Cardinal Points

Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Ammon Lewis eniors Brittany Lavalley and Ashley Thatcher smoke cigarettes outside Myers Fine Arts building. The new campus smoking policy aims to move smokers 25 feet from all campus buildings.

For some, going outside to smoke a cigarette is a policy in itself.

However, new revisions to Plattsburgh State's campus smoking policy hopes to relocate student and faculty smokers.

Effective since July 1, PSUC implemented a 25-foot 'buffer zone' for smokers at any building on campus.

The new smoking policy was applied in response to the New York State Clean Air Act and a mandate from SUNY Central, said Lawrence Mills, executive director of human resource services. He is also in charge of disciplinary sanctions.

The policy is more for the health and convenience of non-smokers who are going in and out of the buildings, Mills added.

Steve Matthews, dean of students and head of judicial affairs, said there probably won't be much more of a disciplinary issue among students unless there is a consistent problem with particular students refusing to move.

"I don't envision us seeing a huge increase in our workload because of it," Matthews said. "From what I hear it isn't a huge issue here among students," he added.

Matthews said punishment would look at the person's past record and the severity of the situation - there would most likely be service hours to be completed.

Mills said the faculty are reasonable, and he doesn't see punishment exceeding politely asking nicely to step back.

If there were someone continuing to refute the rules, the person would be reprimanded by their respective union.

"I think the new policy is pretty much ridiculous," junior Justin Lane said. "Sometimes you don't have that much time and you have to smoke a quick cigarette before you get in class, and you don't want to walk 25 feet away."

Lane said he would "Probably not" follow the new policy. "And I don't think there will be anyone to enforce them."

So far, no student or faculty has been subjected to disciplinary action for smoking within the parameters of buildings.

Mills did say he has had a problem with staff moving ashtrays closer to buildings, forcing grounds staff to move them back.

"Most of the people who are smokers understand the situation, and have been cooperative in moving away from the building," Mills said.

Fred Koromi, a resident assistant in Harrington Hall said, "For the most part people are cooperative, but you can see that they do not like it. I've gotten a few dirty looks."

Koromi has only seen one person smoking within the 25 foot parameter.

"I asked them to leave once. They left but didn't look happy."

Matthews doesn't see a decrease in the amount of people smoking on campus.

"There will be a slight adjustment that needs to be made," Matthews said. "You had to go outside anyway so you're going to be cold whether its five feet from the building or 25 feet from the building."

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