During the last two Pierce College Council meetings, students have voiced their concerns over Pierce College not being a 100% smoke-free campus.
Student athlete and Pierce Democrats Club president Marcelo Cabrera shared his struggles with attending a campus that he feels doesn’t support those trying to beat their addiction to nicotine, and said he feels that having these designated smoking areas around campus encourages smoking.
“I do want to advocate for students who want to either stop or don’t want to [smoke] in the first place,” Cabrera said. “It’s hard for me to study, I get distracted trying to pay attention in class when I smell it. I don’t want to alienate anyone who does it, but I do want to have the ability to have clean air.”
Political science professor Denise Robb addressed the Council, advocating for their support in making Pierce a smoke-free college. She mentioned that taking that direction for the campus aligns with the college’s mission statement.
“A smoke-free Pierce would provide a sanctuary for our students, offering a place where they can breathe clean air,” Robb said. “Ensuring a safe and equitable environment for student success.”
Robb continued to touch on the benefits of the college taking this initiative and mentioned how community colleges are the only public campuses that are not 100 percent smoke-free.
“All the UCs and Cal States are already smoke free,” Robb said. “100 percent smoke free, tobacco free, vape free. Community colleges are the only public campuses that do not have a system wide smoke-free policy.”
The Council voted to approve Action 4 of the Sustainability Committee’s smoke-free policy at Pierce with nine yes votes, one no vote and two abstentions. A vote was also conducted whether they should adopt language from the neighboring colleges and universities saying that the main motive is education and being 100% smoke-free.
This policy is not going to be punitive but seeking compliance on the campus according to Robb.
Pierce Interim President Ara Aguiar thanked everyone for all their support despite challenging times ahead, and said she is looking forward to the great things planned for the college.
“The game plan that we are developing, the exec team and the deans, everyone is working together,” Aguiar said. “Our conversations are revolving around what we need to do with the budget, where exactly we are going to end and strategies for the future.”
The Emergency Budget Task Force met as well to try and figure out how to continue to deal with the big deficit that all the nine community college campuses are dealing with due to the smaller than expected state funding throughout California. Rolf Schleicher mentioned the next meeting is scheduled for mid-June.
Aguiar also reminded everyone about the commencement ceremony that’s approaching on June 6 and gave the floor to Dean of Student Services Will Marmolejo to provide more details.
Pierce is expecting a full house as there are RSVPs for 4,400 tickets and the capacity is 4500. Due to budget constraints and cut costs, Marmolejo said that this year’s commencement won’t be live streamed as it was in previous years.
The next PCC meeting will be held on June 20 at 2 p.m.
