| University will be tobacco free |
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| Written by Joan Khalaf and Ali Amir Mustansir, The Shorthorn senior staff | |||||||
| Monday, 23 November 2009 10:42 PM | |||||||
 All of UTA will be tobacco-free by Aug. 1, 2011.Students, faculty, staff and visitors will not be allowed to use tobacco products at UTA or other campuses like the UTA/Fort Worth Center after that date, President James Spaniolo announced Friday. In a letter addressing the issue, Spaniolo said the university will focus on vigilant enforcement of the current smoking policy, which doesn’t allow anyone to smoke inside or within 50 feet of all campus buildings, during the years before the ban. The policy in place also prohibits smoking under covered areas, in university-owned vehicles, stadiums and the Maverick Activities Center outdoor areas. Spaniolo said people will be allowed to use tobacco products in their vehicles, but only if the windows are up and products are disposed inside the vehicle or off campus. “This sentiment respects the belief that an individual vehicle is personal property,” university spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan said. “This is the president respecting personal space.” Tobacco: DefinedTobacco products include cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco.Sullivan said a plan to enforce the ban will be drawn up within the next year by a group that includes Jean Hood, chair for the committee that studied and proposed the ban, UTA Police and other administrators. The group hasn’t been created and no meetings have been set. For now, administrators are asking for voluntary compliance with the current policy, Sullivan said. “Student leaders have told us that the current policy should be enforced,” she said. “The administration has respected that and listened to those concerns.” In the meantime, UTA Police will use current enforcement methods, officer Jay Tillerson said. He said officers usually issue warnings, but repeat offenders may get a citation or disciplinary referral. Smoking Cessation Classes ContinueWith President James Spaniolo’s decision to ban tobacco, the university still holds tobacco cessation classes.Health Services Director Robert Blum said the tobacco cessation classes are still held every first and third Tuesday of every month in the University Center upper level. Students can sign up by calling Health Services at 817-272-2771. The faculty and staff class is still held every Thursday at the Wetsel Building. Blum said he couldn’t comment on the turnout for the classes so far. Nekima Booker, health promotions substance abuse educator, did not return interview requests by 5 p.m. Monday. In an early November article in The Shorthorn, Booker said more than 10 people had asked for help since the program launched the previous month. Lack of attendance could stem from students’ unease about attending a group class, she said. Marketing senior Melissa White said she’d like to quit smoking eventually, but doesn’t plan on attending the tobacco cessation classes. “I don’t think the classes would help me want to stop smoking,” she said. Broadcast communications sophomore Matt Linguist said he used to smoke and the classes would just be a hassle for people. “It’s just another thing to have to do on top of school,” Linguist said. — Rachel Snyder The campus police receive approximately 800 violations each year, ranging from smoking to scholastic dishonesty, Student Conduct director Heather Snow said. She said there is no way of sorting out those directly relating to smoking violations. “I would estimate that to be around 20, including students smoking in their rooms or too close to buildings,” she said in an e-mail. The first offense is $10 and the second $25, but both can be waived if the person attends a Health Services tobacco cessation program class. Each offense after the second is another $25 fine and administrative or disciplinary procedures. The Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative committee submitted recommendations to Spaniolo two months ago. One of the recommendations, which Spaniolo approved, was to start a wide-spread educational campaign to let the university community know about the ban and resources like the tobacco cessation classes. Tobacco cessation classes started in October. Nekima Booker, Health and Substance Abuse coordinator, said in a previous article that people haven’t been coming to classes because citations for violating the current smoking policy had yet to be issued. Also, some students may be apprehensive about discussing the issue in a group setting, she said. Related StoriesStudents, faculty react to the tobacco ban Views: 770 | E-mail
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 January 2010 03:31 PM ) | |||||||
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