Condom dispensers up, full and functioning

The dispensers are located in six residence halls and Bingham Commons.

By Maggie Nestor

Published Sept. 29, 2009

After repeated struggles to keep condom dispensers stocked and functioning last year, the machines, located in six residence halls and other spots on campus, have remained full and serviceable for the majority of the semester. According to front desk attendants at the residence halls, the six machines are working, and all but two are stocked.

The dispensers, which provide free male and female condoms, oral dams, personal lubricant and information on proper usage, were removed last semester due to technical malfunctions, rendering them useless. But, after being reinstalled, the machines have stayed in full working condition.

Heather Eastman-Mueller, Sexual Health Advocate Peer Education coordinator, said the success with the dispensers this year is due to more students becoming knowledgeable about the machines.

"I believe that the machines and the program itself are running more smoothly because we learned more about the machines and our realistic capacity to maintain the program effectively," Eastman-Mueller said.

Another setback experienced with the dispensers last semester was keeping the machines fully stocked on a regular basis. The dispensers, which are located in Gillett, Lathrop, Wolpers, Center and Mark Twain residence halls and Bingham Commons are part of a pilot program run by SHAPE.

Eastman-Mueller said the goal is to have the machines stocked once a week and it is the responsibility of peer educators to stock the machines. A stocking schedule is posted on the machines with the approximate time peer educators will be restocking the machine based on their own class schedules.

"The purpose of this schedule is to promote responsibility and forethought among the student body while still providing access to the safety products," Eastman-Mueller said. "Our peer educators have received a plethora of training on sexual health issues which make them an ideal source for their peers in the residence halls for obtaining sexual health information."

At last update, Eastman-Mueller said the university was still reviewing the program and had no plans to expand it until the impact on the students was more evident, which will result in a larger allocation of funds for the program. With the machines consistently operating correctly for the first time since their installation, the university might expand the pilot program.

"This is a pilot program that is still in its infancy stages," Student Health Center Director Susan Even said. "We are still working on some logistical issues and details of this program. We are reconvening the Sexual Health and Safety Products Task Force this semester to continue this dialogue."

Despite the significant improvements in the functioning of the machines and availability of products, the program is still too immature to make any serious changes. Even and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs both said there is no talk of expanding the program at this point.