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SCSU bans smoking in halls
 Media Credit: Christine Johnson/Editor SCSU first-year students Perry Pederson and Kara Gabrelcik smoke in their friends´ room on the 13th floor of Sherburne Hall Wednesday. Due to a new smoking ban that goes into effect in the fall, the smoking floor will be a thing of the past.
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 Shahjehan Ganny
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Beginning in the fall, the smokers that inhabit the residence halls will find themselves contending with Mother Nature in order to satisfy their habit.
A Residence Hall Association policy that goes into effect at the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year will reduce the number of smoking dorms on campus to zero, including the newly acquired Stateview apartments located on 4th Ave. S.
"I wouldn't call it a ban, it's more of a change in the health policy," said Nathan Church, vice president of Student Life and Development.
At the heart of this development is the always controversial issue of secondhand smoke and its adverse effects on people who don't smoke.
"Our major concern with smoking is, 'Is it okay for (smokers) to inflict secondhand smoke on (non-smokers) when (they're) living on campus,'" said Student Government President Shahjehan Ganny, "when they have no choice but to live on campus, for whatever reasons?"
Stating inadequate air circulation systems in the residence halls as a primary target, campus officials say the ban is a temporary solution to a burgeoning problem. It is not clear where the money for new air circulation systems will come from (the cost is believed to be anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 per residence hall) or when the circulation systems will be installed.
The smell of nicotine hangs heavy around the elevator on the eighth floor of Stearns Hall. Though many on-campus smokers will have no problem stepping outside to huff a heater, there are some who don't like the idea of not indulging on their own turf.
"It's basically (trying to) control us," said first-year Stearns resident Jeremy Hill, who is a smoker. "This isn't high school. It feels like I'm being watched. I feel bad for people who are coming here (next year)."
Sophomore Alan Santoro, also a smoker, said that he plans to live in Benton Hall next year, so the ban will not affect him too greatly. Benton Hall rooms offer balconies, which are not included in the policy change.
"I can understand where they're coming from," he said. "As long as there are designated indoor areas, it's not too bad of an idea."
This is a development that the Student Government had in mind. Campus Affairs chairman Tomoo Inoue said that the Student Government has asked the residence halls to get students' input as to a new smoking lounge in one residence hall. As of now, there is only one residence hall smoking lounge, in North Shoemaker, but it is unclear if it will remain such once the ban goes into effect.
"I don't think (one smoking area) is enough," Inoue said. "But before we start talking about smokers' rights, we must recognize that it's a health issue.
"Each residence hall shares one circulation system. For example, the basement of Mitchell (Hall) is a smoking area. The smoke then goes up to the second floor. This act is to protect the rights of non-smokers."
"Smoking is already restricted," Ganny said. "If you live on a smoking floor, you can only smoke in your room, with the door closed, and only if your roommate agrees."
Church was one of the champions of the smoke-free movement at his former college, the Southern California University of Health Sciences. He said that smoking on campus became more and more restricted until it became an essentially tobacco-free environment.
"As it went through the governance process, we found out that everyone winds up smoking," he said. Church feels that a California-type ban on smoking (every public building in California is smoke-free) will inevitably happen here.
"It's just a matter of time," he said.
As for the residence hall code of conduct, Director of Residential Life Mike Hayman said there will have to be obvious changes.
"Prior to the ban, students who received warnings and repeated violations were moved to a smoking floor," he said. "That is not an option next year. A new policy will have to be determined."
"It's time to inform people," Church said. "(The smoking policy) will become part of the code of conduct. Of course, it will take time to get acclimated to the new policies."
Matthew Janda can be reached at: [email protected]
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