This Monday SGA Senate met and heard from several guests on upcoming events and policies coming to Auburn.
Eric Smith from the Office of Health and Wellness came to Senate to get input in the next step of Auburn becoming a "smoke free campus". This decision has been in the works since 2011 and only one senator remains who served during the decision's infancy (Jacob Dean, Senator of Liberal Arts). The movement towards a smoke free campus has been a gradual one and was designed to be this way.
"It was decided that this is a great idea, we love it we want to do it; but we want to do it a little bit slower than we had initially anticipated. And we introduced the idea of a 25-foot buffer on campus; moving smokers 25 feet away from campus buildings." Said Smith, discussing this gradual movement towards being a smoke free campus. Smith informed Senate that they would be receiving an email later on that night with a survey to help the Office of Health and Wellness in moving forward with the policy.
The policy is now set to go into affect August 20, 2013 (the first day of fall 2013 classes). The hope is that the new school year will bring the policy in a little more smoothly, although Smith mentioned being prepared for more issues to come. Several senators asked questions regarding the policy such as: who would enforce the policy, will there be smoke friendly zones, and where smoking students would be able to smoke. Smith had answers to all questions and put most senators at ease about the policy's motion forward. Students will not be fined but rather educated on the policy of enforcement, which is the same procedure taken on most other student policies.
Students who choose to smoke will be allowed to smoke in their cars as well as the perimeters of campus. Smith said these perimeters will be on the Auburn website to ensure students know the boundaries.
The next guest to speak before Senate was Harrison Mills, the SGA President. Mills encouraged senators to go online and read the agenda for Fridays Board of Trustee meeting which will at 9:00 AM Friday morning. He urged the senators, and SGA cabinet in a meeting at 6:15, to read the agenda and email him with any questions and concerns.
"I want to make sure that when I attend that meeting that we are representing the student body as a whole." Said Mills. He went on to encourage senators to attend the meeting so the board could see student representation in full capacity. The agenda and meeting is open to all Auburn students. The agenda is on the Auburn website while the board meeting will be held in Ballroom B of the Auburn Hotel.
Next week Senate will be looking at several bills pertaining to funds to Black Student Union and the Center for Student Organizations Program.
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