Oregon State University Claims No. 1 Spot for Second Year in a Row in 2015 Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card

EWING, N.J., Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Oregon State University claims the top spot of the Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card for the second year in a row, according to the annual study. 2015 marks the 10^th anniversary of the Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card, an annual study sponsored by the makers of Trojan™ Brand Condoms and conducted by Sperling's BestPlaces. The study calls attention to the state of sexual health on campuses nationwide by ranking each school according to accessibility of sexual health resources.

After an impressive 25 spot jump to No. 1 in the 2014 rankings, Oregon State University secured the top spot again in the 2015 report card. The school continues to be a model for campuses nationwide, earning perfect scores in contraceptive availability, condom availability, lecture/outreach programs and student peer groups, quality of website sexual health information and overall website usability and quality.

"With an unparalleled network of enthusiastic student peer groups with interesting and engaging programs, Oregon State University is a leader in campus sexual health resources," said Bert Sperling, president of Sperling's BestPlaces. "The school's dedication to improving its offerings to students allows it to come out on top of the rankings for the second year in a row."

Conference Standings
The Pac-12 showed they were a steady competitor, dominating the rankings for the second year with four schools in the top 10. In addition to Oregon State University coming in at No. 1, Stanford University jumped three spots to No. 2, University of Oregon made an impressive 11 spot increase to No. 6, while University of Arizona dropped six spots to No. 10. The Ivy League and Big Ten conferences continued to battle for second place, with two schools each placing in the top 10. The Ivy League conference saw Brown University jump two spots to No. 5 and Columbia University stay at No. 8. University of Michigan and University of Iowa placed the Big Ten at No. 4 and No. 7, respectively.

Top 10 Sexually Healthy Schools

1. Oregon State University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Georgia
4. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
5. Brown University
6. University of Oregon
7. University of Iowa
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
9. The University of Texas At Austin
10. University of Arizona

Schools on the Rise
The University of Utah made the largest improvement, jumping 43 spots from No. 102 to No. 59. Cornell University also saw a big jump, rising 42 spots from No. 58 to No. 16. Chicago State University broke out of the bottom 10 with a 17 spot jump from No. 138 to No. 121. Other big moves came from Michigan State University, 30 spots to No. 11 from No. 41, and Iowa State University, 37 spots from No. 89 to No. 52.

Collegiate Rivalry Face-Offs
The Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card finds college rivals competing on and off the field for the 10^th year:

• Florida State University fell short against in-state rival University of Florida, coming in at No. 50 compared to the Gators' No. 17.
• University of Alabama and Auburn University continued their fight for supremacy off the field, with Alabama ranking No. 58, a close call to Auburn's No. 68 ranking.
• University of Michigan continued to dominate Ohio State University, ranking No. 4 and No. 28, respectively. 

Ten Years of Change
The Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card has seen many changes from its 2006 launch to this year's rankings. The report card itself grew from analyzing and ranking 100 schools in 2006 to 140 schools in 2015. Schools have continued to implement better programming and sexual health resources for their students, improving vastly over the past 10 years. According to the 2006 study, the average GPA score for sexual health, based on a 4.0 scale, came in at a low 1.90, compared to the 2015 average GPA of 3.00. The school with the highest rankings jump from 2006 to 2015 was the University of Wisconsin, rising 69 spots from No. 92 to No. 23 in 2015. Other big improvements from 2006 to 2015 were made by the University of Pennsylvania, from No. 65 to No. 21, and University of Maryland from No. 61 to No. 14.

"In its 10^th year, the Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card continues to motivate schools to improve their resources and offerings," said Bruce Weiss, Vice President of Marketing for Trojan™ Brand Condoms. "The average GPA increase from 2006 to 2015 shows that schools have developed better programming and are providing better sexual health information for their students. As the most trusted name in sexual health, we want to encourage schools to provide the best care for their students."

Conference rivalries have persisted the past ten years, with the biggest rivalry between the Ivy League and the Big Ten, both with the most schools in the top 10 of the rankings. The past two years, the Pac-12 upset the status quo and dethroned the two conferences with the most schools in the top 10. Although the Pac-12 is on top now, the Big Ten has historically had the most wins, either winning or tying another conference 5 times, compared to the Ivy League's 4 wins/ties and the Pac-12's 2 wins.

The top 10 schools have constantly changed, with new schools making improvements every year. Oregon State University and Columbia University are the only schools to top the rankings for two consecutive years. Columbia University has made the most appearances in the top 10, with 8 consecutive mentions throughout the 10 years, starting in 2008. Brown University and the University of Iowa were close seconds, making 7 appearances each throughout the annual rankings.

Students and school health administrators can obtain information on how to improve their resources on campus by downloading the Trojan™ Sexual Health E-Tool Kit. The kit is an easy-to-use, downloadable resource that contains fact-based insights, tips, and resources to promote positive sexual health on campus. Visit www.FactsAboutCondoms.com to download the kit.

Rankings & Methodology
The Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card is an annual ranking of the sexual health resources and information available to students on campuses nationwide. Independent research firm, Sperling's BestPlaces, analyzed 140 major campuses drawn from conferences within the Bowl Championship Series and beyond. These schools include students representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Sperling's BestPlaces researchers collected extensive data via student health center representatives, along with follow-up secondary research on those centers and services they provide on campus. Student health centers were graded on services across 11 categories:

• Quality of sexual health information and resources on website
• Contraceptive availability -- free or at cost
• Condom availability -- free or at cost
• HIV testing on-site (On/off campus, cost)
• STI testing on-site (On/off campus, cost)
• Lecture/outreach programs and student peer groups for sexual health education
• Sexual assault programs, resources or services
• Overall website usability and quality
• Hours of operation
• Allow drop-ins or require appointments for student scheduling
• Extra credit

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ABOUT SPERLING'S BESTPLACES
Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own "Best Place" to live, work and retire for more than 20 years. His firm, Sperling's BestPlaces, puts facts in the hands of the public so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate. His bestselling books, Cities Ranked and Rated and Best Places to Raise Your Family, are published by John Wiley & Sons. More information about Bert and his work is available at www.bestplaces.net.

Complete Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card Rankings

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