Principle, not politics should guide President Collins

Andrew Lacy
UNL Broadcasting Major

In coming months, the Board of Regents is expected to take up the issue of whether to expand embryonic stem cell research at UNL. This debate carries major ramifications ethically and medically.

Stem cells are cells that can be found in all living organisms. They are undifferentiated, that is, they are not blood cells, muscle cells, or any other types of cells. They carry the ability to reproduce numerous times while remaining undifferentiated. When placed under certain conditions, these cells can differentiate themselves and potentially be used to replace damaged cells to cure a wide range of illnesses.

Stem cells have been wildly successful so far, but not the stem cells you’re thinking of. You see, while the most commonly discussed stem cells are those found in embryos, they can also be found in any adult human. It is the adult stem cells that have proven to carry great potential without any ethical concerns.

So far, adult stem cells have shown great promise in treating, among other illnesses, brain cancer, skin cancer, various types of leukemia, breast cancer, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord damage, sickle cell anemia, and liver cirrhosis. Embryonic stem cells have produced nothing.

When the issue goes before the Board of Regents, ASUN President Megan Collins will represent UNL students in the debate. Unfortunately, President Collins seems to be favoring political expediency over science and principle.
Collins herself has expressed an intention to oppose expansion of embryonic research, and we applaud her for that position. However, she has discouraged ASUN from voting on a resolution that would express the same opinion. Collins is apparently concerned that the Senate would vote down such a resolution, forcing her to go against her own senate.

The resolution is likely to be put forward despite Collins’s objections, and we hope President Collins will do the right thing by supporting the resolution. There’s no doubt she would be in the unenviable position of going against her own senate, but standing on principle is seldom easy and much more important than being popular. We only hope President Collins has the courage to do the right thing.