Inside Iowa State

Sept. 22, 2006

Campus task force looking at smoking policy change

by Erin Rosacker

The P&S Council's policies and procedures committee isn't the only group looking to make a change to the university's smoking policy.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, formed a small campus task force in response to concerns raised on campus about smoking areas outside building entrances, open windows and air intake units.

The group, headed by associate director of Environmental Health and Safety Ken Kerns, includes representatives from Facilities Planning and Management, the Thielen Student Health Center and the department of health and human performance. It will work within the guidelines outlined by the policy library to make a minor change to the existing smoking policy.

"The goal is to permit people to enter and leave buildings without being impacted by smoke and, certainly, ensure that smoke isn't getting back into the building through open windows or ventilating systems," Madden said.

The task force, which was formed in mid-August, has been asked to draft a policy that will move smokers away from these areas, but Madden said the new smoking areas may be designated based on the physical arrangement or structure of each building and not a specific distance measurement.

A complete smoking ban on campus would be a major policy change requiring an extensive campus-wide study. Madden said that the issue has been discussed among the administration, but is not being pursued at this time.

Related story

P&S Council considers extended smoking ban.

A campus task force was formed in August to take a look at making a minor change to the campus smoking policy.

"The goal is to permit people to enter and leave buildings without being impacted by smoke and, certainly, ensure that smoke isn't getting back into the building through open windows or ventilating systems."

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance