News
College Smoking Policies Examined
Daniel Cook, Ph.D. and faculty in Community Health Sciences, and Goda Damera, MPH student, presented a poster at the 2008 American Public Health Association annual meeting, reporting qualitative researchon smoking on college campuses. The objective was to assess the need for any additional tobacco controlpolicy on Nevada college campuses, and to determine any barriers to new policy. Cook and Damera conducted a 
systematic literature review to ascertain the best practices for tobacco control on college campuses. They then examined the current policy at the University of Nevada, Reno. Goda observedcampus buildings for signage and ashtrays, and added pictures of doorways to the poster.
Twenty specific goals for tobacco control policy on college campuses were identified. UNR has nine of these policies and two others are unclear. The authors concluded campuses should improve communication of outdoor restrictions, remove ashtrays, anddevelop a stronger tobacco control network.
Photo: D. Cook, PhD, APHA 2008
MPH Graduate Directs Indian Health Services in 24 States
Tim Ricks, DDS, with a dental practice on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, entered the School of 
Community Health Sciences as one of our first students. After graduation from School of Community Health Sciences (public health) in 2004, Dr. Ricks went on to complete a Dental Public Health Residency with the Indian Health Service, but was still focused at Pyramid Lake.
In 2006, after his two-year residency, Dr. Ricks moved to Nashville, Tennessee to assume the Directorship of the Nashville Area Indian Health Service Office of Public Health. In this capacity, he oversees all medical care, dental care, nursing, behavioral health, alcohol/substance abuse, health education, health promotion and disease prevention, elder care, statistics, electronic health record, and managed care (including business office) for an Area of the Indian Health Service that covers 24 states and stretchesfrom Maine to Texas. Altogether, our office provides oversight to 28 tribes and 3 tribal urban programs (in Baltimore, Boston, and NYC). Dr. Ricks enjoys his work, stating that it is "an exciting job and I look forward to coming to work every day. The MPH program prepared me well!"
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