The smoking policy at
Bucks, which permits students
to only smoke in designated
parking lots, is not always
well enforced.
On Oct. 1, 2008 a rule was
enacted that “All College
buildings and property are
smoke-free unless specifically
designated as areas where
smoking is allowed,” according
to the Bucks website.
The website outlines the
designated parking lots in
which students and faculty are permitted to smoke. It also
states the policy, guidelines,
and enforcement that will be
implemented if a student is
caught. However, this fairly
new rule still seems ineffective.
Matt Byrne, a sophomore at
Bucks and a liberal arts major,
said he was smoking by the
portable classrooms in the fall
semester. He was standing
right by one of the no-smoking
signs and a security officer
just drove right by. Byrne said
the officer said “once you’re
done you can’t smoke here
anymore.”
No fine was levied and the
officer did not force Byrne to
put his cigarette out immediately.
Another student who
was not fined, but simply told
to move to the parking lot,
asked that his name be given
only as Dan.
“It doesn’t make sense, I
think we should be able to
smoke wherever we want,”
Dan said.
It seems clear the the fines
for smoking in non-desginated
areas are not always enforced.
“First offense can be a fine
of up to $25,” said Dennis
McCauley, director of the
Security and Safety Office.
On one recent evening, a
Bucks security officer accosted
two students who were
smoking near Rollins and
made them put out their cigarettes.
But more recently, several
students were seen smoking
openly in the Quad at midmorning.
Every day, there are many
students who simply do not
feel like walking to the parking
lots, so they stand on campus
and smoke. There are
signs around campus, and
when entering the college grounds the road sign flashes,
telling students where they
can smoke.
“Most cooperate by smoking
in approved areas. So in
that respect I would say that it
is having an effect. Human
nature being what it is, not
everyone follows the policy,”
McCauley said.
McCauley said during cold
weather, students are more
reluctant to go to areas where
smoking is permitted.
Although this rule is has
only been in effect for about a
year and half, many students l
now smoke only in the designated
areas.When pulling into
the parking lot, it is hard not
to notice all
of the students
smoking
in the
area.
Two students
in the
c a f e t e r i a
r a i s e d
a n o t h e r
aspect of
smoking on campus.
“I hate when I walk past a
group of people and they’re
smoking,” Alina Besarab,
Paralegal Studies major, said.
“Especially when you have
asthma,” Kate Wahalen,
Criminal Justice major, added.
When comparing designated
vs. prohibited smoking areas
at Bucks, it is obvious that not
all, but a
good number
of students
are
trying to
follow the
fairly new
rule.
“Is the
clean air
community
policy working?
Yes, we are seeing a big
difference in smoking behavior.
Students and employees
are cooperating with our policy
change and making our
campus a cleaner and healthier
place,” said Matt Cipriano,
director of Student Life
Programs.
Perhaps only with time will
Bucks will see all students
smoking in the permitted
areas. Meanwhile, read the
signs, be aware of the designated
smoking areas, and the
fines for smoking in non-desginated
areas.