Objective: College and university administrators have expressed concern that adoption of tobacco-free policies may reduce applications and enrollment. This study examines adoption and implementation of 100% tobacco-free campus policies by institutions of higher education on applications and enrollment.
Participants: North Carolina private colleges and universities and public community colleges. Analysis was conducted in 2011.
Methods: Student enrollment and application data were analyzed by campus type to determine (a) if there was a difference in student applications and enrollment before and after policy implementation, and (b) if there was a difference in student applications and enrollment for campuses with versus without a policy.
Results: No significant differences were found in student enrollment or applications when comparing years prior to and following policy implementation or when comparing with institutions without 100% tobacco-free campus policies.
Conclusions: The authors found no evidence that 100% tobacco-free policy adoption had an impact on student enrollment or applications.
Keywords: organizational policies; policy making; school enrollment; smoking; universities.