By Alissa Dos SantosThe Daily Northwestern
Approaching Community Assistants for condoms would be too awkward.
That’s why Northwestern’s Associated Student Government placed condoms in vending machines last spring in Allison and Bobb-McCulloch Halls.
But the condoms aren’t selling.
Searle Student Health Service buys about 15,000 condoms each year for distribution across campus, but only about 100 were sold in vending machines last Spring Quarter, said Dr. Donald Misch, director of Northwestern health services. Numbers from Fall Quarter are not yet available, but Misch said “sales were not brisk.”
“One of the potential downsides is that we can only put a limited number in the machines,” he said.
Misch said some students have asked for a different type of condom, as they come in various styles, sizes and flavors. But a machine full of condoms wouldn’t make money, he said.
“It’s not a great moral or ethical issue – it’s a financial issue,” Misch said. “Vending machine companies want to maximize their revenue. If Snickers sells better than condoms, then they have to stock Snickers.”
If sales don’t pick up, companies could ask to remove condoms and sell other products, he said.
ASG’s Health Advisory Committee began discussing the sale of condoms in vending machines in 2005 when CAs no longer were required to hand out contraceptives, said Leah Witt, ASG vice president of student services.
“We wanted to make sure they were available 24/7,” said the Weinberg senior and chairwoman of the committee.
Undergraduate Residential Life didn’t want CAs to be liable for dispensing condoms and answering midnight door knocks, Witt said.
“We didn’t want to put CAs in a position of having to be pestered and having to hand out condoms day and night,” Misch said. “Some people don’t feel OK with it.”
Witt got the idea for using vending machines from her father, who works for a vending machine company in her hometown, La Crosse, Wis. Local universities near Witt’s home already were selling contraceptives in vending machines.
At NU, LifeStyles condoms are sold in the three residential halls for $1 each or $2.50 for a three-pack.
Free condoms are available at Searle, Misch said, but the building is open only until 5 or 6 p.m. on weekdays. Searle is open Saturday mornings and closed on Sundays.
“I think people know they can get them for free, but I don’t think many people use the vending machines,” said Weinberg sophomore Laura Colee, a McCulloch Hall CA.
She said the vending machine in McCulloch was broken into during the last month of Fall Quarter and was out of use for the rest of the term. But Colee said her residents have never asked her for condoms.
Weinberg freshman Oddie Gopalan recognize the importance of the vending machine project “because there are a lot of sexually active students,” he said.
“It’s a good idea and it should be spread to other dorms ,” Gopalan said.
But before putting more condoms in vending machines across campus, Witt said the committee needs to get the word out to students.
“We need to do more publicity on campus and evaluate the success of the program,” Witt said.
“Maybe this isn’t the best way.”
Reach Alissa Dos Santos at [email protected].
