Spring Break
Board approves MU smoking ban
President Hodge presents smoke-free campus to trustees, passes in 6-1 vote
Rachel Perron
Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: Campus
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This will be the last year for lighting cigarettes on Miami University's campus, as the board of trustees voted six to one in approval of President David Hodge's resolution to make Miami smoke free, during the Sept. 14 meeting at the Shriver Center.
The board of trustees was the final word on making Miami smoke-free, as a resolution has passed from university senate, to Hodge and was finally brought to the board for a vote.
Based on the 2006 U.S. Surgeon General's Report; "The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke," which determined there is no safe level of secondhand smoke; and in accordance with the university's commitment to maintain a healthy living and learning community, Hodge recommended all campuses to be smoke-free at the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.
According to Hodge, the resolution was the result of an enormous amount of campus activity. This past spring semester the university senate assembled an ad-hoc committee on smoking to suggest a smoking policy. After reviewing different options, the committee advised that all four of Miami's campuses become smoke-free.
This includes Miami's campus in Luxembourg. Dean Ekkehard Stiller said via e-mail that he told his faculty, staff and students at the beginning of this semester that smoking would be prohibited, in anticipation of the potential ban.
"All evidence indicates that we have already made our campus a non-smoking campus and that everyone has accepted it as of the fall semester, 2007," Stiller said in his e-mail.
Stiller said this would also be in effect when the campus moves locations in 2012, when the lease on the current location is expired.
"While Europe is lagging behind, the non-smoking regulations have become very firm," he said. "Much has been learned from the United States."
Though the university senate supported the ban when it was first brought to them last semester, they decided against the suggestion to create "hospitality smoking areas," which included allowing smoking in areas such as the Miami Inn and Marcum Conference Center-places where guests to Miami often reside.
For his resolution, however, Hodge sided with the committee on smoking, suggesting these smoking zones for campus visitors be allowed, as visitors may not be aware of the smoke-free policy. This was, in turn, the policy adopted by the board of trustees.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Paul
posted 9/18/07 @ 4:59 PM EST
Smoking bans are becoming more and more common on college and university campuses across the US. With the harm done to non-smokers by second hand smoke becoming more evident all the time, it's a trend that should continue to grow. (Continued…)
Paul
posted 9/20/07 @ 11:38 PM EST
People should not be smoking wherever they please. Smoking should be restricted to certain areas so that non-smokers are not exposed to Second Hand Smoke. (Continued…)
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