When college students come to New Orleans with a head full of knowledge, the only thing they might’ve anticipated scoring on is a midterm exam. But once they get inside the Big Easy, they soon realize that there are plenty of opportunities to score big with the opposite sex.
And by sex, we mean sex.
One on-campus resident and his girlfriend, both of whom wished to remain anonymous, met in January of last year and are currently both living in Cabra, just one floor away from one another.
“It’s very convenient,” he said. “We don’t have to worry about bothering any roommates. It would be nice to live off-campus, but this way we don’t have to deal with a lot of stress, with money and bills and rent. It’s almost a good thing we’re living in the dorms.”
The exclusive couple were tested for sexually transmitted diseases prior to their first time together and have been using protection ever since. “We’re getting older now, and think it’s best to experiment as sex has become a part of today’s culture,” he said. “We feel that the couples who have sex last longer and (we) are more comfortable with each other than those who haven’t experienced sex.”
According to the Center for Disease Control’s National College Health Risk Survey, 79.5 percent of 18-24 year olds have had sex, with 25.7 percent having been with six or more partners in their lifetimes.
So if students are ‘gettin’ it on’ at a Catholic university, how are they gettin’ away with it?
“There is no specific university policy that affects sexual conduct in the dorms,” said Vice-President of Student Affairs Marcia Petty. “I do not think our policies have anything specifically dealing with the role of dating and relationships.”
According to Robert Reed, director of residential life, the university expects students’ behavior to be in line with the institution’s values.
“Any violation of behavior of what is becoming of a Loyola student would result in our taking action, depending on the circumstances,” he said.
Students living in Biever apply the university’s policy on appropriate student behavior “rather liberally,” according to political science freshman and Biever resident Christian Galle.
“Even if Loyola had a specific policy about sex, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. People are having sex, it’s not the school’s responsibility – students should be accountable for their actions and take care of themselves,” said Galle.
Despite the close-quarters, familiar faces and visitation regulations in the dorms, they “provide for an opportunity to react to being put in a co-ed environment,” said Biever Resident Assistant and world religion junior Gavin Finnegan. “Students want that interaction.”
Buddig RA and psychology junior Brittany Barton added that socializing in dorms is “more convenient than some random bar, especially for substance-free floors.”
According to Reed, dorm living is “a good learning experience of what women and men are like.”
“Freshman are in a different environment,” Reed said. “The move from high school to university needs an adjustment to fulfill certain requirements, like getting away from distractions in the city and focusing on an academic foundation.”
However: “Once the front desk closes, it’s a free for all,” finance senior and Carrollton RA Jesus Garcia said. “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Students are still capable of getting intimate, whether their RA’s know it or not, he said.
“I won’t tell residents they can’t have sex, but if the roommates complain, then it’s a problem,” Garcia said. “Once they build that relationship and respect, then things get easier.”
“As an RA I’m not looking for trouble and I won’t go out of my way, but I just hope they’re being respectful,” Finnegan said. “It seems that with more interaction, residents will assume more responsibility.”
Because of Loyola’s same-sex co-habitation allowance, homosexual couples “always have it easier,” said biology junior and Biever resident Nick Parchim. Parchim and his boyfriend of five months met last year, and “with the lax rules about visitation for upperclassmen,” he said that it has made things a lot easier.
“I guess I could see how there’s a bias, but at least I don’t feel pressured about visitation rules.”
As an RA, Garcia said he hears ‘It’s not fair homosexuals can do that’ from his residents, but it that is can become a “touchy subject.”
“I don’t know any way around that,” Reed said. “If same sex students say they want to be roommates, we can’t ask about their orientation. That doesn’t appear on applications.”
What about students living off-campus? Visual arts sophomore Ashley Tortorich lives with her boyfriend in an Uptown apartment. Living with three other roommates, the couple still has to deal with dorm-like roommate issues, but still enjoy the interaction, she said.
“As far as not having to deal with visitations and having that privacy and pretty much complete freedom, it’s much better than a dorm,” said Tortorich. “There are drawbacks, too, but then again the best living situation is probably by yourself.”
Couples living together off campus find a certain loyalty absent in many on-campus relationships, and with exclusive couples, anonymity is out of the question.
“It’s just scary,” said Tortorich. “There are so many STDs out there, and I don’t think people realize how casually they treat sex. I’d be too scared to be around that promiscuity – taking too many chances.”
According to a recent study conducted by Health Services at Columbia University, 20 to 25 percent of college students nationwide are infected with or have transmitted an STD. The CDC cites that the most prevalent STD on college campuses is the human papilloma virus, or HPV, commonly known as genital warts. Other common STDs found on college campuses include chlamydia and genital herpes.
Because of the Loyola’s mission and Catholic tradition, student health is not permitted to offer or prescribe any means of birth control, including condoms, according to literature provided by their office. Student health declined to comment on this story.
Parchim, who is also a student health assistant, says one of his personal goals is to increase safe-sex awareness on campus.
“Lack of awareness has become a large problem,” Parchim said. “Due to the university’s mission I’m afraid birth control prescription won’t happen. As beneficial as it would be, it goes against the Jesuit tradition.”
The CDC survey indicated that 37.7 percent of students used a condom the last time they had sex.
“I don’t think people know the different ways of protecting themselves,” said Barton. “I don’t think Loyola should turn its back to the idea that people are having sex. It is a mistake – they know what’s going on, they can’t stop it, but they should do something about it.”
“I just hope we teach students how to have healthy relations,” Petty said.
“Given the amount of alcohol consumed on this campus, sex is bound to happen.” said the Cabra resident. “It should be the university’s job to make sure kids are being safe – they can’t prevent something by ignoring it.”
Alex Woodward can be reached at [email protected].
