Spring Break
Condom cutbacks are an unnecessary risk
Alex Sanders
Issue date: 8/28/08 Section: Commentary
To those UConn students who are sexually active: start saving up money and get ready to invest in birth control.
The UConn Health Education is no longer giving Community Assistants a duffle bag chock-full-of-condoms. Now, CA's are given a mere 18 to pass out to about 40 residents depending on the residence hall. While individual goody bags are available at the Health Education office, that bag only contains eight prophylactics.
The vast reduction of condoms is due to severe budget cuts within the university. However, UConn should have chosen something less risky and less in demand to cut back on. There are other things that Health Education offers in goody bags that are not in high demand or are not necessary to prevent pregnancy. Perhaps they could reduce the number of dental dams or lubricant packets that they purchase to add more condoms to the budget. Those items can be purchased individually and are less crucial to student health. The university could also allow the health center their usual amount of condoms and cut something from a different part of the budget entirely. It is too risky to cut an item that so many students use, and in come cases, depend on.
Many UConn students take advantage of the free birth control, as they should. After all, many university organizations encourage students to use them. Some even have tables at Late Night demonstrating how to use them. All of that is pointless if students don't have access to condoms. Students should be responsible if they are going to make the decision to have sex, but there will always be students who can't afford condoms or won't purchase them because of the decently high cost.
Nobody wants to see a UConn baby boom. Everyone who will not buy a package of condoms has their own reasons but the reasons don't necessarily matter. The important part is that condoms are available to students who want them. There is enough demand on campus that 18 condoms per CA will not be enough.
"That's obviously not enough because there are usually more than 18 kids on a floor especially in rooms where the university has converted doubles into triples. Eighteen are definitely not enough," said Lauren Mocko, a 5th semester animal science major.
Many CA's place a bag of condoms on the bathroom door and the condoms are usually completely gone within the hour, with the exception of some multi-colored or flavored ones that students may shy away from. There are more than 18 condoms in that bag usually and students sweep them up as soon as they're out. Also, going to see your CA is often less embarrassing than repeatedly showing up at Health Education every week or two. In the past, CA's were allowed to get more condoms when they ran out and currently, the 18 condoms are supposed to last the semester. That is 36 condoms for a year. That is one for each resident on a given floor to have sex once a year, assuming that they are sexually active and depend on the free condoms.
The university is sending a mixed message about health by making birth control less accessible yet encouraging students to use it. If the university cannot reconsider giving out more condoms at Health Education and to CA's, they can at least distribute condoms at events like Late Night. The bare truth is that students are sexually active and distributing fewer condoms will not curb that. Rather it will only make the act and the students less safe. So be careful, and if you don't want to pay for condoms, go to Health Education and let them know that there is a real demand.
Commentary Editor Alex Sanders is a 5th-semester journalism major. She can be contacted at Alexandra.Sanders@UConn.edu
The UConn Health Education is no longer giving Community Assistants a duffle bag chock-full-of-condoms. Now, CA's are given a mere 18 to pass out to about 40 residents depending on the residence hall. While individual goody bags are available at the Health Education office, that bag only contains eight prophylactics.
The vast reduction of condoms is due to severe budget cuts within the university. However, UConn should have chosen something less risky and less in demand to cut back on. There are other things that Health Education offers in goody bags that are not in high demand or are not necessary to prevent pregnancy. Perhaps they could reduce the number of dental dams or lubricant packets that they purchase to add more condoms to the budget. Those items can be purchased individually and are less crucial to student health. The university could also allow the health center their usual amount of condoms and cut something from a different part of the budget entirely. It is too risky to cut an item that so many students use, and in come cases, depend on.
Many UConn students take advantage of the free birth control, as they should. After all, many university organizations encourage students to use them. Some even have tables at Late Night demonstrating how to use them. All of that is pointless if students don't have access to condoms. Students should be responsible if they are going to make the decision to have sex, but there will always be students who can't afford condoms or won't purchase them because of the decently high cost.
Nobody wants to see a UConn baby boom. Everyone who will not buy a package of condoms has their own reasons but the reasons don't necessarily matter. The important part is that condoms are available to students who want them. There is enough demand on campus that 18 condoms per CA will not be enough.
"That's obviously not enough because there are usually more than 18 kids on a floor especially in rooms where the university has converted doubles into triples. Eighteen are definitely not enough," said Lauren Mocko, a 5th semester animal science major.
Many CA's place a bag of condoms on the bathroom door and the condoms are usually completely gone within the hour, with the exception of some multi-colored or flavored ones that students may shy away from. There are more than 18 condoms in that bag usually and students sweep them up as soon as they're out. Also, going to see your CA is often less embarrassing than repeatedly showing up at Health Education every week or two. In the past, CA's were allowed to get more condoms when they ran out and currently, the 18 condoms are supposed to last the semester. That is 36 condoms for a year. That is one for each resident on a given floor to have sex once a year, assuming that they are sexually active and depend on the free condoms.
The university is sending a mixed message about health by making birth control less accessible yet encouraging students to use it. If the university cannot reconsider giving out more condoms at Health Education and to CA's, they can at least distribute condoms at events like Late Night. The bare truth is that students are sexually active and distributing fewer condoms will not curb that. Rather it will only make the act and the students less safe. So be careful, and if you don't want to pay for condoms, go to Health Education and let them know that there is a real demand.
Commentary Editor Alex Sanders is a 5th-semester journalism major. She can be contacted at Alexandra.Sanders@UConn.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 5
Todd Pollard
posted 8/28/08 @ 8:36 AM EST
Abstinance prevents all sexally transmitted diseases including A.I.D.S. Plus unwanted pregancy. Following God's laws stops STD'S.u No sex before marrage. (Continued…)
Conservative
posted 8/28/08 @ 9:51 AM EST
This column is silly for a number of reasons.
1) The author assumes that students are like animals and absolutely cannot control their sexual behavior. (Continued…)
Ella
posted 8/28/08 @ 1:04 PM EST
If you are too embarrassed to buy or ask for condoms, you shouldn't be having sex in the first place.
john
posted 8/30/08 @ 4:29 AM EST
jeeez... grow up. we're not little kids. we don't need the university to buy us plastic wrap. we know it's important. I have a job. I'm paying for an education. (Continued…)
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