The change is a result of recommendations from Student Senate, Faculty/Staff Council, and Administrative Council. By recommending a tobacco free policy, it is clear there is a desire to create a safe, clean and healthy environment and make OSUIT a healthier campus. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in this country, responsible for one in every five deaths. The Tobacco Free Campus policy is effective July 1, 2010. Signs are posted across the campus and more information is available at http://www.osuit.edu/tobaccofree
It is University Policy 1-008.
The policy prohibits the use of ALL tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipes and snuff.
Any person that works, visits, attends classes or attends other events at OSUIT.
The policy is the same no matter what the event is or when the event is held. The policy applies to all non-leased buildings and grounds owned or under the control OSUIT.
Tobacco use is prohibited on the OSUIT campus in parked and moving vehicles while on grounds owned or under the control of OSUIT. If a vehicle is on university property, then the OSUIT Tobacco Free policy applies.
All employees have the responsibility to respectfully remind a tobacco user that tobacco use on campus is prohibited and may result in a citation. There is no intent to put employees in confrontational situations. If a respectful reminder is not feasible, then employee violations can be reported to the person’s supervisor/unit leader, the Office of Human Resources, or Campus Police. Student violations should be reported to the Office of the Vice President of Administrative Services or the Director of Residential Life.
Campus Police will enforce the policy through the issuing of warnings and citations. For violations not witnessed by Campus Police, those involving a university employee should be enforced by the supervisor and student violations will be enforced through the Student Conduct Committee. Additionally, every OSUIT employee has a responsibility to adhere to this policy and to remind others of this policy.
Campus Police will issue citations for violations they witness. OSUIT employees and students who violate the policy will initially receive a warning citation. The second offense is a university citation. The third offense is an Okmulgee county citation. The Okmulgee county citation will also have Okmulgee county court fees assessed in addition to the amount of the university citation. Non-university personnel and campus visitors will be given a warning or issued a county citation since they do not have a Bursar account or any mechanism in place to collect the fees for a university citation.
Additionally, university supervisors should issue a contact notice when an employee violates the Tobacco Free policy, even if the employee isn’t issued a Campus Police warning, university citation, or Okmulgee county citation. Please contact Human Resources for additional details regarding the process supervisors should follow when an employee has violated university policy.
There should be no increase in litter because the campus is tobacco free.
Yes. It is recommended that managers and supervisors inform all employees of this policy.
Signage will be placed at all entrances to campus and at other various locations across campus. In addition to an aggressive marketing campaign, any department who has an event on campus that involves visitors should notify those visitors via the most efficient means possible of the tobacco-free policy.
No. The university is not forcing you to quit using tobacco, but you cannot use tobacco on university property. If you are interested in cessation services, a number of resources are available to help you, including:
A variety of options are available, depending on your specific situation. Contact your primary care physician to discuss what is right for you or schedule an appointment at Campus Health Services in the Student Union.
