Back on campus, students were curious about the kits after hearing news of the Donahue segment. Shortly after the show aired, Dick’s House organized a panel on campus entitled “AIDS and Safer Sex: An Open Forum.” Dr. Turco, Stone, and Do all reprised their roles. Also present were Beverlie Conant Sloane, Gwendolyn King of the Tucker Foundation, Dr. Joseph O’Connell from the medical school, and professor Douglas Yates. Feedback collected from the panel showed overwhelming student support for the kits. One student wrote, “I think it is an impressive step taken by the college to address a very serious issue which threatens our society… I’m pleased that Dartmouth has chosen to educate the community, all facets of the community.” Another asked if the kits could be made available for employees in addition to students. Yet another expressed that though they personally didn’t engage in the sexual practices described in the ACHA pamphlet, but “if it helps keep one person from contracting AIDS, then the brochure is worthwhile.”5

Many students also criticized the Review’s perspective. One respondent asked “What are Debbie Stone’s credentials regarding AIDS? Doesn’t it just legitimize the Review by inviting her to a Nathan Smith-sponsored discussion?” Others questioned why Professor Yates was invited to the panel entirely, pointing out that he had no background in health and simply served as a second conservative voice.

Interestingly, students largely found the controversy over the kits to be unnecessary or overblown. Common Sense, a campus publication, reported on the ‘sex kit controversy’ in their year in review issue of 1987. They described the atmosphere on campus after the kits were made available, saying:

The article concluded by calling the kits a “non-issue” on campus. Taking a step further, the satire magazine the Jack-O-Lantern even joked about the moral debate created by the kits. One article spoofed the ACHA pamphlet, while another gave a ‘how-to’ guide on scaring one’s parents into liquidating their assets in fear of moral civilization’s collapse.

Even if students were joking about the controversy, they were still talking – largely positively – about the kits. Ironically, it was the Review’s initial push back against the kits that raised this newfound interest. For the first time, AIDS and safer sex became a mainstream topic of campus discussion. To capitalize on this opportunity, Beverlie Conant Sloane expanded the College’s AIDS prevention programming. The Health Education office organized speakers, campus radio and newspaper public education spots, library educational displays, and talks at residence halls. Dr. Richard Keeling, the director of the ACHA AIDS task force and a health educator at the University of Virginia, visited Dartmouth twice in 1987. His initial spring visit was sparsely attended, reminiscent of the early forums organized by Dick’s House. However, by the following fall, there was so much interest in his visit that the lecture became “standing room only.”6