Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls

Statement on the Critical Issue of Reproductive Rights in the United States 

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, we are witnessing a harrowing regression to a time before women's rights were recognized. Arizona's recent approval of an abortion ban marks a stark example of this regression, as the state's supreme court has revived a draconian 160-year-old law criminalizing abortion. This antiquated legislation, dating back to 1864, was crafted by Thompson Howell and forms part of the Howell Code—a relic of a bygone era when women lacked even the most basic rights, including the right to vote. 

The resurrected law states that “a person who provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substances, or uses or employs and instruments or other means whatever, with the intent thereby to produce the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two years nor more than five years thereof.” 

In keeping with our mission at the Kaschak Institute, we stand firm in our commitment to upholding the principles of Roe v. Wade and safeguarding women's health and autonomy. The revival of this antiquated law represents a flagrant violation of women's human rights and a dangerous deterioration in the fight for gender equality. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we stand together to reclaim our rights to make decisions about our reproductive health. Let us remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of all individuals. 

This statement is being issued by the leadership of the Kaschak Institute and does not represent the official position of Binghamton University 

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Seeking Student Voices

Passionate about women’s empowerment and social justice?

Binghamton University’s Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls invites letters of interest from students to serve on its Advisory Board. 

The Ellyn Uram Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls was established with a generous endowment gift made by Dr. Ellyn Uram Kaschak '65. The Institute's mission is to promote social justice and equality for women and girls domestically and internationally to ensure a more just, fair and equitable world. The Institute invests in the next generation by fostering high-impact learning opportunities for students. We provide undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research; experiential learning opportunities; scholarships and fellowships; career opportunities; innovative knowledge generation networks; international and national events, programs, and decision-making fora; and interaction with global thought leaders.

Please send a letter of interest to Shelly Ross, Assistant Director at srossrobbins@binghamton.edu by April 22, 2024.
 
Advisory Board

The Kaschak Institute Advisory Board consists of at least 9 members, including three individuals external to the University who have achieved prominence for their work in advancing social justice for women and girls; the dean of Harpur College of Arts & Sciences; the Vice President for Advancement; the Associate Vice President for Research; two faculty members, and one student representative. Membership is limited to two consecutive terms of three years each.
 
The Advisory Board is responsible for advising the Executive Director on annual programming, sharing ideas for and helping to execute new initiatives, strategic planning, hosting events when required, and attending Board meetings. The Advisory Board meets quarterly in-person with zoom as an option. This role offers students the opportunity to be part of a professional group of individuals advising one of
the University’s institutes. The chosen candidate will gain insight into the operations of an advisory board, learn about the functioning and inter-play of university systems, and build their network. For more information about the Kaschak Institute visit: https://www.binghamton.edu/institutes/kaschak-social-justice-institute

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ARE YOU READY?

The Kaschak Institute welcomed Natalie Isaacs to campus for a week of discussion, debate, and celebration.

In partnership with the 1 Million Women (1MW) campaign created in Australia, Binghamton University launched the 1MReady_BING initiative on February 2, 2024 to empower students to act on climate change, setting the stage for expansion to the local community, the broader State University of New York system, and beyond.

The goal?

1MREADY has one simple goal with a big impact: recruit students, faculty, and staff members to pledge to take small steps in their daily lives that save energy, reduce waste, cut pollution, and demonstrate that small steps can lead to big change. 

The first cohort of climate ambassadors was selected this past fall in preparation for the official launch on February 2. These ambassadors — first with their University peers, and then in the larger community and local high schools — will spread the word about ways to reduce our carbon footprint through the 1MREADY app.

For more information about the 1MReady_BING launch and to view local news coverage of the launch event, click HERE.

The Kaschak Institute worked in collaboration with a team of strong partners at the university to launch this pilot initiative: Binghamton Two Degrees, Sustainable Communities Transdisciplinary Area of Excellence, the Office of Sustainability, the Center for Civic Engagement and the Binghamton University Common Read Experience. 

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