Sex happens,
even at SUU
News flash: SUU students are having sex.
While that may not appear to be breaking news to some,
we believe those who created the current policy for dispensing
condoms on campus, and therefore encouraging safe sex,
may not have heard the news.
According to the policy, the only location students can
get condoms is the Wellness Center, and students must
ask for them.
Evan Wilcock, chairman for the southwest region of the
National AIDS Foundation, said he has heard that abstinence
lectures often accompany condoms at the Wellness Center,
but staff there say they have no knowledge of that happening.
We believe anyone lecturing a student requesting a condom
at the Wellness Center on abstinence is out of line.
In addition, the availablity of condoms on campus is not
advertised. We believe this shows SUU is not only not
actively encouraging students to use condoms, but rather
hiding their existence.
This is a public, state-funded university. Therefore,
we don’t believe lectures on moral or religious
beliefs, or keeping the existence of condoms quiet is
required or acceptable.
It is acceptable to protect the health of SUU students.
According to the policy, university officials are concerned
with student health, and want to “actively encourage”
programs, education, and services concerning health.
While this may sound good in writing, it is not currently
practiced. We believe actively encouraging health through
safe sex would include encouraging the use of condoms.
Closeting them in the back room of the Wellness Center
and making students ask a staff member to get one is not
our idea of being active or encouraging.
Active is allowing Wilcock and the Utah AIDS Foundation,
resident advisers, and professors teaching classes dealing
with STDs such as human sexuality, to distribute condoms
with their educational material.
The process for obtaining condoms at SUU is not practiced
by other Utah universities. Representatives from the University
of
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Utah and Utah State University told the Journal condoms
are provided in plain view in their clinics for students
to take, and other organizations around campus can also
distribute condoms.
We do not believe that restricting access to condoms will
in any way prevent casual sex. Furthermore, we don’t
believe it is the business of SUU when or with who students
have sex.
Since condoms are donated by the Utah AIDS Foundation, and
not purchased with state or student funds, we see no right
or reason for SUU to restrict access to them.
We applaud efforts to allow students greater opportunities
to protect their health. We also encourage changing the
policy to provide more open access to condoms.
The opinion expressed above is the collective opinion of
the University Journal and its editorial board. The editorial
board meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Room 172 of the
Sharwan Smith Center. Visitors are welcome.t
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