Converse Announces Policy for Tobacco-Free Campus

Joining a nationwide movement on college and university campuses to promote safe, healthy and comfortable living environments, Converse College announced its status as a tobacco-free campus effective August 1, 2012.

“We are committed to the well-being of every member of the Converse community, as well as those who visit and enjoy our campus,” said President Betsy Fleming. “As an institution that takes seriously its leadership role in effecting positive change in the world, Converse believes a tobacco-free policy is a responsible step towards promoting our community’s health and safety.”

Converse joins 774 colleges nationwide who have smoke-free campuses, 562 of which have complete tobacco-free policies, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. The organization’s website reports nine colleges and universities in South Carolina having smoke-free campuses, including USC-Upstate in Spartanburg.

The College has moved increasingly towards such a policy in recent years, as all campus buildings have been smoke-free and only a limited number of outdoor spaces have been designated for smoking. The policy is one of many recent advancements Converse has made to promote a healthier, more sustainable campus environment—ranging from achieving LEED-certification for new and renovated buildings, to implementing “green” cleaning plans that improve air quality and benefit the environment, to purchasing local foods for use by the campus dining service.