Sexual education group receives official status 9/20/06

Students searching for more resources regarding their reproductive health now have a place to turn.

At the end of the school year, College Advocates of Reproductive Education (CARE) was granted the status of an official university organization. The group, which unofficially began in the spring of 2005, has been attempting to gain university recognition since January of 2006. This status was granted after the group's mission statement was approved by Dean of Students Jane Neufeld and Student Life Director Clifford Golz.

"By having official group status, it gives more clout and credence to the idea that yes, students here are concerned about these issues," junior member Greg Stuart said. Now CARE is able to pass out fliers, receive university funding and set up tables on campus.

Before gaining this status, CARE initiated a lot of debate on campus by handing out more than 300 latex condoms under the Loyola el stop last October.

CARE was originally denied its official status because of the group's past affiliation with Planned Parenthood, a national women's health clinic that provides resources and information on reproductive an d sexual health. As an off-campus group, CARE had worked with Planned Parenthood in educating Loyola students about being sexually active. Planned Parenthood's position on birth control and abortion goes against the teachings of the Catholic Church. CARE has ended the affiliation and now holds no position on the issue of abortion and will not focus on birth control issues or contraception on campus.

"We have actually been working very closely with the administration and we're getting great support," junior Katie Kramer, CARE president, said.

The group's constitution and mission statement were written with the help of the retired director of the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, Sister Carolyn Farrell. Sister Farrell, Kramer and senior Christine Olin, CARE's vice president, worked to make sure everything the group proposed was in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Their mission statement asserts that their goal as an organization is "to work with the health center to provide students with the information necessary for personal reproductive health." CARE also aims to "educate and engage the Loyola community in a dialogue about issues regarding reproductive health."

Regarding the university's decision about CARE and its plans for STI/HIV education at Loyola, Vice President of Student Affairs Rev. Richard J. Salmi, S.J. said, "I think we would be remiss if we didn't educate students about what the psychological and emotional consequences are if one chooses to be sexually active."

Like all emerging organizations, CARE is on probationary status. Kramer and Olin are working very closely with Neufeld and Salmi to make sure all of CARE's planned activities and statements are in compliance with the rules set forth for student organizations by Loyola as a Jesuit Catholic university.

"While we do respect and recognize that this is a Catholic university which abides by the teaching of the Catholic Church, we also recognize that many students either don't agree with or abide by that. We are here to fill in the gaps in information, resources and education," Olin said.

The organization plans to accomplish a lot in its first year as an official organization. The main goal is to work with the Wellness Center to improve the STI and HIV testing provided at the Doyle Center on campus by making the testing more frequent to meet the demand of Loyola students. The organization also plans to inform students of other resources offered by the Wellness Center such as pregnancy tests and unbiased, nonjudgmental counseling for students who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection or HIV. There are also plans in the works to cooperate with other student organizations such as the Feminist Forum, the Sexual Assault Awareness Group, and the Pro-Life University Students to combine resources and organize volunteer activities for members.

CARE has already started benefiting from its new official status. The organization had 90 official members at the start of the new academic year. At the organization fair, 115 students signed up to receive e-mails regarding CARE's meetings this year.

"It's really satisfying to know that we're finally being heard and being given a voice and an opportunity," Kramer said.

The next meeting for the organization will be in the basement of Centennial Forum Student Union Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. If you are interested in CARE, all are welcome to attend or you can e-mail to President Katie Kramer at kkrame3@luc.edu or Vice President Christine Olin at colin@luc.edu.