ISG plans campaign for no smoking policy
Indianapolis Student Government will start a campaign to enforce the current no smoking policy on the University of Indianapolis campus starting next semester.
The campaign will include both viral and guerilla marketing tactics. Guerrilla marketing is the use of unconventional methods of advertising to get a point across.
Students will be encouraged to speak up when they see people smoking on campus. ISG will try to encourage positive peer pressure to keep the campus smoke free, because of the potential they see in the tactic.
“Basically, we’re going to do some sort of viral or guerilla marketing that encourages students to be polite when they’re telling other students [about the policy] and taking the social responsibility, because this is something that a lot of students on campus are uncomfortable with,” said ISG President Valerie Wilson.
The current smoking policy, as written in the Student Handbook, states that “the use of tobacco is prohibited in and around all university facilities.”
Students and faculty who wish to smoke on campus must either walk to the sidewalks along Hanna Avenue or sit in their cars.
“Basically, the perimeter of campus are city streets so we can’t prohibit people from smoking on the city property or their personal cars,” said Dean of Students Kory Vitangeli. “So if someone is sitting in their car, that’s their personal property so they can in smoke their cars.”
The campaign is still in the planning stages, but Wilson is hopeful that it will encourage students to stand up for a completely smoke-free campus and use the tips to help the cause.
“We’re hoping to get students to feel comfortable going up to people smoking on campus and letting them know that [smoking] is not permitted on campus, because we find that peer pressure can be very powerful, and that if you go up to someone and remind them that that is not appropriate behavior, they’re very likely to stop,” Wilson said.
The current policy was put in effect five years ago. Vitangeli has seen many positive effects from the policy, but has noticed fewer people following it.
“I think in terms of support for the policy, there has been support for the policy and that it’s been positive,” Vitangeli said. “In terms of us being a nonsmoking campus, I think there have been issues with monitoring and enforcement of the policy.”
Vitangeli believes that the new campaign will help revitalize the no smoking policy. She wants to see the students helping to enforce this policy.
“It is everyone’s responsibility and right to tell people that we are a nonsmoking campus. So if you see someone smoking outside of the door, instead of walking by and being upset about it say, ‘Did you know we’re a nonsmoking campus?’ in a nice way that is not confrontational,” Vitangeli said. “So I think that’s what this campaign will do is really reiterate to everyone that we are a nonsmoking, campus and we all should be taking responsibility for that.”
Vitangeli is glad that ISG is stepping up to find resourceful ways to enforce the policy, so that the campus can get back to where it was in 2006.
“I think the campaign is a great idea,” Vitangeli said. “I’m glad the student government is taking it on as an issue, and I hope that it really helps refuel the fire, so that everyone gets on board and helps monitor nonsmoking on campus.”
