Recently, I attended a meeting for the new on-campus club, Tufts Alliance for the Advancement of Mothers. Held on Nov. 15, the meeting was small, but full of women and even some men dedicated to the issue of women's rights. The founders of the group, recent grad Anne Stevenson and senior Yissy Perez, as well as other women, told us their amazing stories of surviving at Tufts as students and mothers.
Perez was a junior in the engineering and EPIIC programs when she discovered she was pregnant. She was told by her academic advisor that she needed to choose between school and motherhood, because it would be too difficult to do both here at Tufts. However, determined to finish her education and life-long goals, she came back to school after nine months and hid her baby in her dorm. Now, her parents support her due to her dedication to academics and take care of her baby during the week so that she can go to class. Perez had never seen a condom until after she was pregnant.
Stevenson became pregnant her sophomore year. She recalls bringing her son to Dewick where the staff made them special food that was fit to eat for babies and nursing mothers. Last year, she graduated and now works at the district attorney's office, but she still only manages to pay for rent, daycare (about $1300) and food every month because of her welfare stipend.
There were many other inspiring stories from other struggling mothers at the meeting, but they all had one common theme: All were unplanned pregnancies, and all received little support from Tufts. While all of these women are pro-choice, a choice implies two options. They chose the option sometimes forgotten by pro-choice advocates: to have their children.
But now it seems they are being punished for that decision. With so many people preaching pro-life, why are there so few options for young women who decide not to have abortions? They are applauded for not terminating the life inside them, but then receive no help after the child is born.
The only support these extraordinary women do receive is from our small group of interested students, some key staff members at Tufts and the Dewick dining hall crew. As Anne pointed out, any woman can become pregnant. But most elite colleges do not offer any services for student mothers, because they think students of our caliber should not be having babies.
I believe Anne captured their thinking in one sarcastic comment she made at the meeting, saying, "Clearly, SAT scores are directly tied to fertility. Students who accidentally become mothers here at Tufts are expected to drop out and go to a less prestigious school, where the campus is more mother-friendly."
Why is it that at a campus considered so progressive, where events such as The Female Orgasm, a sex fair, and the Hookah Enthusiasts club are allowed to exist, mothers are shunned? When Stevenson approached the Board of Trustees to ask them to offer special housing for student mothers (not free housing, just private apartments), she was told that this was not a priority, as Tufts was more of a traditional university. I do not think that a school that has condom vending machines in its dining halls and an elephant named Jumbo as a mascot can be considered traditional.
This group is not looking to promote the admission of mothers or encourage students to have children while they are still in school. It is, however, looking to help those students who become mothers unexpectedly and do not know where to turn. Our group would like the university to provide on-campus housing for mothers and their children, such as apartments in Hillsides, a meal plan, less expensive and more accessible daycare options or vouchers and more education about birth control and contraceptives. They are also trying to compose a how-to manual about the legal process of custody and child support issues and a list of daycares in the area with references for new mothers.
Although the mothers have been working with crucial Tufts staff members to negotiate changes, they are few and do not yet have enough support to make their goals a reality. But with the help of the student body and alumni, these things can become possible.
Over the next few weeks after Thanksgiving break, we will be asking for your support by signing petitions and advocating for these deserving women.
They are also in desperate need of babysitters, and most of them live very close to campus. If you are interested in helping out, you can e-mail Stevenson or Perez at tuftsparents@yahoo.com. There will also be another meeting the Monday we return from break, Nov. 27, at 9 p.m. Check TuftsLife.com that day to confirm the location.
It is hard enough being an undergraduate student and just taking care of yourself, but imagine having to worry about another life at the same time. Please come and support these remarkable women and any other students who may be facing the challenges of motherhood. Together, we can change the lives of many students at Tufts!
