FAQ
SSIS (Student Sexuality Information Service) is a student-run organization at Brandeis University that strives to decrease sexual stigma on campus and support all students' sexual health and wellness. We offer peer support, educational workshops and resources, sexual health and pleasure products, resource and product referrals, and a comprehensive library to further our goal of empowering students and decreasing stigma on campus.
The SSIS office is located on the third floor of the SCC in room 324. To find it, go right at the top of the stairs and all the way down the first hallway on your left. Our office is on the left right next to the gender-neutral restroom, and right across from our previous location (the Oasis Lounge, room 328). Additionally, we have a vending machine with emergency contraception and pregnancy tests in the TV lounge on the first floor of the SCC, next to the ATM. Find more information about our office space here.
When we are open, there will be anywhere between 2 and 4 members in the office ready to assist you. Once you walk through the door, large windows let in some soft, natural light, and you'll see the main space to your left. It is filled with couches to relax or study at, complete with a library of books to read from. To the right is a slightly more private area where all of our products are. We also have a completely private secondary office for peer support, trying on binders, or if you just want to talk with a member in a more private space. Find more information about our office space here.
Everything that happens when you are in an SSIS space will remain confidential, meaning details will not be shared with anyone else, even other SSIS members. Furthermore, we do not collect any personal information about you. The only exceptions to this are if you check out a book from our library or order a gender-affirming product, we will collect your email.
That depends on your comfort level! If you have a friend that works at SSIS, you can ask for their office hours so you can choose to go at a time they are or are not there. If you enter the SSIS office and see somebody you know, the SSIS member will not acknowledge that they know you unless you do so first. For example, even if an SSIS member knows your name, we won’t say it unless you offer it first. That way, you are still anonymous to any other person in the office, unless you decide to identify yourself. Finally, if you want to ask one of the members to step out of the office, that is more than welcome, too! We totally get that you might be more comfortable speaking to just one person at a time or talking to someone you know or don’t know. You can find our office hours here and see a list of our members here.
There are usually 2 to 4 SSIS members in the office at a given time. If you prefer to be in the space with a single member, you are welcome to express that, and the other members will step out of the office. You can also text our hotline ahead of time at (586) ASK-SSIS, and request to only have one SSIS member in the office. We totally get that you might be more comfortable speaking to just one person at a time or talking to someone you know or don’t know. You can see who our members are here, and the hours we are open here.
NO! Seriously, not even a little. Non-judgment is one of the most important core values of SSIS, and we just want you to feel safe and empowered in any way that looks for you. No question is weird to us! There are many subjects about sex that are heavily stigmatized, but whether it's STIs, kink, masturbation, etc., SSIS is here for you. We offer services for community members at ANY point in their sexual journey, whether or not it's something they've explored before.