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Signs have smokers puffing
 Media Credit: Adam Masloski Nick Hanson takes a drag outside Stewart Hall in front of one of the newly erected no-smoking signs on campus.
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The Building and Grounds Department has begun designating smoking and non-smoking areas around campus this fall in an effort to get smokers away from doorways.
The goal of this new non-smoking policy is to make sure that non-smokers are able to enter buildings without having to go through dozens of smokers. The receptacles in front of many of the buildings will eventually be moved to discourage smokers. The Building and Grounds Department began talking about how to minimize the nuisance of on campus smoking about six months ago.
"We want to make sure the occupants of the buildings and the smokers and non-smokers are as happy as they can be given the circumstances," said Jim Williams, director of Buildings and Grounds.
Williams has been taking suggestions from building managers and the general public in an attempt to make these new signs as convenient as possible for all parties involved. Many students think that it will take time before smokers move out away from the buildings and into the designated areas.
"I like them, but I don't know if they will help," said Erik Willert, a senior who is a non-smoker. "I think that unless people are told to move, they aren't going to change."
While the signs have been unsuccessful in eliminating the smoke, the have moved the problem out a little further.
"At least now people can go around the smoke," Willert said.
The placement of other signs to be distributed on campus is currently undecided, and there will be no formal enforcement of them.
It is for this reason fifth year student and smoker Dylan Thomas thinks it will take some time before students will heed the signs. Ultimately non-smoking and smoking students will have to rely on common courtesy.
"If my smoke is bothering anyone I'll move."
After signs are placed in front of the designated buildings, people will need to adjust to the changes.
Williams, however, does want to make sure no one is angered or agitated by the change.
"No campus person should take it upon themselves to enforce the new policy," Williams said. "We don't want to put smokers against non-smokers. We just want everyone to get along."
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