Happy first day of class for the spring 2021 semester! I want to congratulate Coach Saban and the @AlabamaFTBL players on our school’s 18th National Championship — the sixth of Coach Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa.

Reclaiming our spot atop the sport is a long awaited bright spot in a challenging school year. This moment means a lot to our students, who have shown tremendous adversity in recent months.

As we return back to campus, I want to take a moment to encourage all @UAStudents to take advantage of the University’s sentinel testing program.

Doing so allows you to protect yourself, as well as others, and will make the job of flattening the case curve easier throughout the semester. Students can learn more about sentinel testing by going to http://healthinfo.ua.edu .

Invitations to participate in sentinel testing will begin to be sent next week. @uasga is proud to announce that students who sign up for voluntary sentinel testing will receive a $5 Starbucks or Bama Cash gift certificate for their participation.

Additionally, students have been offered the choice to attend their in-person classes virtually for the first initial class meetings, through Friday, Jan. 22. I’d like to encourage students to continually monitor their health for possible symptoms and/or exposure.

By binding together through preparedness, adherence and awareness — just as we accomplished in the fall — our student body will be able to complete another semester on-campus in Tuscaloosa. In the meantime, good luck with the new semester & Roll Tide!

–daj