Sofia Fontana, the social justice chair of ASUSF Senate’s advocacy committee, presented a resolution last Wednesday asking that all campus bathrooms be stocked with menstrual products. The proposed resolution followed a Sept. 29 investigation by Senate that found only 17 menstrual pads across all USF bathrooms.
Senate is collecting comments and suggestions from students prior to voting on the proposal.
A Boston Medical Center women’s health study cited in the resolution found that one in ten college students struggle to afford menstrual products each month. The resolution additionally called on a promise in USF’s maintenance services to restock these products daily.
Fontana explained her decision to draft the proposal. “I think USF should live up to its mission of cura personalis through accessibility,” she said. As inflation is on the rise, “expensive sanitary items are even less accessible.
“Menstrual cycles are also unpredictable, which could interfere with academics if there is no accessibility to pads,” she continued. “USF should feel safe, supportive, and accessible for all, to get what they need to be personally and academically successful.”
In the proposed resolution, fourth-year student Isabella del Rosario gave a statement expressing how this resolution speaks to more pervasive issues of inclusivity on campus, “Not only is having these products available to students serving people’s basic hygiene needs, but also supports the inclusion and uplifting of various student identities in regards to sex, gender, age, etc.”
Fourth-year psychology major Ellie Carpenter has run into a lack of menstrual products on cmapus. “Most of the times I’ve gone to the bathroom and needed pads or tampons — actually, I would stay nearly all of the time — they have not been stocked,” she said. “The rare times that they were fully stocked, it was a huge relief.”
Second-year business marketing major Maddy Schwann shared that she had a similar experience with this. “A good majority of bathrooms don’t have the products there in general, but the ones that do seem to be frequently all gone or nearing close to being gone,” she said. “I imagine the men’s room and general neutral bathrooms are equally, if not more neglected.”
Schwann expressed why she feels this resolution is an especially important one to pass, “It’s very important for these products to be available because menstrual cycles are often irregular and hard to predict. Many women have been in the situation where they need a pad or a tampon last minute.”
As of 11/3, the Senate has just passed the resolution. The Foghorn will continue its coverage of the resolution’s implementation as more information becomes available.
Jordan DelFiugo is a second-year psychology major and a general assignment reporter for the Foghorn. She can be reached at jgdelfiugo@dons.usfca.edu.
