As UF’s football ranking dropped, so did the ranking of campus sexual health services.
UF is No. 15 in the 2013 Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. The rank dropped from No. 12 in 2012 and No. 8 in 2011.
The annual survey ranks the sexual health resources available on 140 campuses nationwide. Sperling’s BestPlaces, an independent research firm, graded student health care centers across 11 categories, including hours of operation, availability of condoms and STI testing.
Bert Sperling, president of Sperling’s BestPlaces, said UF’s strong points are the health center’s hours six days a week, and the availability of walk-in appointments, information and affordable contraceptives as well as affordable HIV testing.
“In relation to other schools, other schools are changing their scores as well,” Sperling said. “The important thing is that you’re very consistent in scoring high. I think everyone there at UF can be really proud.”
Other ranked Florida schools include Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton at No. 24, University of Miami at No. 61, Florida State University at No. 68, University of South Florida at No. 72 and University of Central Florida at No. 82.
UF Student Health Care Center spokeswoman Catherine Seemann said the center works hard to provide resources. She said the SHCC follows the Trojan report card and fills out its survey every year.
“We make sure we have a collaborative campus effort to inform students about as many sexual health prevention and treatment services as possible,” Seemann said.
Kylie Lacusky, president of UF’s branch of Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthood, blamed the drop in the rankings on poor sexual education in Florida schools.
“There’s a lot of ignorance in our age group about sexual health, but it isn’t really our fault,” the 20-year-old UF history junior said. “Florida teenagers are entering adulthood without any practical knowledge of their own anatomy or bodily functions.”
A version of this story ran on page 3 on 11/12/2013 under the headline "UF goes down on sexual health list"
