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Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by Collin Burwinkel
We should value conservative writers

We should value conservative writers

Ben Jackson December 7, 2017

Conservative writers are disappearing. Outside the narrow confines of Fox News and Breitbart, hardly worthy arbiters of philosophy, conservative intellectuals are becoming increasingly absent from mainstream...

Financial illiteracy is an epidemic

Financial illiteracy is an epidemic

Ben Jackson September 25, 2017

If you are reading this, you are probably bad with money. That’s not meant to be an insult, just a statistical observation. In fact, most Americans are bad with money. The median retirement savings for...

REBUTTAL: In defense of facts

REBUTTAL: In defense of facts

Ben Jackson September 21, 2017

America has a tenuous relationship with the facts. Which is why, when I read Sam West’s piece “Against Facts, Logic and Reason,” I was dismayed. It was particularly discouraging to hear those words...

We aren't saving Houston, Houston is saving us

We aren’t saving Houston, Houston is saving us

Ben Jackson August 30, 2017

The Houston storm is shaping up to be one of the worst in recent American history. Unprecedented flooding is ravaging coastal communities, leaving thousands homeless and incurring hundreds of billions...

The true cost of legal marijuana

Ben Jackson April 14, 2016

As marijuana becomes legal in more parts of the United States, it may be time to ask ourselves two important questions: why now, and at what cost? The questions come at a time when the national dialogue...

Tuscaloosa deserves more than a raise: it deserves a future

Ben Jackson January 21, 2016

When presidential-hopeful Bernie Sanders addressed a packed auditorium in Birmingham this week, many UA students listened intently from the crowd. Among them was Kyle Campbell, who wrote an op-ed in The...

What's scarier than Halloween? Student loan debt

What's scarier than Halloween? Student loan debt

Ben Jackson October 28, 2015

This Halloween, I’m dressing up as the scariest thing I can imagine. And no, it’s not Donald Trump – it’s student loan debt. What makes student loan debt so spooky is only partially related to...

Education’s most confusing math problem: funding

Ben Jackson October 14, 2015

Imagine stealing $108 – from a kindergartener. Unthinkable, right? If you’re an Alabama state lawmaker, you’ve already done it.I’m referencing, of course, the conclusion of Governor Bentley’s...

FOMC meeting decision has major impact on college students

Ben Jackson September 16, 2015

Today is important. And I don’t mean that in some sort of motivational, “be positive” kind of way. I mean that September 14, 2015, is uniquely important, because it begins the two-day Federal Open...

Roads and rumbling stomachs: Tuscaloosa faces growing pains

Ben Jackson September 2, 2015

Tuscaloosa is growing, quickly. Last week I visited the new Fresh Market, one of the crowning jewels of Legacy Park, a $55 million project at the intersection of McFarland and 13th street. Across the street...

In midst of severe financial crisis, Greece requires greater assistance

Ben Jackson July 15, 2015

The happy, beach-going Greeks depicted in Saturday’s Snapchat-Live “Beach Bums Part 1” are feeling very different as of Monday morning. And with good reason. It may be a long time before Greeks can...

Alabama students named Goldwater Scholars

Collin Burwinkel April 19, 2015

The University of Alabama currently ranks No. 1 in the nation for Goldwater Scholars. This year, four UA students from all over the nation were selected as scholars, bringing the University’s total to...

University offers assistance for students filing taxes

Collin Burwinkel April 8, 2015

Students have less than one week to file taxes – April 15 is the last day to file Alabama State Income Tax Returns and the last day to file for automatic extensions.Students who receive scholarships...

UA alum Kim Cross writes book on tornado

UA alum Kim Cross writes book on tornado

Collin Burwinkel April 8, 2015

April 27, 2011. A dark, gloomy day most current students didn’t see, but many remember. A powerful EF4 tornado ripped across Alabama, killing 64 people, including six University of Alabama students....

UA colleges to present President's Faculty Award

UA colleges to present President's Faculty Award

Collin Burwinkel March 31, 2015

The University of Alabama will present the President’s Faculty Research Award as a part of its first ever Faculty Research Day. Thirteen faculty members from different colleges across campus will be...

UA instructor helps write revised state constitution

UA instructor helps write revised state constitution

Ben Jackson March 29, 2015

At 340,000 words and over 800 amendments, Alabama’s State Constitution is the world’s longest functioning constitution. But length alone is not the reason that Robert McCurley, attorney and former...

Coming months mark start of tornado season

Ben Jackson March 29, 2015

As spring rolls into Tuscaloosa, so does the potential for severe weather. In a community that understands the threat of tornadoes, The University of Alabama has provided a number of resources to help...

Lakeside leads in number of meal swipes

Collin Burwinkel March 24, 2015

Dining halls have long been a part of the college experience. As the University continues to grow, the influx of students means more will need food. As attendance grows at dining halls, the University...

Farooq connects Muslims, non-Muslims

Farooq connects Muslims, non-Muslims

Ben Jackson March 11, 2015

Muhammad Farooq, a a graduate student in electrical engineering from Peshawar, Pakistan, is the current president of the Muslim Student Association. Farooq said the organization recently returned to campus...

Student-run lecture series Tide Talks celebrates 2-year birthday

Student-run lecture series Tide Talks celebrates 2-year birthday

Ben Jackson March 8, 2015

Members of The University of Alabama community gathered together for the 2-year birthday bash for Tide Talks on Friday. The lecture team celebrated the occasion with piñatas, cake and a wide host of speakers...

Tide Talks celebrates birthday

Tide Talks celebrates birthday

Ben Jackson March 5, 2015

The innovative lecture organization Tide Talks turns two years old Friday and everyone on campus is invited to the birthday bash. Tide Talks X will begin at 7 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Auditorium and...

Talks cover modern medicine

Talks cover modern medicine

Ben Jackson March 2, 2015

Students, faculty and community members gathered with Michael Antolin of Colorado State University to discuss evolution in medicine and how an understanding of the fundamental science can change therapies...

Rodgers hosts lecture series on LED technology

Rodgers hosts lecture series on LED technology

Ben Jackson February 18, 2015

Thursday afternoon, the Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering will continue its “Take a Journey in Science” lecture series with “Let There Be Light: LED Applications from Lighting to Killing...

Spectrum to host LGBT conference

Collin Burwinkel February 17, 2015

The University of Alabama will host the 2015 Southeastern LGBTQ+ Student Conference, an annual conference dedicated to topics affecting the LGBT community. “This is a traveling regional conference that...

Rick Bragg speaks at lecture event

Ben Jackson February 12, 2015

Pulitzer-Prize winning author and University of Alabama professor Rick Bragg told stories to a crowded gathering of friends and fans at a lecture event hosted by Alpine Living magazine Wednesday evening....

Bragg to speak on travel

Bragg to speak on travel

Ben Jackson February 9, 2015

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and UA professor Rick Bragg will share his stories of his writing and travels from Miami to the Middle East at a lecture hosted by Alpine Living. The lecture will serve as...

Food app offers more options

Ben Jackson February 9, 2015

Starting this week, hungry Alabama students will have a new option for fast late-night fare. Crunchbutton, a new app-based food delivery service, will begin serving students this Thursday at 6 p.m. “This...

Freshman fights cystic fibrosis

Freshman fights cystic fibrosis

Collin Burwinkel February 3, 2015

Flawless, extraordinary and perfect are just a few of the adjectives friends of UA freshman Sabrina Kelley use to describe her. Just like many other students, Kelley came to the University with aspirations...

UA in Cuba program sees benefit in lifted embargo

UA in Cuba program sees benefit in lifted embargo

Ben Jackson January 28, 2015

United States diplomats continue talks this week with Cuban officials over President Barack Obama’s recent lessening of sanctions that began over 50 years ago. More than 765 miles from Havana, students...

UAPD: A Day in the Life

UAPD: A Day in the Life

Collin Burwinkel January 28, 2015

It’s 2 p.m. and officer Chance Atkins sits down in his Crown Victoria patrol car and reaches for his police radio. His 8-hour shift begins as it does every day. Atkins tells his dispatcher “10-8”...

New mall site to open in October

Collin Burwinkel January 27, 2015

Pet lovers, sports enthusiasts and shoe fanatics in Tuscaloosa will soon have another shopping center to explore.Scheduled to open in October 2015, the site will be located on 15th Street near McFarland...

New dining spot opens

Ben Jackson January 21, 2015

Tuesday night at Presidential Terrace, students and Bama Dining staff gathered together for the grand opening of the Presidential Terrace Market. The market, a continuation of the University’s commitment...

College students face potential technology insecurity

College students face potential technology insecurity

Ben Jackson January 21, 2015

As students return to campus with their laptops, smartphones and tablets, some may fail to realize the risks they face with technology. Blackhat hacking, which can have destructive implications for victims,...

Temperatures fluctuate widely in Alabama winter

Collin Burwinkel January 13, 2015

The weather roller coaster for the Deep South continues. This fall and winter have set record high and low 
temperatures for Tuscaloosa.In October of this year, record high temperatures were matched...

Godoreccis foster growth in UA Italian department: Maurizio brings Italian culture, flair to classes

Godoreccis foster growth in UA Italian department: Maurizio brings Italian culture, flair to classes

Ben Jackson January 8, 2015

After over two decades of teaching Italian, professor Maurizio Godorecci has become something of a legend in the University of Alabama Italian Language Department.“It has been a pleasure to be able to...

2015 to see further debate over net neutrality

2015 to see further debate over net neutrality

Ben Jackson December 1, 2014

As 2014 draws to a close, Washington politicians and the tech-savvy are filling the media with a phrase most Americans know next-to-nothing about: net neutrality. And yet, an early 2015 ruling by the Federal...

UA researchers say holiday travel dangerous

Collin Burwinkel November 24, 2014

During holidays, students travel home in a variety of ways. According to a recent UA study, during Thanksgiving break, automobile crashes caused by deer, alcohol or bad weather are more common. The study,...

Kallpod technology available in stadium

Kallpod technology available in stadium

Collin Burwinkel November 17, 2014

In home football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, fans and supporters alike use forms of hospitality ranging from concessions to shuttle rides up ramps, and after this past Friday, some fans will be using...

Washington Post reporter discusses US health care

Washington Post reporter discusses US health care

Ben Jackson November 16, 2014

Physicians, community members and students congregated Nov. 13 at the Tuscaloosa River Market to listen to Washington Post journalist T.R. Reid discuss health care in the United States and around the world....

Gameday brings influx of temporary workers

Gameday brings influx of temporary workers

Collin Burwinkel November 12, 2014

Autumn Saturdays in the South are filled with football, food and memories. Bryant-Denny Stadium is packed to its capacity with more than 100,000 people in attendance. Students and fans alike are excited...

Shelter animals allowed to spend day with volunteers

Shelter animals allowed to spend day with volunteers

Collin Burwinkel November 9, 2014

Animals at the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter are looking for homes in addition to loving owners and welcoming families. To help combat overcrowding, the shelter recently introduced a new program to help...

UA graduate donates $1.5 million

Ben Jackson November 4, 2014

The Culverhouse School of Accountancy, recently ranked No. 8 in the nation by the 33rd Annual Survey in “Public Accounting Report,” continues to make news this fall as alumnus Gary Fayard announced...

UA bans smoking on campus

UA bans smoking on campus

Collin Burwinkel November 4, 2014

The University of Alabama will become smoke-free effective Jan. 1, 2015 .  An emailed statement sent to students Tuesday said "smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, will be prohibited in...

Midterm elections approaching

Ben Jackson October 27, 2014

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, registered voters across the nation will visit their local polling stations as they cast ballots for a wide array of offices and issues. Contested offices in the state of Alabama include...

Department of Criminal Justice to host community forum

Ben Jackson October 27, 2014

The Department of Criminal Justice will host “From the Station to the Sidewalks: An Informed Discussion of Police and Community Relations in Light of Ferguson” on Monday. The forum will be held from...

Council passes demolition order

Ben Jackson October 15, 2014

Tuesday night’s city council meeting saw the public hearing concerning a routine demolition order turn into a heated battle as Pamela Richardson, lessee of the property at 2818 17th St., argued to prevent...

Local support raises awareness

Ben Jackson October 14, 2014

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, businesses around Tuscaloosa are showing their support in a variety of ways. Both Ulta Beauty and Hungry Howie’s are offering special promotions to...

UA offers LGBTQ studies

Collin Burwinkel October 12, 2014

October marks the 21st anniversary of LGBTQ History Month, and National Coming Out Day celebrated its 27th anniversary Oct. 11. To encourage student interest in the LGBTQ community, one university now...

Students discuss US actions against Islamic State

Students discuss US actions against Islamic State

Ben Jackson September 30, 2014

U.S. fighter pilots were joined yesterday by British allies in the fight against the Islamic State, whose violence paralyzed large parts of Iraq and Syria over the past few months. Nearly 7,000 miles away,...

UA researchers study Parkinson's

UA researchers study Parkinson's

Ben Jackson September 29, 2014

Thanks to research co-authored by University of Alabama researchers, Americans can likely expect to see a decrease in the nearly 60,000 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease each year. Parkinson’s...

Athletes juggles sports, class

Athletes juggles sports, class

Collin Burwinkel September 29, 2014

Becoming a successful student-athlete takes hard work and dedication. It’s putting in the highest amount of effort for your teammates, coaches and yourself. The University of Alabama has resources in...

Joe Hubbard talks campaign strategies

Joe Hubbard talks campaign strategies

Ben Jackson September 24, 2014

Tuesday night, Representative Joe Hubbard met and mingled with 
students and community members at the College Democrats meeting 
as he addressed the subjects of authenticity and accountability 
in...

Student earns NASA scholarship

Student earns NASA scholarship

Ben Jackson September 23, 2014

By Ben Jackson | Contributing Writer Lauren Howell is aiming for the stars – a bit more literally than most of her classmates. Howell, a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering at The University...

Students decide between PA and MD schools

Students decide between PA and MD schools

Ben Jackson September 21, 2014

UA student Tyler Jones may diagnose a condition, prescribe medication or even perform a surgery, but he will do all of this without an M.D. behind his name. Jones, a junior majoring in psychology, is one...

Accidents frequent on campus

Collin Burwinkel September 14, 2014

For students who commute by car, traffic accidents can cause quite a headache on campus. “There were 492 reported traffic accidents on campus between Aug. 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014,” Cathy Andreen,...

Tuscaloosa City Council votes on Jinsei location

Tuscaloosa City Council votes on Jinsei location

Ben Jackson September 14, 2014

Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting ran unusually long as representatives and supporters of Jinsei, a high end sushi restaurant chain, battled with the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society and other...

New director appointed to Cyber Institute

New director appointed to Cyber Institute

Collin Burwinkel September 7, 2014

Reginald Hyde, former deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security in the U.S. Department of Defense is becoming the new executive director of the Cyber Institute. “The University wanted...

Parker Griffith hopes for debate

Parker Griffith hopes for debate

Ben Jackson September 2, 2014

A historically conservative state with a Republican supermajority in both houses, Alabama often finds its Democratic gubernatorial candidates without much traction. Tuesday night at Ridgecrest South courtyard,...

Business school ranks high in recent surveys

Ben Jackson August 24, 2014

The University of Alabama’s undergraduate and masters accounting program was ranked eighth in the nation by “Public Accounting Report’s” 33rd Annual Professor’s Survey.The new ranking jumped...

Sports Illustrated writer becomes professor

Collin Burwinkel August 24, 2014

As a kid growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, Lars Anderson would regularly travel to University of Nebraska football games with his father to watch the 
Cornhuskers play. “Some of my fondest memories...

Fire college to be renovated

Fire college to be renovated

Collin Burwinkel July 15, 2014

After serving Alabama for more than 75 years, the Alabama Fire College is undergoing renovations that total almost $2.5 million dollars to better serve the community and enhance its learning experience....

Parking availability, permit prices increase

Collin Burwinkel July 15, 2014

Changes come with the start of each new school year, and parking permits are ?no exception. “This year, student commuter and faculty and staff permits increased by $20. Perimeter permits for students...