Ohio University's smoking ban will prohibit use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes on all university property used to “carry the mission of the university,” including sidewalks and vehicles, said Judy Piercy, OU's interim ombudsperson.
Monday’s Faculty Senate meeting featured an update on how Ohio University will go about banning tobacco on campus, a regulation which will go into effect Aug. 1, 2015.
Judy Piercy, interim ombudsperson for OU, gave a presentation to faculty on the “Tobacco Free Campus 2015” initiative. The ban will prohibit use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes on all university property used to “carry the mission of the university,” including sidewalks and vehicles, she said.
The exceptions to the ban include religious use and any FDA-approved nicotine replacement products such as patches, gum and inhalers. Piercy said the initiative will have a compliance system rather than an enforcement system, meaning people will be encouraged to “respectfully inform” others about the policy.
“OUPD did not want to touch this with a 10-foot pole, and we didn’t want them to,” she said.
Piercy said there will be no designated smoking areas on campus. Faculty expressed concern about the exceptions for the ban, including how city roads aren’t banned places for smoking.
“I just want to say thank you,” Tania Basta, associate professor of public and social health, said. “We talk about this all the time. I’m so glad to see that OU has chosen everybody’s health over a few select people. You have to look at the greater good.”
Monday's meeting began with several updates from OU President Roderick McDavis and Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit.
McDavis remained upbeat about the university’s position on how much funding it receives from the state. McDavis said he will meet with the university’s Executive Committee tomorrow to discuss the topic more in-depth.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about where we are,” McDavis said. “There’s been very, very beneficial conversations and we’ll see where we land tomorrow.”
Current funding from the state is linked closely to graduation rates.
Benoit said OU has received more than 14,000 undergraduate applications so far this year — about the same as last year.
She also said the university is considering moving the Division of Film from the College of Fine Arts to the Scripps College of Communication. She said she wants the conversation to focus on curriculum.
The Faculty Senate meeting also included:
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A unanimously approved resolution to support the definitions of plagiarism and cheating in the new Student Code of Conduct.
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Presentation of two resolutions as part of the Faculty Compensation Initiative. The first resolution called for the Executive Vice President and Provost, deans and directors to consult with faculty regarding faculty compensation. The second called for raises in compensation pools for faculty groups.
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A presentation regarding intercollegiate athletic funding, which currently generates around $9 million per year, but runs $16 million over what it generates.
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