Tobacco-Free Campus

The College of St. Scholastica is committed to providing a safe, clean and healthy environment for its students, staff and faculty, and guests. To this end, the College has decided to become tobacco free, effective Jan. 1^st of our Centennial year, 2012.

Smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco will be prohibited on College property. This policy includes all CSS campuses (Brainerd, Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Paul). This includes out of doors as well as in vehicles, residence halls and restrooms.

Not only does this policy support research documenting health risks of smoking, but it also strengthens our values of hospitality, respect and stewardship.

There are many reasons this tobacco-free policy is a good step:

• It will improve the health of all people of St. Scholastica. Research shows that tobacco-free policies result in health benefits to smokers and reduce risks of second-hand smoke for non-smokers.
• Nearly 70 percent of respondents to a survey of St. Scholastica students, faculty and staff are in support, including about one-quarter of smokers. A sobering sidelight from the survey shows that almost one-quarter of smokers responding started the habit while at college. We expect the tobacco-free policy will cut that rate.
• Over 500 St. Scholastica students, faculty and staff signed a petition in favor of a tobacco-free campus.
• The Student Senate, the Student Nursing Association and other organizations endorse the change.
• Our students, when they graduate, will face increasing tobacco-free expectations and policies from employers. Twenty-one states now permit employers to actively not hire smokers.
• The Monastery and the Benedictine Health Center adopted a 100 percent tobacco-free policy for their portion of the campus back in 2008.