Trojan gives colleges' sex health grades

Acacia O'Connor Life Editor

College students worry about both sex and their GPAs—albeit separately. This month, however, universities across the country were worried about their sex GPA. On Sept. 10 Trojan Brand Condoms released its second annual Sexual Health Report Card, ranking 139 colleges and universities on a 4.0 scale of sexual health.

The study, which was conducted from April to June, expanded significantly from last year, adding 39 additional schools to the sample and expanding the breadth of its categories. This year the schools were judged on a scale of one to 10 in 11 categories including condom and contrception availibility, HIV tesing and Other Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing. Schools were also ranked based on their sexual health awareness programs, student health center services and hours of operation, Web-based sexual health information, anonymous advice columns, lecture outreach programs, sexual assault programs and student peer groups. Those 11 marks were then converted into the 4.0 scale and averaged.

No school was shooting straight As. The University of Minnesota placed first in the rankings with a GPA of 3.91 while Louisiana Tech University came in last with a GPA of 0.82. All eight Ivy League schools ranked in the Top 40, though only Harvard University made the Top 10 cut with a 3.55. Yale University dropped from no. 1 to 16 this year, though the criteria adaptations make comparisons moot.

Several schools on the lower end of the sexual health totum pole dismissed or criticized the ratings.

“I do not agree with the rating,” University of Connecticut Health Education Coordinator Joleen Nevers told independent student newspaper The Daily Campus. “I just don’t see how this could be accurate.” University of Connecticut was slotted no. 87 with a 2.64.

Many religiously affiliated schools—such as Villanova University, St. John’s University, Boston College and Brigham Young University—constituted the bottom third of the list.

“We are not a place where we are giving out contraceptives,” said Carol Day, Director of Health Services at Georgetown University . “We must be consistent with our Catholic identity, and [this survey] faults us for that.”

The study is part of Trojan’s “Evolve” campaign, which aims to redefine dialogue on sexual health with an emphasis on responsible behavior and respect for your partner.

Vassar was not among the 139 schools included in the study, which, according to the report, were chosen for their “size and general familiarity to the public.” An even distribution of schools from each state and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Conference was used. Vassar’s athletics program is part of the NCAA Division III.

“We would love to have been able to analyze more schools,” said Melle Hock, a representative for Sperling’s Best Places, the research firm that compiled the report. “Researchers sought a comprehensive system on which to select schools, and the major NCAA DI athletic conferences provide a consistent foundation that is inclusive of all regions, and all types of schools.”

Inclusion aside, looking at the different categories of the report card and drawing comparisons to peer institutions offers a sense of Vassar’s own Sexual Health GPA.

“I think if we were in it, we would score very high,” said Director of Health Education Michelle Soucy. “I think the way that we approach sexual health is pretty progressive in terms of being able to look at a variety of different areas of sexuality and accepting all of the different possibilities.”

Sex Week at Yale was cited as one of the reasons the school was ranked no. 1 in 2006. Vassar also has a week devoted to sexual health in December. That week climaxes with SEXPO, a tabling event—directed by Soucy—for campus groups and services. Squirm, the campus magazine exploring sex and sexuality, also hosts an event during the course of the week.

“Being a liberal arts institution, we are certainly more open to a variety of sexual health programs,” Soucy said. “Some of the other schools wouldn’t be as open to some of the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] issues as we are.”

Regarding sexual assault and peer support programs, Soucy said that she believes Vassar is “ahead of the game.” The availability of contraceptive methods across campus and through Women’s Health Services at Baldwin is also comprehensive. Vassar is one of only a few colleges to offer Emergency Contraception Plan B, also called the morning-after pill.

However, there is always room for improvement. Soucy cited HIV/AIDS testing and men’s health issues as two areas in which Vassar’s sexual education and health services could expand. In the past, HIV testing was available through Health Services; now, groups are sporadically brought to campus to conduct testing.

The Trojan study also looked at colleges’ Web sites, checking for the breadth of information available to students who perhaps feel embarrassed to ask questions in person.

“Another thing we’re trying to do with Health Service and Health Education is have more of a better Web site, connecting to national resources,” Soucy said.

Director of Health Services Dr. Irena Balawajder agreed that Vassar students are generally well-informed. She cited the student health advisors as a particular resource.

“If students are concerned they come to us. On the whole, students will use emergency contraception,” Balawajder said. “I think students are responsible.”