Do not get caught without a quarter in the University Union whenit is that time of the month.

Tampons and pads are free in all campus buildings, except theUnion, said Darren Ockey, manager of building trades for FacilitiesManagement.

This is because the Union is not funded by the state ofCalifornia, as are the other buildings on campus, Ockey said.

Students pay $71 to the Union as a part of their registrationfees every semester.

70 percent of the Union’s budget comes from these studentfees, said Don Tucker, operations supervisor for the Union. Theremaining 30 percent of the Union’s budget comes fromrevenues from dining services, the games room and leased spacewithin the building.

Ockey said that the only other exception to the free tamponpolicy is at the Hornet Stadium, because it is a public facilitythat is used for non-campus related events.

One of the major problems with the feminine hygiene productsbeing free of charge is that there really is no way to regulatewhat “free” means.

The perception of free varies from person to person, Ockey said.Some people may feel that they are entitled to more than onefeminine hygiene product.

Although the dispensers are refilled every Wednesday bycustodial services, they are empty by the weekend.

“It’s nice that the products are free, but if (thedispensers) are never full, what’s the point?” saidChristy Thomas, a junior business major.

The school spends roughly $9,000 a year in feminine hygieneproducts for the campus, Ockey said.

The Union charges for their tampons and pads because it keepspeople from taking too many at a time, Tucker said. This allowsmore students to have access to feminine hygiene products.

Tucker said that the Union charges a quarter for femininehygiene products to offset the cost of supplying the item.

“The prices for this product are relatively more expensivethan the cost of other products, such as paper towels and toiletpaper,” Tucker said.

With any coin-operated dispenser, theft and vandalism sometimesbecomes a problem, Ockey said.

“It doesn’t make sense to spend money on repairs,when we could give them away as a convenience,” Ockeysaid.

Roughly once a semester there is a problem with people breakinginto the machines. Locks have been placed on them to discourage thetheft, Tucker said.

Providing free tampons and pads will benefit the femalepopulation on campus, Ockey said.

“You shouldn’t have to pay for these things,”Ockey said.