The Nicholls administration is awaiting the results of a student survey before deciding whether or not to restrict smoking near campus building entrances.Eugene Dial, vice president for student affairs and enrollment services, said a decision was about to be made prior to Hurricane Katrina. However, the Social Community Concern Committee has extended its survey on the exposure of second-hand smoke until the end of September.
“We’re interested in seeing the response of the survey and use that with other data we’ve collected to make a decision,” Dial said. “Students will see some action as soon as we try to improve the safety of the campus in regard to smoking.”
Damian Breaux, Student Government Association president, met with University President Stephen Hulbert during the summer and recommended that Nicholls designate non-smoking doorway areas for each campus building. The dean assigned to each building would determine which doorways to designate smoke-free, and signs would be placed at chosen locations. The University’s current policy prohibits smoking inside campus buildings with no mention of other designated non-smoking areas.
“There are so many things that could be done to accommodate either side,” Breaux said. “This is the closest one to the middle that I could think of.”
Breaux said he knows adjustments would be difficult at first, but hopes that it would not come to the point of having to disciplinarily enforce the policy. Dial agreed, saying the University would need time to learn about the new restrictions.
“Initially, the policy will be enforced through a campus-wide effort, educating the campus on what is and what is not permissible,” Dial said. “However, if we have repetitive problems with the campus not adhering to the policy, we will have to take disciplinary action.”
For Louisiana State University students, smoking in front of campus buildings may mean a $500 fine or 30 days in jail. East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden signed an ordinance prohibiting smoking within 25 feet of any public building entrance Aug. 16. Amendments to decrease the penalties, which are now equivalent to DUI charges, have already been proposed due to complaints and enforcement issues. According to LSU’s The Daily Reveille, the campus police department is awaiting details on how the ordinance will be enforced on campus.
Thibodaux City Council Administrator Tommy Eschete said Thibodaux has an ordinance prohibiting smoking in public buildings, but it does not pertain to entrances. “It would be up to council members to propose amendments to the ordinance, but I have no indication that they are planning that at this time,” Eschete said.
Dial said he is not sure that Nicholls would have to abide by a city ordinance restricting smoking areas since the campus is state, not city, property. Breaux doesn’t believe such restrictions would work well at Nicholls.
“In our atmosphere and with our attitudes, it will be impossible to tell a Cajun to go smoke somewhere else,” Breaux said.
However, the discussion of the campus policy is not new to the Nicholls campus. In March, supporters of a smoking ban at campus building entrances outdebated opposers 123-63 at the spring speech forum.
In October 2003, the SGA Senate voted to recommend that Residential Services prohibit smoking within common and private areas of residential halls. However, by April 2004, Hollie Garrison, former SGA director of public relations, described the recommendation as a “dead issue.” Diane Garvey, residence life director, said she has not seen anything formal to revive the former recommendation.
Students can participate in the second-hand smoke survey by logging on to http://its-media.nicholls.edu/smoking.
