MCC trustees consider tobacco-free campus ♥

As published October 22, 2011 in the Courier-Tribune

by Hugh Martin

TROY — At their October meeting, trustees of Montgomery Community College discussed the possibility of implementing a policy making the school’s campus tobacco-free beginning on Aug. 1, 2012.

President Dr. Mary Kirk explained that the time between the approval of such a policy and the actual implementation would serve as an education period, which officials hope would allow staff, students and visitors to the campus an opportunity to cut back or stop smoking.

Tobacco is already restricted in buildings, with designated areas available for tobacco use. If the tobacco-free policy is approved, such use will be prohibited “in all campus buildings, facilities, and outside areas of the campus or in vehicles that are the property of the college, at lectures, conferences, meetings, social and cultural events held on campus.”

Now, 29 of the state’s community colleges are 100 percent tobacco-free while 28 are not. Randolph Community College is 100 percent tobacco-free.

A survey of MCC employees showed that 5 percent are tobacco users. No numbers were available for the student body.

Student Government Association President Sharon Hurley told trustees that, as word of the policy has spread on campus, she had been hearing negative comments from tobacco users.

“I have had some students tell me that they will leave school if the policy goes into effect,” Hurley said.

Kirk asked Hurley, “Do you think they would really leave?”

Hurley responded, “I don’t know, but I would hate to think that someone would end their college career because they weren’t able to smoke a cigarette.”

Trustee Earle Connelly asked if tobacco users could do so in their own vehicle while on campus.

Roger Reynolds, vice president of administrative and student services, told the board that it was his understanding that RCC allows tobacco use in personal vehicles as long as windows are closed and debris is not disposed of outside the vehicle, which would be a violation of the policy.

As for enforcement, Kirk said the Student and Employee Discipline Policies would serve for the new policy as it does for all others.

Trustees approved further study on establishing the policy, which will be brought back to the board at a later date.

In other business, trustees:

• Heard a presentation from Instructor Abraham Encinas-Torres on the English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

• Were introduced to new employees Ernest Everington, system technician, and Tim Kennedy, director of assessment and institutional effectiveness.

• Approved hiring Harriet Johnson as accounts receivable specialist.

• Approved a $5 increase in student fees for the TEAS exam (Test of Essential Academic Skills) for nursing students.

• Approved over $63,000 worth of assorted Marlin and Remington gun stocks from Remington Arms to the MCC gunsmithing program.