UA law school chosen to help create graduate law programs in Ethiopia
Tuscaloosa News -- Dec. 13
The University of Alabama School of Law was recently chosen by the Ethiopian government to help that country build its graduate law programs. The project, funded by a $2.4 million loan allocated by the World Bank, is a five-year program called “Graduate Programs in Law for Teaching and Research Capacity Building.” UA Law faculty will offer strategies to assist public universities in Ethiopia in developing their masters and doctoral legal programs.

Super job by Namath
Philly.com -- Dec. 12
JOE WILLIE NAMATH will receive his degree along with more than 900 others when the University of Alabama holds its winter commencement ceremonies on Saturday. And he won't be receiving one of those honorary sheepskins. Namath is getting his bachelor's degree the old fashioned way: He earned it.
KTRK-ABC, Houston -- Dec. 12
WPBF-ABC, West Palm Beach -- Dec. 12
WIAT-CBS 42, Birmingham -- Dec. 12

UA commencement will include three Tide basketball players
Tuscaloosa News -- Dec. 13
Three University of Alabama basketball players will graduate Saturday during the 9 a.m. commencement in Coleman Coliseum, the same facility where they play in front of thousands of fans and spend countless hours at practice.
WAKA-CBS, Montgomery -- Dec. 12

Stallings Raises Money for Stacy
WBRC-Fox 6 -- Dec. 12
Former Alabama Football Coach Gene Stallings is working to help his former player Siran Stacy. Stallings is raising money for Stacy and his surviving daughter.

UA Graduate Named Merrill Lynch’s Head of Global Communications and Public Affairs
WBRC-Fox 6 -- Dec. 12
Merrill Lynch has appointed Birmingham native Margaret Tutwiler head of global communications and public affairs…Tutwiler has been in charge of communications for New York Stock Exchange parent Euronext since July 2004. The University of Alabama grad was previously ambassador to Morocco. . .

Higher ed chief selected
Arkansas Democrat Gazette -- Dec. 11
James Purcell was selected by a state board Monday to be the next director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. . . . A native of Alabama, Purcell holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Alabama, a master’s of education, counseling and guidance degree from University of Montevallo in Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Auburn University.