On Thursday, November 12, Student Government, Graduate Student Governance Association, and Faculty Senate passed a Joint Resolution supporting a tobacco-free campus.
It's not the end. It's a step. But in some ways, it's also a giant leap.
I have been a big proponent of a tobacco-free campus since I arrived here in Fall 2011. This is a significant step toward establishing a tobacco-free policy for Main Campus, which would finally bring it in line with our own Medical Campus (Academic Health Center) which went tobacco-free in 2007.
A tobacco-free campus has always been a contentious issue. There will never be a consensus, but for the first time, we have agreement between each of the three governing bodies of our major stakeholders: undergraduate students, graduate students, and the faculty.
So what happens now?
A tobacco-free campus does not take effect immediately.
For the first time in recent memory, we have undergrads, grads, and faculty in agreement about a tobacco policy. This is where most efforts have fallen short in the past. But there is still work to be done!
President Ono has clearly expressed his eagerness to act on the direction of our vote. The next step will be the formation of a multi-constituency working group (charged by the President) in order to flesh out the details of a tobacco-free campus, including: what specific products are banned, and how the plan will be enforced. This working group will be formed soon, but maybe not until after the next Board of Trustees meeting in January.
Once the policy is crafted, it would be presented to each of the university's governing bodies for transparency's sake, and then submitted to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
I believe the most difficult work is behind us. Some believe that the recently-passed resolution means nothing; on the contrary, I believe we have set the creation of this policy into motion, and with a President that supports the wishes of our governing bodies, we will be seeing the official enactment of a tobacco-free policy sooner rather than later.
But why a tobacco-free campus?
In 2012, Student Senate had a frank discussion about the merits of a tobacco-free campus. The Academic Health Center, AKA Medical Campus, had already gone tobacco-free in 2007. At the time, we were ahead of the curve: only a few of our peer institutions, in Ohio and elsewhere, had gone tobacco-free. There was hesitancy to be a trend-setter, especially outside the undergraduate students' sphere.
Now, in 2015, the wave has passed us and we are scrambling to catch up. Miami University went tobacco-free in 2013; Ohio State University in 2014; and Ohio University earlier this year. Now, we are one of only 2 (out of 14) 4-year public institutions in the State of Ohio without a tobacco-free policy. Where once we were ahead of the curve, now we are behind.
Of course, hopping on the bandwagon isn't a valid argument itself. So why have we endorsed a tobacco-free campus?
First, and most obviously: your health matters. Our university has an obligation to maintain a healthy environment for all of us, which means to eliminate the dangers of second-hand smoke, as well as promote the cessation of tobacco products. Together with a tobacco-free policy, our university will provide tobacco cessation programs free of charge to our community members (students, faculty, staff). The policy and these programs will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the health of our community.
Does that mean Pepsi is next on the chopping block? Not quite. Does it mean we can't also focus on other important health-related programs and policies? Nope.
Second, your wallet matters, too. Smoking and tobacco use have a significant financial impact on our university. You pay the bills of this institution, which includes the benefits of faculty and staff, which are significantly more costly for smokers than for non-smokers. If you have student health insurance, you pay a higher premium to help offset the costs of smokers on the same plan. The reality is that even outside of the health concerns of second-hand smoke, tobacco use has ramifications for those who choose not to participate.
Encouraging tobacco cessation through programs and a tobacco-free policy is an investment not only in a healthier university, but a more affordable one as well.
Third, the value of your degree matters. Even after you leave this university and no longer have to worry about a healthy campus environment or the costs of your education (besides the loans, of course), the reputation and value of your degree will continue to be important. In some cases, it could determine whether you get an interview, whether you get the job, or how well you're paid - even decades after your graduation.
As the University of Cincinnati gets left behind in the tobacco-free campus wave, we need to think about how this affects our reputation as a university and our ability to attract the best students.
I'm a ROAR tour guide, and if there's one thing I know, it's that prospective students and their parents are hyper-aware when they tour college campuses. Sometimes even the smallest thing can "turn off" a bright, prospective student. On many occasions, I have witnessed parents or students ask about whether our university is smoke-free. For the most part, when they ask, it's because they care about the answer: when they learn we aren't smoke-free, I can tell that they are "turned off".
We can't afford to lose some of the best and brightest students because of our lack of a tobacco-free policy. Our rankings, and the future value of your degree, depend on being able to attract these students. And as more universities adopt tobacco-free policies, we are competing with one arm tied behind our back.
It's not the end. It's a step. But in some ways, it's also a giant leap.
I have been a big proponent of a tobacco-free campus since I arrived here in Fall 2011. This is a significant step toward establishing a tobacco-free policy for Main Campus, which would finally bring it in line with our own Medical Campus (Academic Health Center) which went tobacco-free in 2007.
A tobacco-free campus has always been a contentious issue. There will never be a consensus, but for the first time, we have agreement between each of the three governing bodies of our major stakeholders: undergraduate students, graduate students, and the faculty.
So what happens now?
A tobacco-free campus does not take effect immediately.
For the first time in recent memory, we have undergrads, grads, and faculty in agreement about a tobacco policy. This is where most efforts have fallen short in the past. But there is still work to be done!
President Ono has clearly expressed his eagerness to act on the direction of our vote. The next step will be the formation of a multi-constituency working group (charged by the President) in order to flesh out the details of a tobacco-free campus, including: what specific products are banned, and how the plan will be enforced. This working group will be formed soon, but maybe not until after the next Board of Trustees meeting in January.
Once the policy is crafted, it would be presented to each of the university's governing bodies for transparency's sake, and then submitted to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
I believe the most difficult work is behind us. Some believe that the recently-passed resolution means nothing; on the contrary, I believe we have set the creation of this policy into motion, and with a President that supports the wishes of our governing bodies, we will be seeing the official enactment of a tobacco-free policy sooner rather than later.
But why a tobacco-free campus?
In 2012, Student Senate had a frank discussion about the merits of a tobacco-free campus. The Academic Health Center, AKA Medical Campus, had already gone tobacco-free in 2007. At the time, we were ahead of the curve: only a few of our peer institutions, in Ohio and elsewhere, had gone tobacco-free. There was hesitancy to be a trend-setter, especially outside the undergraduate students' sphere.
Now, in 2015, the wave has passed us and we are scrambling to catch up. Miami University went tobacco-free in 2013; Ohio State University in 2014; and Ohio University earlier this year. Now, we are one of only 2 (out of 14) 4-year public institutions in the State of Ohio without a tobacco-free policy. Where once we were ahead of the curve, now we are behind.
Of course, hopping on the bandwagon isn't a valid argument itself. So why have we endorsed a tobacco-free campus?
First, and most obviously: your health matters. Our university has an obligation to maintain a healthy environment for all of us, which means to eliminate the dangers of second-hand smoke, as well as promote the cessation of tobacco products. Together with a tobacco-free policy, our university will provide tobacco cessation programs free of charge to our community members (students, faculty, staff). The policy and these programs will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the health of our community.
Does that mean Pepsi is next on the chopping block? Not quite. Does it mean we can't also focus on other important health-related programs and policies? Nope.
Second, your wallet matters, too. Smoking and tobacco use have a significant financial impact on our university. You pay the bills of this institution, which includes the benefits of faculty and staff, which are significantly more costly for smokers than for non-smokers. If you have student health insurance, you pay a higher premium to help offset the costs of smokers on the same plan. The reality is that even outside of the health concerns of second-hand smoke, tobacco use has ramifications for those who choose not to participate.
Encouraging tobacco cessation through programs and a tobacco-free policy is an investment not only in a healthier university, but a more affordable one as well.
Third, the value of your degree matters. Even after you leave this university and no longer have to worry about a healthy campus environment or the costs of your education (besides the loans, of course), the reputation and value of your degree will continue to be important. In some cases, it could determine whether you get an interview, whether you get the job, or how well you're paid - even decades after your graduation.
As the University of Cincinnati gets left behind in the tobacco-free campus wave, we need to think about how this affects our reputation as a university and our ability to attract the best students.
I'm a ROAR tour guide, and if there's one thing I know, it's that prospective students and their parents are hyper-aware when they tour college campuses. Sometimes even the smallest thing can "turn off" a bright, prospective student. On many occasions, I have witnessed parents or students ask about whether our university is smoke-free. For the most part, when they ask, it's because they care about the answer: when they learn we aren't smoke-free, I can tell that they are "turned off".
We can't afford to lose some of the best and brightest students because of our lack of a tobacco-free policy. Our rankings, and the future value of your degree, depend on being able to attract these students. And as more universities adopt tobacco-free policies, we are competing with one arm tied behind our back.
There are countless other reasons to establish a tobacco-free campus policy. There are also valid arguments against, although I believe the pro's strongly outweigh the con's. In any case, we are moving forward.
It bears reminding that smoking, and tobacco use in general, is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. With this policy, our university has the opportunity to save lives, of those who are addicted and also of those who experience second-hand smoke. We will be making a real impact.
I look forward to working with President Ono, the Board of Trustees, and the multi-constituency tobacco-free campus committee in order to strengthen our university's commitment to a healthier campus environment.
It bears reminding that smoking, and tobacco use in general, is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. With this policy, our university has the opportunity to save lives, of those who are addicted and also of those who experience second-hand smoke. We will be making a real impact.
I look forward to working with President Ono, the Board of Trustees, and the multi-constituency tobacco-free campus committee in order to strengthen our university's commitment to a healthier campus environment.