U.S. Dept. of Education recognizes Macalester as national model for access to contraception

On December 5, Macalester College vice president of student affairs, Dr. Kathryn Kay Coquemont, was among the six featured panelists at the U.S. Department of Education’s convening on access to contraception for college students. The event was led by Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jen Klein, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Amanda Miller. They joined representatives from 68 colleges and universities in 32 states to discuss ongoing efforts to protect access to contraception for college students. 

As a featured speaker, Dr. Coquemont shared Macalester’s innovative approach, led by medical director Dr. Steph Walters, to prioritizing health issues that make the biggest difference in the lives of traditional-aged college students. Features of that approach include: 

• A focus on sexual and reproductive care, which have an overall more predictive impact on student success than simply focusing on illness and injury care.
• Intentional efforts to remove the potential shame associated with reproductive health by implementing practices like anonymous access to contraceptives and safe-sex kits, which Vice President Kamala Harris specifically recommended to college and university presidents as “a great model” for others to consider.

“We are proud that our peers and the American College Health Association (ACHA) consider us a leader in strategies and support to promote reproductive health for college students,” said Dr. Coquemont.