Lenoir-Rhyne University Adopts Tobacco-Free Policy Across All Campuses

HICKORY, NC – Tobacco-free campuses are a growing trend among colleges and universities across the nation. Lenoir-Rhyne University (LR) recently announced that the university will move to become tobacco- and smoke‐free across all campuses beginning with a soft launch in spring 2019, with a full implementation of the tobacco-free policy starting June 1, 2019. The use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, all nicotine delivery devices (excluding Nicotine Replacement Therapy) and all other tobacco products will be prohibited across all university-owned or leased properties, facilities, athletic fields and stadiums, parking lots, and vehicles.

As part of LR's strategic priority to enhance health and wellness, the university is committed to the health and well-being of its students, employees, and visitors. On June 1, 2019, LR will join the nearly 2,000 tobacco-free campuses in the U.S. and more than 80 other colleges and universities in North and South Carolina to implement such a policy.

"The health of our faculty, staff, and students is a top priority for Lenoir-Rhyne, and this is an important step toward providing a safe and clean learning and working environment," says University President Dr. Fred Whitt.

The new tobacco-free policy will allow nonsmokers to avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. Simultaneously, campuses will offer support for individuals who are current tobacco users and those who may be working toward quitting. More information about university-supported resources and programs will be forthcoming.

"We encourage the entire Lenoir-Rhyne community to champion this policy by helping to communicate, educate, and provide support to students and their peers and colleagues," Whitt says.

Featured

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

Digital Edition