2008 Woodie Awards
UST enforces on-campus smoking policy
Audrey Leon
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Other News
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UST's smoking policy states that all smoking areas should be in compliance with the ordinance and that all violations should be reported to campus security.
If city health inspectors were to find violations on campus, the school - not the individual - would receive a city fine. Establishments can receive a fine of up to $2,000.
Director of Security Daryl Bissett said that the best security can do to enforce this policy is inform smokers to either extinguish their cigarettes or move away from building entrances.
Those who are continuously caught disobeying campus policy will be referred to either human resources, if an employee, or student affairs for disciplinary action.
Most buildings around campus, excluding Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center, do not display signs indicating that the outside entrances are non-smoking areas.
According to Assistant Vice President of Facilities Operations Howard Rose, the receptacle's main purpose is to stop smokers from flicking their cigarette butts on the ground.
"It is up to smokers to voluntarily comply with the ordinance," Rose said.
Dean of Students Patricia McKinley agreed that smoking receptacles are not markers of a smoking area.
While receptacles were placed around campus prior to the new regulations, McKinley said Residence Life specifically measured and placed the smoking receptacles outside Guinan to be in line with the new ordinance.
Rose said that the placement of receptacles near doorways is a matter of reminding smokers to extinguish their cigarette before entering buildings.
"The best I could do was provide a place for smokers to put out their cigarette butts," Rose said.
McKinley suggested that more signs detailing where to smoke on campus would be the best option to help smokers comply with the new ordinance.
Currently, there is no plan to place any more signs around campus, Rose said. However, he has been asked by Residence Life to place a sign in front of Guinan informing students to smoke 25 feet away from entrances.