Monday marks the beginning of sexual awareness week at NIU.

The week was organized in conjunction with world AIDS day and the purpose is not to tell students what not to do, but to let them know how to be safe, said Michael Haines, coordinator of Health Enhancement Services.

Campus Activities Board Speakers Coordinator Miriam Sutton said, “Since we’re on a college campus where sex is the happening thing to do, we want to emphasize that if students are sexually active, make it safe sex.”

Health Enhancement Services will have information and condoms available at the Wellness Resource Center in the Holmes Student Center and at various places around campus, Haines said.

He said Health Enhancement also will be advertising.

“We’ll have a list of the top 10 safe sex tips published two or three days this week,” he said.

Haines said they asked students and faculty to submit their favorite suggestions last year and published the top 10 each day during sexual awareness week. He said the contest was well received locally as well as nationally. He also said the suggestions can be funny or useful.

“Students and adults should pay attention to safe sex and take precautions,” Haines said.

CAB and Health Enhancement are sponsoring the appearance of Suzi Landolphi. The show, scheduled for Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sandburg Auditorium, is free to students.

Sutton said, “Landolphi is an edutainer—she educates and entertains.”

Landolphi has lectured at schools all across the country, appeared on various TV shows an won awards for her unique approaches to sexual awareness. She also owns “Condomania” stores in New York and Los Angeles.

“I saw her on Geraldo last year and decided I had to do whatever it took to get her here,” Sutton said.

She said students shouldn’t be scared to attend the show and said some students might be afraid because they think it will be another lecture with stories of rape and a lot of statistics.

“She incorporates statistics, but she does things in a fun way and asks for lots of audience participation,” Sutton said.

She said CAB also will have tables with condoms and candy around campus, and if students want to see what the show is going to be like before they go, there will be clips from her other appearances.

“Sexual awareness week is so important because now kids are starting to have sex at younger ages and we need to target them before they decide to have sex,” Sutton said. “Also, every two and one-half seconds an STD is transmitted.”