Council passes smoking resolution

By Eric Rangus erangus@emory.edu

The Employee Council finalized the wording of its resolution concerning Emory’s campus smoking policy at its Jan. 16 meeting in Seney Hall on the Oxford campus. The resolution passed unanimously.

It reads:

Whereas the Employee Council has studied and considered the need for, and possible options to, and the impact of a Universitywide policy regarding smoking at public building entrances and in open spaces; be it resolved that President Chace require of the appropriate person/committee/task force, the task of designating a “main entrance” to each public building (not including residence halls, fraternity houses, sorority lodges). And to further require the appropriate person/committee/task force to establish a designated distance from which smokers will be required to refrain from smoking. The purpose of this resolution is to allow one entrance to each public building on campus where nonsmokers can enter and exit without limiting their ability to breathe fresh air.

The next step is its presentation to the University Senate on Jan. 29. From there, where it would be subject to revision, the resolution would go to President Bill Chace, who would act as he sees fit. In addition to council members, President Bill McBride said he received input from several members of Facilities Management, Vice President of Equal Opportunity Programs Bob Ethridge (the council’s sponsor), and several students. All agreed with the language of the resolution. McBride estimated that completing the resolution required at least half a dozen meetings of 1–2 hours each.

In other news, the council welcomed one guest: Adair Maller, director of the Center for Organization Development, a new creation of Human Resources. Maller first described the responsibilities of the new center, which encompass training and development and employee relations, then discussed several new opportunities the center is exploring in leadership development programs for employees.

Central to this new effort, Maller said, is a program called Leadership for Results, which has just begun accepting applicants for its first classes.

Laquanda Jackson, cochair of the membership committee, distributed biographical sketches of council members who are running for officer positions for the 2002–03 year. The election will be held at the council’s February meeting, and officers will begin serving in their new positions in April. Nominations, including self-nominations, will be accepted until voting begins.

The main issue discussed in committee caucuses involved an idea to move the council’s meeting time from 2–4 p.m. to 12:30–2:30 p.m. as a way to increase attendance. The subject will be further discussed at the February meeting.

Cheryl Bowie, chair of the special issues committee, said she met with representatives from EmoryGives about its volunteer component, and she asked council members to inform her of any departments currently engaged in outreach activities. The plan is to complete a formal Universitywide volunteer event in tandem with EmoryGives before the end of the spring semester.

The next Employee Council meeting will be held Feb. 20 from 1:30–3:30 p.m. in the Oppenheimer Room of Grady Hospital’s Glenn Building.

If you have a question or comment for Employee Council, send e-mail to President Bill McBride at wjmcbri@fmd.emory.edu.