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The Daily OrangeGoing Down
Syracuse's ranking slips 40 spots in Trojan's annual campus sexual health survey
By Nicole Loring
Posted: 10/23/07, 11:25 PM EST Section: News
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Syracuse University was recently ranked No. 60 in the nation for sex.
Sexual health services, that is.
In a survey sponsored by Trojan Condom Company, SU plummeted 40 spots from its No. 20 ranking in 2006. Some people at SU, however, believe the university is doing a better job than the results seem to indicate.
The 2007 survey, conducted by independent research firm Sperling's BestPlaces, looked at the sexual health services offered at nearly 150 American universities. It ranked the schools based on availability of condoms, STD testing, outreach programs and information provided on the school's Web site, among other criteria.
SU earned a "Sexual Health Services GPA" of 2.91 in 11 categories. It earned an A for its sexual assault program, B's for availability of contraceptives and condoms, HIV and STD testing, advice columns and the Web site. Yet SU scored in the C range for its outreach programs and student peer groups.
While in 2006, the university earned a GPA of 2.7 - lower than this year - in seven categories, earning a D in advice columns, an F in condom availability and an A for its Web site information.
SU's GPA increased, but 50 more schools were surveyed this year, resulting with SU dropping 40 spots.
Sarah Mart, director of the Office of Prevention Services on campus, urged students to look at the survey's results skeptically.
"It's really important to remember that the No. 1 priority of Trojan is to sell their product," she said. "This is not peer-reviewed research. This is a simply a pop-culture inventory of perceptions."
Mart also pointed out that SU's GPA increased from 2.7 to 2.91, even though its ranking decreased.
OPS is a department within Student Affairs that aims to prevent substance abuse and sexual assault. It organizes the Rape: Advocacy Prevention and Education program, the sexual assault program that earned SU's sole A in the 2007 survey. OPS also offers a number of sexual health programs including sex-esteem peer education, workshops on violence prevention and sexual health and e5m, a sexual violence prevention group as well as a social justice peer theater group.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Scott McNealus
posted 10/24/07 @ 2:19 AM EST
God knows I have nothing against anyone getting laid any time. But - rankings? How unseemly. Is there no shame anymore? How about a modicum of decorum and a sense of somewhat obdurate decency?
It seems everyone wants to 'do it in the middle of the road'. (Continued…)
Emily
posted 10/25/07 @ 1:03 AM EST
We can't blame it on the kids. The first global analysis of sex-behavior data shows no evidence of a trend toward youthful promiscuity.
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