Students for Choice, a reproductive-rights organization, attracted 12 students to its meeting last night -- its first meeting since it became inactive a year ago.
Leading the efforts to awaken the group from its three-term dormancy is Amy McLean '96, the present chair of the group who has been an active member since 1992.
McLean said the group fell apart after the former chair graduated last spring. Since last term, McLean has been working with faculty and students to revive it.
"We are starting from scratch," McLean said. "The period of inactivity left us without a body of students to work with."
Her goal is "to get the group reestablished and self-sustaining," she said.
McLean said once the group reestablishes itself, it will apply for funding from the Committee on Student Organizations.
McLean said the group's members discussed its organization at last night's meeting. She said Students for Choice will consist of four committees that will reflect its four priorities and goals -- activism, fundraising, information distribution and programming.
McLean said her focus right now is to get the message across to the student body that the existence of this organization depends on the student body.
"Because I'm graduating soon it is important to me to find underclassmen that are interested in getting involved," she said.
Femi Allen '99, who heard about Students for Choice from her freshman seminar professor and is now serving on the fundraising committee, said "currently, the group is being dedicated to being an educational group to let people know what the issues are and to have their voices heard."
"But I can't predict what it will develop into," Allen said. Allen added that the group's mission statement has yet to be finalized and that she will help organize and rework the constitution.
McLean said when she was involved with Students for Choice in the past, the group wrote letters to Congress about issues that affected choice and produced a weekly electronic newsletter which included news dealing with pro-choice issues.
She said the group also took some members to Massachusetts, after two women were shot at an abortion clinic, to show support for the right of clinics to perform abortions.
In the past, Students for Choice has had an extensive mailing of about 300 people, McLean said. She added that about 10 of them were active members.
McLean said there is a possibility that Students for Choice may meet with the Dartmouth Coalition for Life in the future.
She said a representative from the group contacted Students for Choice about wanting to meet together and discussing what common ground the two groups share.
