Early May is an important time of year for the campus advocate.  As leaders in the progressive movement graduate one can only hope that future leaders enroll.  I have graduated from Kent State University, but I do not leave my hopes on the high school class of 2008, rather I confidently leave my campus liaison position to a second year graduate student. 

The new President of Eta Sigma Gamma is a graduate student in Health Promotion.  She is a graduate assistant in the Center for Student involvement, this provides her exclusive access to policy makers, university funding, and university scheduling.  She not only is qualified, but she is surrounded by experienced progressive leaders. 

Eta Sigma Gamma had a historic year at winning numerous university awards for leadership, service, and maintenance of rights and civil liberties.  Eta Sigma Gamma also increased their visibility, assets, and reputation through building a campus coalition and seeking partnerships with local, state, and national organizations.  These contributing factors coupled with new leadership and a continued partnership with Campus Progress will lead to an even better academic year in 2008-2009.           

Eta Sigma Gamma’s conference Leadership: Advocacy & Organizing was well attended.  Our presenters Rep. Kathleen Chandler, Rev. Tony Minor, and Mimi Melles of Advocates For Youth left a lasting impact on the over 40 conference participants.  The President of Kent State University, Lestor Lefton, also stopped in to observe the conference.

            The following day over 20 students traveled to Columbus to advocate for HB 81, mandating the HPV vaccine, and SB 179, comprehensive sexuality education.  Rev. Minor’s message of strength through passion was visible amongst the advocates.  Participants crafted their personal stories of how the legislation personally affected them.  Rep. Chandler was correct when she said one advocate represents hundreds of voices.

            An informal exit survey revealed that students made progress on the legislation, including one Senator promising to make copies of our leave behind packet to distribute to every member of the Heath, Human Services, and Aging committee.  Students experienced success while stressing the economics of preventative care, the emotional toll of cervical cancer, and how the legislation will affect their community.  

            Participants are immediately continuing their advocacy through thank you letters.  Participants now have the skills and experience to advocate for all the issues they feel strongly about.       

On February 28th and 29th my student group will be hosting a conference titled Leadership: Advocacy & Organizing.  The event is a three hour training on Thursday, and a full day trip to our state capitol on Friday to practice our advocacy skills on Capitol Hill.  We will be advocating for HB 81, mandatory HPV vaccine for all girls aged 9, and SB 179, mandatory comprehensive sexuality education. 

Scheduled to speak at our event is Mimi Melles of Advocates For Youth, Rev. Tony Minor of Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedoms (SYRF), and Representative Kathleen Chandler.  The event is free to all Kent State students, we expect to be at capacity, our registration cap is 55 students. 

We have decided to forego traditional advertising in favor of listserv’s, Facebook, and contacting professors to encourage their students to attend.   

Our Open Forum on the HPV vaccine and Student Health Insurance went well.  An overwhelming majority of students in attendance favored the vaccine being covered by student health insurance.  Since the event the Director of University Health Services has not responded to my emails and phone calls.  This could be attributed to her prediction that students would not be in favor of the additional cost associated with additional coverage.  The final decision on the HPV vaccine and student health insurance will be made within the next two weeks.  For this reason my coalition hopes to publish numerous letters to the editor, and place numerous phone calls to the University Health Center. 

On December 11th I sent a letter to the Director of University Health Services asking her to include the HPV vaccine in the 2008-2009 Student Health Insurance Plan.  In the first week of January I called the Director of University Health Services, I left a message mentioning my letter and the tactics I intended to employ due to a lack of response to the letter.  Those tactics included a large print ad in the campus newspaper encouraging students to call, write, or visit the University Health Center to tell them students wanted HPV vaccine coverage.  I received a call from the Director the next day, we discussed my objectives, and we set up a meeting on Tuesday the 15th.

During the 1 ½ hour meeting we discussed how she wanted the HPV vaccine to be covered by Student Health Insurance, but were wary of the increased premium and how it would affect economically disadvantaged students.  My stance was that an increase in premium under $300 would be worth the extended coverage.  We agreed that an open forum would be held on the topic.   

Our open forum entitled, “Student Health Insurance Coverage – HPV Vaccine”, will be held Thursday the 24th at 7PM in the Student Center.  The room we reserved holds 150 people, an invitation to the event has been sent to every student.  I have sent a press release to local media outlets.  The Director of University Health Services and Kent State’s Chief Physician will give presentations and field questions.  We will also be providing free information, condoms, and an exit survey to students.    

This is the first of many posts on behave of a coalition based at Kent State University in Ohio.  The coalition is lead by a student Health Education Honorary, Eta Sigma Gamma, of which I am President.  Eta Sigma Gamma is dedicated to providing both the campus and community with free quality Health Education.  We are ever mindful of the increasing politicization of public health, therefore, are deeply involved in advocacy.  Our campus coalition advocates for Reproductive Rights, specifically Comprehensive Sexuality Education and equal access to the HPV Vaccine.           

In the first semester of our academic year we established a coalition of seven student groups, two university departments, one local community agency, and gained support from three national organizations.  Tactics including federal and in-district lobbying visits, letter and email writing, petition gathering, and using media lead to two new co-sponsors for the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, which would provide federal funding for Comprehensive Sexuality Education. 

We continue to work toward the passage of the REAL Act, but we now recognize the importance of change here at Kent State University and here in Ohio.  For this reason we are advocating for the HPV vaccine to be covered by Kent State Student Health Insurance and for the HPV vaccine to become a state mandate.  

As progress is made I will continue to update the blog, please provide thoughts, ideas, and feedback.

Thanks,

Colin V. Dean