To Whom It May Concern:
The current policy of the Biology Department regarding dissection is unacceptable. According to the syllabuses, "You are REQUIRED to dissect a fetal pig this semester. There is no alternative for those who do not wish to complete this exercise." This prevents students with objections to dissection from pursuing many different majors that require a biology lab, a 1 credit course. I ask that you respect the beliefs of Virginia Tech students and change the biology lab policy in the following ways:
1. The Biology Department of Virginia Tech should change its policy to allow students with sincere ethical, moral, or religious objections to dissection to perform an alternative that does not compromise their beliefs.
2. The Biology Department of Virginia Tech should implement this change in time for the 1999-2000 school year, and put the new policy in writing on all of the Biology Lab syllabuses, as well as announcing the policy on the first day of lab classes.
As a technological leader among universities, Virginia Tech should have no problem conceiving or utilizing some innovative and trend-setting alternatives that are suitable to those opposed to dissection. We cannot afford to alienate and disenchant some of Virginia Tech’s brightest minds over a lack of alternatives to dissection.
Sincerely,