The University Senate will wait another month to decide whether to recommend that the administration adopt a blueprint for making campus smoke-free.
Senate President Paul van Donkelaar said a vote planned for Wednesday was postponed because of changes to the Senate’s agenda due to a visit by Richard Lariviere, who will likely be the University’s next president. Van Donkelaar also said postponing a vote on a smoke-free campus will allow faculty members another month to think about the controversial issue and consult with their constituents.
“If I get a lot of feedback from folks I’d be happy to arrange a town hall meeting” before the Senate’s next meeting on April 8, van Donkelaar said.
Director of Student Activities Gregg Lobisser delivered a report from the Smoke-Free Campus Task Force outlining the recommendation that the University be smoke-free “no sooner than fall 2009 and no later than fall 2010.”
Lobisser said rather than enforce compliance with a smoking ban, it is more likely that most smokers would voluntarily comply after a few years of education and a chance for the campus culture to change.
Several faculty and staff members in attendance Wednesday spoke against a ban or the immediate implementation of one. Biology professor Nathan Tublitz said smokers are stressed enough in a down economy, and suggested it might be easier to adjust economically and emotionally to a smoke-free campus a few years from now.
Van Donkelaar replied that the conversation has already begun and it is necessary to make a decision, even if it is decided to not implement the change until fall of 2010.
Williex Merritt, information technology consultant in the Center on Teaching and Learning, said students have a right to attend classes without the headaches, nausea and asthma attacks that can be brought on by secondhand smoke.
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