The University of Wisconsin-Madison is has begun to roll out a pilot program to offer tampons free of charge in some of the men’s rooms on campus. As a result, the University of Wisconsin has become the third school in the country to offer tampons in the bathroom.
The free women’s hygiene products will be available in the women’s restrooms of three campus buildings: Helen C. White Hall, Sterling Hall, and The Red Gym. The Helen C. White and Sterling Halls will have menstrual products carried in all of the women’s restrooms, while The Red Gym will carry them in all women’s, men’s and gender-neutral restrooms.
via Badger Herald:
The idea originated in fall 2016 from Vice Chair Miriam Coker and Rep. Evan Pelke, who also worked on this project at a former internship. Rep. Katrina Morrison and Mara Matovich, the Shared Governance Committee campaign director, also participated in bringing the program to UW.
The project is based on similar programs run at other Big 10 schools such as the University of Michigan, the University of Maryland, and Northwestern University. At this point, the Univeristy of Wisconsin, along with these three schools, are either in the process of implementing the program, have the pilot program already in place, or already have free menstrual products.
University of Wisconsin spokesman Steve Wagner said of the decision ‘menstrual products will be available in all of the bathrooms of the Red Gym so that they are available to any student who might need them.
The University of Wisconsin Associated Students of Madison are working to finalize the program with the university’s Vice Chancellor of Finance Administration and Facilities Planning and Management. The program will start as a pilot program no later than April 30, and will continue until December 2017.
