Bathrooms on the second floor of the Johansen Student Center are now stocked with free sanitary supplies for students.
Betzy Sandoval and Alyssa Galvez, Drakes Equity and Inclusion Senators, worked alongside Maeko Jordan, the Facilities and Technology Senator, to provide students with hygienic products.
The senators called the project the UNITY Johansen Bathroom Takeover. The items include various types of pads, tampons, deodorant wipes, dry shampoo, gum, mints, Advil, hair ties, makeup remover and lotion. The project costs around $300 and is completely funded through UNITY’s annual funding.
The products are located on the second floor of the Johansen Student Center in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms. Signs on other floors provide directions to these bathrooms.
“We understand it’s not super accessible, since they won’t be on every floor now, but it makes it easier for us to keep track, and for facilities,” Galvez said.
The student senators worked with facility workers to make this project happen — first, gaining approval from facilities to put the items in the bathroom and learning what specific items they are allowed to provide. They weren’t able to buy any aerosol products or scents, nor could they hang anything on the walls.
This project started after Galvez and Sandoval realized that Johansen does not provide products for students in their bathrooms like other buildings do on campus. Combined with the number of students who use the building and for how long, specifically during finals or midterms, they believed action had to be taken.
“Having someone look out for you in that way, and having it there, is really important so you don’t have to have a horror story,” Jordan said, “You are able to take care of yourself even though you’re trying to cram for a final, a midterm or finish a project.”
Galvez and Sandoval consulted students with different perspectives, specifically men, on what they would like to see in the bathrooms. QR codes are also placed on the baskets so that students can provide feedback, as well as send in updates if there is a product missing.
“We can’t support our students if we don’t have feedback.” Galvez said, “If you hate a product, tell us. If you love a product, tell us, and we’ll stock more of it.”
The goal for the project is to be long-term and to keep providing for students. They are trying to be as inclusive and sustainable with the items as they can be. Jordan hopes other student leaders will expand the project and provide similar items in their building of use.
“I love utilizing our time and our spaces, so that’s why it is so important to me to make sure that students can go and they don’t have to worry about that,” Jordan said.
