LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor:

Like many women, I use birth control. However, in the
past year – as a result of a legislative error in Congress
– the price of my birth control has skyrocketed.* Like many
college women, I’m on a limited budget, and the high cost
of birth control is affecting my pocketbook. I was paying
$15. And now I’m paying $42. That’s unacceptable, and
all because of a mistake. Congress needs to take action
immediately and fix the affordable birth-control crisis.
Fixing the problem won’t cost taxpayers a dime, and it
will increase college women’s access to affordable birth
control. Birth control is basic health care. If Congress
is really serious about reducing the rate of unintended
pregnancies and about women’s health, Congress members
will make it a priority to fix this mess and restore access
to affordable birth control.

-Leah Fremouw

President of Voices for Planned Parenthood at VCU

*Editors note: This is a reference to the controversial
2005 Deficit Reduction Act

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Someday:

Someday, VCU will make textbooks more affordable
with a more competitive and more transparent system for
the sale of new and used textbooks.

Someday, the social fraternities and sororities and the
dorms will play a more active role in the social and political
life on campus, and the fraternities and sororities will have
their own houses.

Someday, the Monroe Park Campus will be among the
most beautiful campuses in Virginia with original works
of art displayed in every building on campus and with
a Museum of Fine Arts and Sculpture
Garden.

Someday, VCU will have a football team,
a marching band and an alma mater.

Someday, the men’s and women’s
basketball teams will make it to the NCAA
Final Four.

Someday, the VCU administration, staff,
faculty and students will work harder to
develop a community, offering morepositive,
sustaining interactions among
everyone, and mentoring programs will
be available for students in need.

Someday, the students at VCU will
practice the health-maintenance principles
of regular, moderate exercise, proper nutrition
and weight control as taught by our
Medical College of Virginia colleagues so
they can live long, productive lives.

Someday, Shafer Court Dining Center
will serve better food, and the food plans
and serving staff will be more user-friendly.
(Perhaps that’s a stretch!)

“Someday” will not be tomorrow. It
might not be this year. In some cases,
it might not be in our lifetimes. But
“someday” will arrive only if we begin. And
we will have the satisfaction of knowing
that we were the individuals that had the
dream, the vision and the confidence to
act. The medieval cathedrals of Europe
took hundreds of years to build at a
time when life expectancies were very
short. They are monuments to hope and
dreams and confidence. We must build
our monuments.

The Students for Positive Change party
has been formed to begin, to advance and
to manage such initiatives. Our success
will depend on you. We need to hear
from you about what you would like to
see happen, about what you want. You are
the customers, and if enough customers
speak up, the university will listen. The
power for positive change is in your
hands. Let us carry your message. Vote for
positive change on March 25, 26 and 27.
You will be amazed at the power of one!
This is our time. We are ready. ACTIONS
COUNT AT VCU!

– Jibran Muhammad, Adam Sowder,
Solle Taghavi

*Editors note: VCU has an alma
mater.