Dear Wesleyan,
Why do we charge money for STD testing? A simple finger-stick HIV test costs $30 at the health center, while other tests range from $12 to $150. That charge gets put onto your student account, which your parents or guardians see. Not only is this a blatant invasion of privacy, but more importantly, it’s an issue over whether everyone can afford to pay $30 every six months, which is the recommended frequency of getting tested if you’re sexually active. Lastly, what kind of incentive is there to be healthy and get tested when you have to pay for it, especially for those who don’t have the means by which to pay?
One could say that, with the economy the way it is, Wesleyan isn’t in a position to pay for these services. But really, how much money would it really take? A few thousand dollars a year, at most. That’s nothing for a decently endowed university, but a lot for cash-strapped students.
Instead of discouraging testing with prohibitive and invasive costs, a progressive school like Wesleyan should be setting an example for peer institutions by actively promoting the sexual health of its students and offering these services for free.
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