When running to grab a quick bite or drink in between classes, some students may find themselves questioning one particular nonfood item available at the Miller Kiosk. Condoms can be found in the Miller Kiosk to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Though this is the second semester condoms are being sold at the kiosk, many students may not know why or how the supply came to the Pleasantville campus.

For students who visited the now-defunct Briarcliff Cafeteria over the past few years, condoms sold out regularly when students could grab them at the cash register while paying for their food.

Unlike Pace Mart, which also sells condoms, or drugstores around Pace, students can buy these condom three-packs on their regular meal card money. The kiosk offered three different styles of Trojan condoms for $3.50 at press time. Any student who does not have time to grab free condoms available at the Health Care Unit can visit the kiosk until its closing at 8 p.m. most weekdays.

This initiative of contraceptive availability began with Chartwells’ Senior Director of Dining Services on Campus, Kevin Henriquez. Henriquez worked on the Briarcliff Campus for the past three years before switching to the Pleasantville Campus in June 2015 where he controls the vendors and purchasing orders.

Unlike the Briarcliff Campus, where Henriquez reported condoms flying off the shelf, Henriquez finds that the condoms do not sell as quickly in Miller Kiosk. Henriquez said he just makes one order with approximately 120 boxes of the three-packs for the whole semester from his vendor.

Why sell condoms in the Miller Kiosk rather than at Kessel, where there is more traffic, is a question that remains.

Currently the condoms in the Miller Kiosk are stored above students’ heads making it pretty obvious when someone reaches for them. It seems like the high location is for easier watching, for staff to prevent theft.

Furthermore, students must go out of their way to go to Miller Kiosk from their dorm rooms or while grabbing a snack. As evidenced by Briarcliff Cafeteria’s condom sales, it may seem financially logical to keep condoms at Kessel’s registers for quick and discrete access.

“Initially, I wanted to respect freshmen students and the families that visit the campus,” Henriquez said.

Henriquez does not plan on changing the location of the condoms available on campus through Chartwells and understands that this is not the perfect solution to contraceptive access on campus.

Condoms last roughly three years from purchase, so the current stock will not expire anytime soon. (FYI: all condom boxes have expiration dates, so check on the boxes before purchasing them or using condoms).

Though tracking down a student who has bought condoms from the Miller Kiosk presented a challenge, the Chronicle found senior Xavier Arterberry. Arterberry originally lived on the Briarcliff campus for the past two years where students could buy condoms at the Briarcliff Cafeteria.

“I felt fine buying them. I’d rather be safe than sorry because I really don’t want to deal with unplanned pregnancies,” Arterberry said.

For more information about condoms sold through Chartwells or any other information about Chartwells, Henriquez can be reached at [email protected]. More information about contraceptives can be found at the Health Care Unit in Goldstein Fitness Center or through organizations like Planned Parenthood at PlannedParenthood.org.