In a recent survey by the Trojan condom company, ULM ranked 132 out of 140 for sexual health, five spots lower from 2013.

Health professional representatives on campus provided the results of the survey.

The survey covered subjects such as hours of operation, allowance for walk-in and appointment based scheduling, quality of sexual health information and condom availability.

HIV and other STI testing, lecture and outreach programs, student peer groups for health and sexual education, sexual assault programs, resources  and services and resources available on the web were other factors.

The past year’s changes implemented by Affinity Health, appointed last year to run the campus clinic, have declared health services no longer free for all students.

The campus clinic offers free information and screenings free to Vantage Health insurance holders.

The clinic accepts most insurance companies.

Kathryn Goodwin feels that necessary services should be available to students.

“The school should make services free to all students again, those tests protect people,” said Goodwin, a senior nursing major.

Compared to other institutions, ULM ranks well with at least two health fairs that offer free screenings each semester.

“Sex education is extremely important because Louisiana us very high up on the list for STDs,” Emily Plummer said,

Plummer, a senior nursing major, said that Ouachita Parish is leading the country in syphilis cases.

“I’m not convinced it is the university’s responsibility to provide the education, however,” Plummer said.

Trojan conducted a second study that examined how modern college students perceived condoms.

The findings showed the males using condoms show more respect and responsibility than those that don’t.

Sexually active couples over the college age of 30 are shown to be diagnosed with HIV less than the standard college student.

According to Trojan’s study, positive cases have not gone down due to students practicing safe sex, but instead lack of testing.

ULM offers HIV testing both in the clinic and at each one of their health fairs.

Natasha Johnson said that the university is right in promoting HIV testing.

“When I stated nursing school I was tested and was glad that knew I wasn’t positive even though I had not been in a situation I had been exposed to it,” said Johnson, a senior nursing major.