UA Responds After Shutting Down Two Student Publications To Comply With New Federal Guidelines

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The University of Alabama on Tuesday issued a statement after it was reported on Monday that UA's Office of Student Media and Division of Student Life abruptly announced it was shutting down two student publications.

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As first reported by the Crimson White and WVUA 23 News, UA leadership met with the staff of Alice Magazine and Nineteen Fifty-Six to inform them of their closure because they do not comply with new federal regulations following a letter over the summer to federal agencies from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Alice Magazine, which employs over 50 editors and contributors, has been in publication for roughly a decade and focuses on fashion, beauty, lifestyle and wellness.

"Our mission is to help students learn how to feel comfortable in their journey of navigating college life during this transition from teen to adult years," the magazine's mission statement reads.

Nineteen Fifty-Six is student-run magazine focused on "Black culture, Black excellence and Black student experiences at The University of Alabama." It has been in operation since 2020.

The Crimson White's Maven Navarro and Jacob Ritondo reported on Monday that UA Vice President of Student Life Steven Hood told the staffs of the magazines that they are “unlawful proxies" because the magazines target primarily specific groups — citing language used by Bondi in July's memo.

The student newspaper went on to report that neither magazine barred participation based on personal characteristics like race or gender identity, before saying both publications had hired staff who were not part of their "target audiences."

Tuscaloosa Patch has requested an interview with Hood and will update this story accordingly or provide additional coverage.

In the letter, however, Bondi lays out new guidelines for recipients of federal funding regarding anti-discrimination laws.

The memo states that initiatives — especially those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)— are now prohibited from using race, sex, national origin, religion or other protected characteristics in decision-making for hiring, admissions, training, scholarships, program eligibility or access to resources.

The memo goes on to state that failure to comply with the new guidelines could result in the loss of federal funding.

"The University remains committed to supporting every member of our community and advancing our goals to welcome, serve and help all succeed," UA said in a statement to Tuscaloosa Patch. "In doing so, we must also comply with our legal obligations. This requires us to ensure all members of our community feel welcome to participate in all provided programs, including student publications."

The statement goes on to say that editors and contributors for the two magazines were informed of the decision to suspend the magazines effective immediately, with the fall 2025 issues serving as their final editions.

"Staff hope to work with students to develop a new publication that features a variety of voices and perspectives to debut in the next academic year," the statement reads. "The University routinely reviews programming as the compliance landscape changes. If compliance with legal obligations impacts a program on UA's campus, we will work to find new opportunities to take its place."

Following the announcement, Alice Magazine Editor-In-Chief Gabrielle Gunter told the Crimson White that it was "disheartening" to see the magazines censored.

“Alice is what got me into journalism, and it breaks my heart that there will no longer be spaces like Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six where students can learn to create beautiful, diverse magazines that honor all types of identities," she said.

The student newspaper also pointed out that a MoveOn petition has been launched calling for the reinstatement of both publications.

As of the publication of this story, the petition had garnered 615 of 800 signatures.

"This is only the beginning of a slippery slope — even if you don't care about [alice], 1956, or student journalism in general, this is a testing ground for the government and the current administration to see how far they can push," the petition states. "Whether or not you support the sitting president or his administration is irrelevant. This is about the First Amendment rights of all Americans, and the protection of the Fourth Estate. What starts with us ends with you, and when your speech is taken away, there will be no one left to prove that it happened."

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