Tobacco-Free Campus

Gardner-Webb University has a long history of enhancing quality of life for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.  Gardner-Webb serves as a center for intellectual development in Cleveland County, NC and the surrounding communities.  As a leader in higher education, Gardner-Webb has an obligation to not only develop minds, but to promote health enhancing behaviors and to provide an environment that enables improved health status. “For years, there has been evidence that reducing tobacco usage can greatly decrease frequency of cancer, stroke, heart and lung disorders and several additional health related conditions.  By implementing the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy, Gardner-Webb University is seeking to enhance the health of our students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus.”                           (Dr. A. Frank Bonner, President)

Gardner-Webb proactively prohibited tobacco use in campus facilities in 1996.  The evidence that tobacco threatens both smokers and nonsmokers continues to mount.  The latest U.S. Surgeon General’s report (June, 2006), “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke”, was Gardner-Webb’s final motivation toward launching the “Great Choices-Healthy Futures” health promotion campaign.

In this process, Gardner-Webb University does not seek to force or require cessation of tobacco product use by its students, faculty, or staff.  Gardner-Webb University seeks to uphold the personal rights and decision-making processes of all persons involved and resolves to provide educational interventions and cessation assistance for those individuals seeking assistance.

Campus:  Includes any and all University owned, leased, or maintained property including but not limited to buildings, facilities, sidewalks, roadways, parking lots, and grounds.  This includes University owned, rented, or leased vehicles.  This policy also applies to personal vehicles parked on University property.  The tobacco-free policy applies to all rental properties leased from the University.  Gardner-Webb locations away from the main campus are expected to voluntarily comply with the University’s tobacco-free policy.

This policy applies to trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, clients, and visitors.

All tobacco advertising in public spaces, such as billboard and signage, is prohibited.

Members of the Gardner-Webb University community are asked to be considerate, respectful and responsible neighbors to the Boiling Springs community.  If using tobacco products on the Town of Boiling Springs property adjacent to University property, please safely and properly dispose of tobacco waste products.

Phase I: Transitional Period August 6-November 5, 2007.Gardner-Webb University recognizes that compliance with this policy will be challenging for some members of the University community.  In an effort to foster an environment of encouragement, a Transitional Period will be provided.  During this three month period, students and employees are expected to voluntarily comply with the new Tobacco-Free Campus Policy. However, during this time, fellow students, fellow employees, and supervisors should provide verbal reminders to anyone not in compliance with the policy.  Recommendations for cessation resources may be made and encouraged.

Information cards will be available for distribution.  The card outlines the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy and provides the education resource contact information.  Anyone observing a policy violation is encouraged to non-confrontationally inform the individual of the new Tobacco-Free Campus Policy and offer an information card.

No citations will be written during the Phase I: Transitional Period. During this transitional period, the existing smoke-free facilities policy and enforcement procedures will remain in effect.

Phase II: Full Compliance November 6, 2007.The success of this policy is dependent upon the courtesy, respect, and cooperation of all administrators, faculty, staff, and students not only to comply, but to continue to encourage the compliance of others. If verbal reminders are unsuccessful, and an individual knowingly continues to violate the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy, please report the individual to the appropriate administrative office for review and disciplinary action.

Students
Students are expected to comply with all stated University      policies.  Non-compliance of the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy should be reported to the University’s Judicial Affairs Office in Student Development.  Non-compliance will require action through the University’s current judicial procedures. In addition to written documentation of non-compliance in the student’s disciplinary file, possible sanctions include, but may not be limited to a verbal warning, a $15.00 fine, 3 hours of community litter control service, or completion of a tobacco educational intervention.  Proceeds from fines collected will be utilized to enhance tobacco cessation programs.

Staff
As an employer, Gardner-Webb University has the right to limit the use of tobacco products on its property. Those employees who use tobacco products do not have the right to violate this policy.  An employee who fails to comply with the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy will first receive verbal warning from his/her direct supervisor.  In the event of a second violation of policy, the employee’s supervisor will place written documentation in the employee’s performance file to be utilized during the University’s annual employee performance evaluation process.  Non-compliance should be reported to the employee’s supervisor.  Many cessation or other educational intervention resources are available for use by employees and may be recommended or required by the employee’s supervisor.

Faculty
As an employer, Gardner-Webb University has the right to limit the use of tobacco products on its property.  Those faculty members who use tobacco products do not have the right to violate this policy.  A faculty member who fails to comply with the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy will first receive verbal warning from the faculty member’s associate provost.  In the event of a second policy violation, the faculty member’s associate provost will place written documentation in the faculty member’s performance file to be utilized during the University’s annual faculty evaluation process.  Non-compliance of any faculty member should be reported to the faculty member’s associate provost.  Many cessation or other educational intervention resources are available for use by faculty members and may be recommended or required by the appropriate associate provost.

Personnel Renting/Using Grounds or Facilities
Gardner-Webb University has the right to limit the use of tobacco products on its property.  Personnel renting/using the grounds/facilities do not have the right to violate this policy. Contract agreements with such personnel may be terminated or not renewed.  Fines may be assessed.

Visitors/Others
Information cards will be available to all faculty, staff, and students to give to visitors who are observed using tobacco products on campus property.  Providing these cards gives a friendly reminder and promotes policy compliance.