Pennsylvania's decision to ban smoking completely at 14 of its state universities has given rise to the question of whether students have a fundamental right to light up on their campus grounds. Most of the AU students who were interviewed opposed the ban.
The anti-smoking ruling in Pennsylvania state universities (except for Pennsylvania State University, which is not part of the state university system and still allows smoking) is part of a more encompassing law that bans smoking from many businesses and most public spaces, USA Today reported.
College administrators have taken much of the blame for interpreting a law, the Clean Indoor Air Act, as applying to outdoor spaces as well. Many Pennsylvania students have expressed grievances with that change, according to USA Today.
One student from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania who wanted to remain anonymous, said, "If you want the entire campus to be a non-smoking area then just say there is no smoking on campus and stand up to people and take the heat yourselves."
Isabel Moris, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she questions the policy of regulating open spaces.
"I understand the regulations, but outside is outside," she said.
Jonathan Southgate, a sophomore in SIS, said he supports the regulations, but not on the scale utilized in Pennsylvania.
"Regulate it, but don't make it all or nothing," he said.
Some students both from AU and Pennsylvania universities said they agree smoking policies should not be "all or nothing" and supported compromise.
David Taylor, AU President Neil Kerwin's chief of staff, said the issue of a campus smoking ban has come up several times throughout his career but emphasized that it has always come up from the faculty, staff and students not the administration.
"Rather than a top-down edict, [it] is a vigorous ongoing discussion," he said.
Despite debate, however, no firm consensus has ever been reached on forming such a protocol, Taylor said.
"When you widen the circle of discussion, some people would absolutely support it, for health reasons, and some people would say 'not so fast, does it impede on people's rights?'" he said.
Some in Pennsylvania, however, have accepted the ban without much resistance. While "smoke-ins" and other protests have occurred at some universities, other schools, such as the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Millersville University, have adopted the policy with no significant resistance, according to the public relations departments of both schools.
Garret Bonosky, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said he supported Pennsylvania's decision. He also said he supported having a similar policy at AU.
"As a private university, [AU] can make any rules they want," he said.
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