STLCC-Meramec administration draws line on smoking
Joe Douglas
-Staff Writer-
Effective fall 2009, smoking will be banned on all campus grounds within the perimeter of the parking lots.
“It’s not about banning smoking. It’s about keeping the interior of the campus smoke-free for health-related reasons,” Dr. Stephen Petersen, vice president of Student Affairs, said.
Petersen and the Student, Faculty, and Staff Governance Councils met Feb. 26 regarding the future smoking policy of Meramec. After much discussion, they reached an agreement.According to the 2009 campus smoking policy, smoking will be banned from inner school grounds and receptacles will be moved to the interior edge of the parking lots beginning in the upcoming fall semester. Students who wish to smoke will be required leave the inner campus grounds and do so in the parking lots.
Students should expect the first set of changes upon their return from spring break. According to Margaret Hvatum, chair of the Wellness Committee, “During spring break the ashtrays that currently are sitting right next to the building entrances will be moved out more toward the center part of campus so that people will
no longer be smoking right at the building entrances.” She continued, “And this has caused a problem for a lot of people with disabilities relating to breathing and heart disease.”
degree accommodated.” Hvatum said.
According to Peterson, a year and a half ago the city of Ballwin passed a no smoking ordinance and at least a dozen other St. Louis suburban communities are discussing similar ordinances all driven on the basis of health.
The Wildwood campus which opened a year and a half ago began as a smoke-free campus. “I think in the long run we will all get there anyway. I think the other two campuses won’t be far behind us in this conversation.” Petersen said.
Students, faculty and staff will be notified via e-mail with further information about the fall 2009 smoking policy. In addition, signs will be placed near receptacles announcing the smoke-free future interior of the Meramec campus.
“Last year I had three rounds of bronchitis and I ended up in the emergency room a couple of times with asthma, and so I’m looking forward to having that not happen anymore,” Hvatum said.
According to Petersen, another issue is the air intake systems on the ends of the Business and Social Sciences buildings that bring air into the buildings. Many people smoke there daily. “What’s happening is those intake systems are pulling in all of that smoke right into the buildings,” Petersen said.
“I spent many weeks sick and on asthma medication due to having to walk through smoke clouds no matter where I went,” said Gwendolyn West, a Meramec student. “I finally had to limit my courses to online as much as possible to avoid being seriously ill for a good portion of my semester.”
Hvatum advocated Fresh Air Day on Sept. 24 last semester where students could only smoke under one of three tents around the campus. Hvatum also sent a survey to students, staff and faculty via e-mail to provide their opinions about smoking on campus. “We created this poll because we were trying to, first of all, see whether there was any sort of consensus on campus towards restricting smoking,” Hvatum said. According to the results, 54 percent of people voted that Meramec should be completely smoke-free. Of the 46 percent who voted against it, 72.95 percent voted smoking should at least be restricted. “Had there not been any consensus, then that would have been the end of it,” Hvatum said.
The Student Government Association (SGA), the Meramec Academic Governance Council (MAGC), and the Meramec Institutional Affairs Council (MIAC) were the first to receive the survey results. With these in hand, it was time for action.
According to Hvatum, the MAGC and MIAC, the Faculty Governance Council and Staff Governance Council respectively, shared the recommendation that the campus should be tobacco-free.
On the other hand, according to Malachi Rein, presiding officer of the Student Governance Council, the SGA suggested smoking should be restricted to 30 feet from building entrances and that a final smoking policy be developed over time.
A consensus was reached Feb. 26 and approved by the Campus Leadership Team. “I think [the three governance chairs] just did a really nice job in trying to find a compromise that gets us to an ultimate position but also addresses some sort of short-term immediate needs in terms of freeing up the areas around the entrance of buildings,” Petersen said.
“The idea is to make sure that everybody feels at least to some degree accommodated.” Hvatum said.
According to Petersen, a year and a half ago the city of Ballwin passed a no smoking ordinance and at least a dozen other St. Louis suburban communities are discussing similar ordinances all driven on the basis of health concerns.
The Wildwood campus, which opened a year and a half ago, began as a smoke-free campus. “I think in the long run we will all get there anyway. I think the other two campuses won’t be far behind us in this conversation.” Petersen said.
Students, faculty and staff will be notified via e-mail with further information about the fall 2009 smoking policy. In addition, signs will be placed near receptacles announcing the future smoke-free interior of the Meramec campus.
