ACC proposes a broad prohibition of smoking

Smoking a quick cigarette before class might become more difficult for students if ACC's administration decides to change smoking policies. The Administrative Service Council (ASC) is scheduled to vote on this issue at their next meeting on April 23 at the ACC Service Center. The ASC will consider adding language to the policy, which would end all on-campus smoking by Aug. 31, 2011.

The ACC Student Government Association is conducting a student survey to gauge opinions on this matter. The survey ends April 3, and the results will be submitted to the ASC.

"It makes me mad," said David Dunkin, Phi Theta Kappa president. "How can the administration say it is a goal of the college to ban smoking when they haven't even seen if designated smoking area's work on most campuses?"

Some campuses, including the South Austin Campus, do have designated smoking areas. "I think that designated smoking areas work very well. Occasionally people smoke in non-designated areas, but that's usually because they usually don't know they exist," said SAC Campus Manager Betsy Erwin. "I would say that 95 percent of smokers follow the rules and do not cause any problems."

The feasibility of having a full smoking ban is also being called into question.

"It will cause class interruptions," Dunkin said. "Ten minutes is not enough time for someone to walk off campus, smoke a cigarette, and get to their next class, and students will continue to smoke between classes."

The proposed ban could also be difficult to enforce.

"When ACC District Police Officers observe smoking in prohibited areas, the smokers are requested to comply with the rule," said Chief Frankie Waller.

However, ACC police to do not have the authority to write tickets to persons who continue to smoke because there is no state statute that prohibits smoking outside college campuses.

"Students who continue to smoke in prohibited areas will be referred to the dean of students for appropriate administrative action according to the internal disciplinary policies of ACC," Waller said.

The Full-time Faculty Senate is in support of the smoking ban with 64.4 percent in favor of the ban. The Classified Employee Association, which is made up mostly of the non-teaching employees at ACC were largely in favor of allowing smoking in designated areas.

"Students smoking at ACC only affect me when I walk between the Annex and the Main building at Rio Grande. I only avoid walking on the corridor because the cigarette smoke triggers my asthma," computer science major Nicole Smith said.

"This is a suggested date that would give the ACC community time to transition to a smoke-free environment, giving groups like Human Resources, Student Life, and SGA time to promote the changes and also offer assistance like cessation workshops," Brette Lea, executive director of public information and college marketing, said.

The ASC is still gathering information and debating the issue. Executive Vice President of Business Services Ben Ferrell said that "Designated areas seem to be a reasonable compromise reached through much discussion. There seems to be general consensus that this is the way to go, and if followed responsibly (designated smoking areas) will continue in the future."