While midterms are approaching for students, Marquette is being graded as well — on its sexual health. And the school has received mediocre marks.
In Trojan Brand Condoms’ fifth annual 2010 Sexual Health Report Card, Marquette placed 107th out of 141 colleges and universities — a 22-spot jump from the 2009 ranking. An overall GPA of 2.0 was awarded to Marquette.
The university was ranked 130th in 2008 and 129th in 2009.
The report is based on the availability of services at the university’s health center, sexual awareness programs, contraceptives and online sexual health information, among other factors. A letter grade was given in each of 12 categories, and then a final GPA was calculated.
Marquette received an “F” in three out of 12 categories on its report card: contraceptive availability and cost, condom availability and cost, and availability of anonymous advice. Marquette did not receive an “A” in any category.
But Marquette received higher marks in categories relating to the groups and programs provided for students. The university received a “B” in three categories: existence of lecture/outreach programs, existence of student peer groups and availability of assault programs.
“(The report card) has become a tremendous resource for parents, students and health services,” said Bjorn Trowery, a representative for Trojan Brand Condoms. “It is a tool that can be used to make things better for students.”
Columbia University was awarded the number one spot, with Michigan State University, Ohio State University, the University of Michigan and Brown University rounding out the top five.
Chicago State University, Marshall University, DePaul University, Brigham Young University and the University of Idaho took the bottom five spots.
Student Health Services Physician Robin Brown said Marquette’s Jesuit, Catholic identity may be partly to blame for the university’s low rankings.
“In keeping with the Catholic tradition regarding birth control, the Student Health Service does not dispense condoms nor prescribe contraceptive medication,” Brown said. “However, recognizing that oral contraceptives are prescribed for particular medical conditions, it is advisable that these matters be discussed individually with a provider at the Student Health Service.”
Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces, an independent firm that helped conduct the report, was a lead researcher for the report card. Sperling said the report is more reflective of the university’s attitude toward sex than the sexual health of the students.
“The main distinction is that of the overall focus of the administration,” Sperling said. “Schools who don’t talk about sexual health or limit it to strictly between married couples received lower grades.”
Ericah Villiesse, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, transferred to Marquette this year from New Orleans University. Villiesse said students at Marquette seem more sexually aware than students on other campuses.
She added, however, that she believes the sexual health on campus has more to do with the students than what the university is doing.
According to the 2009 National College Health Association data, 64.9 percent of Marquette students reported being sexually active within the last 12 months, compared to 71 percent of college students nationwide.
Kevin Ciriacks, a senior in the College of Health Sciences, said he thinks the university is very active in informing students of the sexual health groups and services available.
Other students, however, feel the university could be doing more to make students aware of sexual health resources on campus.
“I’ve heard more about (Marquette’s sexual health groups and services) from other students than from the university,” said Leia Pappas, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The 2010 report is the first to exclude student opinions of their health center in the overall GPA. Sperling said in previous years Facebook was used to gather this information.
“In the last year, Facebook has grown so large that we could no longer reach students effectively,” Sperling said.
In 2009 and 2008, Marquette received an “F” in the student opinion of health center category.
Special to the Tribune
Story by Sarah Hauer
