More Than Just A Meeting: The Women’s Health Subcommittee
Have you ever noticed the lack of individual trash receptacles in campus bathroom stalls? We certainly did.
Dr. Josephine Shih, Professor of Psychology and one of WLI’s faculty advisors, first brought this issue to the attention of the Executive Board. We found that this issue was present in Post Hall, Barbelin Hall, and all freshmen residence halls except for Villiger. So, we decided not only to have a monthly meeting that would cover this issue, but also to form a subcommittee dedicated to rectifying it. The Women’s Health Subcommittee formed with Dr. Shih as the Advisor and Gina Maria Vreeland (Director of Communications) as the Chair. General Members were invited to join the WLI protégés as Subcommittee Members.
In November we held our monthly meeting to discuss the lack of trash receptacles. We found that everyone present had encountered this issue at some point on our campus. The lack of receptacles in individual stalls had even left some students too uncomfortable to use bathrooms in the academic buildings where the receptacles are missing. This meant that students were forced to delay using the restroom until they are able to go to a different building with individual receptacles. Extending the use of feminine hygiene products unnecessarily increases the risk of toxic shock syndrome.
We spoke to two General Members who live in McShain Residence Hall. In lieu of individual trash receptacles, their floor was given one 3-gallon recycling bin labeled “personal” to dispose of their feminine hygiene products. With 36 women using one bin, it overfilled quickly, leading to unsanitary conditions for anyone who entered the bathroom. In the academic buildings where receptacles were not present, students were left with no other option than to use the standard trash cans which were usually already overfilled with paper towels. One General Member expressed that she often had to discreetly bury her used pad or tampon under the paper towels.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has codes in place to ensure that problems like this do not occur. OSHA requires that trash receptacles specifically for the disposal of feminine hygiene products be provided. These receptacles must have a “solid tight-fitting cover” and be “lined in such a way to prevent contact with the contents” (OSHA: 1910.141 – Sanitation). Receptacles that meet OSHA’s specifications help to prevent improper contact with bloodborne pathogens such as the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Minimizing this risk through the use of trash receptacles in individual stalls would protect the students, cleaning, and maintenance staffs who are the highest risk of exposure.
This issue was not only problematic in regards to the health and safety of students and staff, but also had an effect on the reputation of SJU. Given that the individual receptacles are universal elsewhere, it was embarrassing not to have them on our campus. It demonstrated a lack of knowledge and/or lack of respect regarding women’s health thereby sending the wrong message to prospective students and their families. The lack of trash receptacles in individual restroom stalls was a serious self-contradiction of Saint Joseph’s University’s mission and the Jesuit values it represents.
The Women’s Health Subcommittee met in early December to further discuss this issue and compose a letter to the Office of Facilities Management with the hopes that they could help to eliminate this problem. The Office of Facilities Management offered a prompt response and quickly moved to rectify the issue. The trash receptacles were quickly ordered and the Office of Facilities Management has already begun the installation process.
Women’s Leadership Initiative would like to especially thank the following individuals for their dedication as Subcommittee Members:
Carly Netting
Christine DiSanti
Devin Yingling
Elaina Wall
Erin Fenzel
Kally Pachuta
Liz Sweeney
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