The Loveliest Village

The Health Behavior Assessment Center (HBAC) at Auburn University is a program that helps students get an unbiased view about their drinking habits.

HBAC is not a “just say no” clinic. The counselors and professors involved understand that drinking is not necessarily a bad idea. They want to show students how their drinking affects their grades, social life and more.

Through the program, students can learn about what other college students feel about their drinking and how their own drinking goes along with those values at Auburn.  Students are taught about blood alcohol concentrations, how much money can be involved in drinking, how many calories you intake while drinking, etc.

To learn about what actually occures at the HBAC clinic, watch the interview with Dr. Christopher Correia, a professor of psychology and coordinator of the program. He and the other HBAC staff members would love for students to come in and speak with them. Appointments can be scheduled anytime.

If you or someone you know feels like drinking is becoming a major area of concern, HBAC is available for assistance.  If students choose to attend an HBAC counseling session, the information they receive is free of charge.

For more information about the HBAC clinic, visit their Web site at http://www.auburn.edu/psychology/outreach/hbac/. They can also be reached by e-mail at hbacpsc@auburn.edu or telephone at (334) 844-4889. The HBAC office is located in the Psychological Services Center which is housed in Haley Center 1122.

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Auburn University is celebrating “America Recycles Day� today on the plains. The AU Recycling program is sponsoring the second annual “Landfill on the Lawn� event at Cater Lawn from 1-3 p.m. today.

This event will collect percentages of recycled trash from the university’s single-stream recycling program. This in turn, will be used for the Recyclemania Competition, which is held in the spring. (more…)

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When we are traveling to the polls to cast the ballot of our choice, how often do we think of those with disabilities and if they are having the opportunity to place their vote? Voters with disabilities face barriers and discrimination nationwide. Auburn University is partnering with IBM, Indiana University and the AU Center for Governmental Services to make a change in the voting system and give voters with disabilities a chance to have their voices heard through their votes.

Receiving a grant from the AU Outreach Office, Professor Juan Gilbert of Auburn University began research for the voting system on Oct. 19, 2006 with a team of 10 Auburn graduate students and faculty members. The advanced electronic voting system they began working on is called Prime III; it enables those with certain disabilities to vote in elections with privacy and simplicity. The name Prime stands for premier voting systems and the number III incorporates the three methods of voting used by the program: visual, touch and speech.

Gilbert believes Prime III will be successful and helpful. “It will enable a greater group of people to participate in our electoral process, plus it is secure,� states Gilbert. He envisioned the idea for Prime III after hearing a specialist in electronic voting talk about the flaws in existing electronic voting systems. “It was noted then that electronic voting systems were found to be quite vulnerable to hackers, faulty code, lack of recount ability and human error,� says Gilbert.

Prime III is an electronic voting system for people with disabilities such as, hearing, visual and physical; however, it can be used by everyone. The voting system incorporates the current voting process that the voter is accustomed to using and significantly improves upon it. “This approach allows voters with disabilities to remain confident and calm while using the enhanced voting system,� states Gilbert. “They will have the option of using the touch screen, headset with an embedded microphone or both to cast their ballot.�

Also, voter privacy will be secured by using randomly generated numbers during the time the voter views or hears their options. Then to ensure accuracy of vote counts and protect against malicious intent, a barcode system and printed ballot will be used while the voter is able to review and confirm their vote.

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