Syracuse University moved up four spots to 49th in this year’s Trojan Brand Condoms’ sixth annual Sexual Health Report Card.

The report card ranked 141 colleges based on 13 different categories that identify the accessibility of sexual health information and sexual health and wellness resources. Categories include student opinion, hours of operation, availability of free condoms and contraceptives, HIV/STI testing and outreach programs, according to the report.

SU’s ranking improved this year from 53rd, but has bounced around the list for the past few years. SU ranked 76th in 2009, 19th in 2008, 60th in 2007 and 20th in 2006. Columbia University ranked first for the second year in a row, followed by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a jump from 64th in 2010, according to the report. The Ivy League dominated the rankings with five top-20 spots, held by Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Yale and Cornell. DePaul University was ranked last in 141st place and was joined in the bottom three by Brigham Young University and U.S. Air Force Academy, ranked 140th and 139th, respectively. Emma DeMilta, a senior English and textual studies major, said the Health Services staff at SU has always been helpful and getting prescriptions has been a pleasant experience. She said the availability of free condoms and health advice is a valuable resource and is important to improving sexual health on campus.’My experience with Health Services has always been positive,’ DeMilta said.Other students weren’t as satisfied.’I’m sure they do a lot of great things for the school and for students, but they’re not really helpful if you have a specific illness,’ said Andrew Nerviano, a senior television, radio and film major.Nerviano said he probably wouldn’t go to Health Services for sexual health issues because of difficulty getting insurance approved and the worry that he would be seen by a nurse or physician’s assistant instead of a physician. ‘Every time I’ve gone there, I haven’t had a real doctor,’ Nerviano said. ‘I feel like they always just send people out to specialists.’ Nerviano said because he isn’t completely confident in Health Services, he would choose to go to Planned Parenthood for STI testing because it have a more consistent record of quality sexual health care. Health Services officials could not be reached to comment.Although he wouldn’t go to Health Services for physical ailments, Nerviano said he would go for advice, information or education. After hearing about a friend who volunteers with various awareness campaigns provided by the department, Nerviano said he trusts that Health Services effectively engages students with interactive programs.One of the best aspects of dealing with Health Services is the ease of scheduling appointments and email reminders so students don’t miss appointments, Nerviano said. jlsiart@syr.edu