For Immediate Release
November 15, 2010

Cañada Will be a Smoke-Free Campus Jan. 1

The College Planning Council, with student input, approves the change in campus smoking policy.

Cañada College will become a smoke-free campus on Jan. 1 after the College Planning Council revised the campus smoking policy at its Nov. 4 meeting. The new policy will prohibit smoking on campus. Smoking will be allowed only in designated parking lots.

"The issue was brought to us by concerned students, staff, and faculty," said Cañada College President Tom Mohr. "We have discussed changing the procedure for the past year."

The College Planning Council discussed the issue at six different meetings. The Safety Committee also discussed the issue at numerous meetings. On Sept. 2, the College Planning Council appointed a Smoking Task Force which included two representatives from the Safety Committee, two from the Associated Students of Cañada College, one representative from the College Planning Council, and five representatives from the campus at large. This group was charged with collecting information and recommending a policy.

Students were actively engaged in the discussion. The Student Activities Coordinator brought the topic to ASCC for discussion and the ASCC board apointed representatives to the Smoking Task Force. ASCC representatives attended the College Planning Council meeting to show support for the proposed smoking policy.

On Oct. 8, the Smoking Task Force distributed an online Smoking Survey to faculty, staff, and students via the college website, Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail. A total of 651 repsonses were received with the following results:

• 38 percent did not want smoking and tobacco products allowed on campus, including the parking lots
• 22 percent felt smoking and tobacco products should be restricted to parking lots
• 39 percent felt smoking and tobacco products should be allowed only in designated smoking areas.

"The survey showed that a clear majority - 60 percent - felt smoking and tobacco products should not be allowed on campus," Mohr said. "The results of the survey coupled with the numerous discussions on the topic have led us to make the policy change."

 

 

For more information, contact Robert Hood, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at hoodr@smccd.edu or 306-3340