UCF aims to boost Trojan report card score

UCF is reaching across all mediums in an effort to generate more conversation about the practices of safe sex.

After receiving a low ranking of 91 out of 141 universities nationwide in Trojan's 2011 Sexual Report Card, UCF's Wellness and Health Promotion services is now revamping its programs to improve students' sexual health knowledge and accessibility.

The universities' sexual health resources were analyzed and given rankings in 13 separate categories including anonymous advice outlets, availability of HIV testing and sexual health programs.

Abigail Malick, the sexual health coordinator for the Wellness Center, was brought in with the mission of improving the sexual health programs and awareness on campus. With a five-year plan in effect and a coalition of health-conscious peer advocates at her side, Malick has set out to save UCF's score on the Trojan Report.

"I was very unpleasantly surprised [at the Trojan score]," Malick said. "Unfortunately, in the pretty conservative city that Orlando is, sex is a pretty taboo subject. Many freshmen are bashful and other students [are] totally embarrassed about buying and getting free condoms. As college students, we need to loosen up about it and recognize sex is a normal thing, and it needs to be able to be openly discussed."

Another group was also added to the team in order to improve the "student peer group" score. UCF's Peer Advocates are the leaders of UCF's sexual awareness mission as they give informative, sexual-health-related presentations to student organizations, residence halls, UCF-affiliated residences and classes at a professor's request.

The Peer Advocates help inform UCF's student body in their "Health Huts" across campus, where 600-800 students stop by a month. Their mission is to help students feel comfortable speaking about sex and not feel the need to hurry past the volunteers handing out the 4,000 free condoms offered on campus each month.

Peer advocate Diego Plaza, a senior psychology major, works at the huts around campus and said they exist to engage reluctant students in conversation with various prizes, games and a sexual Jeopardy!-style game.

"By starting the conversation, we can hopefully de-stigmatize STDs, tell students how to protect themselves and inform them when they are and aren't at risk," Plaza said. "Many students actually thank us for the information we give them."

To improve UCF's score in the "anonymous advice" category of the Trojan report, Malick and the sexual health team at Wellness and Health Promotion Services have also implemented a sexual health blog. The blog, modeled after No. 1-ranked Columbia University's "Go Ask Alice," serves as an outlet for students to get the information they need to be sexually healthy, make smart choices and get any questions they may have out in the open.

"[The blog was made] to create a safe, comfortable environment where students can ask ‘those kinds of questions' anonymously and receive answers about healthy relationships, partner communication, birth control methods, how to have safer sex or if they just want to know ‘is this normal,'" Malick said. "The blog is designed to inform students while keeping them comfortable with anonymity."

Another alley for obtaining anonymous advice can also be accessed at the Health Huts. Students can put a sex- or health-related question along with their email into an anonymous box, and a health team member will write them a response.

To better the grade in the "HIV Testing" category, UCF is now offering free HIV testing in the Student Union Room 224. Despite long lines on the January test date, more than 80 students were tested in three hours.

"If we don't have enough time to see everyone, we will always schedule them to get a free test done at the [Alcohol and Other Drug] center," Malick said.

In order to remedy the potential problem of long lines, Malick said she and other dedicated staff members have begun the process to become certified HIV testers to help with the overwhelming amount of students.

The next HIV testing dates will be Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Malick said that if students cannot attend, they can always call AOD to set up an appointment for a free test.

Other efforts to improve UCF's sexual health score are currently in effect, including an effort to lower the price of contraceptives to students and training another dedicated survey team of more than 30 students.

Malick and the Wellness team are in the works of creating an anonymous sexual health survey that will hopefully help the administration gauge students' knowledge of what is available to them on campus.

Plaza said he hopes the survey will help them to better understand what aspects they need to improve on and how to better inform the student body of resources: free HIV testing, the Women' Health Center, STD testing and free condoms.

The Wellness and Health Promotion Services staff also hope to expand their outreach programs with "Safer Sex 101" workshops and to speak with more student peer groups as well.

"A lot of the problem is fear, and fear comes from being uninformed," Plaza said.

To stay informed on sexual health topics, students can follow WHPS on Twitter (@UCFhealthhut) or ask questions on the blog, http://talkingaboutsexucf.wordpress.com.