Pipe Dream is celebrating its 63rd year as Binghamton University’s independent student newspaper. It started as the Colonial News in fall 1946 and has been going strong twice a week ever since. So we are taking a look back into the paper’s archives, at the people and events that have made the news over BU’s past 60 years.

Friday, Nov. 7, 1997

A portion of students remained uninformed by residential assistants 37 days after several brands of condoms distributed by the University were recalled.

Ansell, the producers of Lifestyles, Contempo and Prime condoms, voluntarily recalled their products Oct. 17 of that year. The recall was made because of nine reported problems with 50 million spermicidally lubricated condoms manufactured between 1994 and 1997.

Many of the condoms had expired in October of that year.

“Two years ago [1995], the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed its standards for condoms which are manufactured and made available to the public,” said Carol Carrozzo, then-director of marketing for Ansell.

Carrozzo added that the condoms that were recalled were made three years before and that only a small percentage of those did not meet the new standards of the FDA. “But, the recall was made to ensure that every condom meets and exceeds these standards.”

Ansell sent a letter to all of its distributing customers informing them of the recall, including the Health Center, now known as Health Services, at BU. According to Bridget McCane, then-coordinator of health education, Health Center relayed the news to Residential Life, who told all residential directors to inform their residents.

Many students supported the recall.

“The fact that they’re recalling them is good, but Lifestyles condoms are generally of poor quality,” said then-senior Desiree Chilson.

According to a number of RAs, some residence halls announced the recall in meetings or on fliers, but some sorted the condoms themselves and did not inform students. Some RAs did not know about the recall, and others expressed discomfort giving out the information.

“They were good enough last year,” said a then-RA in Dickinson Community.

Students were able to receive refunds or replacements for the recalled condoms by contacting Ansell.