Students at UC Davis can now get more than just water and chips out of their campus vending machines.
A new "Wellness to Go" machine was placed on campus with health items like condoms, pregnancy tests, tampons and the morning after pill.
The machine, which was installed at the school's Activities and Recreation Center over spring break, was an idea spear headed by a former university senator.
Parteek Singh spent two years working with the school's health services office and campus stores to get the machine installed.
Singh says that in such a big college town, these resources need to be more available.
“I believe most of the college students are sexually active on college campus, which means we should have more resources and more talk on these issues, decreasing the stigma.”
During his 2015 run for student senate he made the campaign promise to make the emergency contraceptive Plan B more affordable and accessible.
When the school rejected his original bid for the machine and instead offered selling it in the campus bookstore.
Singh disagreed with the offer saying it was still problematic.
“Students already don’t feel comfortable buying it.… Imagine buying it from another student.”
He says in general the reactions from the machine has been positive and other students from different universities are asking for his help to get them on their campuses.