By: Annabel Leonova, Women*s Student Services Graduate Intern
Welcome to the July Zine, the summer is flying by and I feel like the world is on fire. Especially after the SCOTUS’s June 24th, 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. For a little bit of the background, Roe v. Wade was the U.S. Supreme Court decision made in 1973 stating that the Constitution protects an individual’s right to abortion. This law also prohibited states from banning and criminalizing abortions. When the Supreme Court ruled last week, some existing laws on the books were “triggered” (or reinstated). For Michigan specifically, there’s an outdated law from 1931 banning abortions. While it's still on the books, it was temporarily suspended in May of this year after multiple lawsuits were brought against it, meaning that abortion services are still currently available. But even if abortions are legal in Michigan for right now, I’m impatiently waiting for the final court ruling. Abortion access is healthcare and taking it away means taking human rights away from folks who could get pregnant.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade affects everyone, but in this TOTD as I am a master's student studying student affairs, I would like to focus specifically on the implications for college students and institutions of higher education. To begin with, paying attention to abortion access is crucial, as more than half (59.5% in 2020-21 according to the National Student Clearinghouse’s enrollment data) of the student population in higher education identifies as women (Baker, 2021). And the percentage goes higher when you include trans, non-binary, and other folks who could possibly get pregnant. Reproductive care access remains a challenge even if the state overturns the 1931 law. “A lack of transportation, lengthy distances to the nearest abortion clinic, the high cost of the procedure, and abortion misinformation as well as stigma can make it hard for students who want an abortion to get the quality care they seek” (Kelliher, 2021). In addition, most on-campus health clinics don’t provide abortions, making it even harder for students to access the care they need.
In addition, many colleges and universities aren’t prepared for the increase of pregnant and parenting students. In an article titled “Colleges aren’t prepared for Roe’s fall,” by Biana Quilantan, the director of educational equity at the National Women’s Law Center stated “Colleges should be prepared for a larger population of students who are pregnant and parenting,” said Bayliss Fiddiman. “But we don’t even have a system in place to support the ones that we currently have.” For example, only 8% of universities offer family housing according to an advocacy group for student-parents Generation Hope (Quilantan, 2022). For decades, institutions have also struggled to provide flexible schedules, lactation rooms, and childcare necessary for the student to succeed. While MSU has resources such as the Student Parent Resource Center and child feeding rooms on campus to help student parents, is our campus prepared for a larger population of students with children?
Reading the recent news and looking at the statistics is hard. I, like many others, have been feeling and processing a lot of emotions with the help of my therapist, friends, and the W*SS community. If you’re reading this Zine, please remember that you’re a member of our community too. Our W*SS Director and Assistant Director are serving on the Student Reproductive Justice Campus Action Network and they shared that resources for students, faculty, and staff are coming soon, so please stay tuned. Also, MSU's GenCen has posted a page of resources related to the overturn of Roe. You can always reach out and stop by during our office hours if you’re in the area. I hope all of us know that no matter what, you have this community to support you. Also, please vote and donate if you’re able.
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