Case Western Reserve University’s University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) replaced the existing wellness vending machines with new ones at the beginning of the academic year. The new machines feature wellness products such as KN-95 masks, cough drops, COVID-19 tests, painkillers and more. While the new machines offer a wider variety of products with a much flashier interface, many students still have experienced trouble accessing the resources provided in them.

UHCS removed the former more traditional style of vending machines in favor of new machines. UHCS said, “The previous machines, repurposed during the COVID pandemic to provide COVID tests to campus, were old and in disrepair. They weren’t intended to be used this long and often malfunctioned. The old machines also limited the type and number of items provided.”

The new machines are testandgo kiosks produced by the company LTS.

The biggest change for students is the limit on the amount of certain goods they can get for free at the wellness vending machines. The system limits the amount of “free” products students can obtain to one of each product every seven days. For COVID-19 test kits, that number is increased to two. The main exceptions to this rule are two different varieties of condoms, tampons and pads; they are freely available with no limit. 

With these machines, students and community members can enjoy an increase in available goods. For example, the machines dispense first aid kits, saline nasal spray and various over-the-counter medications—all products that were not offered before. 

At the machine, the products are displayed with their purchase cost: the costs if students outright buy the product from the machine. To access the free quota, students use a touchscreen on the vending machines to select an image of the product. After filling out a survey for age and community affiliation, students can scan a QR code that appears on the screen. From there they can redeem a free product by verifying their phone number with LTS, which sends an SMS verification code, and, if confirmed, it will dispense. 

The UHCS website stresses the privacy security of giving out the phone number: “LTS will not share phone numbers or individual purchase information with CWRU, University Health & Counseling Services or any other outside entity. Please note that phone numbers were chosen, rather than email or student ID, to help protect student privacy.”

UHCS notes on their website that the free allocation is for students only, but faculty members can access limited free KN-95 masks and COVID tests. 

Many students expressed frustration and troubles accessing the systems. For example, videos circulated showing the screens playing the Google Chrome “Dinosaur Game” at the start of the semester and then later problems with the phone number verification systems. 

Aaron Bilow, a second-year engineering student, described when he attempted to get a COVID-19 test from the machine. 

“I tried verifying my phone number. I typed it in, and it did successfully text me a link, [but] it wouldn’t let me use that code to verify the phone number … I couldn’t get it to work,” he said.  “After retrying and trying that for another five or so minutes, I did finally get it to verify the phone number, at which point it said, ‘Okay, we’re gonna dispense it.’ And it took another five minutes of trying to dispense the COVID test and eventually said, ‘There’s been an error.’”

He notes that the extra stress the machine caused: “If I had COVID, that would have been a real issue because I have a roommate, and knowing even just hours in advance could have given me the time to at least prevent my roommate from getting exposed.” 

UHCS notes that they are “aware of the issues and [are] working with the vendor to address them.” The organization added, “The vendor is now on campus three days a week to ensure the machines are stocked and working properly.” Additionally, “the machine at Tinkham Veal[e] University Center was moved to a location with better cell and Wi[-]Fi service.”

Under the new system, if someone wishes to go over the allocated free limit, they can pay for the products. To do so, instead of verifying their phone number, users are directed to a screen to enter their credit card information. 

With the new system, Bilow questions why the machines bother to charge students for some of the drugs with a weekly limit. He said, “If I’m gonna pay for it, I’d want the cheap, generic stuff that they used to give out, and it was a lot easier to get.”