News

Campus-wide tobacco ban

Plan will be implemented, the question is when and how

By Jessica Fish

Posted on March 24, 2008, at 12:00 a.m.

Plans which would prohibit having any kind of tobacco product on the UMaine campus, including chewing tobacco were presented to the General Student Senate Tuesday night.

Sue Bernier, a representative from the Tobacco Free Campus Committee spoke at the meeting. The University of Maine hired Bernier to help direct efforts to make UMaine a tobacco free campus in the next few years.

Bernier said she hoped to answer some questions and to hear students’ opinions about the new program.

“The committee’s goal is to be completely clear about our plans,” Bernier said.

The new program would apply to students, faculty, staff and any visitors to the campus. Any building on school property, including the fraternities located on College Avenue, will be asked to comply.

Currently, smoking is prohibited indoors and within 20 feet of any buildings.

One senator asked how the tobacco ban would be enforced. Bernier had no clearly defined answer, but stressed that the committee was focusing on compliance, rather than resorting to punitive measures.

She said President Kennedy will announce the plan in September, but it could take up to 12 months to implement it fully. Depending on students’ responses, she said that it could take as long as three years before UMaine is tobacco free.

“The decision has been made to go tobacco free – the question is just how and when,” Bernier said.

When asked if there was going to be a place for people to smoke off campus, Bernier did not answer the question directly, but said the idea was to “fundamentally change the environment.”

Several senators questioned whether the university has a right to tell students and faculty that they cannot use tobacco on campus.

Sen. Carl Anderson said he could see the benefits of such a plan, but thought it would infringe on the rights of students. He also asked why the decision was made to go tobacco free before research was done to gather student opinion. Bernier answered that the plan has the approval of the administration and faculty senate but that “it’s students’ jobs to question, to challenge the decided – that’s what we’re looking to you for.”

As a member of the TFC Resource Committee, Vice President of Student Entertainment Derek Mitchell said the idea lacks forethought and enforcement. He described it as “remarkably premature,” saying that students will start smoking in their dorms. This, he said, may push the problem inside, where it could be more difficult to enforce.

“As much as I like Sue, I hate that tuition is going up 14 percent and they’re paying her for this,” said Mitchell.

Students who are interested in joining the committee or would like their opinions to be heard can e-mail Sue Bernier at sue@bhc-group.com.

In other business, the senate approved a new contract for legal services, which will last three years and provide a wider range of aid for students. The current contract with Attorney Brett D. Baber will terminate at the end of the semester, and Corenna D. Howard will replace him.

Currently, Baber is available 15 hours each week and can only provide legal advice to students. Beginning next semester, Howard will be on campus 30 hours per week and will be able to represent students in minor legal matters. These include landlord/tenant issues, traffic violations, tax preparation and name changes.

The senate also tried out new “clickers” on Tuesday’s meeting, which count their votes electronically and replace the current system of oral and hand-raised votes. Student Body President Steve Moran said this will also help track how each senator votes on the issues, and that information will eventually be available online. The clickers, which came in neon shades of orange, green and yellow, cost about $750 and were paid for out of the senate Tech Budget.

Sen. Morgan Bickford said the Board of Trustees has decided to rename the Maine Center for the Arts. The new name will be the Richard R. and Anne A. Collins Center for the Arts, after the couple who have made generous donations to the renovation project.

Ashleigh Briggs, the director of external affairs for student government, announced a contest to create a design for the cover of the student planners next year. The artwork can be hand drawn, digital or a photograph. The winner will receive $100. Submissions can be dropped off at the Student Government office or e-mailed to Briggs on FirstClass.

Duolos and the Club Track Team received their final club approval at Tuesday’s meeting. Over break, the senate received $10,000 from the Student Activities Fee.

Allocations for the night included $500 to the American Society of Chemical Engineers, $100 to the South Asian Association of Maine and $600.01 to the Progressive Student Alliance to pay for speakers during “Change Your World” Week.

At the beginning of the meeting the senate budget was $1,908.89. After all allocations had been made, $10,913.38 was left in the unallocated fund.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 24th, 2008, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.