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McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being

Prioritizing Optimal Health & Well-being at McMaster

McMaster Period Equity Project

Pilot Project Overview

The McMaster Period Equity Pilot Project aims to provide free menstrual products to students, staff, and faculty through bins and dispensers in select washrooms on McMaster’s Westdale Campus.

McMaster Period Equity is a Pilot Project

Our project is currently in the pilot stage, this means that our January 2023 launch of free menstrual products on campus is a small-scale initiative. We are providing free menstrual products to select washrooms on campus to assess the need for this service on campus and to advocate for the viability of period equity at McMaster. As the project moves out of the pilot stage, more washrooms on campus will be serviced with free menstrual products.

The Importance of Period Equity

At McMaster, when an individual requires toilet paper, it is freely and readily available in our public washrooms. Like toilet paper, menstrual products are necessary for managing natural and unavoidable bodily functions, yet they are not easily accessible.1 The goal of the McMaster Period Equity Project is to reduce period poverty in the McMaster community by providing free menstrual products to select washrooms on our Westdale campus.

CURRENT AND PROPOSED PROJECTS

  • Servicing select washrooms on McMaster’s Westdale Campus with free menstrual products starting in January of 2023.

Menstrual Product Locations on Campus

BUILDING

ROOM NUMBERS

Wallingford Hall

Returning in Fall 2023

Whidden Hall

Returning in Fall 2023

MUSC

Lower level: B113, B114

Ground floor: 106, 119

Second floor: 205, 233, 201C

Third floor: 304, 317

Togo Salmon Hall Lower Level: TSH B113F

Mills Library

First floor: L117 and L116

Second floor: L213A, L213C

Thode Library

First floor: L105 and L106

Basement: 125B

Health Science Library

Front entrance: 2BW2, 2BW3

Lower level: 1BW2, 1BW3

DeGroote School of Business

First floor: 103 and 134

Fifth floor: 502 and 514

Student Wellness Centre Lounge

PGCLL 201

DBAC

Basement: WB119, B109, B128

Ground Floor: W107, W140, W217

Period Resources on Campus

In addition to the launch of McMaster Period Equity’s pilot project, here are some of the on-campus resources for you to access if you are in need of menstrual products or interested in getting involved with period equity at McMaster.

Information Box Group

McMaster Community Fridge McMaster Community Fridge Instagram

McMaster Community Fridge is an outdoor food resource accessible to the public 24/7. It includes a freezer, fridge, and pantry as well as a Period Pop-up. It can be found in front of Mills Library, facing Parking Lot B. You can visit the Community Fridge period pantry if you are in need of menstrual hygiene products or would like to donate. A full donation guide is viewable on the McMaster Community Fridge Instagram profile. Their motto is “take what you need, leave what you can.”

Student Wellness Centre SWC Sexual Health Resources

The Student Wellness Centre (SWC) offers a wide range of student services and resources to McMaster students, including medical care, education, and support for sexual health. The Student Wellness Lounge (PGCLL 201/210) can provide free menstrual hygiene products upon request.

MSU Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) SHEC Website

SHEC is a peer-run health advocacy, information, and resource connection service for McMaster University students. SHEC employs a broad definition of the term health, recognizing that well-being looks and feels different to each person. Their service provides free health supplies (such as menstrual products), peer support, referrals, and educational materials through events and campaigns, and functions entirely as a peer-run service. SHEC is located in MUSC, room 202.

MSU Women & Gender Equity Network (WGEN) WGEN Website

WGEN is a peer support driven service that caters to women, trans folk, people who identify outside the gender binary, gender non-conforming folk, and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence from all gender identities. WGEN is located in MUSC, room 204. It acts as a place for people to go and feel safe(r), talk about articles and issues in the media, make friends, and bond through common experiences.

Refill Request For McMaster Period Equity

While we will have staff and volunteers working hard to keep the bins full there may be times when we do not fill it as quickly as it is used. We’d appreciate it if you let us know when a bin is empty so we can refill it as soon as possible.

LOCATION 

WHAT TO DO 

Residences (Wallingford Hall, Whidden Hall)

Please enter a work order through the residence portal for replenishment. Please ensure the building name and floor are identified. The replenishment should occur within 48 hours.

MUSC

Call our office at ext. 22722, let them know in Room 222, email muscmaintenance@msu.mcmaster.ca, submit a maintenance request: www.muscmcmaster.ca/maintenance-request/

Health Sciences Library

Send an email to hslib@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the information desk.

Mills Library

Send an email to library@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the information desk.

Thode Library

Send an email to library@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the information desk

DeGroote School of Business

Email DSB.periodequity@mcmaster.ca with the location of where product stock is low (1st floor or 5th floor washroom – Men’s/Women’s).

Student Wellness Centre Lounge (PGCLL 201)

Send an email to healthpr@mcmaster.ca or let them know in-person at the lounge.

Other Campus Locations

Coming Soon

McMaster Period Equity Committee

The McMaster Period Equity Committee aims to improve period equity in the McMaster community by providing access to free menstrual products in select washrooms on our Westdale Campus. The Committee is made up of students, staff, and faculty members from across campus who aim to make campus more accessible for menstruators.

Information Box Group

lynn

Lynn Armstrong

Administrator, McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being

Alicia Au

MUSC Period Equity Team Co-Lead, Health Sciences Program

Madison Behr

Health Promoter, Student Wellness Centre

Neha Dhanvanthry

McMaster Golden Z Club Co-President, Life Sciences Program

Raquel Gavey

Manager, Residence Building Operations

Jathushika Ilangkumaran

MUSC Period Equity Team Co-Lead, Health Sciences Program

Sally Kohne

Administrative Assistant, Health Sciences Library

Emily Liang

Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) Director, Health Sciences Program

Monica Palkowski

Living Learning Coordinator, Housing and Conference Services

Lynne Serviss

Head, Library Services

Elise Wan

McMaster Golden Z Club Co-President, Arts & Science Program

A special thank you to Carlos Figueira of McMaster Facilities, the Director of Custodial, Grounds, Logistics and Mail Services.

A special thank you for the support of the MUSC Period Equity Team Sponsorship Subcommittee, Avery Rhind, Cindia Dao-Vu, Ella Rival, Jasnoor Randev, Maryam Sheikh, and Haya Khan.

Governance:

The Period Equity Committee reports to the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being

If you have any questions or comments for the committee please send us an email at okanagan@mcmaster.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Expandable List

Period equity is uninhibited access to menstrual products (e.g., pads, tampons, etc.), sanitation facilities, and educational materials. Period equity is rooted in the idea that the same rights and resources should be accessible to individuals when experiencing menstruation versus any other bodily function.1

Project Governance:

The Period Equity Committee reports to the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being

If you have any questions or comments for the committee please send us an email at period@mcmaster.ca

Period poverty is the inability to access menstrual products (e.g., pads, tampons, etc.), sanitation facilities, and educational materials due to financial limitations.1

The McMaster Period Equity Project is a collaboration between several groups who were developing period equity projects for their areas. These include, but are not limited to, McMaster Golden Z, Residences, Student Wellness Centre, and the campus libraries. Each of the locations were chosen with all of these collaborators contributing to discussions.

With support from the McMaster Students Union (MSU) and funding from MSU and the McMaster Student Life Enhancement Fund, the McMaster Golden Z Club was tasked with providing free menstrual product access in MUSC. They joined our steering committee and we maintained that that commitment should be honoured and all MUSC washrooms would all be included within this project.

As this is a pilot project, the committee had to make selective and strategic choices for the locations. This included discussions with facility services who provided the committee with information on the busiest washrooms across campus. Using a public survey the committee was able to prioritize the final pilot locations choices.

A pilot project consists of a small population of buildings. Housing and Conference Services chose the buildings based on population.  These two buildings are part of a feasibility study to determine the ongoing needs or a period equity initiative, and how to grow the infrastructure to include additional buildings.

The project is currently in a pilot stage, this means that the goal of the project is to assess the need for this service on campus and to advocate for the viability of period equity at McMaster. The project is currently a small-scale initiative, as we collect information and feedback about the use of this service on campus, we hope to expand the project to further locations, including more residence buildings, in the Fall 2023 term.

While we will have staff and volunteers working hard to keep the dispensers full there may be times when we do not fill it as quickly as it is used. We’d appreciate it if you let us know when a dispenser is empty so we can refill it as soon as possible.

Each dispenser has an location identification number on it to assist with location identification but you can also use the physical room number if needed.

LOCATION 

WHAT TO DO 

Residences (Wallingford Hall, Whidden Hall)

Please enter a work order through the residence portal for replenishment. Please ensure the building name and floor are identified. The replenishment should occur within 48 hours.

MUSC

Call our office at ext. 22722, email facility@msu.mcmaster.ca or submit a maintenance request: www.muscmcmaster.ca/maintenance-request/

Health Sciences Library

Send an email to hslib@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the  desk.

Mills Library

Send an email to library@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the information desk.

Thode Library

Send an email to library@mcmaster.ca or let them know at the information desk

DeGroote School of Business

Email DSB.periodequity@mcmaster.ca with the location of where product stock is low (1st floor or 5th floor washroom – Men’s/Women’s).

Other Campus Locations

Coming Soon

 

You can get involved with the pilot project through contacting / volunteering one of the clubs or campus supports that are already involved in the Period Equity Project. Please find below contact information for these groups.

McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being

If you would like to learn more about this project or volunteer for the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Well-being please send a email to okanagan@mcmaster.ca.

McMaster Golden Z

Aims to empower women and to fight for gender equality by helping develop leadership skills, promoting career exploration and encouraging members to participate in community. To contact McMaster Golden Z send them an email at goldz@mcmaster.ca, You can learn more on their facebook page https://m.facebook.com/MacGoldenZ/, or instagram @macgoldenz

MSU Student Health Education Centre (SHEC)

SHEC is a peer-run health advocacy, information and resource connection service for McMaster University students. SHEC employs a broad definition of the term health, recognizing that well-being looks and feels different to each person. Send an email to shec@msu.mcmaster.ca if you are interested in getting involved. You can read more about SHEC at https://www.facebook.com/msuSHEC or on their social media: Instagram: @msu_shec & Twitter: @msushec

MSU Women & Gender Equity Network (WGEN) 

WGEN is a peer support driven service that caters to women, trans folk, people who identify outside the gender binary, gender non-conforming folk and all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence from all gender identities. You can contact WGEN at wgen@msu.mcmaster.ca and learn more about what they do on their website https://www.facebook.com/msuWGEN/. Visit their social media on Instagram: @msu_wgen & Twitter: @msu_wgen