The Crimson White: Rumor Edition, November 2021

RUMOR
November 18, 2021
3A
CW File
OUR VIEW: It’s our job to investigate rumors
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
The Crimson White is not deterred
from tackling big issues, reporting
overlooked events or facing our
campus’s challenges head on. Our staff
aims to continue this work through
the rumor edition, which confirms
or debunks rumors that surround our
campus. The University of Alabama
is a well-known institution. From
our highly decorated football team to
our expansive research opportunities,
we have certainly earned a place
in national dialogue. The CW is a
valuable part in this conversation.
Rumor 1: Students at The University
of Alabama do not care about ending
COVID-19.
This rumor is a difficult one to tackle
since the subject of the pandemic
inherently invites the consideration
of many other issues, but we can start
with the reporting that has been done
on this topic. Are our students placing
themselves, and the surrounding
community, at risk?
During the summer of 2020, the
campus community gained national
attention for a number of concerning
headlines, all with the same idea:
that UA students were intentionally
hosting parties to encourage the
spread of COVID-19. These headlines
were in no short supply.
From ABC News to the Associated
Press to Insider, national news outlets
flocked to this story until it became its
own pandemic legend. The University
has rebutted this story many times,
but the myth has left a stain on the
University’s reputation, painting our
student body as reckless, careless and
even malicious.
Verdict: Insufficient evidence.
The University of Alabama has a
reputation for being a “party school,”
and its students have a reputation
for being football fanatics who are
unafraid to swarm the city’s bars on
game days. However, this reputation
does not necessarily mean that
students have intentionally spread a
virus for fun or to earn money through
bets. The source of these rumors is
somewhat vague in nature, circulating
through the staff of a local urgent
care facility, who cited recordings of
students engaging in these practices.
These videos have yet to be uncovered
or published online.
It appears to us at The CW that
parties that occur during the pandemic
are only “COVID parties” in the sense
that any large-scale gathering risks
the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The virus’s spread does not need to
be intentional in order for it to still
happen.
The University of Alabama is not
the only place that has inspired fears
of “COVID parties,” with similar
headlines cropping up in Florida,
Washington State and Texas.
In the absence of proof that people
are spreading the COVID-19 virus
intentionally, our reporting on the
pandemic has instead focused on what
the University is doing to curtail the
spread of the virus.
Rumor 2: The University of
Alabama is only a football and party
school.
Rumors such as the existence of
COVID parties are allowed to persist
due to another common rumor about
our campus: that students come here
to spend four years partying, with
academics taking a secondary role. In
rankings of the top party schools in
the country, the Capstone consistently
appears in the top 10. In 2020, the
Princeton Review even placed the
University at the No. 1 spot.
Verdict: False.
The sources of this rumor are
understandable. Alabama football
fans pride themselves on a very
recognizable number: 18. Our
football team claims eighteen national
championship wins. We are the home
of a national legend, coach Nick Saban.
When it comes to football, no one does
it better. It’s difficult to follow college
football at all without encountering
our university’s name splashed across
the headlines. From devastating losses
to glorious victories, news outlets are
always committed to covering our
football performances.
Our school offers more than the
celebration of football victories. There
are so many thriving areas of campus
that deserve coverage. This is why we
believe that The CW is best equipped
to uncover overlooked successes on
campus. While national news outlets
may not have the resources or interest
to consistently cover all aspects of the
Capstone, that is our express purpose
at The CW. Because of our connection
to campus as students, we are able to
gain a complete view of the University
from the inside.
Though we deeply value our football
team, we also love to report on the
other sports that The University
of Alabama excels in. We love to
highlight the top college athletes
of the UA gymnastics team and the
winners of the 2021 SEC Tournament,
the UA men’s basketball team.
However, our love of reporting
the successes of campus doesn’t stop
with sports. As both students and
journalists, we know that the Capstone
is an impressive academic institution.
If we want The University of Alabama
to be recognized for our impressive
research feats or our commitment to
service and leadership, then we, as
journalists, must give these events a
platform. If an area of campus goes
overlooked, then we have failed at
our duty. We take our responsibility
as a representative of the University
seriously, and we will continue to
identify what it does well and what it
can do better.
Rumor 3: Greek life is a big deal at
The University of Alabama.
Earlier this year, a surprising event
occurred. Every August, UA sororities
conduct formal recruitment, a process
to recruit new members that involves
a week of meetings, parties and, of
course, outfits. The process of rush
is pretty familiar to the average UA
student. If a student is surprised by
the magnitude of rush their freshman
year, they are certainly accustomed to
it three years later.
What usually goes unnoticed by
people outside of our campus became a
national topic of conversation. During
the week of recruitment, “Bama Rush
TikTok” became its own subculture
on the app, attracting viewers from
around the world. What started as a
few incoming freshmen posting their
outfits of the day quickly became
national discourse, even featuring
debates about topics such as how our
culture defines femininity.
Verdict: True.
While the average person can’t
understand the intricacies of the
TikTok algorithm, it’s not surprising
that Greek life on campus inspired
so much national interest. As the
biggest Panhellenic organization in
the country, accounting for 35% of the
UA student population, Greek life has
a strong presence on campus.
Due to its presence on campus, The
CW has a vital role in the coverage
of Greek life. At The CW, we seek to
delve deeper into Greek life and how
it represents our campus. We have
historically championed its successes
and acknowledged its shortcomings.
Because we represent the University,
Greek life and other UA organizations
shape our identity. People following
Bama Rush TikTok weren’t completely
off the mark: An institution of such a
size and history is a great place to start
conversations about what we stand for
as a university.
What now?
These are not the only rumors
that circulate about The University
of Alabama. Such a well-known
institution will always be a subject
of interest for a national audience,
but we maintain our commitment to
verifying the validity of these rumors
and providing a student perspective
on the narratives that define the
University.
News does not exist in a vacuum;
the narratives we tell shape our legacy
as a university. It is for this reason that
the editorial board is emboldened to
write narratives worth reading. We
are honored to join national news
outlets in the practice of journalism,
for despite any differences we have,
our goal is the same: to inform our
campus community.
The Crimson White Editorial Board is composed of Editorin-Chief
Keely Brewer, Managing Editor Bhavana Ravala,
Engagement Editor Garrett Kennedy, Chief Copy Editor Jack
Maurer and Opinions Editor Ava Fisher.