Media Advisory

For Release: August 15, 2008
Contact: Pamela Williams
Office of Communications
405/271-5601

State Board of Health to Promote Tobacco Free Campus Policies

WHAT: The State Board of Health will consider a resolution to formally recognize Oklahoma State University (OSU) for recent implementation of a tobacco free campus policy.

A second resolution will be considered to encourage all universities, colleges and career tech centers in Oklahoma to adopt tobacco free campus polices.

WHO: Dr. Lee Bird, Vice President for Student Affairs at OSU and Robin Purdie, Director of the OSU Seretean Wellness Center, will attend.

WHEN: Saturday, August 16, 2008
9:00 a.m.

WHERE: Oklahoma State University – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Student Union Building – Oklahoma Room, 2nd Floor

Background: In February 2005, the American College Health Association adopted a position statement encouraging educational institutions “to be diligent in their efforts to achieve a campus-wide tobacco free environment.”

In March 2008, the Oklahoma Student Government Association recommended that “all institutions for higher education in the State of Oklahoma implement policy to become a tobacco free campus.”

In May 2008, the Student Advisory Board to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recommended that “all state-funded institutions of higher education in Oklahoma should become tobacco free campuses,” adding that such policies “be individually implemented by each university administration.”

On July 1, 2008, Oklahoma State University implemented a tobacco free campus policy, becoming the first university in the Big 12 Conference to take this action.