Tobacco-Free: 2.02

Administrative Procedures

PURPOSE

This procedure establishes guidelines for prohibiting all tobacco use on all Hillsborough Community College properties for all members of the College Community.

GENERAL INFORMTION

The College is dedicated to providing a healthy and productive environment for all faculty, staff, students, visitors, and contractors. By endorsing a tobacco free environment, the College demonstrates its commitment to eliminating environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, promoting healthy practices and choices for individuals, and establishing a collegiate culture of wellness.

DEFINITIONS

Smoking – inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any heated or lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or any other lighted tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation.

Tobacco Products - all forms of tobacco, including - cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco includes, but is not limited to, the use of snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless pouches, or other forms of loose leaf tobacco. Electronic cigarettes are also prohibited.

Members of College Community – includes faculty, staff, students, volunteers, customers, contractors, and visitors.

Facility Grounds – any building or structure, athletic field, parking lot, or any other outdoor property owned, leased, or contracted by HCC, as well as any vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by HCC, or any private vehicle on HCC Property.

PROCEDURE

Tobacco-use is prohibited on all Hillsborough Community College properties, including owned and leased buildings, student housing, outdoor areas, parking lots and garages, courtyards, entrance and exit ways, and College vehicles. This procedure prohibits use of all tobacco products while on HCC property. Organizers and attendees at public events, such as conferences, meetings, social events, cultural events and athletic events using HCC facilities are required to abide by the College’s Tobacco-Free Administrative Rule.

A. COMPLIANCE

The Tobacco-Free HCC policy will be prominently posted by way of signage at numerous locations throughout each college campus/facility. The policy will also be posted on the HCC website and in various student materials and documents and communication from College Departments, such as Human Resources, Purchasing, etc.

B. ENFORCEMENT

• All members of the College community are encouraged to respectfully remind faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors, and guests, who are smoking or using tobacco products on College property about the Tobacco-Free Policy. Information literature will be available for distribution to tobacco users and to any member of the HCC community.

• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) staff will be responsible for reminding any member of the college community who is using tobacco on College property about the Tobacco-Free policy and provide them with a copy of the information card. DPS may ask to see identification for tobacco users and may complete an incident report for anyone who is found to be in violation of the College’s policy.

• Violation of the Tobacco-Free policy by faculty and staff will be addressed through the existing Disciplinary and Corrective Action procedure. Violators will be referred to the appropriate supervisor; repeated violations shall be reported to Human Resources and managed through the normal disciplinary process.

• Violation of the Tobacco-Free policy by students will be referred to the appropriate Dean of Student Services. After the third offense there may be possible disciplinary action per the Student Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure.

• Violation by visitors, will be addressed by giving the visitor a copy of the Tobacco-Free HCC information literature and by being asked to extinguish any lighted materials or dispose of other tobacco products. Visitors who fail to comply with this request will be asked by DPS to leave College property immediately.

  C. EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE

  HCC is committed to assisting employees and students through educational and cessation assistance resources and programs to help them avoid the use of tobacco products. The Employee and Student Assistance Programs and the College’s health provider will serve as primary referral services. The Tobacco-Free website will provide a comprehensive listing of cessation resources and workshops.

HISTORY

Adopted: 10/15/85 Revised: 8/5/88; 7/31/90; 9/24/91; 9/15/92; 9/30/92 Formerly: 2.030; 1.003; 3.28