The Period Project, which provides free menstruation products for emergencies on the University’s campus, has expanded its services. 
Period products, including tampons, pads and panty liners, are now available at 14 different locations around campus. The products are contained in bright red “Period Project” baskets.
Period Project supplies can be accessed at the following locations:

• Women’s Center bathroom
• Student Union Information Desk
• Center for Academic Success in Coates Hall
• Room 150, University College Front Desk, in Allen Hall
• Circulation Desk on the second floor of Troy H. Middleton Library
• Fourth floor of the Design Building
• First floor bathroom of the Cox-Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes
• Room 124, College of Science front desk, in Hatcher Hall
• Second floor bathroom, zone 220, in Patrick F. Taylor Hall
• Second floor bathroom, by Rotunda, in the Business Education Complex
• Front desk of the Human Ecology Building
• Main office of the UREC
• First floor circular desk at the Digital Media Center
• 1213 Student Affairs in the School of Veterinary Medicine

The Period Project initially launched in March 2018. According to Women’s Center Director Summer Steib, the Women’s Center conducted a survey that showed a significant percentage of students were having menstruation emergencies that required them to leave campus. Steib said students who leave campus for these emergencies are unlikely to return, increasing the importance of accessible period products. 
“The nature of periods is that they are unpredictable,” Steib said.
Anthropology senior Courtney Kline said the Period Project services are especially useful for students who unexpectedly start their menstrual cycle in the middle of a school day.
“Women who aren’t on birth control might not know the exact day they’re going to start [their menstrual cycle], so they might not pack for it and be stuck in an awful situation,” Kline said.
When the project was first launched, period products were available at 10 on-campus locations. However, Steib noticed a need among students for more than just menstruation products. 
Thus, the idea for “Period Packs” was born. 
Period Packs include several supplies in the event of a period emergency. Each Period Pack includes an LSU Women’s Center drawstring bag filled with cleansing cloths, Shout Wipe and Go, a hot/cold pack, zip top bag, tampons and pads. At each Period Pack location, there are clean changes of clothes in sizes ranging from XS to 4X.
Students who use a Period Pack should fill out a survey at the location so the Women’s Center can record which clothes sizes and resources students are using most.
There are currently three Period Pack locations on campus: Room 227 of Troy H. Middleton Library, Student Government Senate Office Room 256 in the Student Union and Room 3272 Z in Patrick F. Taylor Hall.
According to Steib, Period Packs are new not only to the University’s campus but to college campuses in general.
“Period Packs are not something that we’ve been able to find other colleges or universities doing,” Steib said. 
Mass communication freshman Aria Pons said Period Packs are “a smart and bold idea.” She said she would definitely take advantage of the service if she didn’t have time to go back to her residence hall during a menstrual emergency.