Formal Report Progress – Glen Kavaliunas

MEMORANDUM

To:                Dr. Erika Paterson, Professor English 301 – UBC

From:           Glen Kavaliunas, Student English 301 – UBC

Date:            July 9, 2020

Subject:       Formal Report Progress Report

The inquiry into the Comox Valley Campus of North Island College becoming a tobacco free campus in underway. As called for in the assignment 2:3 instructions, a progress report detailing the key factors and advancement of the project has been prepared for review. Any advice concerning the scope and procedure of the inquiry is welcomed.

Audience: The formal report will be presented to the Dean of North Island College – Comox Valley campus, as well as the head of the Student Society, and other interested stakeholders. All these groups are responsible for and value the health of students and staff at North Island College. Additionally, the report will be shared with the Executive director of Beaufort Children’s Society and the faculty chair of the Department of Early Child Education. These two groups have a vested interest in the location of at least one smoking area and the impact of the children in care at Beaufort Children’s Society. Specific audience members include:

• John Bowman – President of North Island College – Comox Valley
• Echo Hope – Comox Valley Director of North Island College Student Union
• Amanda Peters – Executive Coordinator of Beaufort Children’s Society
• Laurie Tulloch – Faculty Chair – Department of Early Childhood Care

Purpose: The objective of the report is to highlight the health risk posed to students and staff, as well as the children at Beaufort Childcare Society, through the exposure to second-hand smoke. The location of the current designated smoking areas is the main issue. The smoking areas are the legal distance from the entrance to buildings, but being at the front entrances to buildings, students and staff must walk through the smoke to go to class, the bookstore or the cafeteria. The designated smoking areas are currently roofed structures, which hold the smoke in. If there is a slight wind, the smoke carries outside of the designated smoking area.

This report and its findings are timely as North Island College Comox Valley campus is in the planning phase of a large expansion which could see an increase in tobacco use. This would also be an ideal time to move towards a tobacco free campus.

Significance: The health and welfare of students, staff and the infants and toddlers at Beaufort Children’s Center is of utmost importance. Specifically, the negative health impacts of first and second-hand smoke. Although North Island College has made some steps toward reducing exposure to second-hand smoke on campus, the designated smoking areas do little to protect to non-smokers. Some students start using tobacco products to make friends and others continue out of convenience, yet all students and staff are exposed to it as a result. Investigating the use of tobacco on campus and the impact on students is vital, especially with the increase in vaping and the unknown health results.

Research Plan:

• Distribute surveys to students and staff at North Island College (survey enclosed). This will be a sampling as it is a very large population. As there are currently no face-to-face classes and all staff are working from home, this will be an electronic survey.
• Distribute surveys to staff and parents at Beaufort Children’s Society specifically related to the Tyee building designated smoking area.
• Interview Echo Hope from North Island College Student Society as she is the representative for the students. Seek support for smoking cessation resources and services.
• Interview President John Bowman about the current tobacco policy and steps taken towards a tobacco free campus policy. Inquire how the current designated smoking areas were chosen. Also, the impact on staff. Seek support for smoking cessation resources and services.
• Research other Canadian College campuses that have gone tobacco free. What steps did they take? What were the obstacles? – Secondary sources

Writing Schedule:

• Compose surveys and interview questions- done
• Research other Canadian Campuses that have gone tobacco free and how have they done it – July 13, 2020
• Schedule interview with Echo Hope – Comox Valley Director of North Island Student Society – July 15, 2020
• Schedule interview with John Bowman – President of North Island College – July 15, 2020
• Distribute surveys to staff and students at North Island College – July 17, 2020
• Distribute survey to staff and parents of Beaufort Children’s Society – July 17, 2020
• Analyze data from surveys and interviews – July 20, 2020
• Present recommendations to audience- July 24, 2020

Thank you for reviewing the progress of this project. I look forward to your feedback.

Enclosures:

Survey for staff and students of North Island College: https://forms.gle/LNoP2AkCK7HjWYP

Survey for Staff and Parents of Beaufort Children’s Society: https://forms.gle/nSFSom6sKD4kQ49G9

Interview Questions: Eng 301 – Interview Questions – Glen Kavaliunas

Secondary data:

Canadian Cancer Society. (2018, September 18). University and College 100% Smoke-Free Campuses in Canada: National Status Report.  https://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/for%20media/Media%20releases/2018/University-college-100-percent-smoke-free-campus-national-report-2018-09-14.pdf?la=en

Non-Smokers’ Rights Association and the Smoking and Health Action Foundation. (2011). Tobacco Free Campus Guide. https://nsra-adnf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/tobacco_free_campus_guide_web_finalb.pdf

Ontario’s Tobacco Control Area Networks. (2019). Smoke Free Campuses. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. https://smokefreecampus.ca/