SFA Administrators Clarify Position on Planned Parenthood on Campus

Stephen F. Austin State University does not have a partnership with Planned Parenthood but will continue to allow the non-profit, along with other outside organizations, to provide information and services to SFA students, Dr. Tito Guerrero, SFA president said today.

“I have checked into the matter and learned that the situation was inappropriately characterized by one of our staff members,” Guerrero said. “We do not have a partnership with Planned Parenthood.

“However, there are many resources in this community from which our students may choose to utilize services. We cannot prevent students from utilizing the services of Planned Parenthood, Health Horizons or any other community resource. By the same token, we do not promote any given service.”

Non-profit organizations that recently have made presentations or provided services on campus include Health Horizons, East Texas Community Health Services, Women’s Shelter of East Texas, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council, Piney Woods Area Health Education Center-Public Health Region 4 & 5, Burke Center, Samaritan Counseling Center of East Texas and Blood Center of East Texas, in addition to Planned Parenthood.

Dr. Baker Pattillo, vice president for university affairs, said that SFA’s peer universities allow the same or similar organizations access to students on their campuses and that attendance at recent health events at SFA demonstrates that students need and desire the services they provide.

“We’re fortunate to live in a community where we have access to a wide array of such offerings,” he said. “With our diverse student body of almost 11,500, the more resources we can provide our students, the better. And access to these organizations benefits not only our students, but the community as a whole.”

More than 700 people attended a three-day, on-campus health fairs this week sponsored by the SFA Division of Nursing and the university’s dietitian. Height, weight, blood pressure, body fat, blood glucose and cholesterol assessments and information on sexually transmitted disease, HIV testing, sexual assault, tobacco use, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity were provided.

In early March more than 600 people, mostly students, received information and approximately 90 were tested for HIV during Are You Good 2 Go, a national campaign promoting a variety of wellness topics related to spring break, including sun health and travel safety, as well as sexual health and safety. Planned Parenthood provided information at a table in the University Center and the free HIV testing at the University Health Clinic.

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