I don't think I've ever been given a bigger run-around in my entire life. In the past few days, I've learned more about Schlichter hall and its surrounding area than the reasoning behind University Housing's recent clampdown on house fellows distributing condoms in the dorm.
After contacting a housing employee, I was told that house fellows are not allowed to comment on dispensing condoms. From there, I was referred to their advisors. Next, their advisors referred me to Associate Director of Residence Life, Larry Davis who I made several attempts at getting in touch with (including my trip to Schlicter) to no avail. These denials, combined with the overwhelming lack of information anywhere on the subject, seemed more than a little odd. I do not understand the hush-hush nature of this issue.
Apparently the university is afraid of liability issues should a condom break and result in pregnancy or an STD. However, there has yet to be a case where this occurence has come into play. Maybe this hasn't happened because students were grateful for the convenience of having condoms nearby. Maybe because a condom is, at most, only two percent likely to break during sex.
Distribution is also a matter of job-description. UW-Housing officials don't want a house fellow keeping condoms in their room, or walking down the hall to quickly hand some out, to be taking too much time away from their duties as a house fellow. The one to two minutes it would take to do this are far too time-consuming. Furthermore, house fellows are not allowed to administer anything related to a student's health, not even aspirin, and housing directors believe condoms are very much health-related.
The fact of the matter is that a condom will not adversely affect your health. It only helps promote safe sex. I would equate a house fellow handing out condoms and encouraging safe sex to house fellows reminding their residents to eat well and exercise for their health; or to any of these condom-hating housing authorities sending out an e-mail reminding students to be safe on Halloween or during Mifflin Street Block Party. These are all just preventative measures—exactly like a condom.
I understand that students can get condoms for free at other facilities on campus or they can just go buy some themselves, but in the heat of the moment, in the wee hours of the morning, who really wants to push the pause button to run to the store? Talk about a boner-killer. Plus, let's face it, sometimes students are drunk when they make these consenting decisions and this can severely impair judgment. I do not condone drunk hook-ups and bad decisions, but I would hate to see any of the bright futures of students living in the University residence halls have their lives fall to pieces due to an unplanned pregnancy or life-threatening disease caused by unprotected sex.
There are the condoms in the vending machines in most housing buildings. They're easily accessible and presumably affordable, but have you seen those things? Honestly, they look like some of the sketchiest contraceptives I've ever seen: a generic brand in white cardboard boxes. No thank you. Housing, you could at least spring for something brand name if you're going to make students shell out cash on the spot.
In my opinion, UW-Housing's stiff opposition to house fellow condom distribution in the dorms is a little ridiculous and they have brought up a fairly limp defense as to why they are enforcing this ban. They think handing out condoms is counter-productive to housing employee duties and risks increased legal fees, but to me it seems that free condoms are counter-reproductive, which is exactly what they should be.
Jaime Brackeen is a sophomore majoring in journalism. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
