The Fresno City College Associated Student Government plans to continue its campaign to decide whether or not the smoking policy on campus should be changed.
A debate at the end of the Fall 2010 semester, and a second debate is planned to be held on March 16th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The March will be a town-hall forum style meeting. The ASG has invited faculty members and administrators to participate. Students will also be encouraged to attend and questions members of the panel. ASG is planning to have the debate in the old administration building.
During the Fall 2010 semester, the ASG began its campaign to have smoking banned due to complaints from students, as well as the issue being brought to every administration.
President Gai said that students were “going as far as to find me on Facebook” to ask about ASG handling the smoking issue.
“Last year when I was running for office, that was one of the issues that came up amongst the students,” said Gai.
The California state law, AB 846, states that smoking is not allowed within 20 feet of an open building or window in a public place.
Some students on campus feel that smokers do not always show courtesy to non-smokers, constantly being exposed to secondhand smoke.
“It [Smokers] drives me crazy,” said Aryn Fisher, 2nd year Forensic Evidence major. “Not that they smoke, but because they all cluster up together in front of commonly trafficked places. It’s annoying to walk through a cloud of smoke.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, secondhand smoke can lead to lung cancer as well as other deadly diseases and health issues among nonsmokers.
At the ending of the Spring 2011 semester, an election will decide the policy change. Along with voting for the next ASG administration, students will be able to decide the fate of the smoking policy. The three basic options are keep the rule as it is, ban smoking altogether, or create designated areas.
ASG President Daniel Gai says that whatever decision the students make will be set in stone for the next five ASG administrations, so future administrations can focus on other things.
The ASG started the smoking campaign with a Forum Hall tour, in which ASG members visited several forum hall classes and provided information to the students about the campaign, letting them know, regardless of if they want it banned or not, that their involvement will help decide the fate of the policy change.
President Gai said the tour went “better than expected” and that many teachers applauded the act and are in favor of future ASG events involving visiting the Forum Hall classes.
On Nov. 17, ASG hosted a booth at the fountain area. The booth provided information about the health and financial dangers of smoking, as well as polling students personally about how they feel the policy should be changed.
One of the main goals the ASG is reaching for is representing the students on the issue. “I really don’t want it to appear that ASG is in favor of banning smoking,” President Gai said.
President Gai presses that the ASG wants only what the majority of the students want, whether that means banning smoking or leaving the policy unchanged.
“What we want to focus on is effective representation. The only way we can do that is to be out there amongst the students and get their opinions and suggestions,” President Gai said.
During the Dec. 3 debate, President Gai represented those wanting smoking banned while ASG Senator Gabriel Cordova represented those wanting the policy to remain unchanged.
“It went great. We got a lot of two-way communication,”Gai said. “The input that we got from the debate will help steer us in creating a policy that will be favorable to all constituent groups.”
Gai said the ASG will also focus on providing the school with more receptacles to help cut down the litter of cigarette butts.
