UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has installed free menstrual-product dispensers across the University Park campus, making these items more accessible to its students, employees and visitors. The installation process for these dispensers began in June 2023 and now is more than 95% complete, marking a significant step towards providing essential resources to the campus community.
This initiative was made possible through the support of the Penn State Office of Physical Plant (OPP), the University Park Student Fee Board, and the student organization, Days for Girls at Penn State. OPP financed the installation efforts and ongoing maintenance, while the Student Fee Board’s Equity Fund contributed 50% of the costs associated with the initial purchase and installation of these dispensers.
Najee Rodriguez, chair for the University Park Student Fee Board, explained the importance of the initiative and why the funds were awarded for the initial purchase.
“This initiative is a vital step in ensuring that every student at Penn State has access to menstrual products,” said Rodriguez. “The Student Fee Board recognized the importance of this equity-focused initiative and wanted to support it in every way possible.”
The menstrual product dispensers have been placed in women's and single occupant all-gender bathrooms in education and general facilities, as well as athletic venues. These placements help ensure that essential products are readily available to those who need them.
Purva Gupta, vice president of advocacy for Days for Girls at Penn State, discussed the overall impact of this initiative on the student body.
“Normalizing product access across campus is a fundamental step for the University to address menstrual inequity,” said Gupta. “This project is a leap in the right direction as we work together to improve accessibility, inclusivity and equity within our Penn State community.”
In total, nearly 750 dispensers will be installed across campus, with the Office of Physical Plant aiming to complete the remaining installations before the end of the fall 2023 semester.
Like all other menstrual products, those provided in the new dispensers should be disposed of in the dedicated trash facilities and never flushed in a toilet, as doing so negatively impacts the campus’ wastewater infrastructure.
Penn State continues to explore opportunities to expand this initiative throughout the University system. On a case-by-case basis, the University has also considered ways to provide menstrual products in facilities where all-gender restrooms are not currently available.