Happy Hump-lo-ween everyone!

On this most splendid holiday, it is my great honor to inform all students, faculty, fans and rivals of The University of Texas at Austin that our university made it into the top 20 schools for The 2012 Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. Whether celebrating Halloween, Spring Break or Saturday afternoon delights, healthy Horns know how to play it safe!

The University of Texas at Austin placed No. 15 out of 141 major universities in the seventh annual Trojan Sexual Health Report Card released last week.

The report grades schools on the availability and quality of 11 categories of sexual health services accessible to students, including condom and contraceptive availability, HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and the quality of sexual health information available to students.

In 2011, UT Austin ranked 33rd on the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card.

The University Health Services (UHS) on campus offers amazing opportunities for students to be active participants in their own sexual health.

Students can participate in a Methods of Contraception Class, receive comprehensive sex education through the UHS website and get tested for HIV and STIs. UT even hosts free all-day HIV/STI Testing Days, when hundreds of willing Longhorns are tested in just one day.

“Having just entered into a new relationship, getting tested was something I knew we both needed to get done but probably would have put off if it weren’t for the free testing at UT,” government junior Carisa Lopez said.

Getting tested for HIV and other STIs is crucial for everyone who is sexually active. In addition, a certified condom enthusiast such as me finds it incredible that all students can receive three free condoms a day at the Health Promotion Resource Center in SSB 1.106. The Longhorn-spirited condom packs even come with free lube.

Complementary to all of these services, students can request a sexual health class, such as Sex Trivia or Sex Feud, to be presented for a class or student organization. These classes, as well as the Methods of Contraception class, are taught by the dedicated healthy sexuality peer educators who are fully trained by health education coordinator Guli Fager.

“I attended one of these classes my freshman year, and I learned so many things the public school ‘sex education’ system had failed to teach me,” UT senior Jasmine Vallejo said.

So this Hump-lo-ween — whether you’re dressing up as an astronaut, sexy cat, cupcake or condom fairy — you can celebrate sexily and safely, because you attend a university that cares about your sexual health. 

Printed on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 as: UT Health Services ranks 15th on sexual health report card