In an email obtained by the Cornell Review, Cornell President Martha Pollack endorsed the recent initiative to stock campus vending machines with contraceptives and other over the counter medications.
Pollack’s email was addressed to Duncan Cady, the Chair of the University Assembly. While the initiative began in the Student Assembly, the UA also recently passed a version of the vending machine resolution.
Recently, Cornell’s shared governance bodies have been collaborating on certain resolutions as an attempt to give proposals a hearing in front of the board of Trustees, should President Pollack object. Since 2016, the trustees have heard resolutions over the president’s objection only once passed by all five assemblies.
However, approval by every assembly was not necessary. President Pollack voiced approval for the proposal, stating in her email that she “support[s] efforts to expand access to non-prescription health care supplies, including contraception.” Pollack did not endorse SA Res. 5 or UA Res. 5 specifically, but provided that “Cornell Health” is “reviewing a proposal for [contraceptives] to be made available via campus vending machines.”
The SA and UA proposals would use unspecified grant funding to stock vending machines—for now located only in Noyes and RPCC—with contraceptives like Plan B. Pollack stated that Cornell Health and “campus partners” may provide “an update on this effort later this semester.”
If effectuated, Cornell would join the more than 30 schools with a Plan B vending machine program. The resolution was sponsored by numerous members of the Student Assembly and Planned Parenthood Generation Action, a Cornell student organization. In a survey PPGA conducted, an overwhelming majority of respondents support the program, though no sampling methodology was provided.
With Pollack’s endorsement, further politicking in the Employee Assembly, Faculty Senate, and Graduate and Professional Student Assembly appears unlikely. Given the content of Pollack’s email, it is likely that Cornell Health will fund and administer the program.
Email posted by Duncan Cady, Chair of the University Assembly, to his Instagram page
