September 2, 2011

Alexandria, VA -- Feminists for Life is developing a National Directory of Campus Resources for pregnant and parenting students. This new directory will inform prospective and current students, faculty, administrators, and advocates of the resources and support available to pregnant women, expectant fathers, birthparents, and student parents on college and university campuses across the United States.

FFL President Serrin Foster said, "Our goal is to hasten the day when no woman feels forced to choose between her education and career plans and her child." Since 1994, Feminists for Life has been leading a revolution on campus to educate students about the history of pro-life feminism and provide woman-centered resources and support. "The inspiration for FFL's new campus directory came from hearing story after story from women who couldn't find the resources they needed. Finding the basics that support life—housing, childcare, maternity coverage and financial aid—shouldn't be an ordeal, but it is. The result is that pregnant college-aged students resort to abortion or drop out of school and potentially face a lifetime of poverty. Neither is desirable. Women deserve better." Foster added, "Being pregnant, being a birthmother, or having a family shouldn't be a barrier to an education."

FFL has another new initiative, to be carried out in a renewed partnership with Students for Life of America and pro-life student leaders nationwide who will gather crucial information using FFL's Pregnancy Resources Survey.^TM This is the second time FFL and SFLA have worked together on this project. Information gathered in the 2007 survey was released in FFL's groundbreaking 2008 study, Perception Is Reality. Responses to the first survey revealed that most surveyed campuses either lacked resources or that students—including student activists most interested in providing or connecting students with needed resources—could not find the resources that were available. For pregnant and parenting students on those campuses, the perception that they have no support is their reality. Perception Is Reality, together with FFL's Pregnancy Resource Forums,^SM helped make the case for new state grants through the federal Pregnancy Assistance Fund, which will develop resources for pregnant college students.

Information collected in the new survey will provide the basis of an updated FFL report on the status of campus resources, to be released in 2012. "Feminists for Life is prepared to highlight schools that are most supportive of pregnant and parenting students," Foster said. "We are very pleased to support pro-life student groups who advocate pro-woman solutions, and delighted that Students for Life will once again be a key contributor to this project." Last year, FFL created a model website along with many other solution-oriented resources for student groups. This year, SFLA groups will have access to information shared through FFL's National Directory of Campus Resources, which they will be able to post on their campus groups' websites.

FFL is collecting data for the new National Directory of Campus Resources and would appreciate your assistance. Administrators, alumni, students, volunteers, and other organizations are invited and encouraged to participate in a variety of ways. Check the status of your school's information at http://feministsforlife.org/campusresources.

If you are an alum, student (especially a pregnant or parenting student), faculty member, staff member, or administrator who would like to add or update information about your college or university, please enter the new information in Feminists for Life's Pregnancy Resources Survey and use the comments sections in the survey to include website URLs and other documentation for the new or updated information. A copy of FFL's Pregnancy Resources Survey is also available for student activists to download as they explore resources not yet found on the school's website. If you are an administrator and you have information only about your particular department, please send that information to coordinator@ffloncampus.org.

Committed volunteers who are passionate about the provision of services to pregnant and parenting students are also needed to help fact-check information provided through FFL's Pregnancy Resources Survey. We want information in the National Directory of Campus Resources to be as accurate as possible, so we are especially calling upon people who enjoy online research. Please email your resume and cover letter to factcheck@feministsforlife.org.

Stay tuned: FFL will release details about additional efforts to support administrators, new tools for alumni, and more tools for student activists as we work together to hasten the revolution on campus with real support for pregnant and parenting students.