Student Government Senate passed a resolution to adopt a smoking ban policy to restrict smoking on campus within 75 feet of campus building entrances Wednesday during its final meeting of the semester.
The bill cited 466 smoke-free colleges and universities across the United States, including several Southeastern Conference schools — the University of Florida, University of Kentucky, University of Arkansas and University of South Carolina.
Currently in Louisiana, the LSU Health Sciences Center, Nicholls State University, Our Lady of the Lake College and Louisiana Delta College are tobacco free.
Sen. Lane Pace, University Center for Freshman Year, said the resolution combines Faculty Senate’s two resolutions to apply a 75-foot rule and to set up a task force to enforce the rule.
Pace noted Middleton Library’s current 25-foot smoking rule that is not enforced.
“There’s a sign that says ‘Thank you for not smoking’ right above an ashtray,” Pace said.
Sen. Brian Baudoin, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said as an LSU Ambassador, he has to bring tours past the library, and many guests include elderly and children.
“It is the policy of Louisiana State University to provide its students, faculty, staff and other members of the University community, including children of all members of the community, with a tobacco, smoke-free environment,” the resolution said.
Senate debated and voted down a bill to end campaigning for Student Government elections at 5 p.m. on Election Day, and have the results announced afterward.
Senate Speaker Brooksie Bonvillain wrote the bill and said it wouldn’t lead to so much repetitive campaigning.
On SG Election Day, campaign time runs from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bonvillain showed results from the most recent election, which showed around 74 percent of students voted between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and around 23 percent voted from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sen. Geri Harding, University Center for Advising and Counseling, said the resolution is “more for the people in Student Government and less for the students.”
“[Students] should have as much time as possible to vote,” Harding said. “It’s not fair to cut off five hours of voting that students who … might be in graduate school, might be working or might just be busy.”
Sen. David Jones, Humanities and Social Sciences, ran for SG president this year and said he went door-to-door in apartment complexes after most students left campus on Election Day.
“The only reason why we made the runoff is because we took the extra step and did those things,” Jones said. “The passion that lies within us shouldn’t change regardless of the time of votes.”
SG Senate concluded its regular organization session and inducted newly elected senators.
The new organization session elected former Speaker Pro Tempore Aaron Caffarel as the new Senate speaker.
Senate also elected Humanities and Social Sciences Sen. Abbey Vaughn as speaker pro tempore.
Former SG President J Hudson and former Vice President Dani Borel closed out their final day in office by encouraging senators to make a positive impact in their position.
Hudson told senators to fix the current problems with the PSIF and ORF funds.
“We are wasting students fees by allowing them to sit in student accounts and not be used,” Hudson said. “This is my baby — I’m giving it to y’all. Fix it.”
 
 
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contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]