Campus another step closer to being smoke free
By Anthony Rhodes, News Writing Student
The Faculty Association voted to endorse the idea of a tobacco-free campus at the group’s April 28 meeting.
Even though the resolution won the vote, several people at the meeting objected to the proposal.
The resolution passed with 16 votes in favor, eight votes against and five abstaining.
English professor Clay Randolph said he supported some kind of compromise instead of an outright ban.
“I don’t much like walking through smoke-filled entry ways,” he said.
“But have we considered having a single smoking area just for smokers? Why do we have to be so extreme about smoking?”
Math Professor Jay Malmstrom countered that some smoker’s don’t follow the rules.
“There are already areas for smokers and they are clearly marked,” Malmstrom said. “Instead of using these areas, they will smoke right in front of the entry ways.”
Malmstrom said instead of using the large ashtrays provided, smokers throw their cigarette butts on the ground or in planters. He said he observes this happening continually at the lower level entrance of the math and science building.
Fabiola Janiak-Spens of the biotechnology department said the endorsement of the Faculty Association is important if the tobacco-free policy is to be adopted. The student leadership council has already gone on record as supporting the policy.
Janiak-Spens said it would require some time to put the policy in place and set up smoking education classes for those students and staff who wish to kick the habit.
Lisa Vaughan, risk management coordinator, said the college would work for a smooth implementation. She said the college would need to add signs such as “Breathe Easy,” and update student handbooks and procedures.
Vaughan said some of the formats the college may use might be WOW! sessions for faculty and Brown Bag sessions for students. She said OCCC would offer information to faculty, staff and students on how they could quit smoking.
Vaughan said from looking at Oklahoma State University in Oklahoma City as a model, she thinks it could take a year to put everything in place for OCCC to go smoke-free.
Vaughan did say that of course the decision of when OCCC starts its smoke-free policy would be totally up to the college administration.
