SGA Supports Student Smoking Area

During last night’s meeting, Georgia Southern University’s Student Government Association voted to stand in favor of the majority vote of the staff and students for limited tobacco use on campus. SGA stands in favor of the majority vote of the staff and students, Patrice Buckner, Dean of Students, said. The survey was distributed to students in fall of 2011. The results of the survey show that 46 percent of students and staff voted to “limit tobacco use on campus and create tobacco friendly zones,” 29 percent of students and faculty voted to “create a tobacco free campus,” and 26 percent of students and staff voted to “maintain current tobacco policy.” “We, the Student Government Association of Georgia Southern University, support the implementation of smoking zones to be created across the entire campus,” according to the resolution. The earliest the policy may be implemented is summer 2012, Standifer said. “The absolute earliest we can get students educated and start implementing the policy will be this coming summer. Students may start to see signs around,” Standifer said. SGA is not yet sure if the new smoking policy would drastically change housing contracts, Buckner said. “Right now, smoking is not allowed inside the residence halls, but you can smoke in the courtyard or just outside. Kennedy Hall is a special exception, because its residence hall is built around its courtyard, which directly affects the rooms,” Buckner said. “Students from the Student Government Association, along with members of the faculty senate and staff council, will form a committee that will accept recommendations from all university constituents to aid in the designation of the most appropriate locations for smoking zones,” according to SGA’s Resolution for Recommendation to Establish Smoking Zones on Campus. The distinction of zones will be decided by the committee, Alton Standifer, president of SGA said. “The committee will decide on the zones and where exactly they will be on campus. So far, no consequences are in state for violators of the zones,” Standifer said. Senator Precious Lango of the College of Health and Human Sciences expressed concern about the probability of smoking students to use the smoking zones, when no consequences will be given to students who do not use them. “I find that it will be really hard to monitor. And if we don’t give them any consequences, no one will respect it,” Lango said. Policing violators would be a difficult task, Buckner said. “It would be difficult to police because it is not a law. We want to empower community members to challenge each other on this issue, because our first goal is health and our second is education,” Buckner said.