Miami Dade College is utilizing funds from Philip Morris USA\u00a0 \u2014 a major tobacco company\u00a0 \u2014\u00a0 despite having a college-wide smoking ban.<\/p>\n
Philip Morris USA originally donated the funds\u2014$45,000\u2014 in 1991 to MDC with the purpose of creating a permanent endowment. The College then received an additional $30,000 in matching funds from the State of Florida, according to College Provost Rolando Montoya.<\/p>\n
The funds have been disbursed throughout several years to reward and recognize professors teaching courses in the areas of agriculture or natural sciences. The winners get a $22,500 stipend that is distributed during a three-year period.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy should they care if I smoke outside if they have this money?\u201d said Armando Sevilla, a 27-year-old architecture major. \u201cI don’t think it\u2019s fair. If you\u2019re against a product, then disassociate yourself with that product. Be consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ju\u00e1n Morata, a Wolfson Campus natural sciences professor, was the first Philip Morris USA endowed teaching chair selected after MDC\u00a0 instituted its College-wide smoking ban in April 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do believe students should be in a smoke free environment. However, an award is an award,\u201d Morata said. \u201cI didn’t put too much thought into it. When I applied for the chair, I didn’t look at Philip Morris, I looked at the natural sciences part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of the Endowed Teaching Chair program, every year a different company sponsors a different area of academia. This is the fifth year that Philip\u00a0 Morris USA sponsored the sciences.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to think of it as charity, not a marketing technique,\u201d Morata said.\u00a0 \u201cI never thought of it as a morality issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, on June 22, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Tobacco Control Act, giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products.<\/p>\n
Sect. 102 states that \u201cproduct sponsorship of sporting or entertainment events\u201d are banned. It also says that tobacco companies must\u00a0 limit color and design of packaging and advertisements, including audio-visual ads.<\/p>\n
Free cigarettes and promotional products, including non-tobacco products linked to tobacco products\u00a0 are also banned.<\/p>\n
Kirk O. Hanson, Executive Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University says that a contribution like the one MDC received from Philip Morris USA aids in the marketing of the product.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no question that the motive of any company that gives to a university or college is good exposure and legitimation,\u201d Hanson said. \u201cI think its ironic. However, I think\u00a0 the greater danger is that the school be tainted by products such as Philip Morris that produce disease and death, considering their new smoking ban.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Philip Morris USA\u2019s website, their No.1 item in their Mission and Values is: \u201cWe will invest in excellent people, leading brands and external stakeholders important to our businesses\u2019 success.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not have any comment beyond whats on our website,\u201d said Bill Phelps, manager of media affairs for Philip Morris USA via email. \u201cWe do not have a comment on the College\u2019s smoking restrictions policy either.\u201d<\/p>\n
Montoya feels the College is lucky to have the money.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, the College has never thought about returning the original donation,\u201d Montoya said via email. \u201cWe are glad to have these funds available to provide salary supplements to outstanding faculty members.\u201d<\/p>\n
Six schools in Florida have completely or partially banned smoking on campus: Florida International University, The University of Miami, University of Florida, Edison State College, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences in Orlando and Warner University in Lake Wales.<\/p>\n
The Reporter attempted to contact the College Provost at all those universities, but were told that they were unavailable for comment on whether or not they\u2019ve accepted monetary income from tobacco companies.<\/p>\n
What is known is that MDC has not received additional donations from Philip Morris USA after the company\u2019s original $45,000 donation.<\/p>\n
Juan Mendieta, the College\u2019s director of communications said\u00a0 MDC President Eduardo Padr\u00f3n was unavailable for comment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are we supposed to do, give it back? That’s ridiculous,\u201d Mendieta said. \u201cIt is important to note that this organization has been a leader in education funding and causes. The endowment of this organization should not be diminished in any way.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Miami Dade College is utilizing funds from Philip Morris USA\u00a0 \u2014 a major tobacco company\u00a0 \u2014\u00a0 despite having a college-wide smoking ban. Philip Morris USA originally donated the funds\u2014$45,000\u2014 in 1991 to MDC with the purpose of creating a permanent endowment. The College then received an additional $30,000 in matching funds from the State of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6824","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"\n