USC’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) adopted a bill providing additional funding for the Period Pantry Tuesday.
The Period Pantry, located in the Trojan Food Pantry in King Hall, has provided free menstrual products for students since last November. However, its inventory of pads, heating patches and menstrual hygiene kits have been depleted since February 4, prompting new legislation.
“I think the rate of utilization of the products that we already purchased shows that these products are helpful to students, that students are benefiting, that they actually want those specific products,” said Yasmeen ElFarra, chief diversity officer of USG.
As part of the new legislation, the Period Pantry’s budget will increase by $2,042 in order to refill these products.
USG previously allocated $910 to first launch the Period Pantry with an array of pads, tampons, heating patches and menstrual hygiene kits.
Students around campus hope the new funds will be used to widen access to additional locations.
Claire Sloniewsky, a freshman English and communications student said it would be helpful to distribute the products “across the campus’ major buildings, like Marshall or Dornsife.”
“We spend so much time in Doheny and Leavey and there’s literally nothing,” freshman communications and cinematic arts major Genna Edlestein said, agreeing with Sloniewsky.
“A place that would be really helpful is in the student union, because it’s pretty central to campus, so it could be an easier way to access,” said Reya Chand, freshman business of cinematic arts students.
According to the National Organization for Women, the average person with periods spends about $18,000 over their lifetime on feminine hygiene products, which can be a huge burden for college students.
“That would be really convenient if they offered [menstrual] stuff for free, because I just ran out and spent so much money on them,” freshman business of cinematic arts major Sarah Fitzgerald said. “I was outraged by the prices.”
The student government also said it plans on utilizing the newly allocated funds by “tripling the quantity of products that have been already labeled out of stock” and “replenishing the same amount of product as we did when we made the initial purchase order.”
Some students say they were not aware that the Trojan Food Pantry existed.
“I didn’t know that was happening because there’s nothing on Instagram,” said Edlestein. “And we’re all freshmen and just got here, so how would we know about that? It needs more publicity.”
California passed the Menstrual Equity for All Act , which requires all public universities and community colleges to “stock an adequate supply of menstrual products,” in 2024.
Private institutions like USC are exempt from this law.