Free period products are now being offered in six restrooms in the Student Center. // Emma Fabilli / The Hofstra Chronicle.

Free period products are now being offered on Hofstra’s campus. There are dispensers located in six bathrooms in the Student Center: four women’s restrooms and two gender neutral restrooms. Prior to the start of the spring semester, Hofstra’s bathrooms were either devoid of period products, had unstocked dispensers or dispensers that charged money for tampons and pads.

The initiative to stock restrooms on campus with free period products has been in the works since 2019.

“I think that it’s a matter of necessity, not a luxury,” said Alexa Cervo, former Student Services chair with Hofstra’s Student Government Association (SGA). “It’s not like you can just not menstruate … It’s an involuntary biological function in people.”

At the time, Cervo had been in contact with Aunt Flow, a company that works with schools and businesses to provide free period products. Aunt Flow also prides themselves on being sustainable and better for the body by utilizing organic cotton. Additionally, they also have a program where they donate one menstrual product to a person in need for every ten products sold.

According to a study by BMC Women’s Health, one in ten college students will face barriers in accessing tampons or pads – products as necessary as toilet paper.

Finally, after four years, Hofstra has joined over 900 schools currently utilizing Aunt Flow’s products.

“I’m really excited we were able to launch,” said Severino Randazzo, director of student leadership and engagement. “They [SGA] did a really thorough proposal before landing on the product that they selected and the process to carry it out.”

Currently, SGA is funding the dispensers that were put in the bathrooms in the Student Center, but they hope that Hofstra will take on funding in the future. They also hope that these dispensers could be available in bathrooms on the academic side of campus.

“I really hope that we are able to expand this in the future because even though this is a great win to have these dispensers and products in the Student Center,” said Kayla Stadeker, the wellness and campus safety chair on SGA, “We’re far from being done or accomplishing our ultimate goal.”

During this trial period, how often the dispensers need to be replaced will be monitored, according to Randazzo. That will go towards deciding whether to expand to the academic side of campus. Additionally, SGA will be looking for student feedback.

“We’re getting signage to put near the dispenser that would have a QR code for students to scan so you can leave your feedback,” Stadeker said. “I would really appreciate their feedback, their comments, questions or concerns.”

So far, students have already expressed positive feedback.

“When we launched the program on the first day of the spring semester, so many students were DMing me and telling me how it’s something that’s really useful to them, and they really appreciate it and they wish we had it sooner,” Stadeker said.

Gabby Brown, a junior biology major, said that she finds this program to be a necessity.

“Periods aren’t predictable, so it’s great to have accessibility for that,” Brown said. “Not everybody has the resources to go off campus to purchase [period products] or to purchase them online. For there to be free access on campus, it’s easier for people without resources.”

However, Brown said that she thinks the program should be extended so that free period products are offered in buildings on the academic side of campus.

“To get all the way to the Student Center from CV Starr during an emergency is really inconvenient,” Brown said.

She also thinks it could be helpful to put them in residence halls. However, Stadeker said that it is unlikely to happen since SGA does not have a say in what happens in the residence halls, and it would be up to Residence Life to put free period products in the bathrooms in the residence halls.

“If they can’t put them in the [residence halls], it would be best if they put them in dining places nearby like Dutch or HofUSA,” Brown said.

While this is a step forward for Hofstra, Stadeker thinks that this is a necessity that should have been in campus restrooms all along.

“We want students to feel comfortable and to have all the resources that they need,” Stadeker said. “I really feel that students shouldn’t have to pay for a resource or an item that’s necessary for their livelihood.”

“It’s a great start for Hofstra to show that they’re actually taking care of their students,” Brown said, “but I definitely think that this is just the start and Hofstra can definitely expand more ideas like this to bring accessibility to students … [like] reducing the price of the [menstrual] products sold at places like Dutch.”

Randazzo said that he is proud to see this initiative finally make it off the ground after all these years.

“I think it’s a really great initiative that SGA took over to provide free products that should be available on campus to students,” Randazzo said. “We’re really passionate about it, so it’s really great to see the initiative take off and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.”

Stadeker urges students to utilize the Aunt Flow products, scan the QR codes next to the dispensers to leave their feedback or email her at [email protected].