By: Danealle Khaimskiy
Bradley University’s anti-smoking regulations have a long timeline of events. Until recently, the only regulation stated that one cannot smoke within 15-feet of any academic building. Student Senate hopes the University Senate will motion to pass the law. Though when asked their opinion, Bradley students were not all for the idea of a smoke-free or smoking regulated campus.
It’s 75 degrees outside, with the sun peaking out through the clouds as if playing hide and seek, all while you are laying on one of the quads writing a paper.
A very specific aroma tickles your nose; it smells like a mix of the fresh cut grass and burning tar—the person next to you is smoking. Even though the great outdoors should in theory shift the smell in a different direction, it still lingers.
“I hate having to walk through a cloud of smoke on my way to class,” junior Julia Koukol said. “I mean, I wouldn’t care if people smoked, I just wish they would do it in their own separate corner.”
Koukol’s complaint isn’t the only one of its kind, which is why Student Senate has decided to resurrect their smoking policy reform.
“The idea for [a smoke-free campus] has been around for a while,” College of Liberal Arts and sciences Senator Kelsi Smith said. “But everything was really kicked into gear once all state funded schools were required by law to be smoke-free.”
Even though Bradley is a privately funded university, Smith said administration still wanted to align themselves with state standards.
According to former Student Senate President, Sarah Handler, when Senate first tried to propose a smoke-free campus referendum in 2009, students loudly spoke out against it.
As a compromise, Bradley implemented the state’s rule of no smoking within 15 feet of an academic building.
“SONOR went through a couple years ago, and painted footprints 15-feet from every building,” Handler said. “But it didn’t do much to enforce the rule.”
Then in 2014, the discussion was raised once more when Senate proposed a smoke-free quad resolution.
“The idea would be that you could still smoke on campus, but not on either of the quads,” Smith said. “This way we are keeping smoke out of heavily populated areas.”
Unfortunately for Senate, the resolution never came into fruition, but it didn’t keep them from trying.
“I think we finally found a good compromise for smokers and non-smokers alike,” Kelsi said.
According to Handler, the new policy would severely limit where one can smoke in or around campus. It even extends as far as off campus housing like St. James Apartments. There would be a total of six designated smoking areas across the entire university. The smoke-free campus referendum doesn’t just stop at cigarettes.
“It would apply to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or water pipes and any electronic smoking devices,” Handler said.
When Senate presented students with the possible referendum, the idea was met with mixed reactions.
“I don’t smoke regularly, but I do enjoy a cigar once in a while,” senior Annaleah Emm said. “I don’t want to have to walk far from, what is technically and off campus apartment, to do it.”
With the new policy in place, St. James residents would only be allowed to smoke behind St. James towards North Garfield Avenue and the intersection of West Bradley Avenue and Frink Street.
For junior Ryan Blitstein, it is more than just having to walk further for a smoke-break.
“I don’t think it’s about what’s safer for students,” Blitstein said “I think it’s about whether we can or cannot restrict them from consuming a legally purchased, publicly acceptable product.”
Both Blitstein and Emm said they think the 15-foot rule is both fair and effective for keeping both smokers and non-smokers happy.
“Bradley has never been a smoke filled campus,” Emm said. “It’s never been thrown in my face that there are smokers here.”
Though the 15-foot policy has been in affect for about eight years now, it is rarely enforced according to Smith. However, this wouldn’t be the case with Senate’s new policy, which will apply to students and faculty.
“The punishment for breaking the smoking rules will be determined by Bradley’s administration,” Handler said. “[Senate] suggests a ticketing system similar to parking tickets.”
Whether students are for or against the new policy, Handler said it might take up to a year to pass. Now that Student Senate has passed the referendum, it goes to the University Senate, where they will debate about it.
“I’m sure by the time they pass the new rule I won’t be on campus anymore,” Koukol said. “But I still fully support it. I’m sorry I don’t want students getting cancer from direct smoking or from second hand smoke.”