re: Question for Alabama alumni

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The process to improve the infrastructure and the makeup of the student body was put into place by Dr. Witt before the football run started, but the football run obviously supercharged the effort. The push for out of state students would not have had such success without the incredible exposure that Saban and the football program has given us.

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This is probably one of the best responses I've seen to this question.

The plan was in place pre-Saban, but the football success created a perfect storm that is fueling the campus and city of Tuscaloosa growth that we're all seeing and experiencing.

Not to mention the swaths of newly available land to be developed thanks to the tornado.

Tuscaloosa will look entirely different 10 years from now.

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MercerBears

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You are a character from a Flannery O'Connor story.

I think that the football success has led to more out of state applicants, but I think most of the academic improvements and overall student growth are attributable to Dr Witt (old President and current Chancellor) and his vision.

I can’t really speak to how this affects the Greek or non-Greek life on campus.

the new out-of-state population is allowing the nastier remnants of the old south to experience real opposition for the first time. It's causing growing pains, but with each turnover, it's becoming a better place every year.

Maybe you could ask the students that got the shite beat out of them by football players. Pettway used their debit cards and was kicked off of the team for one season, became a juco all American, so Saban decided to let him back on the team. Funny how this story always gets pushed under the rug and let's me know where Saban stands when it comes to football and the university. In the mean time, parents that actually respected the school and paid good money for their children to receive an education get to see that POS celebrating while getting a free education. Don't get things twisted, Saban's main concern is football and obviously goes through any means to win.

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If my son in his sophomore year at Bama, where to see the Bama I grew graduated from, he'd think it was a community college.

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This - and would think my fraternity house was a cottage.

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Bama will mail you a Doctorate.......

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I wish. Trying to finish one up by August.

I know a lot of people said that campus and Tuscaloosa has changed a lot from when they were in school, but it's changed dramatically in my 4 years here.

I got here in 2011 right after the tornadoes so obviously there was some rebuilding going on, but campus now looks almost nothing like it did in 2011. Even though all of thes new infrastructure is great, campus has gotten way too big way too fast. I've heard several rumors about how we are trying to get to 50k enrollment within the next ten years, and with all these new apartments going up we damn well might just get there.

However Tuscaloosa and Alabama wasn't meant to hold 50,000 students. Hell it can barely hold 37,000 students. I never really noticed how overcrowded things were here until these past 2 years. Traffic is awful in town, and there are people everywhere. There seems to be an overall lack of space, and it can suffocate someone.

I obviously can't speak bad about all of the out of state students since I am from South Carolina, but bringing in new people from all over means a bringing in of new ideas, which can and will change Alabama for the better, especially with its "Old South" image, which can be both good and bad.

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They were all kicked off the team promptly, never to return. Saban didn't only let Pettway return, but gave his scholly back. Obviously if it was your kid that was knocked senseless and robbed you'd have a different outlook, but all you care about is those ships.

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Wrong. I didn't want him back, but it seems like he turned himself around. But that's ok, keep making assumptions.

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Pettway used their debit cards and was kicked off of the team for one season, became a juco all American, so Saban decided to let him back on the team.

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Pettway was involved, kicked off, went to Junior College and worked his way back to a second chance. He then took the second chance and has, by all accounts, been an excellent student and teammate that will graduate with a degree and a clean slate.

I'm proud that we gave the kid a second chance and he has made the most of it and will be a fellow alumni. Isn't that what "family" is supposed to be all about? Or is that just an empty slogan reserved for fellow white people from Montgomery Academy, Homewood and "the good ones" on the football roster?