The University has conflicting interpretations of a state law mandating public education institutions develop smoke free policies for their campuses by August.
So far, many on the campus were under the impression that the University was required to go smoke free in August.
But this may not be the case, according to a resolution presented at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting by Charles Delzell, Faculty Senate member and associate chair for instruction of the mathematics department.
The resolution, titled “Correcting and Replacing the ‘Smoke Free Campus’ Committee,” said discussion over whether the University is required to ban smoking has been suppressed. The resolution did not make it to the discussion period, while another resolution titled “Support for a Tobacco-Free Campus” was tabled for further discussion at the March meeting.
To meet the requirements of the law, Student Government Speaker Pro Tempore Trey Schwartzenberg said University President F. King Alexander must approve a policy to take effect Aug. 1.
But the content of that policy is still to be determined.
Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said Act 211, the law mandating public post-secondary education institutions develop smoke free policies for their campuses, does not specify the wording of the policy.
He said by the letter of the law, a “rogue university” could develop a policy mandating everyone on campus smoke. Cope pointed out, though, the intent of the law is clear in the desire to discourage smoking.
Ryan Landry, coordinator in the Office of Academic Affairs, said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Stuart Bell sent a message to smoke-free campus committee members in September, stating the University must develop a “smoke-free campus policy.” According to Landry, Bell went on to say the law stops short of mandating a smoke-free campus.
The smoke-free committee is a group of Faculty Senate members who have been researching the issue and will make a draft of the proposed policy statement. The draft will ultimately be submitted to Alexander for approval after being reviewed and commented on by the various vice chancellors, Landry said.
Landry said the Office of Academic Affairs interprets the law as stated in Bell’s message, meaning that while a policy must be adopted by August, the campus is not required by law to be smoke free.
This contrasts sharply with statements from smoke-free campus committee members like mass communication professor Judith Sylvester and Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Enrollment Kurt Keppler, who have maintained the campus must be smoke-free by August.
Keppler and Sylvester informed SG Senate on Jan. 15 that the University must be smoke free, according to state law. Keppler also said later during the meeting that he would be open to having designated smoking areas on campus.