Justice For All is preparing a proposal that gives a voice to students with ethical concerns about being required to perform live dissections in biology classes.

The student group will present a proposal to Northwestern’s biology department in January that would give students the option of performing dissections through models or computer programs rather than with real specimens.

“Biology class should be a supportive environment for any student,” Justice For All co-president Jenny Abrahamian said.

On Wednesday, Abrahamian and several members of Justice For All met with biology lecturer Gary Galbreath to gauge the possibility of such a policy.

Group members said Galbreath brought up the point that such a policy might not be appropriate for classes that are purely elective and focus specifically on dissections, such as vertebrate anatomy.

He added that professors currently provide alternatives on a case-by-case basis and said a formal policy would constrain their time and freedom.

Attempts to reach Galbreath and other biology professors were unsuccessful.

Justice For All plans to set up a meeting with Director of Undergraduate Biological Sciences Jon Levine to further address the issue.

NU does not have a formal policy on dissection alternatives in undergraduate classes. The absence of a policy allows professors to decide on their own whether a concerned student has the right to choose, said Patricia Valcarcel, a Weinberg junior and Justice For All secretary.

Abrahamian, a McCormick senior, said she believes her group’s beliefs are consistent with NU’s current anti-discrimination policy and would like to see the proposal be incorporated into it.

NU’s current anti-discrimination policy states that the university will not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability or veteran status in matters of the educational programs or activities it offers.

“The ethical choice not to dissect is equivalent to a decision based on religious principles,” Abrahamian said.

Based on her personal experiences, Abrahamian said she believes biology classes have a competitive environment that discourages students from voicing their concerns.

“Many times, though, students don’t want to ask (about opting out of a dissection) because they either are intimidated or shy and they would rather perform the dissection — feeling uncomfortable and acting against their ethics — than talking to the professor,” Valcarcel said.

But some students said the competitive nature of the class doesn’t hinder students from speaking up about their concerns.

“(Biology class) is competitive, but friendly enough to object if necessary,” said Michael Forrester, a Weinberg senior majoring in chemistry.