Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions About Smoking Policy

Why is North Central College going smoke and tobacco free?

North Central’s Student Governing Association began researching and surveying the student body about a smoke- and tobacco-free campus in 2013-2014. After gathering support from the student body, numerous campus offices and faculty committees, SGA submitted a proposal that was accepted by College leadership in spring 2015. Concurrently, the State of Illinois passed the Smoke-Free Campus Act that required all public colleges to go smoke-free by July 1, 2015. North Central’s decision is keeping in step with our own values, student desires and trends in higher education.

What forms of smoking and tobacco use are prohibited?

All forms are prohibited, including smoking (the use of smoke-producing tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, mini-cigars and hookah), other tobacco use (spit tobacco, snus and other smokeless products), and e-cigarette use or vaping (the use of electronic smoking devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems, even without the use of nicotine). FDA-approved cessation aids, such as nicotine patches and gum, are not prohibited.

Am I expected to quit smoking and/or tobacco use?

No, you are not being asked to quit – only to refrain from smoking or tobacco use on campus. However, if you are interested in exploring options to help you quit, see the resources on the How to Quit page.

Where CAN I smoke?

You can smoke or use tobacco products on any city-owned street and sidewalk, including the sidewalks adjacent to campus property. There are smoking urns located around the perimeter of campus adjacent to city-owned sidewalks. If you choose to smoke, please be considerate of our neighbors and of public patrons of adjacent city parks.

If I smoke near campus, where can I put my cigarette butts?

The only location where cigarette butts are allowed to be deposited on campus property are the smoking urns located directly adjacent to city-owned sidewalks. Please be respectful of the environment and the beauty of campus grounds; discarding cigarette butts on the ground is littering and introduces toxic chemicals into the ground and water supply.

What do I do if I see someone smoking?

If you see someone on campus violating the tobacco-free policy, please politely inform/remind the person that smoking and/or tobacco use is not prohibited.  You might say something like, "Hi, I'm (Chippy).  If you weren't aware, North Central recently became a completely smoke- and tobacco-free campus.  If you wouldn't mind moving to an off-campus location, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much!"  If the person ignores your request or refuses to comply, you may inform a campus official.

How will this policy be enforced?

Each person in the North Central College community shares the responsibility of enforcing the policy by respectfully letting others know about it. Additionally, representatives from each campus building or department are expected to remind people about our policy. If a person fails to comply or is disrespectful after being informed about the policy, please notify the nearest College official or call Campus Safety at 630-637-5911.

Violations of this policy will be treated like violations of any other campus policy. Student violations will follow the student conduct process, and employee violations will follow the disciplinary process through the Office of Human Resources. Visitors will be asked to refrain from smoking and, if they do not comply, may be asked to leave campus. 

Don’t I have the right to smoke?

There is no fundamental, constitutional right to smoke cigarettes; additionally, North Central College is a private institution and may set rules and regulations on its property at its own discretion. The Public Health Law Center has a publication that explains the lack of a constitutional right in more detail.