The AUSA Senate voted 13-3 against a proposal to make DU a “100 percent tobacco-free campus” at its weekly meeting last Tuesday.
Senators defeated Resolution 12-A, which would make DU a tobacco-free campus.
However, the Senate will vote in the future on similar resolutions with some changes made by the Health and Counseling Center.
The center supports the tobacco-free campus initiative.
Some senate members said that the HCC and DU are not doing enough to combat tobacco use on campus or enforce tobacco use restrictions already in place.
Others wondered how well the proposed policy will be enforced on campus if put into effect.
The HCC created the DU Tobacco Task Force last year.
According to a survey of 750 DU students, faculty and staff conducted this year by the HCC about the tobacco-free initiative the majority of the DU campus community supports it.
More than 50 percent of respondents said they chose not to use tobacco products but were still being exposed. The task force’s initial proposal was presented in July to Chancellor Coombe and Provost Kvistad.
Subsequently, the chancellor asked the Health and Counseling Center to get feedback from various campus groups and get back to him, which the HCC is in the process of doing.
The task force’s initial proposal was presented in July to Chancellor Robert Coombe and Provost Greg Kvistad.
Subsequently, the chancellor asked the Health and Counseling Center to get feedback from various campus groups and get back to him, which the HCC is in the process of doing.
Sophomore and non-tobacco user Danielle Wilson feels a smokers “personal choice is affecting more than them and that is not right.”
Woman’s soccer player Jessie Rogers, who supports the ban, said, “I don’t like walking to class having people smoking around me.”
Jimmy Nguyen a junior living in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house, said he has safety concerns about the policy.
Nguyen feels that the policy will have “direct and indirect effects” on students and their living environments.
Students will begin to “smoke in their rooms” which will cause safety hazards, said Nguyen.
Claire Gray, a freshman thinks smokers on campus “are very considerate.”
With the ban of tobacco on campus students also feel that it may cause more problems with the surrounding Denver community as well as for the safety of DU students.
Kat Ackerman feels that the tobacco policy is “discrimination” against smokers.
Chris Sanberg a sophomore smoker feels the ban is hypocritical of the university.
The campus is “wet for students over 21” yet the campus will be tobacco-free even though “we’re all 18,” said Sanberg.
Jack Bouchard feels the administration is “trying to act like they own the air.” DU is not ready for a tobacco-free campus, he said.
The fact that the “cigarette is dead” seems to have no influence on DU students.
More effort will have to be made if students are to be convinced a tobacco-free DU is a better DU.
More than 100 college level campuses nationwide have decided to go tobacco-free. At least 30 states currently have smoking regulations in indoor venues.
Colorado has a smoke-free law that smokers have to be 25 feet away from the entrance of a building when smoking outdoors.
