Advisors of student-run groups are a necessity at most colleges and universities in the U.S., since they, theoretically, help with administrative logistics, resources, and almost always help get your group “official” recognition by the university administration. But the growing number of student pro-life groups who are unable to find a sponsor are shining a light on a whole new injustice.From personal experience, I wouldn't say an academic advisor is all that essential for actually doing things, but this probably varies from school to school. Whatever the case may be, I suppose one could call it an injustice that student groups are not allowed to exist without a faculty representative, even when such a representative is unavailable. Each school will have its own policy on this, but the best policy would be one that favors free speech and allows even fledgling student groups to organize themselves on campus.
If you can’t find a professor willing who is pro-life or willing to stand up for their beliefs, your constitutionally protected right of speech is silenced.
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The fact is, plenty of professors may not have the time, willingness, or courage to sponsor student-run pro-life groups, no matter what their views, and this poses a real threat to the exposure of the pro-life movement to young people across the country.
But frankly, that is neither here nor there. SFLA is missing something huge in terms of long-term strategy: sooner or later, we're going to have to get to the root of the problems faced by pro-life student groups. I don't care what kind of gains the pro-life movement makes in national public opinion polls; as long as 90% of professors on college campuses remain resolutely pro-choice on abortion, the United States will never see Roe v Wade overturned. It is not enough for SFLA to protect students from the intellectual climate on these campuses. In the long run, we have to define the intellectual climate.
