After Spring Break students will have an on-campus opportunity that many have been hopeful for more than 10 years – condom access.
Help Empower and Teach will kick-off its condom distribution program on March 26 at Late Night BU by offering sexual health demonstrations.
Students interested in receiving condoms are required to attend at least one HEAT demonstration. The March 26 Late Night BU is the first opportunity students will have to meet these requirements.
Melissa Sage-Bollenbach, the director of wellness programs, said following the LNBU kick-off there will be at least two demonstrations a week for the remainder of the semester. These demonstrations will last no more than 15 to 20 minutes, and the number of demonstrations a week will be adjusted to accommodate the number of students interested in the program.
“We are willing to accommodate for a manageable size of students, like 30 or so students,” she said. “But if there is an extremely large interest in the program we may have some sort of pre-registration.”
Sage-Bollenbach said students should look out for flyers, Facebook groups, e-mails and notifications through Hilltop Happenings to find out when and where demonstrations will be held.
“I’m very excited for this program, it is about time that contraceptives are available on campus,” she said. “I think it’s important that they are available to students for reasonable prices.”
Student Body President Kyle Malinowski said he is happy about where this program is headed.
“I am pleased to see the completion of an interest that was started many years ago,” he said. “It really shows how strong the constant voice of the student body is.”
Vice President of Student Affairs, Alan Galsky said he thinks the new program will be beneficial.
“I think it will help students and make it easier for them to access condoms,” he said. “We’ve always supported the use of condoms for sexually active students, but they were never available on campus.”
Although the program will make it easier to access condoms, Galsky said he is still unsure how many students will take advantage of the convenience.
“It still remains to be seen how much the program will be used,”he said. “Students will still have the option of CVS which is within walking distance.”
Because students are only allowed to pick up one package of condoms a month, they will be issued a card upon completion of a demonstration with a tracking number.
That tracking number will allow HEAT members to identify those who have already picked up their monthly package.
Students can pick up one package, which includes 15 condoms, per month. It costs $1.
Sage-Bollenbach said HEAT office hours will be announced after Spring Break at Late Night BU and any students with concerns of when to pick-up their condom packages can call the HEAT office at x3381.
