The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 5, Ed. 1 Tuesday, October 4, 2011 Page: 3 of 16
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The University News
News
October 4, 2011—3
Baylor and other health providers stop hiring smokers
Michelle Baalmann
Contributing Writer
For years we have been told
that smoking is bad for us.
Now, employers are taking
more action against tobacco
use, going as far as banning their
employees from using it at all.
Starting Jan. 1, 2012, Baylor Health
Care System, one of Texas' largest
health care systems, will no longer
hire applicants who use any form of
tobacco.
Baylor Health, also one of the
largest employers in North Texas,
defends its decision by saying
that providing health insurance
for tobacco-using employees is
expensive and fails to set a good
example for patients. Baylor's
website states that "as a health care
system committed to improving
the health of those we serve, we
are asking employees to model
the same behaviors promoted to
patients."
Health care providers believe
that smoking sets smokers apart
from other employees, claiming
that employees who use tobacco
cause the company to incur
losses. According to the Food and
Drug Association, smoking costs
American employers nearly $200
billion per year in productivity loss
and higher health care costs.
The new policy will affect current
employees, though it will not require
them to give up smoking completely.
The Baylor Human Resources
department said that smokers who
currently smoke - 2 percent of the
total number of employees - will
be required to pay an insurance
surcharge of $650 per year, a $600
increase from current costs.
Also starting at the beginning of
next year, applicants who use tobacco
need not even apply to Baylor Health.
All applicants will now be required
to submit to nicotine screening, as
well as drug screening. The Baylor
Health website states, "Applicants
who test positive for nicotine will be
eliminated from consideration and
pending job offers will be rescinded."
While many individuals argue
that Baylor's new
policy against tobacco
use is unfair and
discriminatory, Dallas
employment attorneys
say that it is perfectly
legal. For businesses,
there are specific legal
classes, such as race
and religion, which
employers are not
allowed to discriminate
against. Tobacco use
is not one of these
classes, giving the
company free reign to
hire and fire based on
tobacco use, according
to Thomas Brandt, a
Dallas employment
attorney interviewed
by CBS news.
Baylor is not the first, however,
to adopt such a bold policy against
tobacco users. Hospitals across the
United States, including hospitals in
Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia and
Washington, have already put the
policy in place.
Smoking
ENTRY
Photo by Danny Sauer
Gate Hieronymus lights up her cigarette next to the "no-
smoking" sign outside of Haggar.
Could the University of Dallas
be looking at taking action against
tobacco use? Complaints have arisen
of students and faculty smoking too
close to buildings, causing health
threats to those around them
see BAYLOR, page 6
Great success at Alumn reunion weekend
Ghianda Becerril
Contributing Writer
This past weekend's alumni
reunion ended with great
success at the University
of Dallas.
Alumni from all over the nation
travelled for this reunion weekend.
Special events for the classes of
1961, 1986, 1991 and 2001 -
celebrating their 50th, 25th, 20th
and 10th graduation anniversaries
- took place all of Friday at
different country clubs and hotels
in the area.
The class of 1961 reunited at
Brook Hollow Golf Club, the class of
1 986 at Club Schmitz, the class of
1 991 at The Cellar and the class of
2001 at Aloft Hotel. The weekend
events provided a very memorable
way for the alumni to reconnect
with their past classmates.
"It is difficult for me to believe
that it's been 25 years since I left
UD," Laura Quinn, class of 1986
coordinator, said. "And although
I was excited about our class
reunion, I confess I did not expect
the weekend to be as fantastic as
it was."
Although Friday was a very
memorable event for the four
special classes, Saturday seemed
to have been the biggest event for
everyone.
"Friday was a great success,"
Leah Looten, Alumni Relations
Officer, said. "The biggest day for
everyone, however, was Saturday.
It was very well attended."
Saturday began with an Alumni
Vow Renewal Ceremony for those
who met and fell in love at UD.
"This event was a very beautiful
experience," said James Baird,
history major, class of 1986, who
met his wife during his Rome
semester. "It was wonderful to see
ail of the couples that met at UD
and later married."
Following with a sweetheart's
brunch and a Bell Tower Barbecue,
the alumni had the chance to
meet with different professors
and classmates of different
years. "It was great to see all of
the professors walking around
campus. It brought back many
memories," Baird said.
The student-alumni rugby
game was one of the biggest
events. This extremely well
attended game provided a way for
alumni to connect and relive some
of the memories during their time
at UD. The alumni and their families
even had a halftime show where
they allowed ail of the children to
have a relay race down the field.
Continuing the traditional record,
the alumni won the game.
"The faculty, staff, clergy and
students went out of their way to
ensure that Reunion 201 1 was an
event everyone could enjoy," said
Qu i n n.
One of the most interesting
events of the weekend was also a
special Archives Open House given
by Sybil Novinski. "A lot of people
liked the archives," said Looten. "It
was magnificently organized and a
wonderful way to see the history of
the university."
After a long day filled with
events, Saturday ended with a
carnival on the Mall where families
could unite and enjoy music, food
and games.
"A lot of alumni were found
enjoying themselves until the
wee hours of the night Saturday,"
Looten said.
Ending with an alumni
weekend Mass in the Church of the
Incarnation, the alumni seemed to
have enjoyed an eventful weekend.
"UD has always been about
community," Quinn said. "Revisiting
good times with dear friends, in
the faith-filled environment of the
campus, was an absolute joy for
me. And I know I'm not the only
one who feels this way."
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Howard, Christian. The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 5, Ed. 1 Tuesday, October 4, 2011, newspaper, October 4, 2011; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201551/m1/3/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Dallas.