The recently released Trojan Sexual Health Report Card conducted a nationwide survey on sexual education at various colleges. While AU was not selected as one of the schools surveyed, the report brings attention to sex and sexual health awareness at AU.
The score was based on criteria that included an informative Web site on sex health awareness, condom and contraceptive advice and availability on campus, HIV and STD testing, sexual assault counseling services and advice columns for sexual issues or relationships.
According to a press release issued by Trojan, two schools from each state were chosen based upon their size and familiarity to the public. Georgetown University and George Washington University were chosen as the D.C. schools surveyed.
According to the report card, 76 percent of schools surveyed do not provide free condoms to students and only 32 percent of schools have a sex advice column online or in the school paper. But with the exception of Oregon State University, which received a B, all schools in the top 10 received an A in the Web site category.
According to JoAnna Smith, Director of the Women's Initiative, AU is OK on some of the analyzed criteria, such as The Naked Truth's outreach program "Sex Milk and Cookies," but absolutely terrible on others.
"We have no sex education Web site, not even a sexual assault awareness Web site. Condom machines were just installed but there are only five of them, women continually have problems getting contraception at the Health Center and there is no free HIV or STI [sexually transmitted infection] testing on campus," she said in an e-mail.
"There is no dedicated group or office for sexual assault services and The Eagle column about sex doesn't answer real-life health questions about sex such as how or where to get testing, high-risk behavior and how to talk to your partner about sex," Smith said. "Until we fix these problems, we deserve to get a big fat F on our report card."
Student Health Center Director Dan Bruey said he feels AU is addressing sexual education and does not feel AU is behind the sex education frontier, although the university does have areas to improve.
"I do not think we fall short," Bruey said. "For example, we are in the process of updating our Web site to include more information on sex health."
According to Bruey, the Student Health and the Wellness centers provide free condoms, and the Wellness Center also has specialty condoms available for purchase. In addition, the Student Health Center performs screenings for STDs.
As for the education aspect, Smith said she feels most high schools do not teach comprehensive sex education.
"...More importantly, no one is ever taught about effective communication in sexual relationships," Smith said. "Students will never be mature enough to have sex until they can talk about it openly and honestly with partners and their health care providers and ask questions about their sexual health."
Regardless of maturity, Alex Manzanares, a freshman in the School of Communication, said everyone comes to college from different backgrounds and various experiences, so a strict emphasis is unnecessary.
"It is only necessary when it starts to inflict on how the university is perceived and whether it affects academic interests for the students," Manzanares said. "However, I think AU is well-educated in sex education. ... There is no need for the university to get involved."
However, Smith said in the e-mail she felt that because not everyone is on the same page about sex, a greater emphasis must be placed on sex education.
The Student Health Center and the Wellness Center also feel education is the key for students to achieve good health, including sexual health, according to Bruey.