Guilford changed its smoking policy this year, tightening restrictions on where people may smoke.
Last year the policy prohibited smoking inside the dorms, but not around the entrances. Now, however, it also prohibits smoking at all building entrances facing the interior of campus. Smoking is still allowed in Bryan hall, the apartments, and alternative houses if the house, apartment or suite-mates agree. Campus Life has posted signs where smoking is no longer allowed.
People can still discuss further changes and needs for the smoking policy in the future. Smoking policy is on the agenda for the Student Senate town meeting on Sept. 6. The Office of Residential Life also plans to talk to students in the dorms that still allow smoking about becoming smoke free this year, according to Anne Lundquist, Dean for Campus Life.
No final decision has been made about any further steps, though there will be ongoing discussion.
The decision to change the smoking policy came from the advice of the Vice-President / Deans group (VP-Deans Group), said Lundquist. The VP-Deans Group is comprised of the vice-presidents of the four areas of campus, the deans who work directly under them, and Ty Buckner, Director of College Relations.
Lundquist described the VP-Deans group as being “like a cabinet to the president.”
The decision to change the policy came from two polls given over the last two years.
A majority of the 437 students who completed an Office of Campus Life survey in February 2003 supported removing smoking from the dorms, but not becoming a smoke-free campus.
During the 2003-2004 school year, Campus Life also administered a survey about smoking in Founders Hall. The results -2:1 in favor of removing the smoking completely from Founders – prompted both Campus Life and the 2003-2004 Community Senate to support changes in the smoking policy.
Prompted by concerns for student health and fire safety, the VP-Deans group recommended making Founders hall, the new terrace and designated entrances at each building as smoke free.
Lundquist and Sandy Bowles, Gender Issues Coordinator and Health Educator, later walked around campus to determine which entrances to each building were the main entrances and make them the smoke free, said Lundquist.
This was a change in plans since the introduction of the proposal. When originally proposed, the smoking policy did not extend to the entrances of dorms.
In the Sept. 19, 2003, issue of The Guilfordian Randy Doss, Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life, commented on the proposal which evolved into this year’s policy, saying, “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.”
A number of student and faculty concerns remain that Campus Life is trying to address.
“There need to be more trash cans and ash trays so we don’t litter on this beautiful campus,” said first-year and smoker Sam Sklover.
David Petree, Manager of Landscaping and Grounds, has noted 22 locations where smoking is allowed but do not have ash trays, according to Lundquist.
“It is our responsibility to give people enough receptacles,” said Lundquist.
“If it’s raining or snowing on campus you have to walk all the way to Bryan Jr. to smoke, which is unfair,” said third-year and smoker Catherine Milner.
Lundquist has previous experience with enforcing smoke-free residence hall policies. In April 2, 2003 issue of The Guilfordian, she stated that while she was working at Greensboro College, “we didn’t think about providing places outside for students to smoke. We know better now.”
The reason there are no awnings up yet, said Lundquist, is that Campus Life is waiting to see where people congregate to smoke.
“You’ve gotta let people make a cow path, then lay the sidewalk. So we want to see where people are smoking,” said Lundquist.
Campus Life is also looking into putting more seating where smoking is allowed, like near the rear entrance to Mary Hobbs.
“The main concern should be the health issues,” said Jonathan Hatch, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and smoker. , “I have yet to see a study on the dangers of second-hand smoke outside. Then again, I probably don’t have all the information yet.”
Bowles, in conjunction with Campus Life, is planning on bringing in a smoking cessation program in order to address some of the health concerns. This in partial response to the incoming First Year students reporting a 14.7% smoking rate, 9.9% above the rate reported a similar colleges (CIRP, 2003).
Enforcement of the policy may remain an issue.
“I just think the policy is silly,” said second-year Jeremy Bante, “There are plenty of people not following it. No-smoking in-doors is enough.”
“Most people will feel like they have to smoke in their rooms, which is so much less healthy,” said first-year Brittany Blake.