Santa Ana, Santiago Canyon Colleges Go Smoke-Free
Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges in Orange County, CA, join the ranks of a growing number of smoke-free college campuses in California and nationwide.
Santa Ana, CA, February 07, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Students, faculty, and staff will breathe cleaner air at Santa Ana College (SAC) and Santiago Canyon College (SCC) on February 9—the first day of spring semester classes. These Orange County community colleges join the ranks of a growing number of smoke-free college campuses in California and nationwide.
According to the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, a California-based advocacy group, the number of completely smoke-free colleges and universities has more than quadrupled since 2006 from 34 to almost 160. An informal poll of the state’s community colleges indicates that some twenty California community colleges are among that number.
SAC College Council has declared the college a tobacco-free institution. As such, the use of all types of tobacco will be prohibited on the campus proper, including all college facilities, buildings, sidewalks, and the college mall. Tobacco is defined to include any lighted or unlighted cigarette, pipe, clove cigarette, or any smoking product, and smokeless or chewing tobacco. Smoking will only be permitted on parking lots around the perimeter of the campus.
“As a college, we are moving into our second century—an era focusing on health, wellness and environmentalism—without the hazard of second-hand smoke on campus,” said Erlinda J. Martinez, Ed.D., SAC president. “During the soft rollout of a tobacco-free campus, we will focus on raising awareness through signage, information on the Web site and schedule of classes, as well as gentle enforcement.”
At SCC, the Academic Senate, Associated Student Government, and the classified advisory group passed resolutions in support of a smoke-free campus with designated smoking areas in perimeter parking lots only. Smoking is also prohibited in vehicles transporting students and staff for instructional and extracurricular activities. An educational campaign, including signage, flyers, banners, information in class schedules, as well as announcements of monthly smoking cessation classes will raise awareness of the smoke-free campus declaration.
“All campus constituencies have realized that second-hand smoke is a great concern to our health,” said Juan Vázquez, SCC president. “We will concentrate on changing the college culture through education rather than penalties.”
At both colleges, campus governance groups have considered going smoke-free for a year or more. At SCC, the change was initially student-driven said student health coordinator Beth Hoffman, RNMN. Since spring 2008, college constituency groups have discussed the scope and impact of a smoke-free campus. At SCC, students and staff will be encouraged to sign up for the smoking cessation classes that are scheduled every month at the Orange Education Center. At SAC, offering smoking cessation classes through the college’s Community Services Program is in the works.
For more information on smoking cessation, call Santiago Canyon College Student Health Services at (714) 628-4773 or Santa Ana College Student Health Services at (714) 564-6216.
For additional information about the colleges’ spring semester, including registering for classes beginning February 9, contact SAC at (714) 564-6005 or www.sac.edu or SCC at (714) 628-4901 or www.sccollege.edu.
About the Rancho Santiago Community College District
The mission of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is to respond to the educational needs of an ever-changing community and to provide programs and services that reflect academic excellence. Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of RSCCD, which serve the residents of Anaheim Hills, East Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, customized training for business and industry, and programs to train nurses, firefighters and law enforcement personnel.
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According to the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, a California-based advocacy group, the number of completely smoke-free colleges and universities has more than quadrupled since 2006 from 34 to almost 160. An informal poll of the state’s community colleges indicates that some twenty California community colleges are among that number.
SAC College Council has declared the college a tobacco-free institution. As such, the use of all types of tobacco will be prohibited on the campus proper, including all college facilities, buildings, sidewalks, and the college mall. Tobacco is defined to include any lighted or unlighted cigarette, pipe, clove cigarette, or any smoking product, and smokeless or chewing tobacco. Smoking will only be permitted on parking lots around the perimeter of the campus.
“As a college, we are moving into our second century—an era focusing on health, wellness and environmentalism—without the hazard of second-hand smoke on campus,” said Erlinda J. Martinez, Ed.D., SAC president. “During the soft rollout of a tobacco-free campus, we will focus on raising awareness through signage, information on the Web site and schedule of classes, as well as gentle enforcement.”
At SCC, the Academic Senate, Associated Student Government, and the classified advisory group passed resolutions in support of a smoke-free campus with designated smoking areas in perimeter parking lots only. Smoking is also prohibited in vehicles transporting students and staff for instructional and extracurricular activities. An educational campaign, including signage, flyers, banners, information in class schedules, as well as announcements of monthly smoking cessation classes will raise awareness of the smoke-free campus declaration.
“All campus constituencies have realized that second-hand smoke is a great concern to our health,” said Juan Vázquez, SCC president. “We will concentrate on changing the college culture through education rather than penalties.”
At both colleges, campus governance groups have considered going smoke-free for a year or more. At SCC, the change was initially student-driven said student health coordinator Beth Hoffman, RNMN. Since spring 2008, college constituency groups have discussed the scope and impact of a smoke-free campus. At SCC, students and staff will be encouraged to sign up for the smoking cessation classes that are scheduled every month at the Orange Education Center. At SAC, offering smoking cessation classes through the college’s Community Services Program is in the works.
For more information on smoking cessation, call Santiago Canyon College Student Health Services at (714) 628-4773 or Santa Ana College Student Health Services at (714) 564-6216.
For additional information about the colleges’ spring semester, including registering for classes beginning February 9, contact SAC at (714) 564-6005 or www.sac.edu or SCC at (714) 628-4901 or www.sccollege.edu.
About the Rancho Santiago Community College District
The mission of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is to respond to the educational needs of an ever-changing community and to provide programs and services that reflect academic excellence. Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of RSCCD, which serve the residents of Anaheim Hills, East Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, customized training for business and industry, and programs to train nurses, firefighters and law enforcement personnel.
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Contact
Rancho Santiago Community College District
Judy Iannaccone
714-480-7503
www.rsccd.edu
Director, Communications
Judy Iannaccone
714-480-7503
www.rsccd.edu
Director, Communications
Contact
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