Smoking on campus may soon be a thing of the past.
Amanda Crook, ASUN external vice president, says that she wants to protect the rights of smokers and non-smokers.
Photo by Nick Starling NewsNetNebraska
The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN) is considering further limiting or even banning smoking on campus. Health concerns and standards for so-called green certification of buildings prompted ASUN members to raise the idea of new limits on Sept. 16.
Formal policy recommendations could be made by late November, said ASUN External Vice President Amanda Crook. The idea was broached by Senators Sarah Williams and Brett Bogenrieff.
"What they want to decide is whether or not it's in the best interest of students to cut down the availability of smoking, as far as physical space on campus," Crook said. "Or, if it's in the best interest of students, and their rights, to be able to socialize and smoke where ever they please."
The danger and discomfort of second-hand smoke is one issue senators need to weigh. Another is a desire to meet green-building standards under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. If smoke does not enter the building, the structure ranks higher in LEED measures.
Senators are considering three courses. They could ban smoking altogether, move smoking 25 feet from buildings from the current 10 feet, or create smoking zones on campus. The smoking policy ad hoc committee - a group that includes smokers -- would vote on the policy after surveying students and researching peer institutions.
The policy, which must be approved by the ASUN senate, could be decided next semester, said Crook.
For some in the university, a ban sounds like a great idea. John Puchalla, the City Grounds Supervisor for the Campus Recreation, said groundskeepers spend around an hour a week cleaning up cigarette butts. A ban, he said, "would be fabulous."
But, others disagree. "I think it's crap ... I don't think it bothers other people," said senior psychology major Chelsea Fankhauser, a smoker.
Both smokers and non-smokers on campus agree that boosting the limit to 25 feet away from campus buildings wouldn't be that big of a problem.
Smoking is banned indoors in public buildings in Nebraska. So puffers head outside to light up.
Photo by Nick Starling, NewsNetNebraska
"That's just showing respect for people who don't smoke," said smoker Andy McNeil, a construction worker. Non-smoker Johanna Peterson says "I wouldn't say [smoking] bothers me, but it is kind of inconvenient." Smoking bans have become popular at universities. Some 365 colleges require all indoor and outdoor spaces to be smoke-free, according to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. Fourteen of these schools are in Pennsylvania, which banned smoking on all state-owned colleges in September 2008.
Senior psychology major Chelsea Fankhauser is frustrated and opposed to the notion of further smoking restrictions at UNL.
Photo by Nick Starling, NewsNetNebraska
Pennsylvania universities have meet resistance. Protestors have organized daily smoke-ins and collected signatures for petitions, Time Magazine reported. Students have been similarly riled at Miami of Oxford, Ball State, and Indiana University.
For students who would like to talk about this policy, all ASUN meetings are open to the public. Crook said there may also be a town hall meeting over the policy sometime in the future.
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