By Jesse Bade
Two committees in University Senate, the Student Affairs Committee and the Planning and Budget Committee, continue to work on enforcing the current smoking policy on campus after survey results from last semester showed that students favored a more stringent policy.
Of those surveyed, more than 75 percent supported some kind of smoking policy, and were open to the possibility of a full-campus ban.
Signs have since been placed outside Axinn Library stating that smoking should be done 20 feet away from any building. The committees plan to purchase more signs to place around the entire campus after addressing the issue of overlapping "hot spots."
Despite the senate's efforts, some students say the signs are not fixing the problem.
"People still smoke right by the door too, especially when you leave the doors near the library," said Sharna Hargreaves, a University student. "Before I leave, I have to hold my breath and then I look [at the smokers] and give them a bad eye and carry on. I don't think signs do anything."
Eleanore Saintis agrees, suggesting more enforcement by Public Safety could solve the problem.
"The signs are there but [people] take them as suggestions, not as a rule," said Saintis. "It needs to be established that it's the law."
Along with enforcing the new smoking policy, the Student Affairs Committee, chaired by senior Etana Jacobi, is now focusing on revising the campus shuttle schedules. The Shuttle Subcommittee intends to reach out to the Plant Department and Public Safety to coordinate a schedule that include mid-week trips to surrounding shopping areas. The committee is also collaborating with SGA to survey students on the campus bus service.
University student Dylan Cahir likes the proposed shuttle schedule.
"A lot of people need stuff during the week and if they have to wait until the weekend that doesn't always work for them," said Cahir.