Thirty students and two faculty members were warned or given a citation as part of the University’s implementation of a tobacco-free campus over the last year.

The policy put into place on Jan. 1, 2011 prohibits the use of any tobacco products by all students, faculty, contractors and visitors on all University properties.

According to Eugene Dial, vice president for student affairs, the purpose of the policy is to provide an environment that is as healthy as possible for everyone to walk to and from class or work.

“For some people, it is just an irritation, but for others it is a real medical concern if they are pregnant or have asthma,” Dial said. “The University felt like we had an obligation that if you are a nonsmoker, you should not have to breathe secondhand smoke.”

The previous policy, which was enforced by the University until 2011, prohibited the use of any tobacco products within 25 feet of buildings, inside buildings or on sidewalks.

“Most students were following the old policy and respecting the intent of it, but some smokers were disrespectful,” Dial said.

Dial said the tobacco-free policy will be a continuing education program with new students and faculty coming to the University each year. He said the University plans to stick with the policy and will begin moving forward with the next phase of enforcement for repeat offenders.

According to the tobacco-free policy, students will receive a verbal warning from the Office of Student Judicial Affairs director and a policy reminder card upon their first offense. For the second offense, students will be placed on disciplinary probation, and any other disciplinary action can be taken according to the Student Code of Conduct if it is seen as necessary by judicial affairs. Students who receive their third violation will have actions taken against them, such as dismissal from the University.

Employee violations follow a similar procedure and are dealt with by department supervisors or human resources. On second offense, faculty members receive a written reprimand from their supervisors. However, John Ford, director of human resources, said two reports were addressed, and the faculty members complied.

Krystalyn Bercegeay, education junior from Houma, said she is glad smoking is not allowed on campus because it affects everyone.

“I choose not to smoke, and I should not have to suffer because other people choose to smoke,” she said.

Kerry Gant, Jr., business administration senior from Raceland, said he was upset at first about the campus becoming tobacco-free.

“I felt that some professors and students were thrown out of their comfort zones, but now the decision is ok with me, and I respect the fact that everyone doesn’t smoke,” he said. “Though it kills me to wait sometimes.”

According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, there are at least 639 campuses across the United States with smoke-free policies. Other participating campuses in Louisiana include Louisiana Delta Community College, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake College and Southern University at New Orleans.

Dial defended the University’s decision to switch.

“We simply did the same thing as many other universities to protect everyone’s health,” he said.