Stanford University Rises to Top of 2008 Trojan(R) Sexual Health Report Card

Ivy League Scores Big in Third Annual Survey as Most Sexually Healthy Conference

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The makers of Trojan(R) brand condoms today released the results of the third annual Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. Conducted by Sperling's BestPlaces, an independent research firm, the 2008 survey ranks sexual health resources and services at more than 130 colleges and universities across the country. A combination of expanded methodology, uniformly high student rankings, comprehensive STD and HIV testing services, and broad condom and contraception availability helped the Stanford Cardinals fly to No.1 this year, up from No. 41 in 2007.

Ivy League schools took the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, Columbia and Cornell respectively, elevating the league to this year's most sexually healthy conference. Rounding out the top five schools were University of Iowa (No. 4) and University of Denver (No. 5), while Louisiana Tech (No. 135), Notre Dame (No. 136), Providence (No. 137), St. John's University (No. 138) and DePaul (No. 139) landed at the bottom five.

This year's Report Card scored 139 colleges and universities across 13 separate categories, expanded from 11 in 2007. Most notable is the addition of an electronic student opinion poll which allowed students to grade their schools and resulted in a significant rankings shake up.

"A school can be doing a great job making resources and information available to their student body, but if the students' themselves don't know about them or aren't taking advantage of the them, that impacts the overall sexual health of a campus - and ultimately our country," said Bert Sperling, president of Sperling's BestPlaces. "Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of students polled found their health centers trustworthy, and also rated them as 'doing a good job.'"

Student opinion findings were a major factor in determining this year's rankings, with eight of the top ten schools scoring an "A," the highest available grade, in the category. Similar to college grading, each school was assigned a G.P.A. to determine their ranking, where an "A" equals 4.0, a "B," 3.0, a "C," 2.0 and so on.

College Rivals

College sports saw some tough match ups in 2008 and they continued in the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card. Here's a look at some of the Report Card's key match-ups:

• LSU (No. 12) came out on top of Ohio State (no. 28) in the 2008 Report Card rankings. University of Illinois (No. 26) has the win in sexual health over USC (No. 40).
• University of Kansas (No. 48) bested Virginia Tech (No. 52) in this year's survey.
• University of Hawaii (No. 111) came up short to the University of Georgia (No. 9) in the Sexual Health Report Card rankings
• Oklahoma (No. 92) was not able to beat West Virginia University (No. 7) in the rankings.

Last year's top two schools on the report card, the University of Minnesota (No. 23) and the University of Wyoming (No. 10), both dropped in the rankings due to an expansion of criteria and information gathering, primarily surrounding student responses. DePaul University rounded out the 2008 Report Card rankings, coming in at 139.

"The makers of Trojan brand condoms applaud Stanford and the other top ranked schools on the Sexual Health Report Card. It's great to see schools providing their students with the tools they need to protect their sexual health, should they choose to be sexually active," said Jim Daniels, Vice President of Marketing, Trojan brand condoms. "College is the place where students pursue educational excellence and that should include comprehensive sexual education. We are glad that many schools are taking this responsibility seriously and challenge all educational institutions to help students live healthy, sexually evolved lifestyles."

The Trojan Sexual Health Report Card is part of a national Trojan "Evolve" campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to spark awareness and dialogue about the state of sexual health in America. One of the campaign's goals is to arm young people with the resources and information they need to make responsible decisions regarding their sexual health.

Students can join Trojan's newest campaign, "Evolve One, Evolve All," by visiting www.EvolveOneEvolveAll.com and seeing what their peers and other Americans have to say about the state of sexual health in this country through short films, music videos and songs. Each time a video is viewed, forwarded or uploaded to the site, the makers of Trojan brand condoms will donate one condom to people at risk of STDs and unintended pregnancies. The goal is to donate 1 million condoms by World AIDS Day, December 1, and in the process educate 1 million Americans, evolve 1 million sex acts and start a positive sexual health movement in America.

For more information on the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, the Trojan Evolve campaign and the Trojan Evolve One, Evolve All initiative please visit www.trojancondoms.com.

ABOUT TROJAN(R) BRAND CONDOMS

TROJAN(R) Brand Condoms are America's #1 condom and have been trusted for over 90 years. TROJAN(R) brand latex condoms are made from premium quality latex to help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Each condom is electronically tested to help ensure reliability. There are over 22 varieties of TROJAN(R) Brand Condoms. More Americans trust the TROJAN(R) brand than any other condom. For more information visit www.trojancondoms.com and www.trojanevolve.com.

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.

    Contact: 
    Bjorn Trowery                     Nyla Saleh
    Edelman                           Edelman
    212-704-4556                      212-704-8101
    bjorn.trowery@edelman.com         nyla.saleh@edelman.com 

COMPLETE RANKINGS

     This       2007      2006
      year      rank      rank School                       GPA  Conference
         1       41         4  Stanford University          3.50 PAC 10
         2       12            Columbia University in the
                                City of New York            3.49 Ivy League
         3       63            Cornell University-Endowed
                                Colleges                    3.46 Ivy League
         4       21         2  University of Iowa           3.45 Big 10
         5       73            University of Denver         3.42 Sun Belt
         6       87        50  University of Connecticut    3.41 Big East
         7       69        67  West Virginia University     3.40 Big East
         8        6        11  University of South
                                Carolina-Columbia           3.38 SEC
         9       46        25  University of Georgia        3.37 SEC
        10        2        92  University of Wyoming        3.36 Mountain West
        11       15        77  University of Oregon         3.35 PAC 10
        12       13        30  Louisiana State University
                                A&M and Hebert Law Center   3.35 SEC
        13       23         3  University of Michigan-Ann
                                Arbor                       3.35 Big 10
        14       19        15  Pennsylvania State
                                University-Main Campus      3.35 Big 10
        15       17         5  Oregon State University      3.32 PAC 10
        16       53        53  The University of Texas At
                                Austin                      3.30 Big 12
        17       39        44  Brown University             3.31 Ivy League
        18       22            Florida Atlantic
                                University-Boca Raton       3.29 Sun Belt
        19       60        20  Syracuse University          3.27 Big East
        20       24         8  Duke University              3.25 AAC
        21       11            University of Pennsylvania   3.24 Ivy League
        22       47        56  Indiana
                                University-Bloomington      3.23 Big 10
        23        1        54  University of
                                Minnesota-Twin Cities       3.22 Big 10
        24       97        74  Mississippi State
                                University                  3.21 SEC
        25       10        43  Harvard University           3.20 Ivy League
        26       29        10  University of Illinois At
                                Urbana-Champaign            3.19 Big 10
        27      102        14  University of North
                                Carolina At Chapel Hill     3.17 AAC
        28       26         9  Ohio State University-Main
                                Campus                      3.17 Big 10
        29       34         6  Princeton University         3.15 Ivy League
        30       59        37  North Carolina State
                                University At Raleigh       3.15 AAC
        31       62            Ball State University        3.15 MAC
        32        4        13  Rutgers University-New
                                Brunswick                   3.15 Big East
        33      100            Bowling Green State
                                University-Main Campus      3.14 MAC
        34       35            Tulane University of
                                Louisiana                   3.14 C-USA
        35       14        21  University of
                                Wisconsin-Madison           3.14 Big 10
        36       75        34  Michigan State University    3.13 Big 10
        37        8        26  University of Nebraska At
                                Lincoln                     3.12 Big 12
        38        7            Western Michigan University  3.11 MAC
        39       31        17  University of Arizona        3.10 PAC 10
        40       32        29  University of Southern
                                California                  3.09 PAC 10
        41       16         1  Yale University              3.09 Ivy League
        42       27        32  University of Colorado At
                                Boulder                     3.07 Big 12
        43       18            Georgia Institute of
                                Technology-Main Campus      3.07 AAC
        44       50        55  University of Miami          3.06 AAC
        45       79            Western Kentucky University  3.05 Sun Belt
        46       51        23  Colorado State University    3.04 Mountain West
        47       43        49  University of Florida        3.02 SEC
        48       45        79  University of Kansas Main
                                Campus                      3.01 Big 12
        49       80        71  The University of Alabama    3.00 SEC
        50      117            Northern Illinois
                                University                  3.00 MAC
        51       38        40  University of
                                California-Berkeley         3.00 PAC 10
        52       64        46  Virginia Polytechnic
                                Institute and State
                                University                  2.98 AAC
        53       37        41  University of Virginia-Main
                                Campus                      2.98 AAC
        54        5        59  Purdue University-Main
                                Campus                      2.97 Big 10
        55       89        28  University of Kentucky       2.97 SEC
        56      133            University of Central
                                Florida                     2.97 C-USA
        57      108            University of North Texas    2.97 Sun Belt
        58       28        62  Washington State University  2.96 PAC 10
        59       86        52  University at Buffalo, The
                                state University of New
                                York                        2.96 MAC
        60       58            Kent State University-Main
                                Campus                      2.95 MAC
        61       30            Ohio University-Main Campus  2.95 MAC
        62       67            Eastern Michigan University  2.94 MAC
        63       56        61  University of
                                Maryland-College Park       2.94 AAC
        64       61        42  University of
                                Missouri-Columbia           2.94 Big 12
        65      101            Rice University              2.90 C-USA
        66       40            University of South Florida  2.88 Big East
        67       65        97  Oklahoma State
                                University-Main Campus      2.86 Big 12
        68       25        63  Dartmouth College            2.86 Ivy League
        69       33        31  University of Southern
                                Mississippi                 2.83 C-USA
        70       36            Wake Forest University       2.82 AAC
        71       54            San Jose State University    2.81 WAC
        72       77        76  University of Arkansas Main
                                Campus                      2.80 SEC
        73       66        65  University of
                                Pittsburgh-Main Campus      2.80 Big East
        74        3        57  University of
                                Washington-Seattle Campus   2.80 PAC 10
        75       88            Florida International
                                University                  2.79 Sun Belt
        76       78        86  University of New
                                Mexico-Main Campus          2.79 Mountain West
        77       95        19  University of Nevada-Las
                                Vegas                       2.76 Mountain West
        78        9            East Carolina University     2.75 C-USA
        79       90        39  Texas A&M University         2.74 Big 12
        80      128            Vanderbilt University        2.71 SEC
        81       20            Central Michigan University  2.70 MAC
        82       57            University of Tulsa          2.69 C-USA
        83      119            California State
                                University-Fresno           2.69 WAC
        84       44        60  Kansas State University      2.65 Big 12
        85      107            University of Akron Main
                                Campus                      2.64 MAC
        86      104        88  The University of Tennessee  2.61 SEC
        87       74        96  University of Memphis        2.61 C-USA
        88       71        83  Florida State University     2.60 AAC
        89       92            The University of Texas At
                                El Paso                     2.57 C-USA
        90       42            Northwestern University      2.54 Big 10
        91      105            Southern Methodist
                                University                  2.53 C-USA
        92       96        36  University of Oklahoma
                                Norman Campus               2.52 Big 12
        93      124            The University of Texas-Pan
                                American                    2.52 Independents
        94      111            University of
                                Houston-University Park     2.51 C-USA
        95       55            Miami University-Oxford      2.49 MAC
        96       70        69  Iowa State University        2.49 Big 12
        97       84            Utah State University        2.48 WAC
        98      131            Middle Tennessee State
                                University                  2.48 Sun Belt
        99       83        93  University of Louisville     2.45 Big East
       100      136            University of Arkansas At
                                Little Rock                 2.45 Sun Belt
       101       82        95  Clemson University           2.42 AAC
       102       52        48  Boise State University       2.40 WAC
       103       93            University of Louisiana At
                                Lafayette                   2.36 Sun Belt
       104       76        98  University of Utah           2.36 Mountain West
       105       48            San Diego State University   2.36 Mountain West
       106       85        78  Texas Christian University   2.35 Mountain West
       107       49            University of South Alabama  2.27 Sun Belt
       108      125        81  University of Mississippi
                                Main Campus                 2.24 SEC
       109      138            University of Louisiana At
                                Monroe                      2.24 Sun Belt
       110      114            U.S. Air Force Academy       2.19 Mountain West
       111       68        45  University of Hawaii At
                                Manoa                       2.18 WAC
       112      130            Savannah State University    2.17 Independents
       113      126            University of Idaho          2.11 WAC
       114      135            Villanova University         2.10 Big East
       115      118        64  Auburn University Main
                                Campus                      2.08 SEC
       116       94            Troy State University-Main
                                Campus                      2.07 Sun Belt
       117       81        68  University of
                                California-Los Angeles      2.07 PAC 10
       118      110            University of New Orleans    2.07 Sun Belt
       119       91        70  Arizona State University At
                                the Tempe Campus            2.03 PAC 10
       120      123            Chicago State University     2.03 Independents
       121       99        47  New Mexico State
                                University-Main Campus      2.01 WAC
       122       72            Seton Hall University        2.00 Big East
       123      127        94  Texas Tech University        1.97 Big 12
       124      115        80  Georgetown University        1.97 Big East
       125      137            Arkansas State
                                University-Main Campus      1.95 Sun Belt
       126      106            Indiana University-Purdue
                                University-Indianapolis     1.94 Independents
       127      120            Boston College               1.93 AAC
       128      129            Marshall University          1.92 C-USA
       129      116        27  University of
                                Cincinnati-Main Campus      1.81 Big East
       130      113        84  Marquette University         1.80 Big East
       131      112            Utah Valley State College    1.78 Independents
       132      121       100  Brigham Young University     1.76 Mountain West
       133       98            University of Toledo         1.70 MAC
       134      134            Baylor University            1.68 Big 12
       135      139            Louisiana Tech University    1.56 WAC
       136      109        99  University of Notre Dame     1.42 Big East
       137      103            Providence College           1.41 Big East
       138      132            St. John's University-New
                                York                        1.37 Big East
       139      122            DePaul University            1.05 Big East