LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014President Charles L. Shearer announced today that Transylvania University will become a tobacco-free campus beginning August 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to provide the healthiest, safest environment that we can for our students, faculty, staff and visitors,\u201d Shearer said.<\/p>\n
The new policy will prohibit the use of all types of tobacco, both smoking and smokeless, in all Transylvania buildings and on campus grounds, with the one exception of a small designated smoking area on the southeast corner of the residential side of campus. <\/p>\n
Transylvania\u2019s current tobacco policy bans smoking in all of its buildings and within 20 feet from entrances and walkways. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile our new policy may be difficult for some, we believe it is the right and best policy for the well-being of all who live and work at Transylvania,\u201d Shearer said. \u201cWe are putting the health of our students and employees first by providing a tobacco-free environment and virtually eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea was first proposed in early 2009 by Ashley Hinton-Moncer, director of fitness and wellness. Shearer appointed the Tobacco-Free Workplace Advisory Committee, chaired by Hinton-Moncer and consisting of five staff members, two faculty members and two students. Two of the eight members were smokers. The committee conducted a campus-wide survey, set up a Facebook discussion page, held two forums asking the community for its input, then presented several options to Shearer. With the support of his senior staff, Shearer adopted the policy of going tobacco free, with the exception of one smoking area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wellness committee has wanted to see this happen for a while,\u201d said Hinton. \u201cWe work with our students and employees to help them stop smoking, but it\u2019s hard to stop when they can smoke all day long.\u00a0 Even if they don\u2019t stop smoking, less cigarette smoke can create a lot of significant health gains.\u201d<\/p>\n
Signs announcing Transylvania\u2019s tobacco-free policy will be displayed on campus and a \u201cTransylvania is Tobacco-free\u201d Web page with the policy, answers to frequently asked questions and resources will be posted on the university\u2019s Web site. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014President Charles L. Shearer announced today that Transylvania University will become a tobacco-free campus beginning August 1. \u201cWe want to provide the healthiest, safest environment that we can for our students, faculty, staff and visitors,\u201d Shearer said. The new policy will prohibit the use of all types of tobacco, both smoking and smokeless, in all Transylvania buildings and on campus grounds, with the one exception of a small designated smoking area on the southeast corner of the residential side of campus. Transylvania\u2019s current tobacco policy bans smoking in all of its buildings and within 20 feet from entrances and walkways. \u201cWhile our new policy may be difficult for some, we believe it is the right and best policy for the well-being of all who live and work at Transylvania,\u201d Shearer said. \u201cWe are putting the health of our students and employees first by providing a tobacco-free environment and virtually eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke.\u201d The idea was first proposed in early 2009 by Ashley Hinton-Moncer, director of fitness and wellness. Shearer appointed the Tobacco-Free Workplace Advisory Committee, chaired by Hinton-Moncer and consisting of five staff members, two faculty members and two students. Two of the eight members were smokers. The committee conducted a campus-wide survey, set up a Facebook discussion page, held two forums asking the community for its input, then presented several options to Shearer. With the support of his senior staff, Shearer adopted the policy of going<\/p>\n