by Sarah Dolan, News Staff
The Northeastern University Right to Life organization is currently holding their first Respect Life week on campus, which focuses, among other things, on the controversial topic of abortion.
Despite the larger issue, the events during the week, including a former abortionist lecturing against the practice, will be funded by the Student Activities Fee (SAF), a $116 fee all undergraduate students pay each year. The fee is allotted by the Budget Review Committee (BRC) of Student Government Association (SGA).
According to guidelines of how to allot the money, it will only sponsor religious affiliated events if they are considered educational. Northeastern Right to Life president Rachel Regonini argues that the events are education, and have a broad appeal.
Regonini said she received the most response regarding the event to be held Thursday with a former abortionist doctor. At print time the a Facebook page for the event shows 15 confirmed guests, but Regonini said she anticipates a larger turnout because people want to hear about Dr. Tony Levatino’s past experience and why he decided to stop performing abortions.
“We really think this will be a speaker who will appeal to everyone in the university, not just pro-life because [Levatino] has unique view on the situation. People who are pro-life are interested, people who may be on the fence about the issue and even students thinking about going into the OBGYN sector,” Regonini said.
Through a series of debates, speakers and activities, the organization hopes to highlight the pro-life side of the controversial debate about abortion and women’s rights.
The events, co-sponsored by the Catholic Center at Northeastern University (CCNU), kicked off on Monday night with a debate over the pros and cons of abortion and had a turnout of roughly 25 students.
Some students said they are concerned with their Student Activities Fee being used for the events.
“I’m not really for the idea of the fee funding a partisan and religiously geared event,” said Amy Henion, a freshman communication studies major. “I think it would be fairer if there was also a pro-choice week on campus.”
Bart Flaherty, a middler communication studies major, felt that there is often not enough discussion about the topic on campus but was uneasy about having the events be funded through the BRC.
“I would have to make the analogy comparing it to taxpayer money going to advance the agenda of something they might not agree with,” Flaherty said.
Arielle Smitt, a middler criminal justice student and the publicity chair for the organization, said holding this many events on campus was a positive and exciting step for the organization.
“This being a liberal campus, we just wanted to bring our side of the story to the campus and tell them what we believed in,” Smitt said. “It is basically to give information to women and let them know they have other options besides abortion.”
Olivia Kalinowska, a senior psychology major, attended the debate and said she is pro-life. Yet, she explained that having the opportunity to hear from both sides of the argument proved to be informative.
“I am always open to the other side. I did hear certain arguments from the pro-choice side that made me think that maybe I don’t have the answers yet. I am still pro-life but I find it important to question your beliefs,” Kalinowska said.
Abortion is not the only topic that will be discussed at the events. There will be a luncheon on Wednesday with Mary Kellett from Prenatal Partners for Life to discuss genetic testing and what it means for the future of science.
Despite the anticipated attendance numbers between 15 and 51 on the Facebook event pages, freshman criminal justice student, Salama Alameri thinks that increasing the discussion about the pros and cons of the issue is something that should happen on campus despite low event turnout.
“I think students aren’t aware of the facts of either side of the issue and just think that everyone is having abortions,”Alameri said. “The issue should be made more important.”
