Menstrual Equity Pilot Project

The Menstrual Equity Pilot Program* is an initiative to install free menstrual product dispensers in bathrooms all over the UC Berkeley campus. Period products are an essential basic need for menstruating students. By providing free period products in these spaces, we hope to further advance accessibility, inclusion, and equity on our campus.

  • Accessibility: Installing free menstrual product dispensers in high-traffic bathrooms in every in-use building on campus.

  • Inclusion: Requiring three dispensers in every building: each in a Women’s, Men’s, and Gender Neutral bathroom.

  • Equity: Making sure that no menstruating student ever has to worry about not having period products while they are on campus.

A survey** deployed among UC Berkeley students in Fall 2021 found that:

  • 94% of menstruating students surveyed have started their periods in a public setting or on campus

  • 40% of menstruating students surveyed agreed that menstrual products were a financial burden

  • 70% of menstruating students surveyed have had to remove themselves from an instructional setting due to their periods, only to find themselves without access to menstrual products

Dispenser Locations

**Dispensers have been installed in the below locations. List will be updated as dispensers are installed.
Building
Dwinelle Hall (Classroom Wing)
Wheeler Hall
Physics Building (North & South)
Latimer Hall
Stanley Hall
Social Sciences Building
Etcheverry Hall
Sutardja Dai Hall
Evans Hall
Anthropology & Art Practice
Haas School of Business - Student Service Building
Haas School of Business - Cheit Hall
Hearst Memorial Mining Building
Soda Hall
Goldman School of Public Policy (1863 LeRoy)
Goldman School of Public Policy (2607 Hearst)
Jacobs Hall

Funding and Credits

*This program is a collaborative effort between UC Berkeley Facilities Services and the ASUC Menstrual Equity Commission.

**Survey Data from The Department of Menstrual Equity of ASUC Senator Prakash

Funding for the program is made possible by the Wellness Fund, The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Student Services and Fees, and UC Facilities Services

Current Status

The pilot program has been launched, and dispensers have been installed in a number of major campus building bathrooms. 

Please refer to the building list below to see what buildings currently have dispensers.

Map of Menstrual Equity Dispensers

Map of Menstrual Equity Dispensers

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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There's a campus building I frequently use that is not on the list of planned dispenser locations. How can I request a dispenser for that location?

Please email ucbcustodial@lists.berkeley.edu if there is a campus location you frequently use that is not on the Building Schedule.

Who do I reach out to if a dispenser needs to be refilled with products?

If a dispenser is out of either pads or tampons, please reach out to the Building Manager for that specific building. The campus custodial team restocks the dispensers regularly, along with the other bathroom products (soap, paper towels, etc).

What type of product(s) do the dispensers carry?

Dispensers carry both pads and tampons. Simply select the button corresponding to your preference and it will dispense the desired product, free of charge.

Are the dispensers only for students? What about faculty and staff?

The dispensers are intended to serve the entire campus community. This includes students, faculty, staff, and guests to campus.

Which specific bathrooms will dispensers be in?

For each building on the Building List, a separate dispenser will be installed in a Women’s, Men’s, and Gender Neutral Bathroom (if one is present in the building). Any menstruator can access the dispensers, regardless of gender identity. Refer to the map to find where these bathrooms are in each building.