Emily Kelley / Roundup, Elliot Golan / Roundup, Jeff Sandstoe / Roundup
Pierce College students will have to get their nicotine fix elsewhere this semester, after a no-smoking ban came into effect on Feb.1.
The new policy states that smoking will only be allowed in parking lots 1-7, according to Melody Cooper, Work Environment Committee (WEC) chair.
The policy was first proposed on their Sept. 15 meeting, and was unanimously voted on by the Academic Senate on Oct. 12.
“It speaks that we value the health of all students,” said Bob Martinez, vice president of the academic senate and WEC member, back in October.
The WEC is made up of mostly faculty and administrators, and deals with matters of workplace safety, environmental concerns, and smoking, among other things.
The Senate voted to implement the no-smoking policy no later than Fall 2010, citing student’s lack of cooperation towards the current policy, which restricted smokers to certain areas on campus.
Interim President Dr. Joy McCaslin said she received the proposal from the WEC and approved it with her complete support.
McCaslin had already made an announcement about her intention of having the campus move toward being smoke free at an American Federation of Teacher luncheon on Oct. 15.
“We’ve been on a path in this direction,” said McCaslin, whose mother died of cancer caused by second-hand smoke.
However, the ability for students to kick their addiction was a cause of concern for members of the Academic Senate.
Beth Benne, Student Health Center director, supports the new policy, but was concerned about how it would affect students.
“We should’ve done more preparation for our returning students,” said Benne.
She believes that more time is needed to prepare the student body for the change, and piloted a smoking cessation program in the fall semester.
Campus police will be enforcing the new policy, but Sheriff’s Deputy Al Guerrero said he was unaware of the change as of Dec. 15.
According to Cooper, violators of the policy will be issued a campus incident report that would then be forwarded to the Dean of Discipline.
With this new policy, Pierce will become the 13 California college to have a no-smoking policy, along with 16 more that restrict smoking to parking lots.
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A student smokes outside of classrooms at Pierce College Tuesday, Feb. 2, despite the campus? new Smoke-Free policy enforced the day before. (Louie Heredia / Roundup)