UG won’t provide free tampons, but faculties can

The UG board does not support a proposal to supply free tampons and pads across the university. But faculties are free to do so themselves.

The proposal was submitted by Lijst Calimero. The student party saw how the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), among others, had been providing free menstrual products since September of last year.

Calimero felt the board of directors should follow this example and implement this across the university.

Costs and necessity

Board member Hans Biemans isn’t sure the university should be responsible for that, though. ‘This is something I think people can take care of themselves, for instance by asking their friends’, he said during a university council meeting.

Biemans also said providing free products for everyone would be too expensive. He also said it might set an undesirable precedent. ‘Are we supposed to supply lens solution for people who forgot theirs?’

Emergency solution

Rector magnificus Cisca Wijmenga said it’s important there is some kind of emergency solution, though. ‘If you suddenly get your period at the university, that can be overwhelming. It would be nice if we have something in case of emergency. After all, people can go to a concierge for a band-aid if they’re bleeding.’

In spite of the board’s explanations, several council members said the university should at least do a pilot. ‘The board presented us with several financial scenarios. A basket of products in the bathroom is financially feasible’, said Lijst Calimero’s Andra Buciu.

Toothpaste

Students and staff could restock the basket with their own products. ‘It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just normal, usable products. Just like toilet paper’, said Dinie Bouwman with the personnel faction. ‘And if six months from now, people are starting to ask for toothpaste and toothbrushes, we’ll just shut it down again.’

The university board wasn’t prepared to do this but did promise to explicitly tell faculties and services that they were free to do a pilot themselves. Anyone who wants to participate will receive the necessary products and restock from the university.

Biemans wants to evaluate the various pilots in the fall and discuss whether it should be implemented across the entire university.

Dutch

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