January 29, 2016
By Marty Carlino and Melissa Rohman
According to documents obtained from Dominican’s Student Government Association (SGA), Dominican University officials are planning to ban all tobacco products anywhere on university property as soon as August 2016. The ban was originally planned to start in January 2017.
The ban will affect faculty and staff as well as students. Electronic cigarettes and vapor products will also be banned. Authorities haven’t determined penalties for violators. While some university officials have declined to comment on the smoking ban, as it has not yet been publicly announced. President Donna Carroll weighed in on the issue saying Thursday, “Everybody will be sensitive to the fact regarding those individuals who are smokers. It’s a challenge. It’s not a decision that we can make overnight, it’s one that we need to announce, give people time to prepare, and provide training.”
Dominican plans to spread the word through fliers and signs around campus to ensure everyone affected begins to transition into the new policies. Talks of a tobacco free campus has been in the works for over a year by many faculty and staff on campus. The Illinois Smoke Free Campus Act was signed into law in August 2014 making all public colleges and universities tobacco free. President Carroll insists Dominican is “late in the game.”
“There has been a long study and community plan to go for a non-smoking campus. Most of the campuses in Illinois are leaning towards being smoke free….we’re late in the game. I’m in support of it. I think it’s a responsible step and I think the implementation is responsibly staged,” Carroll said. Carroll continued, “It will be a healthier campus climate and it will be a institutional statement about our commitment to healthy living.”
According to the SGA documents this policy would affect any person who at any time are physically located on Dominican’s Main or Priory campus. Currently, students, faculty and staff are permitted to smoke at designated areas on campus such as outside the sliding doors near Cyber Cafe. The Office of Risk Management estimates that 17 percent of students at Dominican University use tobacco products.
Although the President’s Cabinet has approved the deal; SGA leaders want their voices heard.
“The smoke ban is still up for debate,” said SGA president Will Schuneman. “It’s up for discussion at our next meeting.If anyone wants to come and voice their opinions, we highly recommend it.”
SGA will hold its next meeting, Monday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. in Power 101. All are welcome.
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