University of North Carolina Athletics
Message from the Chancellor
October 29, 2007 | General
Dear Carolina Faculty, Staff and Students:
I am pleased to announce a new University policy as a result of legislation
passed by the North Carolina General Assembly this summer and following
consultation with the Faculty Council, Employee Forum and Student Advisory
Committee. While we have banned smoking inside University buildings and
facilities for years, beginning January 1, 2008, we will expand the
no-smoking boundary to 100 feet from all University facilities, both on and
off campus, and we will not have any designated smoking areas. Smoking
in state-owned vehicles also will be prohibited.
This extension of our no-smoking zone, authorized by revisions to G.S. 143-596, provides an opportunity for the University to sustain its dedication to a healthy work and learning environment. It allows us to reduce the potential for exposure to second-hand smoke as we reinforce the efforts of our colleagues in UNC Health Care. Since July 4, the health system, School of Medicine and Campus Health Services have prohibited smoking anywhere on the grounds and parking areas around their buildings.
The practical effect of this University policy is that the campus will be smoke-free. We will begin posting temporary signs throughout campus to ensure that visitors and members of the campus community are aware of the expanded no-smoking policy. Later, we will replace these signs with permanent signs at the entrances to campus. The intent of the policy is to promote the health and well-being of people on our campus, although we understand that implementation of this policy may be stressful for some of our faculty, staff and students who choose to smoke.
As we restrict the areas where people can smoke, we also will provide many resources to help members of the Carolina community who would like to quit smoking. For information about smoking cessation assistance, students should refer to the Campus Health Services Web site, http://campushealth.unc.edu, and faculty and staff should refer to the Environment, Health and Safety Web site, http://www.ehs.unc.edu.
When the new policy goes into effect on January 1, I ask that you treat smokers courteously and, if you are comfortable doing so, simply request that people who are smoking within 100 feet of University facilities extinguish their tobacco product.
I wholeheartedly support this expanded dimension of our no-smoking policy because of its tremendous health benefits for the entire University community, and I ask for your full cooperation as we implement the policy and related procedures in January.
Sincerely,
James Moeser
Chancellor
