After Student Services Finance Committee Reps. Sophia Alzaidi and Jordan Madden presented a proposal that looks to provide oral emergency contraception to survivors of sexual assault last week, the body voted to create a subcommittee Monday night.
UHS’s $4,000 line item, part of their annual budget they presented to the student finance committee, currently is used as emergency contraception only for victims of sexual violence. However, an IUD costs $800 and is fully covered by UHS. With that math, Madden pointed out that this comes out to only five students.
Vice Chair Kristi Parsons highlighted that a subcommittee is important because there was a lack of data from UHS administrators and forming a committee would be good for further conversation versus the concrete recommendation from last week.
“Talking to committee members and going to meetings with UHS is fine, but there needs to be a specific institutional place to have these discussions with direction for the future and goals,” Parsons said. “I think that this recommendation is a good start. I think having a subcommittee that meets twice a month and coming up with ideas and working with UHS further on this topic will lead to really great things in the future.”
Reps. Jeremy Swanson, Henry Galles, Kristi Parsons, Zaakir Abdul-Wahid, Alzaidi and Madden will work on the committee. Madden also added that he had confirmation that a women’s health primary care provider at UHS would sit on the committee.
SSFC voted in favor of UHS’s budget and will present the recommendation to Chancellor Rebecca Blank when the body meets with her on March 23.
