American Red Cross blood drives can continue on the campus of the University of Vermont (UVM) despite a complaint from the campus affirmative action office that ARC is in violation of the university's non-discrimination policy.

Kathryn Friedman, executive director of the affirmative action office, recommended that ARC's blood drives be banned from campus after a former UVM student complained that the school was allowing discrimination against gay men by permitting the events.

ARC has maintained that the Food and Drug Administration will not allow it to accept blood from sexually active gay men. Among other questions asked prior to blood collection is whether the prospective donor is "a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977." When FDA last considered changing the policy, in 2000, a panel of specialists voted 7-6 to retain the ban.

"Donating blood is an individual choice and action, not rising to the definition of protected activity in the case of discrimination or equal protection," UVM Vice President for Administration Michael Gower wrote in his response to Friedman. "Given the chronic insufficiency of the blood supply locallyŠ to cut off a regular and reliable 'supply' from our students would be an unacceptable position for the University to take. I see the need to take steps to encourage more donations, not impose additional barriers." Gower said he thinks the policy is out of date but this is not the fault of ARC.

The policy is also an issue on other campuses. Student government at the University of Maine has voted to ban ARC blood drives at its Orono campus. Last year, the student senate at the University of New Hampshire passed a resolution calling on ARC and FDA to revise their policies.

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