News Release
March 2000
(Bethlehem, PA) Moravian College residence halls will
be 100% smoke-free beginning with the start of the new academic year
in fall of 2000. Since 1998, the College has prohibited smoking in all
of its administrative and academic buildings. Smoking has been permitted
in the residence halls, with the exception of designated smoke-free
residence halls. Three years ago, the College established a smoke-free
residence hall. Another was added during the fall of 1999. At present,
most buildings allow smoking only on certain floors. The new policy
will prohibit smoking in all College-owed resident halls, including
sorority and fraternity houses.
During the policy review process, consideration was given
to both the safety and the health aspects of the smoking issue. More
than two-dozen fellow institutions were surveyed to determine what their
policies were, both campus-wide and within their residence facilities.
The matter was then discussed with student representatives, who recommended
making all of the residential units smoke-free. This recommendation
was endorsed and accepted by the College administration.
"By prohibiting smoking in the residence halls we
greatly reduce the risk of fire," said Michael Wilson, Director
of Public Relations. "At the same time, we greatly reduce the health
risks associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among
our students."
Moravian College is a private, coeducational, selective
liberal arts college located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its
founding to 1742, it is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college.
For more information, visit www.moravian.edu.
