Bucks students have been
hearing rumors of a smoking
ban. And although some are for a
ban, and others vehemently
against, the Student Government
Association spoke before the
Board of Trustees last
Wednesday and a full-campus
ban has officially been enacted
effective immediately.
No student or faculty member
will be permitted to smoke anywhere
on Bucks campus. Matt
Cipriano, director of student life
said, “It’s just our way of trying
to promote a healthy lifestyle for
every student on our campus.”
All ashtrays will be taken away
and signs are already being posted
telling students that smoking
is prohibited. Any student
caught smoking on campus will
be fined $75, and any student
caught throwing cigarette butts
on the ground will be fined $25.
Since many Bucks students are
smokers, there is a very negative
reaction coming from a majority
of students.
Mike Nussbaum, 23, a business
major from Wrightstown said, “I
think it’s crap. Students are the
people paying the staff’s salary,
we should have a say in whether
smoking is banned or not.”
Another student, Justin
Goldberg, 20, from Newtown
said, “I don’t think it will go over
that easily, I can see students definitely
protesting a smoking ban
on campus.”
The non-smoking students on
campus had a different perspective
on the ban. Alissa Roth, 20,
a political science major from
Yardley said, “I’m kind of
relieved. I hate not being able to
walk around campus when the
weather is nice and having to
walk through clouds of smoke.”
The smoking ban is a result of
a survey that was sent out to all
faculty and staff about a month
ago. They were asked to give
their opinion on the reasons why
or why not the smoking ban
should go into effect. This is very
disconcerting to the students,
because they are feeling like they
did not have a say at all.
Nussbaum said, “To not have a
say at all when I pay to go to
school here is ridiculous and it’s
not fair to anyone who smokes
and pays to take classes here.”
Goldberg said, “How can they
just say ‘no smoking’ just like
that without even giving us a fair
warning or asking for students’
opinions? That’s just outrageous.”
Students are asked to be cooperative
as this is just a way to
promote students’ health and
welfare while they go to school
here at Bucks.