MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Vaping may soon be a thing of the past on WVU property.
During Friday’s meeting of the West Virginia University Board of Governors, a change to the university’s tobacco and smoke free campus rule was unanimously approved on first reading.
WVU General Counsel Gary Furbee explained that the new rule would “include the addition of vaping for prohibition.”
According to information provided in the meeting packet, “any form of smoking, including the use of electronic smoking devices and vapor products” would be prohibited.
The rule calls for the development of a process for identifying and reporting violations, as well as locations where the smoking rules are repeatedly broken.
It also calls for the creation of a Tobacco and Smoke Free Campus Steering Committee as well as an increased commitment to providing smoking cessation options and resources.
The changes were approved with an amendment clarifying that the prohibitions pertain only to university property.
The BOG also approved a new rule pertaining to information technology resources and governance.
Copies of both proposed rules can be viewed at policies.wvu.edu.
There will be a public comment period from Dec. 17 to Jan. 21 before the items come back before the body for adoption.
In other news from Friday’s meeting, Provost Joyce McConnell said that two faculty members in WVU’s Department of History have achieved a first for the university.
“For the first time in the history of WVU, two scholars have received top fellowships through the National Endowment of the Humanities, simultaneously,” McConnell said, noting that both Katherine Aaslestad and Tamba M’bayo will receive $60,000 in the 2019-‘20 academic year to conduct research for book projects.
Further, for just the third time ever a Mountaineer has earned prestigious Marshall Scholarship, providing for two years of study in the United Kingdom.
Morgan King, an engineering graduate, was one of 48 selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants nationwide.
According to the university, King plans to enroll at University College London.
Lastly, McConnell noted WVU engineering alumni Eric Thompson, of Aurora Flight Sciences, is working with the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Research to create a talent pipeline from the university to the company’s Bridgeport Aerostructure Manufacturing facility.
McConnell said Aurora has recently teamed up with Boeing to provide assistance with aircraft design and prototyping.
“They also expect that they will be hiring many people in the Clarksburg and Morgantown corridor,” McConnell said.
Also on Friday, Richard Pill was welcomed as a new member of the board of governors.
Story by Ben Conley
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