Jan 01, 2015 02:18 AM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

The new year will bring a fresh start for faculty and students at SUNY Oswego as the school joins a growing number of colleges in the United States with smoke free campuses.

The university's tobacco- and smoke-free policy, which takes effect Jan. 1, prohibits smoking and all tobacco and e-cigarette use on college property, outdoors as well inside, including in any vehicles on campus.

 The new policy follows a campaign of more than eight months to raise awareness of the costs of tobacco and nicotine use and addiction, to promote and assist smoking cessation, and to communicate with the college's publics, Syracuse.com reported.

President Deborah F. Stanley, aiming "to support the educational mission of the college and to provide a safe, clean and healthy working, living and learning environment," announced SUNY Oswego's intention on Earth Day, April 22.

To reach audiences from hockey fans to prospective students, commuters to resident students and all employees, the university's Clean Air Committee has worked since then to get the word out in a wide variety of ways.

SUNY Oswego also worked with the Tobacco Free Network of Oswego County to help boost campus-community awareness of cessation services and the college's impending policy.

School officials said the college's campaign won't end on Jan. 1 with the policy's launch. Among the efforts, crews are working on permanent signs, an artist is crafting a new series of digital signs, and public address announcers at sporting events plan updated calls for fans to respect the college and its new policy.

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