Handbook of Operating Procedures

I. POLICY AND GENERAL STATEMENT

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ("University") is committed to a completely tobacco-free environment for all members of its own community and for all other individuals who enter its leased or owned property. The use of tobacco will not be permitted on the premises or grounds of the University, including leased and owned property, nor in University-owned vehicles. Further, the use of tobacco will not be permitted in University Housing.

The University also prohibits tobacco manufacturers from sponsoring research conducted at the university through grants and contracts. In addition, the University prohibits sales, sponsorship, advertising and promotional activities of tobacco on campus or at University-sponsored events.

Failure to comply with the policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion or termination. Individuals who fail to comply with the provisions of this policy will be subject to the applicable disciplinary procedures, or for tenants, applicable penalties under their lease agreement.

II. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this policy, tobacco means all forms of tobacco products, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (hookah), bidis, kreteks, electronic cigarettes, vaping, smokeless tobacco, snuff and chewing tobacco, and any electronic nicotine delivery systems or electronic smoking devices.

III. PROCEDURE

Signs that convey the University's policy will be posted conspicuously throughout University property (e.g., near entrances, in lobbies, near elevators and in other areas of public access).

Any individual employee or trainee found to be in violation of the tobacco-free workplace policy will be asked by a University representative, typically a University of Texas Police - Houston ("UTP-H") employee or a representative of management, to immediately cease the use of tobacco. The University representative will ask for the individual's identification and will advise the Office of Institutional Compliance (“OIC”) of the incident.

Individuals who are in a supervisory or managerial role are expected to assume responsibility for implementing this policy. Managers and supervisors who observe violators of this policy should address violators and ask them for their names, department, and name of their supervisor or school administrator. The manager/supervisor should then alert OIC of the incident by an email message which includes the date, location and time of the incident as well as the name, department, and supervisor or school administrator of the violator.

OIC will document incidents and advise the appropriate employee's supervisor or school administrator of the violation.

OIC will ask the supervisor/school to regard this incident in the same way as any other similar policy violation. The supervisor/school may take the appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion or termination, depending upon the severity, number and type of violations.

Visitors to the campus will be asked by UTP-H or University representatives to cease the use of tobacco or leave the campus. UTP-H will be responsible for escorting visitors who violate this policy from the campus.

Administrators for off-campus facilities are responsible for enforcing this policy for all employees, trainees, visitors and patients at the respective off-campus facility.

For assistance with locating tobacco treatment and/or cessation services, employees, residents and fellows may contact the Office of Employee Assistance Programs at 713-500-3327.  Students and visiting students may contact Student Health & Counseling Services at 713-500-5171.

IV. CONTACTS

• • Office of Institutional Compliance
  • 713-500-3294
  • compliance@uth.tmc.edu
  • https://www.uth.edu/compliance/
• • Office of Employee Assistance Programs
  • 713-500-3327
  • https://inside.uth.edu/ut-counseling/getuthealthy/
• • Student Health & Counseling Services
  • 713-500-5171
  • https://www.uth.edu/studenthealth/

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