New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is committed to promoting a healthy, safe, and comfortable environment for all NYIT students, faculty, staff, and visitors, including patients visiting our academic health care centers. This policy addresses a pilot program on NYIT’s New York campuses to supplement the no-smoking policy in effect within all NYIT buildings:

• On the NYIT-Old Westbury campus, the smoke-free zone comprises all buildings and surrounding grounds of the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, including its health care center, as well as the School of Health Professions, and Tower House.
• On the NYIT-Manhattan campus, the smoke-free zone is within 20 feet of the entrance of 26 West 61st St.

Signage will be posted on each campus; online maps display the smoke-free areas.

The policy is focused at reducing the health risks related to smoking and secondhand smoke for the campus community. In addition to causing direct health hazards, smoking contributes to college costs in other ways, including potential fire damage, cleaning and maintenance costs, and costs associated with absenteeism, health care, and medical insurance. Smoke-free and tobacco-free policies are becoming a standard at universities in order to support a healthy environment for the community at large.

Pilot Smoke-Free Zone Policy

Effective January 14, 2013, smoking is prohibited within the smoke-free zones, which are defined as and encompass the area 20 feet south of the Riland Health Care Center and extending 20 feet north of Tower House, and 20 feet west of the 500 building and 20 feet east of Serota Hall on the Old Westbury campus, and within 20 feet of the entrance of 26 West 61st St in Manhattan.

The smoke-free zone on each campus (see map) includes: exterior open spaces, loading docks, parking lots, on-campus sidewalks, streets, driveways, and in all university-owned or leased vehicles. Smoking is permitted in privately owned vehicles. Signs will be displayed in prominent, visible areas.

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors and visitors.

Definitions

• Smoking: the burning of tobacco or any other material in any type of smoking equipment, including but not restricted to cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

Compliance

All management, including administrators, deans, directors, department chairs, and supervisors will ensure that this policy is communicated to everyone within their areas of responsibility.

The success of this policy depends on the thoughtfulness and consideration of smokers and non-smokers in the defined smoke-free zones. NYIT encourages all individuals to cooperatively work together, as the responsibility lies within the NYIT community to self-enforce this policy. NYIT faculty, staff, and students who invite guests and/or visitors to campus are responsible for ensuring that their guests/visitors are aware of and comply with this policy. Visitors who do not comply with the policy are subject to having their access to campus restricted or revoked.

At times, enforcement may be necessary to aid in the adoption of this new policy, and NYIT faculty, staff, and students who are found in violation will be subject to disciplinary action. While campus security will assist in helping students and employees address violations, this policy is intended to be self-policing, and a form is available online for members of the NYIT community to report repeated violations of the policy. In accordance with the applicable law and NYIT policy, any individual can report a violation without fear of retaliation.

Ultimately, NYIT Human Resources and NYIT Office of Campus Life will be responsible for issuing warnings and/or sanctions to repeat offenders for faculty/staff violations and student violations, respectively.

Smoking Cessation Assistance/Programs

NYIT’s Office of Counseling and Wellness offers support groups, referrals, and educational materials for those looking to quit smoking. Following is a list of additional support services:

Approved by: President Guiliano, Dec. 6, 2012.