Ball State will not join some colleges in adding two unconventional items to vending machines – condoms and Plan B, a popular day-after contraceptive.
The University of Michigan added condoms to one vending machine in each of its 14 residence halls as a trial project requested by students.
“In the summer and fall of 2012, there were some students who were commenting that condoms for the sake of sexual health should be made more available in the residence halls,” said Peter Logan, director of communications for university housing at University of Michigan.
Logan said condoms were distributed freely before 2012 by university health services and other organizations, but some students brought up concerns that those interested may be too shy to ask for a condom.
“It also may be a situation where they find themselves in an opportunity for sex, but they didn’t plan ahead,” Logan said. “It would help if there was something readily available to them in a vending machine that would promote or support good sexual health.”
He said this option is better than having students not know where to get a condom and take their chances without one.
At Ball State, condoms are available on the second floor of the Amelia T. Wood Health Center in the Office of Health, Alcohol, and Drug Education.
Ball State was ranked 42 out of 141 schools for sexual health in 2013, according to the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. Schools are graded based on 11 categories, two of those being free contraceptive and condom availability.
At the Health Center, students are allowed to get five free condoms a day.
Julie Sturek, a health educator at Ball State, said there is no need to have vending machines with condoms on campus since “the Health Center is the vending machine.”
“We like students coming to us to get their condoms,” Sturek said. “It’s safer for students to come to us, we feel.”
The center closes at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
At Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, Plan B is available to students at the health center.
Pete Gigliotti, Shippensburg’s executive director for university communications and marketing, said they looked into supplying the university with the contraceptive when students were unable to easily find it at local pharmacies.
“[The students] felt it was appropriate for the university as a part of our health offerings,” Gigliotti said.
The over-the-counter drug is available in a vending machine at the health center, which is only accessible to students.
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