CU ranks 21st in personal health according to Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. Increased education and awareness of sexual health, like this bulletin board, helped CU jump from 2008's rank of 42. (CU Independent/Aly Daughtry)
Boulder is rising above the competition, beating out schools across the nation.
Football? No. Sexual health.
While CU sports teams have struggled this fall, the student body has redeemed Boulder’s name in Trojan’s 4th annual Sexual Health Report Card, according to a news release. On Oct. 27, the condom maker released its ranking of all 141 universities in the major NCAA sports conferences. CU came in 21st, with a 2.98 GPA.
The Buffs jumped up 21 spots from its rank last year. CU took the prize for Colorado (CSU finished 39th), and ranked second in the Big 12 conference after the University of Texas at Austin.
Professional Coordinator Melissa Rizzuto of Wardenburg’s Community Health program said she sees the leap as the growing progress of a strong program.
“We are just continuing to do what we have done for years and do the same things we have always done and it’s becoming more and more effective,” Rizzuto said. “It’s great that we have a much better rating.”
Trojan based its rankings on data collected from student opinion polls from campus health centers from 13 categories, which was analyzed by the research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces, according to the news release. Among the categories were student opinions of their health center, as well the availability and cost of condoms and other sexual health resources.
Condom accessibility, as well as sexual health education, is key to Community Health’s outreach, said Robin Kolble, the manager of Community Health at Wardenburg.
“We offer free condoms and the word is out,” Kolble said. “The other part is condom education and how to talk to partners. We are trying to do as much we possibly can.”
Kolble said that, addition to providing free condoms in their office, condoms are also available through Wardenburg, dorm RAs and vending machines at the Rec Center.
Through Community Health’s outreach, Kolble said she believes they have established a positive, welcoming environment on campus.
“Students feel free to come find us and get the information they need in a positive environment that’s not threatening and nonjudgmental, and we really want to help them with their choices,” Kolble said.
Despite Trojan’s positive acknowledgement, some students said they feel the numbers might be subjective.
“The rankings are probably pretty arbitrary,” said Stephen Schultz, a 22-year-old senior economics major.
Nevertheless other students said they feel there is a strong student consciousness toward sexual health.
“I think students are finally becoming more aware,” said Megan Haughton, a 19-year-old sophomore integrative physiology major.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.
