[CU-Smokefree] Various issues to group

[Scott P Hays]

Hello to all,

Just a few quick comments to all who have volunteered and to acknowledge
all who have contributed to date.

First is the News-Gazette editorial.  Responses are being crafted as I
write.  I think on balance the editorial is some pretty good advertising
for our cause. We welcome people to use the list for draft letters if you
want some good feedback from our supporters. But more on list use below.

Second, I have been working with Dan Lewart to establish the "tech" side
of our organization and Dan deserves all of our thanks and acknowledgment.
He and I have made many decisions which should be seen as tentative
at this point, including the use of "CU Smokefree" as a name, and the
establishment of a basic mission which is up on our new webpage:
http://cu-smokefree.chambana.net/

Third, thanks are also due to Zach Miller for providing tech support
to Dan.  There will be a $160 charge for Zach's services which we'll
need to pay once we get some money coming in.

Fourth, thanks to Tara Swearingen of Carle Hospital for securing our
next meeting space at Carle Forum.  We look forward to the involvement
of Carle, the other hospitals, and all of our local physicians throughout
the medical community.

The meeting is indeed at Carle Forum, Pollard Auditorium as Dan stated
earlier.  Tara has advised me that she has secured free parking in the
garage, we just have to tell her we're with the group as we leave.
Thanks again, Tara and Carle.  I'll post an agenda for that meeting
here soon.

Fifth, acknowledgement is also due to Theo Tsoukalas, tobacco researcher
from San Francisco, California.  Theo is a prominent researcher who has
analyzed ordinance campaigns from other places, most recently with an
article on Duluth in the American Journal of Public Health.  Theo will
be our "deep background' source for research for now, and would like to
come out to Champaign to help out at some point.

Finally, I'd like to state some policies for list maintenance. The list
should be used for the following:

Short advisories on developments in tobacco news or tobacco policy
from elsewhere.

Comments on strategic planning for the group - but remember not all
members will have email access - so collective decisions cannot be
made online.

Postings should be brief and to the point, and kept manageable for the
benefit of all subscribers. (this will be my longest - I promise)

The list is meant to be a communications mechanism for group supporters.

The list is not the place for editorializing or for extemporaneous
commentary or to share personal thoughts, observations, or experiences
with tobacco.  We're all on the same side here and there will be enough
time for that later.

Finally, as I said earlier, if anyone wishes to use the list to run a
proposed formal letter to the editor by the group for comments, I think
we can accept that. We'll see how the policy works in practice.  I would
add that no-one should purport to speak for the group in a letter unless
this is done.

For now, Dan Lewart and I will monitor the list to be sure these
guidelines are followed. But we can reconsider any or all of these
policies at future meetings.

Thanks,

Scott

Scott P. Hays, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Center for Prevention Research and Development
Institute of Government and Public Affairs
University of Illinois
Champaign, Illinois  61820

email: sphays at uiuc.edu
phone: 217.244.2616
fax: 217.244.0214