We, the students of the Georgia Institute of Technology, call for Plan B to be made free and accessible on campus. To uphold its commitment to its students’ health and well-being, we believe Georgia Tech must meet the demands of this petition.

Reproductive rights in Georgia are under attack.

The state of Georgia implemented a draconian six-week abortion ban in July 2022. Abortion bans strip women of their bodily autonomy, menacing their human rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Additionally, this extreme time frame further targets those most at risk, prohibiting abortions before many even know they are pregnant.

The sparse exemptions the law offers clearly illustrate negligible consideration for the mother’s well-being. 28-year-old Atlanta resident Amber Thurman, died of septic shock after her hospital waited too long to provide a life-saving abortion procedure. This was a direct result of Georgia’s abortion ban, as the law’s unclear definitions of medical exemptions and threats of felony charges, scared doctors into depriving Amber of the care she needed.

Under the Trump administration and the governorship of Brian Kemp, this oppressive law will not change.

Thus, it is up to Georgia Tech to protect its students.

As an institution, Georgia Tech holds itself to nine values, that “guide[s] [its] priorities every day”. Among these values, Georgia Tech commits to ensuring “students are [its] top priority” and that it “nurture[s] the well-being of [its] community”. We fundamentally agree with these values, yet in the face of this crisis, Georgia Tech needs to take a larger step in protecting the reproductive rights of its students.

Access to emergency contraception, such as Plan B, is our best line of defense.

As Georgia law pushes abortion out of the question, emergency contraception is the best remaining option for reproductive health, short of crossing state lines. It provides an additional line of defense in the event of other contraceptive failure or unprecedented circumstances that could lead to unplanned pregnancy, for the burden of which the student is not prepared. Access to emergency contraception ensures students autonomy over their reproductive welfare, and by extension, the pursuit of their academic, career, and life goals. ​

Therefore, to protect and progress the fundamental reproductive rights among the student body, and to promote gender equality on campus, GT shall implement the following:

- Free and reliable access to Plan B or its generic, Levonorgestrel, is offered in locations across campus (e.g., Stamps Health Services pharmacy, Pharmaboxes, Women's Resource Center, etc.).

- Pharmaboxes shall be installed in all campus dining halls to increase access to contraceptives and over-the-counter medicines.

- Informational packets and resources for optional counseling about Plan B and its generic, accessible to students alongside these emergency contraceptives.

- Fast, open, and respectful communication between Health Services and students.