Despite several meetings with leaders of the biological sciencesdepartment, Justice For All is no closer to attaining astandardized dissection alternatives policy for the department’sphysiology and cell biology class.

The animal rights group Justice For All has lobbied for fouryears to create a policy that ensures a standardized and equallyinformative alternative to dissection for students who opt out ofthe lab activity for religious or ethical reasons.

Currently, the syllabus for physiology and cell biology containsa statement offering a “suitable alternative” to dissection. ButASG Academic Vice President Prajwal Ciryam said he fears the clausecould be deleted in the future.

“It’s still a concern that it might not be there in the future,”said Ciryam, a Weinberg freshman. “We want some sort of fail-safeto make sure no student would have to perform the dissection inorder to pass the class.”

Justice For All President Tricia Valcarcel said she hopes lastyear’s success in adding the syllabus statement will result in morechanges this year.

“The reason it’s on the syllabus is because of the pressure weput on last year,” said Valcarcel, a Weinberg senior. “So, it was avictory last year, but not this year.”

This is the second year the class syllabus has featured astatement on dissection alternatives.

But Prof. Jon Levine, who directs NU’s neurobiology andphysiology program, said the group’s plan for a standard policy is”not a logical one.”

“We have a policy,” Levine said. “To constantly hear thatsomehow we are not providing an alternative is simply nottrue.”

Levine said any student who has objections to dissection canmeet with the professor and ask for an alternative assignment. Hesaid he does not think it’s logical to provide a standardizedplan.

“The Justice For All people would like us to stipulate thatwe’re going to have x, y and z available year after year and toswear that (the alternative) is exactly equal in educationalvalue,” he said. “We can’t do that because that’s not reality. Thelaboratories can change every year and we’re not going to dictatewhat the professor can offer in his or her class.”

Levine also said the biological sciences department doesn’tendorse dissection alternatives because they don’t teach fully thephysiological principles learned in a dissection.

“The people in Justice For All just keep going around and tryingto get the biology department to give them a little positive publicrelations,” Levine said, adding that he wishes the group would stopmaking an issue out of a “nonissue.”

But Ciryam said a new policy will serve to demonstrate tostudents that the university cares about its needs because”students can learn without compromising their ethics.”

Ciryam said he and Justice For All officials would continue towork to bring the policy to fruition by meeting with Levine anddrafting a more formal written policy.