Yellowknife (Aug 15/03) - "The facts were wrong," says Kathleen Purchase, acting president for Aurora College.

Purchase was reacting to an erroneous story from CBC North stating the college requires a mandatory pregnancy test for students applying for college programs.

According to Purchase, the erroneous story has women describing the test as an invasion of privacy and a violation of their human rights.

Aurora College has campuses in Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Inuvik.

An upset Teacher Education Program student at the Thebacha campus in Fort Smith mistakenly thought a pregnancy test and $70 medical examination was required for entry.

Nineteen-year-old Ashley Hvaal was concerned about privacy and the consequences of a positive test result. According to the broadcasted news story, students are planning to file a formal complaint.

It was not known when this newspaper went to print if the students were still planning action.

"Individual programs do have specific requirements," says Purchase, but explained that a medical exam was only required for the Heavy Equipment Operator program.

Requirements for the Teacher Education Program include a recommendation and an interview, but medical testing is not specified for application.

Students are given an information form to fill out upon registration. They are asked whether or not they are pregnant on the form, but according to Purchase, they can refuse to answer. "It's their choice," she says. The confusion likely stems from this form, Purchase believes.

Aurora College asks the question to provide local health centres with information to ease the effect on health services that the influx of students in campus communities has each year.

When 400 students hit the town of Fort Smith each fall -- it has a normal population of 2,600 -- it is important for the health centre to be prepared, she says.

The Thebacha campus works hard with several health and other organizations in Fort Smith to ensure a smooth transition at the beginning of the academic year, says Purchase.

She is very upset the student didn't come to the college with her concerns, but instead went to CBC North.

"We encourage any student with any questions to come and ask," she says.

Purchase urges students to approach the registrar or student services for information.

"That's what we're here for," she says.