MENTORING MINUTES

Benefit from lessons learned on the front lines of campus tobacco prevention. The following tips were compiled from interviews with college health services directors and others who have successfully planned and implemented tobacco prevention programs and policies on campuses nationwide.

• Early Stages
• Drafting Policies and Programs
• Gathering Support for Proposed Initiatives
• Soliciting Presidential and Administrative Support
• Designing Social Norms Marketing Campaigns
• Final Thoughts

In the Early Stages:

• Gather information about what similar schools are doing. Benchmarking your school’s policies against those of comparable schools can be a powerful argument for change.
• Know the research literature on college smoking. Data and numbers about tobacco use trends, the efficacy of programs and policies, and on costs of tobacco use to students, staff, and the school at large is very persuasive.
• Know the facts about your own campus. Having data about tobacco use trends at your school, the potential impact of policy and programmatic changes on campus, resources available, and the potential consequences of failing to enact change can be a powerful tool for gaining support for proposed changes from various campus groups.
• Look for funding outside of the campus. Outside funding can bolster support for your proposed changes by circumventing the need for the administration to make tough choices about funding tobacco initiatives.
• Know your campus’ political climate. The political climate on campus shifts annually, with changing administrations, changing student concerns, and events from the outside world that bring certain issues to the forefront. Determine your campus’ readiness to accept tobacco prevention policies and programs before determining what actions to take.

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When Drafting Policies and Programs:

• Know your campus. Natural boundaries, proximity of buildings, and layout of outdoor gathering areas are important to consider when imposing smoking restrictions.
• Know your campus culture. The process by which decisions are made and action takes places varies from campus to campus. Learning about your campus culture in this way will facilitate change.
• Offer cessation services. While changing the campus environment to be less permissive of tobacco use, be sure to also propose to help to those who are already addicted to nicotine.
• Utilize existing resources. While all campuses are different, there is no need to reinvent the wheel! Use existing resources to get you started. See the Resources and Links page.

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When Gathering Support for Proposed Initiatives:

• Don’t approach tobacco use as a moral issue. The idea of moralizing or judging tobacco use can create resistance to policy change, especially among students. Presenting the facts as an objective issue of public health is important.
• Solicit student support. Seeking student opinions will reduce backlash to administrative action and ensure a more smooth transition when a new policy is established.
• Consider faculty and staff when proposing policy change. Faculty and staff spend five days a week or more on campus, and are often present for many more years than are students. Creating a supportive environment for the entire campus community will help garner greater support for proposed changes.
• Engage in conversation with the campus community throughout the process. Taking the time to gather input from students, faculty, and the public is worthwhile. Increased buy-in and compliance results from inclusion, because the final policy statement incorporates input from all campus constituents.
• Involve faculty, staff, and student governing boards in smoke-free policy initiatives. Soliciting the opinions of all campus stakeholders will increase buy-in from these important campus constituents.
• Personal testimonials are always powerful. Whether faculty, students, or staff, almost everyone knows someone whose life has been negatively impacted by tobacco. Tapping into those personal connections is a powerful persuasion tool.
• Present research and data to all campus constituents. Include results from national research projects as well as information about your own school.

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When Soliciting Presidential and Administrative Support:

• Know the language that best speaks to different members of high-level administration. If the dean is an economist, use numbers in your argument. If your president is an English literature expert, use powerful prose to persuade.
• Lobby hard at the highest levels of administration. Take the time to lobby those in power on campus to commit to taking a stance on tobacco, be it the President or the administrators to whom (s)he listens to most closely.
• Pay attention to the bottom line. Financial matters are important to colleges. Understanding the financial benefit or detriment of tobacco on campus is a critical issue in policy change.
• Use the media. Using the media to draw attention to campus tobacco issues can put pressure on key stakeholders.

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When Designing Social Norms Marketing Campaigns (SNMCs):

• SNMCs should be part of a comprehensive strategy towards tobacco prevention. SNMC are most successful when a campus takes a stand to support the norms that are expressed in the campaign through policies and programs that support a smoke-free lifestyle. SNMCs will have limited effect in an environment that does not restrict tobacco use.
• Pilot test all of your campaign materials. All aspects of your campaign should be tested with students. Pilot testing is the best way to ensure that messages and materials are appealing and effective.
• Market your campaign. Students are inundated with information from countless sources. To work, your campaign materials must be noticeable, believable, and creative, but they must also be seen. Use every opportunity to get your message out to students.
• Be patient. Don’t expect immediate results. Developing an effective campaign takes time—building campaign recognition and seeing changes in behavior takes even longer.

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Final Thoughts:

• Persistence is key. Just because a proposal was turned down previously does not mean that it will be turned down the next time
• Be prepared for a long fight. Be prepared to educate and persevere in the face of obstacles.

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