The Senior Tutor of Selwyn College has blocked its JCR from putting condoms in welcome packs for Freshers, according to a leaked email.

In a reply to a message from a JCR Freshers Rep about the packs, the Tutorial Office Manager & Senior Tutor’s Assistant said that “Dr Sewell...does not want the pack from the College to contain the condoms”. No reason was given for their non-inclusion, but she said the decision was “in line with conversations [Sewell] has had with the JCR President”.

She did give permission for the packs to contain an Access leaflet, flyers for CamFM and the ADC.

She said that the boxes would be returned to the rep.

In a reply to post in Selwyn JCR’s Facebook group, one member said: “We’ll get condoms to the Freshers somehow”.

The member went on to say “I would please please prefer that we work around it – if we can get the condoms to the freshers by other means it’s just easier.”

Another JCR member commented: “Don’t have sex. You’ll get pregnant and die – Selwyn College 2016.”

Selwyn JCR President Lee Robertson said the decision was a non-issue, telling Varsity: “It is categorically untrue that the Senior Tutor has prohibited Welfare Officers from delivering condoms; he encourages this. The JCR has a very close relationship with the Senior Tutor who, in his own words, says he ‘supports entirely any actions of the JCR or others to encourage those students who are sexually active to engage in safe sex’.”

“We just saw that there were ways to do this that were more sensitive to new students who may choose not to engage in sexual activity, or who are asexual,” Robertson continued. “We have plenty of other ways to distribute condoms, and they will be available, as usual, to any Selwyn fresher who wants them.”

Selwyn College and the University have been contacted for comment.