University Policy
Widener University is dedicated to providing and promoting a healthy and productive environment for its faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests. The Tobacco-Free Policy adopted by the university in May of 2009 is consistent with that goal. By endorsing this policy, Widener University demonstrates its commitment to eliminating environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, promoting best healthcare practices and choices for individuals, and establishing a university culture of wellness.
This policy applies to all university faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests at all times. Tobacco use includes any lighted tobacco product and/or any oral tobacco product. The use of all tobacco products is prohibited within the boundaries of each of the university’s four campuses [see Appendix A]. The prohibited areas within each of the campuses boundaries include all buildings, facilities, indoor and outdoor spaces and grounds owned, rented and licensed by the university. This policy also applies to parking lots, walkways, sidewalks, sports venues, university vehicles and private vehicles parked or operated on university property.
Enforcement
All members of the Widener community are asked to respectfully remind faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests who are smoking or chewing tobacco on university property about the university’s Tobacco-Free Policy. Small information cards will be available for distribution to tobacco users by any member of the Widener community. The cards will indicate that Widener University is a Tobacco-Free university; they will be available to faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests. There will be guidance for assistance including the Widener tobacco-free website address.
Campus Safety staff will also be responsible for reminding any faculty, staff, student, visitor, contractor or guest who is using tobacco on university property about the university’s tobacco-free policy and for providing them with a copy of the Tobacco-Free information card. Campus Safety staff may ask to see identification for faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests and complete an incident report for anyone who is found violating the university’s policy. The original incident reports will be directed to the Campus Safety Office. Incident reports will be reviewed and copies of reports for students will be sent to the appropriate Student Affairs Office for processing through the student disciplinary process. Copies of reports for all employees for all campuses will be sent to the Human Resources Office in Chester for processing through the employee disciplinary process. The Human Resources Office will send a copy of the incident report to the employee’s supervisor.
There will be four levels of offenses, with a requirement for each offense that a cited student or employee attend an educational program or seek assistance for cessation, in addition to the noted penalties as follows:
- 1st Offense - Warning
- 2nd Offense - $25.00 Fine
- 3rd Offense - $50.00 Fine
- 4th Offense – Up to dismissal or termination of employment/enrollment, based on the respective disciplinary code.
Campus Safety staff will give a copy of the Tobacco-Free information card to visitors using tobacco on university property and ask them to extinguish cigarettes, cigars or pipes or dispose of smokeless tobacco products. If a visitor refuses to comply with this request, Campus Safety staff may ask the visitor to leave campus (as is currently done when visitors violate the university’s alcohol and drug policy).
Assistance
Educational and cessation assistance programs will be offered to students, faculty and staff throughout the 2010/11 academic year to help them quit using tobacco products. Any money collected from the noted fines will support the wellness education program.