Last week, the Women’s Resource Center presented a proposal to the S&A Board, requesting assistance for plans to send students to the March for Freedom of Choice this spring in Washington, D.C.

Eight to 10 student activities coordinators, as well as a number of constituents, plan to attend the event and will represent several campus groups including WRC, CASV, EPIC, VOX, EQA, and WOCC.

"The WRC has not taken a political stance," said Kira Canny. "Reproductive rights is the biggest political issue."

Krystal Wolf agreed. "Partial birth abortions is a huge thing that affects everybody."

Though the primary issue, the importance of the march goes beyond reproductive rights. WRC’s proposal stated, "The current majority political position in the U.S. on the issue of reproductive rights is infringing on the rights and freedoms of women, and the rights of all people."

In addition to the march, attendees will volunteer alongside other activists, attend speeches and participate in workshops, as well as document the day’s events, which will be compiled into several media forms to be presented and/or displayed on campus.

The group hopes the documentations will facilitate campus discussions about reproductive rights.

"(We’re) working toward freedom of rights for all people," Emily Gaines affirmed during the proposal presentation.

Some concerns the Board addressed dealt with safety and liability. As of the day they presented, WRC had yet to finalize their housing plans. The college’s liability was also called into question, which in turn raised the issue of travel insurance. Several board members said they favored partial funding if the group secured travel insurance.

After deliberations, the Board decided to wait to award funding until WRC provided information about travel insurance.

Coordinators and constituents plan on attending the march, regardless of the Board’s final decision.

WRC’s next appearance before the Board was Monday afternoon; however, details of that meeting were not available by the CPJ’s deadline.

Copyright © 2003-2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, Dec. 11, 2003

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