President's Message on Smoking Policy
Dear members of the university community,
In conjunction with the 33rd Great American Smokeout, the university has launched a campaign to make our campus smoke free.
This past summer, I welcomed a proposal from the SGA concerning the issue of smoking on campus. The proposal made a number of recommendations to reduce on-campus smoking in an effort to protect the health of the Loyola community.
As this issue affects all members of our community, I shared the proposal with the University and Administrative Senates and requested feedback. After much thought, we have introduced a new policy which will take effect starting today.
As you walk through campus, you will notice areas marked by a green “Smoking Area” sign. For those who wish to smoke, please use one of these 10 designated smoking areas. The main campus has six smoking areas, and the Broadway campus has four. Each is in an accessible location which is distanced in compliance with federal standards of at least 25 feet from entrances and high traffic walkways. These smoking areas, together with clearly marked restrictions around the entrance and exit ways to buildings, will allow those who choose to smoke to do so while protecting the health of nonsmokers.
The use of the smoking areas will make the campus grounds cleaner, easier for our WFF employees to maintain, and will ultimately protect the global environment—as smoking waste is not biodegradable or recyclable.
I also want to encourage people to take advantage of these programs to help quit smoking:
- Today! At a table in the Danna Student Center from 12:30 to 2 p.m., members of HEAL will be on hand to promote tobacco-free living, distribute Quit Kits, and to ask students, faculty, and staff to sign pledges to remain smoke free for a day, week, month, or lifetime. Once the pledge is completed, a free T-shirt will be provided. Freebies such as pens, highlighters, sticky notes, sugarless gum, and pamphlets will be given away to advertise free cessation services through the Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW). This is made possible by a grant from Tobacco-Free Living.
- Student Health Services provides smoking cessation counseling and a referral to the Quit With Us program. QuitwithusLA.org is a free online resource. Other online resources include the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association.
- Beginning in February 2009, the University Counseling Center (in conjunction with Tulane) will offer a free and confidential eight-week smoking cessation group to faculty and staff.
The initial SGA proposal suggested that we impose fines to enforce the restrictions on smoking. We are not going to do this. I believe it better for us if we each take responsibility for encouraging, supporting, and challenging one another to build a cleaner, healthier, more smoke free campus.
It seems to me that we should situate the question of smoking and our current policy in the context of healthy living. The overriding issue is not only about smoking but how best to live a healthy, responsible human life. We already have on campus a number of initiatives to promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle. I would invite everyone to take part in any or all of them:
Lectures:
- "Stress and Exams,” Dr. Marvin Clifford (Ochsner), Tonight, 7 p.m., Carrollton Hall lobby
* In the spring, there will be two health education brown bag lunch presentations by Ochsner physicians. Stay tuned for the schedule.
Events:
- Celebrate Brain Power, December 1 – 5, Schedule of various events
- Massage Therapy: Free chair massages will be offered during the week of December 8 – 12. Please stop by the University Sports Complex for a list of times.
- Celebrate Staying Active, January 19 – 26, Schedule of various events.
- Crescent City Classic, April 11, 2009, Registration begins in January ($20/individual)
Fitness:
- Wolfpack Fit Club: Starting in January, the University Sports Complex will be offering team personal training. For more information, contact Kristi Salvaggio.
- Group exercise: The University Sports Complex currently offers 19 free classes a week.
- Free Fitness Assessments are available at the University Sports Complex throughout the year. Appointments required. For more information, contact Kristi Salvaggio.
I encourage every member of our Loyola community to take part in building a personally, socially, and environmentally responsible lifestyle, which includes not smoking, and that people will be compassionate in their encouragement of one another. I also trust that smokers will use the designated smoking areas and be respectful of the health of others, and request that nonsmokers and smokers alike please refrain from filling ashtrays with garbage to prevent the start of a fire.
With best wishes,
Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J.
President
20 November 2008