Students all over campus, smokers and non-smokers alike, are unclear about the proposed new smoking policy.
Students have questions concerning the newly proposed policy such as: “Whose idea was this?” “What exactly is the new policy,” “Are the dorms next?” and, “Has the rule actually been passed?”
According to Randy Doss, the new draft of smoking regulations was proposed in response to the complaints of people visiting Guilford. Potential students and parents have contacted the administration after entering or exiting one of the major buildings on campus and being bombarded by clouds of smoke.
Some people have asthma or other breathing problems that cigarette smoke can aggravate; some people are allergic to the smoke; and some people are simply offended by the smell.
This new policy draft has been roughly outlined on flyers that have been circulated by student Senate all over campus for the past couple of weeks.
These flyers list specific buildings on campus and the areas surrounding them where one can and cannot smoke. The overall goal of these newly proposed regulations is to keep the entrances to major buildings smoke-free.
These buildings include the front entrances of Founders Hall, Frank Family Science Center, Hendricks Hall, Duke Hall, Bauman, Archdale, Hege Library, Dana Auditorium, Hege Cox, King Hall and the PE Center.
For most of these restricted areas, there is an area nearby where cigarette smoking is allowed (usually somewhere on the side of the building). For the buildings where there is no set smoking area, smokers are to simply go “anywhere else.”
“It’s so lame because so many people here smoke, and those people need nicotine between classes. Otherwise, who knows what they will do?” said student-smoker,hristine Berryman.
Another common concern was the freedom to smoke around dorms. Now that main campus students are no longer allowed to smoke in their rooms (with the exception of residents in Bryan and the apartments), they depend on the stoops and porches outside of their buildings for cigarette breaks, and somewhere along the course of these flyers circulating, people began to think that there was a new prohibition of nicotine use in these areas as well.
But, as Doss made very clear, “this is about the academic buildings. Visitors and other non-students do not go into [the dorms]. Visitors go into Dana, New Garden, the library …”
Both Randy Doss and Floyd McKissick have input into the development of the policy, but who has the final say over this potential policy is unknown.
“Doss forwarded the draft to [Senate] so that we could get the word out to campus and get student input,” said McKissick. Most likely, either Kent Chabotar or the trustees will make the final decision.
The most common misunderstanding among students is whether or not these new rules have been put into effect yet. Students are getting worked up already over a policy that, at this time, does not yet exist.
Doss emphasized the fact that “nothing’s happened yet.” The policy everyone has been hearing about is simply a draft; it has not been finalized.
The step where students ought to be getting involved is when and if it goes to Community Senate, where the issue will be discussed, and students will have a formal chance to express their opinions on the issue.
But students’ choosing not to participate in community Senate is, according to Doss, “like not voting and then being upset by the results. It’s the same thing.