University of Illinois Becomes First Major U.S. University to Adopt Dissection Choice Policy

5/6/2003

From: Nicole Green of Animalearn, 215-887-0816

JENKINTOWN, Pa., May 6 -- Yesterday a historic decision was made when the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Senate voted to adopt a dissection alternative policy. This policy, which offers students who conscientiously object to dissection the right to a non-animal alternative, is the first of its kind at a major U.S. university.

This victory marks the climax of a two-year campaign run by the U of IL student group, Students Improving the Lives of Animals (SILA). Animalearn worked with SILA to spread the word about its dissection-choice campaign, including promoting the launch of this website Dissectionchoice.org.

"Now that the U of IL dissection choice policy has been adopted, I hope that other U.S. universities will follow its lead and give what more and more students are asking forfhumane alternatives to dissection," said Nicole Green, Program Coordinator for Animalearn.

While some faculty members opposed the University of Illinois student choice policy, favoring traditional animal-based teaching methods instead, SILA countered their opponents by citing over 60 peer-viewed studies demonstrating the efficacy of dissection alternatives.

Animalearn is the education division of the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS). AAVS is a non-profit animal advocacy and educational organization dedicated to ending experiments on animals used in research, testing, and education. Founded in 1883, AAVS is the oldest organization in the United States dedicated to eliminating experiments on animals. AAVS pursues its objectives through legal and effective advocacy, education, and the development of alternative methods.