All three legislative student organizations passed a joint resolution last week in support of the University providing free menstrual products in bathrooms across campus.
Graduate Student Assembly and Senate of College Councils unanimously passed the resolution, and Student Government passed it in a 30-6 vote. The resolution proposes providing free menstrual products in all gender-neutral and women’s restrooms in academic buildings.
“Standing there and seeing everyone vote for it and support it made me really happy,” said Sameeha Rizvi, a resolution author and public health freshman. “It’s something we were working hard to see, and to see people understand the necessity for this is so great.”
Resolution author Radhika Patel said all three legislative student organizations passing the resolution proves it has student support.
“This allows us to show faculty and administrators that there is student support for this initiative,” said Patel, an economics and math sophomore. “Whenever we meet with faculty and administrators, that will play an integral part in their decision making.”
Patel said the SG Women’s Resource Agency met with the University’s chief financial officer when they started this initiative in the Student Activity Center, now known as the William C. Powers, Jr. Student Activity Center, and the Texas Union last year.
Patel said authors of the resolution will meet with the CFO again to ensure the initiative can continue for longer than a year. She said administrators will control the actual implementation of the initiative.
“We’ve done as much as we really can on the side of student support and research,” Patel said. “Now, it’s up to the faculty and administration to flesh it out.”
Resolution author Anjitha Nair said administrators may tweak the resolution, but she hopes all bathrooms on campus will have free menstrual products eventually.
“If you start your period in class, you’d be able to get what you need and continue on with your day,” computer science sophomore Nair said. “That would be amazing, and it would show the University taking steps to make sure the needs of (people who menstruate) are being met on campus.”
Patel said she believes administrators will implement the initiative.
“Whenever there’s a necessity, students should have the ability or at least know that faculty and administrators will take into account what students need to be successful,” Patel said. “I’m not worried. I’m hopeful this works out.”
