2008 Woodie Awards
School year starts smoke-free
Laura Bryant
Issue date: 8/26/08 Section: Front Page
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Miami's Board of Trustees originally approved the smoking ban proposal Sept. 14, 2007, with the 2008-09 school year the first to see the change.
With the smoking ban in effect just shy of a month, Miami President David Hodge said he has not heard anything negative thus far.
"I have heard absolutely nothing, no complaints," Hodge said. "It's been very quiet. We hope it is a non-event that folks are going to voluntarily collaborate with."
Miami sent a news release to students, faculty and staff during the summer, outlining the smoking ban guidelines.
Miami senior Jennifer Brodman thinks the ban is good for people who do not smoke but not for those who choose to smoke.
"I can understand how it can be irritating to walk behind someone on the way to class and have smoke blown on them," Brodman said. "But, as a smoker I think it's weird because you're outside; if you are 25-feet away from buildings, you're not going to hurt anyone. It puts a ban on your freedom for your right to smoke or not."
Robin Parker, general counsel for the university, said the smoking ban is not a radical shift from where the university stood before on smoking. Miami has been smoke-free in public areas of buildings since 1993 and smoke-free within 25 feet of university buildings since December 2006.
Parker said there are a number of avenues the university will take to enforce the smoking ban.
"First and foremost we hope to achieve compliance through persuasion that this in fact good for the university and good for its citizens," Parker said.
According to Parker, the main source of enforcement will come through EthicsPoint, found on Miami's Web site. At EthicsPoint students, faculty and staff can file complaints about locations where people are found smoking. Parker said the filed complaints probably do not have to include names but it will let officials know that someone may be smoking habitually in a certain area. The university can then send someone by to make sure the rules are understood and enforced.
"It will progress from there," Parker said. "So if people are repeatedly advised and chose to break (the ban), then there'll be discipline systems for all of those things. It is not any different from breaking any other rule."
Parker said the policy will take a few months for people to get used to but that most people are happy with the rule from what she has observed.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
nick
posted 8/26/08 @ 1:39 AM EST
haha hodge hasn't heard anything negative so far. how bout this? this ban is fascism.
Alum in Akron
posted 8/26/08 @ 8:18 AM EST
How are you going to require students to live on campus for two years and tell them they cannot smoke outside their buildings? Miami is stepping over the line right onto its students basic rights; their also unknowingly imposing social tension betweens smokers and non-smokers on campus--bad move Hodge & Co. (Continued…)
Soph
posted 8/26/08 @ 11:12 AM EST
A smoking ban within fifteen feet of the buildings was an excellent plan that was properly implemented. This, on the other hand crosses the line. The only city in the world with a similar ban is Paris. (Continued…)
3 south
posted 8/26/08 @ 3:32 PM EST
Poorly maintained cars, incinerators, gas powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers, any and all smokestacks, grill hood exhausts in dining halls, barbecue grills, let's see, did I leave anything out, oh yeah, hot air from meetings that result in decisions like these. (Continued…)
nonsmoker
posted 8/26/08 @ 8:33 PM EST
What horrifies me is that it seems that nonsmoker students don't appear to care at all that their individual rights are slowly disappearing, just because it doesn't effect them personally. (Continued…)
student
posted 8/27/08 @ 10:45 PM EST
I'm not a smoker, but this goes a little too far. Smokers should be allowed to smoke, I just wish when they did they would be more careful where they blew their smoke. (Continued…)
Dave
posted 8/28/08 @ 9:05 AM EST
"The second exception allows persons to smoke in personal automobiles parked on Miami property. According to Parker, the windows need to be rolled up since the policy exists to prevent second-hand smoke. (Continued…)
jpmagg3
Townie Alum
posted 8/28/08 @ 11:41 AM EST
As an ex-smoker this infuriates me...Hodge and Parker, read the letters preceding this and get a clue - you step on the recreational rights of any minority at your peril; you should not be in the business of regulating the LEGAL behavior of any adult on campus or off. (Continued…)
Miami Alum
posted 8/28/08 @ 9:21 PM EST
Smoking isn't a right, it is a privilege. There is a distinct difference. Somebody point out in the Constitution where it protects the right to smoke and I'll eat a tobacco plant. (Continued…)
Townie Alum
posted 8/28/08 @ 9:47 PM EST
Miami Alum,
You might note that I said "recreational" right...strictly speaking in a legal sense, you are absolutely correct - it's University property and they can do as they wish, but from a common sense point of view it's a very slippery slope. (Continued…)
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