The University's first student pro-choice organization gained official recognition Monday after the Undergraduate Student Government Supreme Court approved its constitution.

Penn State Pro-Choice aims to promote pro-choice legislation and similar attitudes on campus and the surrounding area, said Elise Constantine, the group's co-director. About 100 students make up the group's membership.

At a hearing held late last semester, the Supreme Court rejected the group's first constitution and cited a redundancy in the wording.

The group omitted a statement that required a pro-choice stance for membership because the Supreme Court judges called it redundant, said one of the group's members. Chandra Lilley (junior-health education) said the group also clarified its procedures for electing officers and resubmitted the constitution.

Penn State Students for Life had raised concern that the pro-choice group was not needed because it duplicated the work of USG's Department of Women's Concerns, said Constantine. However, Penn State Pro-Choice's goals are more specific, she said.

While the Department of Women's Concerns may be pro-choice, it mainly deals with rape, pornography and harassment, Costantine said. However, she said the new group focuses on abortion and reproductive rights.

"Students for Life are not alone in their anti-choice stance as we are not alone in our pro-choice stance," Constantine said.

Penn State Pro-Choice member Kristin Hare (junior-speech communication) said the group does not duplicate the USG department, because the new group can exclusively stand for choice.

Lilley said official status gives the group more flexibility for planning activities. For example, the group can now invite speakers, show films and set up tables in the HUB.

Members of the pro-choice group currently are circulating two petitions regarding women's health and child care. Individuals members stood on the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street on Monday and collected 1,000 signatures. However, they plan to circulate the petitions through the Commonwealth campuses for two more weeks.

"We got a lot of good response on both the petitions," Lilley said.

The petitions demand increased staff for the Women's Health Center at Ritenour, educational and support programs for pregnant women, pre- natal care, a director for the Office of Child Care and the formation of a Child Care Committee.

Although official status was not obtained until this week, the group started gathering interested members last semester and is still growing, Lilley said. The group also plans to open a table at the HUB for a voter registration drive which Lilley said she hopes will also recruit more members.

Also, the group plans to show a video on illegal abortions performed before Roe vs. Wade and celebrate Reproductive Rights Week in April.