city of Birmingham, Alabama approved funding for a 57,000 seat facility near the existing BJCC with UAB being a possible tenant.^[37] However, some in Birmingham believe that a new facility should be located on campus and would boost ticket sales and also be an effective catalyst in moving the city forward following the conviction of former mayor Larry Langford.^[38] As of November 29th, 2009, no new plans for construction have been approved by UAB.

[edit] Fight Song

The Fight Song for UAB is the "UAB Fight Song". It sometimes is also known as the "Blazer Fight Song". The lyrics for the song are:

At UAB in Birmingham
All Hail our players bold
They are the mighty Blazers
Who wear the Green and Gold
Tonight let's fire their Golden Blaze
The Flame of victory
Go Blazers! Go Blazers!
Win for UAB!
WIN FOR UAB!

[edit] Student Life

[edit] Greek Life

Panhellenic Council (NPC)

• Alpha Gamma Delta
• Alpha Omicron Pi
• Delta Gamma
• Alpha Xi Delta
• Alpha Sigma Tau (closed)
• Sigma Kappa (closed)

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 1975
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 1974
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 1972
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 1990
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 1980 Kappa Kappa Chapter[1]
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. 1996 Xi Mu Chapter
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

• Delta Sigma Phi ΔΣΦ
• Lambda Chi Alpha ΛΧΑ
• Tau Kappa Epsilon TKE [2]
• Pi Kappa Phi ΠKΦ [3]

• Alpha Tau Omega ATΩ (closed)
• Kappa Sigma ΚΣ (closed)
• Theta Chi ΘΧ (closed)
• Pi Kappa Alpha ΠΚΑ (closed)

[edit] Intramurals

The school also has an intramural program that runs year-round. Students and staff compete for league trophies in sports such as basketball, bowling, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball, or play to win special tournaments in billiards, racquetball, tennis, and other sports.

[edit] Notable Alumni and Faculty

As of 2009, there are over 100,000 graduates of UAB. The UAB National Alumni Society includes 59 chapters across the United States.

[edit] External links

• UAB Main Page
• UAB Health System
• UABsports.com: The Official Athletic Site of the UAB Blazers

[edit] References

v • d • e University of Alabama at Birmingham Schools Arts and Humanities • Business • Dentistry • Education • Engineering • Health Professions • Medicine • Natural Sciences and Mathematics • Nursing • Optometry • Public Health • Social and Behavioral Sciences • Graduate School • Division of General Studies UAB Health System UAB Hospital • UAB Highlands • Kirklin Clinic • Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital • Spain Rehabilitation Center • University of Alabama Health Services Foundation • Viva Health • Medical West • Baptist Health of Montgomery • UAB Health Centers People UAB Alumni & Faculty • Tinsley Harrison • John W. Kirklin • Gene Bartow • Mike Davis • Neil Callaway • Carol Garrison Places Birmingham • Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center • Bartow Arena • Legion Field • Alabama Museum of Health Sciences • Mervyn H. Sterne Library • Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences • Innovation Depot • Samuel Ullman Museum Athletics Football • Basketball (Men & Women) • Soccer • Synchronized Swimming • Baseball • Softball • Golf • Tennis • Track and Field • Cross Country • Rifle • Volleyball Affiliations University of Alabama System • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools • Oak Ridge Associated Universities • Urban 13 • Great Cities' Universities • Space Grant Colleges • Sea Grant Colleges • Conference USA • National Collegiate Athletic Association • Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education

v • d • e University of Alabama System University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) (UA) • University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) • University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH)

v • d • e Conference USA (C-USA) West Division Houston Cougars • Rice Owls • SMU Mustangs • Tulane Green Wave • Tulsa Golden Hurricane • UTEP Miners East Division East Carolina Pirates • Marshall Thundering Herd • Memphis Tigers • Southern Miss Golden Eagles • UAB Blazers • UCF Knights Soccer-Only Members Kentucky Wildcats (men's) • South Carolina Gamecocks (men's) • FIU Golden Panthers (men's) • Colorado College Tigers (women's) History Metro Conference • Great Midwest Conference • Southwest Conference

v • d • e Colleges and universities in Alabama Public institutions Alabama · Alabama A&M · Alabama State · Auburn · Auburn-Montgomery · Jacksonville State · Montevallo · North Alabama · South Alabama · Troy · UAB · UAHuntsville · West Alabama Private institutions Amridge · Birmingham-Southern · Concordia · Faulkner · Heritage Christian · Huntingdon · Judson · Miles · Oakwood · Samford · Selma · Southeastern Bible College · Spring Hill · Stillman · Talladega · Tuskegee · United States Sports Academy · University of Mobile · Virginia Community/Junior Colleges Alabama Southern CC · Bevil State CC · Bishop State CC · Calhoun CC · Central Alabama CC · Chattahoochee Valley CC · Enterprise-Ozark CC · Gadsden State CC · H. Council Trenholm State TC · J. F. Drake State TC · J. F. Ingram State TC · Faulkner State CC · Jefferson Davis CC · Jefferson State CC · Lawson State CC · Lurleen B. Wallace CC · Marion Military Institute · Northeast Alabama CC · Northwest Shoals CC · Reid State TC · Shelton State CC · Snead State CC · Southern Union State CC · Wallace CC · Wallace State CC

v • d • e Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education Birmingham-Southern College • Miles College • Samford University • UAB • University of Montevallo

v • d • e Birmingham, Alabama, USA landmarks 16th Street Baptist Church • Alabama Adventure Theme Park • Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame • Alabama Museum of Health Sciences • Alabama Sports Hall of Fame • Alabama Theatre • Aldridge Gardens • Alys Stephens Center • Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens • Avondale Park • Barber Motorsports Park & Vintage Motorsports Museum • Bessemer Hall of History • Birmingham Botanical Gardens • Birmingham Civil Rights District • Birmingham Civil Rights Institute • Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport • Birmingham Zoo • Birmingham Museum of Art • Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex • Boutwell Auditorium • Cahaba River • Carver Theatre • International Motorsports Hall of Fame • Kelly Ingram Park • Lane Park • Legion Field • McWane Center • Oak Mountain State Park • Red Mountain • Regions Park • Rickwood Field • Riverchase Galleria • Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa • Ruffner Mountain • Sloss Furnaces • Southern Museum of Flight • Talladega Superspeedway • The Summit • UAB • Vulcan Park & Statue