An issue that flamed up more than a year ago is nearly resolved, and that's not just blowing smoke.
By fall 2013, Auburn will join nearly 800 other higher education institutions as a smoke-free campus.
"This is a complex decision for any university to make," said Ainsley Carry, vice president of student affairs. "We have students, faculty and staff on both sides of the argument. As an administration we represent all members of the community, and we wanted to be sure every concern was considered carefully."
Careful consideration is what made this an issue that has been stretched over two years. The initiative first became a point of interest after a letter was sent to President Jay Gogue requesting a smoke-free campus in spring 2010.
After student surveys, SGA meetings and other research, student governance groups made the recommendation that Auburn become a smoke-free campus. With Gogue's stamp of approval, smoking will be restricted fall 2012 and banned by fall 2013.
"It was an initial aspiration for the policy to be in effect by 2012, but that would not provide enough lead time for employees who smoke to make adjustments in their smoking needs," Carry said. "We wanted to give people more time to adjust, and we felt fall 2012 might be too soon to go from where we are to completely smoke-free."
Gogue was unavailable for comment.
Beginning fall 2012, smokers will be required to remain at least 25 feet away from doorways and buildings. In the time leading up to the full ban, Carry said there will be a focus on promoting cessation programs.
Luis Rodriguez, junior in political science, said he thought the ban was a great idea.
"I make the conscious decision to not smoke, and it's sort of a burden on me ... for other people to impose that on me," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said his work with the American Cancer Society influences his opinion about smoking, and he said he hopes it will result in people quitting.
"It'll obviously be harder for them, so if nothing else it will reduce the amount that they do," Rodriguez said.
The hope that some smokers will consider quitting as a result of the ban, a hope shared by University administration, may be unfounded.
"I've had friends who have been smokers and have tried to quit, and if you're not ready to quit, you're not going to, no matter what anybody will say or do or where you can or cannot," said Kate Turner, who is pursuing English as her third bachelor's degree. "It'll be interesting to see, if they polled now and saw how many students smoked on campus, and then polled at the end of the partial (ban) how many students are smoking, and then at the end of when they instated the full--I think that would be interesting to see."
Methods for enforcing the new policies have also been part of the discussion.
"There are no plans to provide additional enforcement efforts," said Carry, calling the smoking ban an "educational policy."
"Building managers and supervisors will enforce as they deem appropriate. For example, if someone is smoking at the front door of the Student Center, they will be asked by the building manager to move at least 25 feet from the building ... In 2013 they would be asked to put out the cigarette. Most will comply. Some may select not to comply."
Carry said he anticipates the smoking ban will function much like the alcohol ban.
"All students know alcohol is not permitted on campus, and most of them comply when they are found in violation of this policy," Carry said. "I expect us to eventually get to that point with the smoking policy. Of course that will take some time."
Carry said the focus on a healthy lifestyle is a main factor for the initiative.
"Both smokers and nonsmokers will benefit in the long run," Carry said. "Some smokers will elect to quit smoking and thereby reduce our insurance costs. Nonsmokers will be able to walk around a campus free of secondhand smoke."
Turner also said she sees both sides.
"I'm a smoker, (and) it's not necessarily fair to ban that completely," Turner said. "I feel that there should be designated areas, of course, because this is a huge campus.
"But also at the same time, I feel like everybody does have the right that if they don't want to breathe it they shouldn't have to."
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