The present policy of allowing no alternatives is a brand NEW policy as of the 1998-1999 school year. Two years ago, members of NRV-CARE met with members of the Biology Department, including Dr. Cowles, to lay out their objections to dissection. At the time, there was no written policy regarding dissection, and requests for alternatives were left up to the Teacher Assistants of each lab course to deal with. For some reason, even after the meeting with NRV-CARE, the Biology Department decided to reject all alternatives. Or so it seems. Pierre Grzybowski met with Dr. Cowles on November 4, 1998, at which time they discussed the dissection policy. Mr. Grzybowski asked him directly if it were possible for a vegetarian or vegan of long standing to be allowed to take an alternative to the dissection. He answered in the affirmative, yes. If that is how he feels, then why is it not reflected in the dissection policy? Why is there a discrepancy between the oral policy of Dr. Cowles and the written policy of the syllabuses? At the moment, it seems that only Dr. Cowles, head of the department, has the power to grant alternatives.