The Student Government Association approved a resolution requesting an area of exception to the university’s tobacco policy at their meeting on Oct. 8.

The resolution calls for the administration to lift the tobacco ban in an area near the residence halls and other areas that are agreed upon at a later date.

The resolution did not address enforcement fines.

James Bonsall, SGA president, said that by loosening its policy, IU Southeast would be following in the footsteps of other IU campuses.

“IU Kokomo passed a resolution for designated smoking areas earlier this week,” Bonsall said.

IU Kokomo previously did not allow smoking anywhere on campus, including in vehicles.

Johann Pedolzky, SGA senator, said the current university policy is not practical.

“It’s important to address this right now,” Pedolzky said. “The tobacco policy is not pragmatic at all. The end result is cigarette butts all over the parking lot. I’m not a smoker, but it is unreasonable to think students will only smoke in their cars.”

Jonathan Moody, SGA senate chair, did not support the resolution.

“I’m not in favor of the enforcement policy the university is currently proposing, and I agree there needs to be a smoking area,” Moody said, “but the language in the resolution is just too vague.”

“As a lodge resident, I don’t want somebody to be standing at the door smoking,” Moody said. “I don’t want to walk through that. The resolution didn’t address where the smoking area would be.”

Tristan Williamson, SGA senator, said he thought the resolution was a good launching pad for future action.

“I wish we could do more right now, but what we have is a good start,” Williamson said. “We can only go around IUS’s edict and try to open some loopholes.”

“If anyone is looking to the SGA for anything right now, this is it,” Williamson said.

The SGA will forward the resolution to IUS administration and the Executive Council, though the university is not required to act on SGA recommendations.

By ZAK OWENS
Staff Writer
zowens@ius.edu