Supreme Court Ruling

Dear Members of the Middlebury Community,

We write as many of us are still processing the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this past Friday. First, we write with information that Middlebury’s healthcare policies will not change, nor will they change in the states where we have campuses. You will find the description of state laws in Vermont and California here. Vermont and California Medical Societies have issued statements here and here.

This is a momentous decision for the lives of every American, particularly people of reproductive age, as a fundamental element of the reproductive landscape in our country that has been in place for almost 50 years has now been overturned. Studies have shown that lack of access to safe reproductive health care, particularly for underrepresented groups, is a major health risk. It can also severely impact people’s ability to pursue education, careers, and families. Our students, faculty, and staff come from almost every state in the country; their lives will be affected in profound ways. 

Middlebury is fortunate to have a leading expert on the economics of abortion access, Professor Caitlin Myers. With her Middlebury students, Caitlin is working with the New York Times tracking the effects of changes in abortion access in the lives of citizens across the United States. You can read about her work here. We will be hosting an educational webinar in the near future on this decision and its impact. 

However we might feel individually about this decision, we live in a community of diverse views on the issue. The right to differ, and the skill to do so respectfully, are fundamental to the fabric of Middlebury’s community. We ask that you treat each other with compassion and care in these anxious and uncertain times.

Yours sincerely,

Laurie L. Patton

President

Mark Peluso

Chief Health Officer and College Physician