Tobacco-Free Campus
Daytona State College will become a tobacco free campus, projected to take effect August 1, 2013. During the April 18, 2013 Board of Trustees meeting, Policy 7.16, Tobacco Free Policy, was passed, almost unanimously, with one board member, Bob Davis, voting against it.

The meeting opened with comments from the public. Three people spoke, each giving their reasons for wanting a tobacco-free campus. Melanie McDonough, Program Director for the Respiratory Care Program, brought visual aids. She compared a healthy set of lungs to ones that had been exposed to cigarette smoke. The exposed set had black spots caused by carbon particles from cigarettes, and also had a different texture from the healthy ones. Pointing out quitting cigarettes is a process; McDonough stated, “It takes on average seven times to quit smoking. That means you stop and start six times before you are successful.” DSC does offer cessation classes to help. Mitch Pietras reiterated facts concerning other campuses that are already tobacco or smoke free. Robert Hill compared the right of smokers to that of someone who owns a weapon. Even with a concealed weapons permit, the right to bear arms is not permitted on campus. Hill noted, “Just because you cannot smoke here, doesn’t mean you lose your rights, you just cannot exercise it here.”

Construction is projected to begin fall 2013 on the Flagler Palm Coast campus of Daytona State College. Slated to open fall 2014, just in time for a new school year, the 2-story building will relieve overcrowding and offer amenities not currently available on that campus.

Not only will there be more classrooms, but conveniences that are taken for granted on the main campus will be much appreciated, such as a snack area offering ‘grab & go” food and coffee, and a bookstore. This is a great improvement on the vending machines and the temporary bookstore which is only open a few days at the beginning of each semester.

During any normal day at the College Writing Center, it’s a quiet, pencils-on-paper scratching for words atmosphere. Occasionally, whispers are heard between students and tutors.

Finals week is the complete opposite. The room is packed with students in tears on the edge of desperation. Fearing failure, finals week has a negative connotation among students.

The Academic Support Center, in conjunction with the DSC/UCF Writing Center, is trying to change that with an event called “Cram for the Exam.”

Students of Daytona State College’s Flagler Campus are organizing efforts for a positive impact on the community. Mid-spring, Flagler Campus Dean Kent Ryan, his assistant, Rhonda Mitchum, psychology professor Dr. Jon McNeeley and Ram Nayar, Senior Professor of Microbiology, several community volunteers and about 20 students huddled into the tiny faculty break room at the Flagler/Palm Coast campus to discuss forming a chapter of the Roteracht Club, the student version of the Rotary Club service organization.

Dr. McNeeley, a Roteracht veteran since 1983, signed on to sponsor the student chapter and recruited the heads of the Pierson and Flagler chapters, Tim O’Donnell and Sandra McDermott and Donna Tofai, respectively. Several other key community activists also are assisting the group to adhere to Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.”

It was a warm and friendly atmosphere among faculty, Board of Trustee members, executive directors, deans and even DSC College President Dr. Carol Eaton during a Daytona State College Foundation breakfast at the Conference Center March 27.

Established in1974, the Foundation’s main focus is to help support students financially, so that they may be able to excel in school without the worry of where the rest of the money for their tuition is coming from. The Foundation also helps necessary projects the college is not able to afford. The majority of support for the Foundation comes from private donors. The rest comes from the community, as well as employees of the college, including administration, faculty and staff members. Eighty percent of the Foundation’s money goes to tuition scholarships for DSC students.