The Fordham University United Student Government’s (USG) planned Town Hall on Sexual Health and Contraceptive Policy Reform was postponed immediately prior to the event’s start time on Monday, Dec. 8. A rescheduled date and time have not been determined yet. However, according to USG representatives, it will likely be no earlier than next semester. 

USG Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, discussed the process behind the event in an email to The Fordham Ram. 

“We did not stumble into this event unprepared. We spent over two hours with our advisor last Thursday walking through every detail of the proposal (first presented on 11/13, still awaiting USG approval and revision) and, importantly, justifying why the Town Hall had to happen before the end of the semester,” Hjertberg said. “The request for Bepler Commons, a space with no conflict and no competing event, was submitted on Tuesday, December 2nd.” 

Despite the preparation done by USG, the event encountered hurdles within the Office for Student Involvement (OSI) who did not approve the room reservation until the day of the event, according to Hjertberg. 

“I learned from fellow USG members [on Monday] that the room was somehow approved within the very same hour the event was supposed to begin, but I never received official confirmation from EventSpaceRH that it was green-lit at all,” Hjertberg said.

Due to the delay in room approval, USG was unable to order the catering that they had advertised, so they decided to postpone the event. 

USG Executive Vice President Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, was in Bepler Commons, the set venue for the event, when news broke that the event was to be postponed. 

“We got the confirmation that we could do the event under 30 minutes ago … and so there was no time to do any of the stuff that we needed to do,” McDonald said.

Hjertberg shared similar sentiments and reaffirmed McDonald’s claim in his email response to The Fordham Ram.

“Even if we accept the notion that approval came through at 5 PM, our event began at 6 PM. How are we expected to order food, prepare communications, and welcome students into a meaningful conversation with one hour of vague, unconfirmed approval?” Hjertberg said.

A representative from Fordham College Democrats told The Ram that despite the postponement, a member from their organization would be present at either the rescheduled event or any future USG meeting discussing this topic, and encouraged other clubs and campus organizations to do the same.

USG invited 57 student organizations to the town hall and circulated a flier on Instagram. 

Matthew Smith, FCRH ’27, Co-Chair of Fordham’s Chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), a non-officially recognized organization on campus, shared frustrations regarding the postponement.

“Every attempt [YDSA has] made to move forward with this project of getting Plan B on campus, we have been snowballed by the administration,” Smith said. YDSA has previously tabled outside campus entrances and handed out Plan B; however, these initiatives are not directly related to USG’s. 

USG was unable to give a set date or time when discussing the future of the event, but Hjertberg expressed their continued support of this topic. 

“When students tell us they are worried about STDs, sexual health, or safety on this campus, we step up. We were ready, prepared, and eager to meet that moment through a public Town Hall,” Hjertberg said. “And despite this setback, we will continue creating these spaces. We will not be discouraged or deterred. That is who USG is, and that is who we will remain.” 

Additional reporting done by Andrew Massie and Jordan Donegan.