Monday, November 01, 2010

New tobacco-free campus policy

Photo Credit: HI-RES | WEB RELATED VIDEO:  RELATED AUDIO:  Contact for more information: Todd Wilson Assistant Vice President Marketing/Communications 812/464-1755 email President Linda L.M. Bennett and members of the President's Council at the University of Southern Indiana have approved an updated campus smoking policy that will make USI a tobacco-free campus when it goes into effect on July 1, 2011. At that time, smoking and the use of other tobacco products will be prohibited except in personal vehicles and in designated outdoor spaces in the student housing areas. The policy applies to all University-owned, -operated, and -leased property and vehicles. This is an update to the current smoking and tobacco use regulations that went into effect in August 2005. A campus-wide committee was formed during the 2009-2010 academic year to evaluate the University policy and make recommendations on additional steps relating to tobacco including wellness issues. The committee, comprised of faculty, staff, and students, reviewed the results of campus surveys on tobacco-related issues, examined policies of other state and regional institutions of higher education, and held a town-hall meeting on campus in the spring. Findings of the committee were then shared with the President's Council. "This new policy is a step forward in providing a clean, healthy working and learning environment for everyone in the campus community," Dr. Bennett said. "It's also in line with practices of other Indiana public universities and hundreds of campuses nationwide, though I believe first and foremost that this positive step addresses the needs of the University of Southern Indiana. As an institution of higher learning, we have a responsibility to demonstrate leadership in encouraging and modeling wellness. "We recognize that this may be a difficult change for some members of our community, but we plan to support those individuals in every way we can while still making USI tobacco-free." Over the next eight months, members of the University community who wish to curtail their use of tobacco will be encouraged to attend campus cessation programs, employ other resources available on campus and through the Tri-State community, and otherwise prepare for the tobacco-free campus in July 2011. In coming weeks, the president will appoint a new committee to address issues of communication, education, and implementation of the new policy. Among other issues, the committee will focus on enhancing smoking cessation resources on campus, communicating the policy to visitors and prospective students and employees, and developing the most effective means of ensuring compliance.

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