News
OU On Track To Become Tobacco-Free In 2015
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Ohio University is on track to become a tobacco-free campus beginning in the 2015-16 academic year.
According to a memo provided in the OU Board of Trustees’ June 27 meeting materials, OU Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi states that the university embarked on a three-year goal to become a smoke and tobacco-free campus last summer. During the past academic year, OU put together an implementation team comprised of faculty, staff, students and community members to oversee the transition.
The memo states that becoming a tobacco-free environment is primarily a wellness initiative and supports recommendations from the American College Health Association and a request from the Ohio Board of Regents. The measure also supports OU’s desire to be a “green and clean environment,” Lombardi wrote.
Each member of the Ohio University community will be expected to adhere to and enforce the no tobacco policy. Guidance will be provided to teach the university community to do so.
“Employees will be ultimately accountable to their supervisor and students through the student code of conduct. Visitors to campus are the responsibility of the sponsoring department,” Lombardi’s memo states.
During the upcoming academic year, the university will provide communication, education and tobacco cessation resources to allow for transition time before the no-tobacco policy is implemented the following year.
Signage will be installed on campus to illustrate the no-tobacco policy during the summer of 2015.
Lombardi will further update the Board about the transition at its meeting on OU’s Eastern Campus in St. Clairsville on Thursday.