STOCKTON UNIVERSITY — Following the end of the Spring 2025 semester, the Stockton Wellness Center sent an email on June 11 informing the student body that the Sexual Health and Reproductive Services (SHARP) provided on campus would be eliminated starting June 12. Any students who needed to utilize these services would be required to visit the Absecon branch of Planned Parenthood.

The cuts in question removed the ability for students to receive medical and gynecological history exams, emergency contraceptives, STI screenings, and HIV testing on campus. The services offered after the cuts were reduced to pregnancy testing, UTI testing, yeast infection treatment, and safe-sex items like condoms, dental dams, and lubricants. 

Dr. Zupenda Davis, Assistant Vice President for Student Health and Wellness, said, “Stockton’s on-campus reproductive health services provided by Planned Parenthood were discontinued due to shifts in external federal funding and their operational capacity. Despite this change, Stockton continues to provide strong local support for students in need through Student Health Services and related resources.” 

Davis added, “I feel disappointed by this cut in funding, but feel very confident in the delivery of sexual health and reproductive health services that are provided by our local community resources that are outlined on our website.”

The shifts in federal funding came from the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which targeted healthcare providers who offered abortions from accepting Medicaid funding for any other reproductive services. This includes Stockton’s partnership with Planned Parenthood, which provided the specific on-campus SHARP resources offered to students before June 12. 

The cuts to SHARP are a byproduct of a series of events following the “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization” Supreme Court case that overturned “Roe v. Wade” and “Planned Parenthood v. Casey.” Following those decisions, the healthcare landscape became heavily fractured—especially regarding reproductive health. 

12 states have abortion bans, while six states have a gestational limit between 6 and 12 weeks. New Jersey has no gestational limit, and the state recognized the right to abortion under the state constitution in 1982. Despite New Jersey remaining a safe haven for reproductive health services, the federal government’s push to defund these reproductive health services has left students with less support than their classmates before them. 

The cuts to Medicaid outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act disproportionately affect women, who make up 52 percent of the total Medicaid population. The bill’s targeting of funding against facilities that provide abortions, as well as reproductive health services, also directly affects women on campus, of which there are nearly 5,000 and make up over half the student body.

“It’s a disservice to take that away from people on campus,” stated a 2021 Criminal Justice graduate who requested anonymity. This student had utilized the STI testing services when it was on campus. “So many students are learning to live on their own for the first time, and having these services on campus offers a safety net and offers a great support system if something goes wrong.” 

The student’s experience with SHARP was immensely comforting and reassuring, she recalled.

“They walked me through every step of the process. They asked open-ended questions and never made me feel judged, and always checked to make sure I was comfortable. They gave me extra resources and followed up with me after my visit.” 

Despite being heavily defunded, Stockton still offers those services off campus, with transportation provided if you make an appointment.