Starting March 24, free pads and tampons will be made available in five buildings across the Smith College campus. This initiative, a collaboration between the Student Government Association (SGA) and Smith Students for Reproductive Justice (SSRJ), has been in the works for nearly two years. The remainder of the Spring 2026 semester will be a test run of the project for future years.
The project was spearheaded by SGA President Sirohi Kumar ‘26, SGA Vice President of Finance Azucena Arteaga-Wong ‘28, and SGA Secretary and SSRJ Liaison Claire Critchett ‘28.
For Arteaga-Wong, this project has been a long time coming.
“It was something I wanted to do when I first got to Smith, but I didn’t know how to approach it.” she said. “I ended up joining the finance committee as a member, not as the president…spring of my freshman year I ran for [Vice President of Finance] cause I was like, ‘If I’m in charge of the budgets, I can then create space for a free menstrual product program.'”
After being elected for the position, Arteaga-Wong then connected with Kumar to create a grant program that will fund the initiative.
“[Arteaga-Wong] and I have embarked on a project to create a way for students outside of SGA to access excess SGA funds,” Kumar said. “The funding for this project comes out of SGA excess rollover funding and then also from our annual income that we make every year. The menstrual products are a pilot project, not only for this initiative but for the grant process itself.”
As a member of both SGA and SSRJ, Critchett worked to connect the two groups to solve a key issue regarding the project.
“One of the big hurdles in addition to the funding for the project has always been who is going to stock the machines, because Facilities is unable to do it.” Critchett said. “[SSRJ] has adjusted our bylaws to add a position for restocking coordinator to our e-board, and we will be responsible for keeping the machines restocked.”
Currently, there are machines available in five buildings: Seelye Hall, Ford Hall, Burton Hall, the Alumane Gymnasium, and the Julia McWilliams Child ‘34 Campus Center. Due to the initial budget limitations, those working on the project wanted to focus their efforts on high-traffic areas around campus.
“We chose to put them outside the bathrooms rather than inside the bathrooms so that students could take whatever product they need and then go to another bathroom,” Arteaga-Wong said, adding that the locations were also selected based on machine accessibility.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony on March 24, SGA Vice President Samantha Sondik ‘26, speaking on behalf of Kumar, emphasized the impact that the program will have on future Smithies.
“As seniors, [Kumar] and I have been doing a lot of reflection on legacy…I’m so incredibly happy and excited that this will be a part of that legacy.” Sondik said. “Today, I found out that my baby sister got into Smith, and hopefully students like her for decades to come will take advantage of the great work [that’s been] done here.”
