Suggested penalties include fines, essays, workshops
Students could be required to pay fines, write essays and attend workshops if they’re caught using tobacco under a proposed ban.
The list of sanctions was released Wednesday to student senate, which will consider a resolution to endorse them next week.
The structure of the punishments is modeled on the university’s drinking policy, said Morgan Smith, a second-year political science student who chairs the Tobacco Free Carolina Study Board. Last semester, USC rolled out steeper sanctions for alcohol violations.
After their first offense, students would be required to attend a 30-minute workshop by Campus Wellness, according to the proposal. It would focus on the effects of tobacco on health and the environment, how to quit and the new USC policy.
For a second offense, they will be hit with a $50 fine and have to write an essay or make a video on the prompt “How would my future tobacco use affect me?” — and depending on how willing they are to quit, they’ll be required to either complete an on-campus or referral cessation program or write an essay on the documentary “Addiction Incorporated.”
On their third violation, students would be placed on probation for a semester, pay a $75 fine and, depending on if they’re willing to quit, either complete a cessation program, write an essay or make a video about tobacco’s medical effects.
Funds from fines would be put into the university’s tobacco programs, Smith said.
After that, students would be referred to the Carolina Judicial Council, though Smith said she didn’t think suspensions were likely at that point.
“I’m guessing that they would not rule in favor of suspending someone, but it would be up to them,” she said.
Initially, Smith said she joined the study group to try to change the policy from an outright ban, which she doesn’t support. But she said she sees credit in the proposed rules, saying they were lighter than earlier suggestions by Healthy Carolina.
“If there is going to be a tobacco-free campus, I think these sanctions are lenient and fair,” Smith said. “What I really like about them is that they have educational components after every single offence.”
Rules for faculty and staff are being developed by Human Resources, Smith said, and include a three-strikes policy. Rules for students were developed with USC police, the Office of Student Conduct, the Office of Student Services, Campus Wellness staff and Healthy Carolina.
Enforcement has been a long-standing question for such a ban, and the latest proposal would depend on students, faculty and staff to report tobacco users with the university’s existing incident report form.
The study group is also considering other ways to enforce the measure, like seeking student volunteers, Smith said. The University of Kentucky, for example, has an ambassador program to identify tobacco users, tell them about the school’s rules and garner information for a report.
The sanctions aren’t yet set, though, Smith said. If student senate votes to endorse the measures next week, it’s possible the study board could change them later on.
But for now, there’s dissension in senate about how to approach the ban.
Next week, three bills related to the proposal are up for a second reading — one to endorse it, another to OK the sanctions and a third to reject a full, 24-hour ban.
The third bill, which lists 11 sponsors, suggests a full tobacco ban on campus from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, when most students are on campus. At night, the existing rules — which don’t allow tobacco use within 25 feet of buildings — would be in effect.
At a meeting last week, tobacco study board members said such a proposal was worth consideration, Smith said, and it’ll come up in a committee meeting in March, she said.