UT finished installing free menstrual product dispensers in 26 campus buildings on April 3 as part of a Student Government initiative to increase student access to basic hygiene resources.
Grace Kelly, the 2024-25 SG president, helped launch the Menstrual Equity Initiative, originally approved in 2023-24 and she continued the work until the end of her term. Kelly said free access to menstrual products is essential because products are costly, and students should not have to leave campus to get them.
“You could be on campus — where some students reside — or going to classes, and you have an emergency and you live off campus,” said Kelly, a Plan II and human development and family science senior. “This provides that free option for students, so they don’t have to panic and they can have less anxiety knowing that there’s resources in the restrooms.”
Kritika Ramesh, the former associate director of external affairs, selected the product vendor, Aunt Flow, which offers non-toxic menstrual products. She said there are 52 dispensers across 26 buildings on campus, with each building having one in a women’s restroom and one in a gender-neutral restroom. Some locations include the Robert A. Welch Hall and the Perry-Castañeda Library.
Ramesh said UT contractors analyzed which campus buildings and restrooms have the highest student traffic and used the data to determine where to install the dispensers. The University began installing the dispensers in March and finished last week, she said. The initiative is funded by SG and the Student Services Budget Committee, which advises funds for non-academic student services.
“Providing menstrual health equity is a necessity and should never be a luxury,” neuroscience sophomore Ramesh said. “Oftentimes, it has been seen that menstrual products are not as accessible, and there is a stigma around menstruation, but the project and this initiative really goes to show that providing free resources to all students on campus allows students to focus on what they’re at UT Austin for.”
Elle Grinnell, the 2024-25 SG vice president, said the dispensers have a clear glass screen so students can see exactly what product they are choosing before pressing a button to receive it.
“All you have to do is press the button and it comes right out,” journalism senior Grinnell said. “It’s so simple and it definitely looks newer than those old fashioned ones. It looks more inviting.”
