The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit.

Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site.

The perennial debate between Trojans and Lifestyles came home to Penn last weekend.

The Undergraduate Assembly pledged on Sunday to create a survey to "gauge current student sentiment regarding condoms and to determine the condom of choice" on campus.

The University gives out free condoms - the Lifestyles brand - at multiple places around campus, from the high rise dorms to Student Health Services.

The survey proposal's creator, UA member and College freshman Benny Laitman, stressed that the goal of the proposal was not to promote any particular brand of condom, but rather to determine which brand students prefer, in hopes of increasing awareness concerning safe sex practices.

"When Harvard changed their condoms to what their students wanted . The [Harvard Crimson noted that] 6,000 more people reported using them," Laitman said.

The UA also had an open discussion on Sunday - unusual for a body that follows Robert's Rules of Order - in which they discussed student perceptions of Student Health and Counseling and Psychological Services.

The main complaints were about a complex University-sponsored insurance plan and a lack of information concerning where and how to make an appointment to see the doctor.

"I had to go there when I had mono, and the information was very hard . [and] confusing to find," Laitman said. "It took me a good 10 to 15 minutes to figure out how to get there."

UA members also talked about the need to publicize CAPS' programs, as well as to make them more accessible.

"Last year there was a feeling that CAPS was for crazy people," UA member and College sophomore Bing Chen said. He added that he felt there was a need to de-stigmatize those who utilize CAPS.

Comments powered by Disqus

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.