Condom plan reaches climax

The contraceptives are dispensed in six residence halls.

By Allie Blood and Krissy Tripp

Published Dec. 9, 2008

The Sexual Health and Safety Products Task Force announced Monday the pilot program to place condoms in the residence halls is underway.

The dispensers were placed in six residence halls across campus: Gillett, Mark Twain, Center, Bingham Commons, Lathrop and Wolpers. Dispensers are located in varying locations in each hall.

Student Health Center Director Susan Even said the locations were determined based on several criteria. The dispensers were to be installed in public areas so that students who did not live in one of the six halls can have access to them.

"The key was that they had to be in a place that was safe and discreet," Even said.

Residence Halls Association Congress Speaker Blake Lawrence said Sexual Health Advocate Peer Education plans for once a week restocking.

"While some of the dispensers were already empty on Monday, the task force anticipated a rush in the beginning," Lawrence said. "But we don't anticipate anymore restocking issues."

In addition to stocking issues, some of the machines were jammed Monday afternoon. Even said it is the responsibility of Campus Facilities to maintain the machines, though they have a one-year warranty.

Earlier delays with the machines had to do with dispensing problems because the dispensers give information as well as sexual health safety products. MU Spokesman Christian Basi said the dispensers were tested twice before installation, once in Canada and once after delivery. They worked for both tests before installation, but jammed after. Basi said the problem is being worked on.

Each safety product comes in a white box with either a dental dam, female or male condom, personal lubricant and information on proper usage and numbers for SHAPE, confidential Student Health Center hotlines and other campus and community resources.

Missouri Students Association Senate Speaker Jonathon Mays said the MSA Senate's major involvement in the project has been fiscal. Now that the dispensers are in place, MSA Vice President Chelsea Johnson said she assumes in the future MSA will continue to attend task force meetings, but since the dispensers primarily affect residents, RHA will be taking over a majority of funding.

RHA President Robert Wood said either Congress or the executive board will decide whether to fund the sexual health and safety product dispensers. Now that the dispensers are in place, Congress will discuss their efficacy before committing to payment.

Lawrence said as a student government on campus, RHA will keep its ears open. "We don't anticipate a negative reaction from students," he said.

The Legion of Black Collegians, which supported the initiative from its inceptions, will continue to be involved in the sexual health and safety product program.

"LBC would love to have this continue because we're all affected by it," LBC political chairman Kevin Anderson said.

To pilot test the program, six residence halls currently have the dispensers. Lawrence said the task force has an assessment program in place for the dispenser and an open-ended mandate of when to make the pilot a program.

Further dispensers will be placed in other halls after student response to the project is evaluated.

— Senior staff writer Mary Daly contributed to this report.