Columbia, Mo. ? The University of Missouri-Columbia, will soon be the first in the Big 12 Conference to distribute free condoms in residential hall bathrooms, school officials said Friday.

Health advocates said the pilot program will help lower the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and prevent unwanted pregnancies. The condoms will be placed in baskets in all dormitory bathrooms together with wallet-sized educational packets, MU’s Residential Life officials said.

“The impact of this, what I hope, is that we have eliminated as many barriers as possible, so students have access to condoms, and those individuals who choose to engage in sexual activities will have those available to them,” said Heather Mueller, a health educator at the Student Health Center. “Since we are sexual-health advocates, we feel it is necessary to have the information along with the condoms.”

Mueller said the condoms will be supplied by the Columbia/Boone County Health Department. A fraternity on campus suggested the idea, which Mueller said is similar to a project at Harvard University.

Condoms are already distributed at no cost at the university’s Student Health Center and at other organizations.