The University of Alabama has abruptly suspended two student-run magazines, Nineteen Fifty-Six, focused on Black students, and Alice, centered on women’s issues, citing federal guidance against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes on college campuses. Editors were informed on Monday that both publications would cease operations immediately as reported by the Associated Press.A university official referenced July guidance from former Attorney General Pamela Bondi, which defined certain DEI initiatives as potential “unlawful proxies” for discrimination at federally funded institutions, according to magazine staff.
Editors express shock and heartbreak
Alice editor-in-chief Gabrielle Gunter described the move to Associated Press as both “shocking and heartbroken,” noting that the magazine had just celebrated its 10th anniversary. During Monday’s meeting, Steven Hood, vice president for student life, told editors that the university was withdrawing support because of DEI guidance. Gunter said Hood specifically cited the Bondi memo and explained that the magazines could be viewed as “violating federal guidelines on unlawful proxies.”Gunter recalled asking how Alice violated the rules and was told that having a target audience of women could be considered a violation under the memo, which warns against programs that use “ostensibly neutral criteria that function as substitutes for explicit consideration of race, sex, or other protected characteristics.”
Magazines’ content and legacy
Alice recently published a mix of lifestyle and political content, including articles on beauty product dupes, misogyny in heavy metal music, and reproductive rights.Nineteen Fifty-Six, named after 1956, the year Autherine Lucy Foster became the first Black student at the universitym has been in publication for five years. Recent issues included pieces on international student experiences and building camaraderie on campus amid DEI program rollbacks. Kendal Wright, editor of Nineteen Fifty-Six, said in a statement, as quoted by Associated Press:“As Editor-In-Chief, I’m devastated but, regrettably, not surprised by the University of Alabama’s decision to suspend Nineteen Fifty-Six based on the current climate of our country. The students who have cultivated this magazine over its five-year lifespan have poured their hearts and souls into their work.”The suspension follows the university’s previous closures of campus spaces for the Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center, citing the state’s anti-DEI law.
University stance and future plans
Alex House, a spokesperson for the University of Alabama, stated that the institution remains committed to supporting all students but must comply with legal obligations. “This requires us to ensure all members of our community feel welcome to participate in programs that receive University funding from the Office of Student Media,” she said, adding that “the First Amendment rights of our students remain fully intact,” as quoted by the Associated Press.The House also confirmed plans to fund a new student magazine with a “broader scope” to ensure compliance with federal guidance.
A broader national backdrop
The university’s action mirrors a nationwide shift on college campuses following President Donald Trump’s push to end DEI practices. The Bondi memo provides a sweeping definition of what constitutes unlawful practices, including scholarships or programmes aimed at specific races or genders.For the editors, the decision hit mid-production. Gunter noted that staff were preparing the next semester’s edition when they received the news, spending the afternoon distributing the latest issue rather than risk it being discarded. “I’d rather the students get the last copies instead of they get thrown away somewhere when they pack up our office,” she said to Associated Press.(With inputs from Associated Press)
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