Our nation has a public records crisis.
In a time where more Americans are becoming politically aware and seeking to hold the government and elected officials that serve them accountable, more people are turning to a resource that talks when the officials don’t — public records.
And the way to do that? A public records request.
Anyone can submit a records request to the federal government for public records regarding federal agencies through the Freedom of Information Act. People who reside in Alabama can also submit a request through the Alabama Open Records Act for records involving state agencies. The University of Alabama is subject to this law as a state agency, but has its own guidelines surrounding where and how to submit a request.
Over the summer, staff members of The Crimson White worked to make requests to the University surrounding matters that are yet to be reported on.
However, these requests were met with no acknowledgement, significant delays and in some cases, rejections for “overbroad” requests.
This problem did not stem from the requests themselves though — some of which were eventually filled — but rather a lack of resources from the system, and government, at large.
In February 2025, President Donald Trump appointed Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, charging him with optimizing the federal workforce, leading to mass layoffs.
The Washington Post asked the question we all had, “Did Trump’s cuts slow access to public records?” All reports point to yes.
In the 2025 fiscal year, the federal government processed over 1.6 million requests for documents, the highest number ever according to available FOIA request statistics. The New York Times reported that the government only released the requested documents, fully or in part, 47% of the time, the lowest rate since 2010.
This impact is being felt across the federal government, with the Department of Defense’s Chief FOIA Officer citing “a critical loss of personnel” as one of the reasons for their rise in backlogs.
As federal agencies continue to stagnate, more people will turn towards their state agencies, where the influx can weigh heavy. Yet Alabama isn’t progressive in addressing requests for public records. As AL.com puts it, the state has created a “culture of secrecy,” sitting at only 10% compliance from the period of 2010-2018, the lowest in the nation.
Being the editorial board of the student newspaper of the state’s flagship university, we recognize the importance of FOIA and the Alabama Open Records Act as a tool for journalists to continue the public service of sharing information.
As such, we commit ourselves and our staff to submitting thoughtful and investigative records requests. This step not only prompts our writers to follow leads and dig deeper, but also promotes the University to be progressive and commit resources and personnel to records requests.
If the University of Alabama has nothing to hide, they should show us through their actions.
The Crimson White editorial board consists of Editor-in-Chief Emma Brandenburg; Managing Editor Max Krzeminski; Engagement Editor Kate Inman; Opinions Editor Mya Ortiz; and Chief Copy Editors Olivia Eastridge and Olivia Van Steenberg.
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