After weeks of deliberation about how to address the increased complaints about smoking around campus, the Student Senate passed a motion to approve a new policy on the issue. Recent concerns have included students and faculty smoking outside the doors of the Rensselaer Union and other buildings and on the student government balcony. Chair of the Student Life Committee Andrew Neidhardt ’11 has led the effort to draft a new smoking policy on campus. Committees have met multiple times to discuss the issue in greater detail and have had a substantial amount of representation, with most people, smokers or not, agreeing that there should not be smoking within 25 feet of any building on campus.
According to the committee, smoking outside doors has threatened the promise of a smoke-free environment in and around the Union, and, thus, the health and safety of students and faculty on campus. The drafted policy forbids smoking 25 feet away from the farthest stretch of any open door and around the Union.
However, the new policy only addressed half of the debate among both the Senate and Executive Board in the past couple of weeks. The two groups plan to work together on deciding whether or not the sale of cigarettes at Father’s Marketplace should be banned. There is not yet a general consensus on the matter from either body as they are making an effort to further educate themselves on the issue to make the best decision overall, which will include taking both the well-being of the student body and the finances of the Union into consideration, according to Neidhardt.
Grand Marshal Kara Chesal ’09, along with much of the Senate, concluded that the opening of Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center was “awesome.” Chesal recounted only positive feedback and encouraged everyone to go into the building if they have not yet and to be sure to advantage of everything EMPAC has to offer.
Committee updates included news from the Panhellenic Council, which voted St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the center for its new philanthropy for this year.
Earlier this year, a decision was made not to allow student representation on the Institute Finance Committee. Therefore, Senator Will Jones ’11 and Graduate Senator Dan Horvath met with Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Virginia Gregg to get updates, which will be relayed in detail to Senate members within the next couple of weeks.
There was a record turnout at last week’s Finance, Facilities, and Advancement meeting. The main project the committee is working on is making the campus more bike-friendly. August Fietkau ’09 is encouraging collaboration on improving or adding bike routes and stands on campus.
President Shirley Ann Jackson is very supportive of this change, and expressed her excitement over the idea at her monthly meeting with Chesal.
The Community Relations Committee announced that off-campus Rensselaer Advantage Dollars is probably going to happen next fall or late spring, according to Committee Chair Jones.
On November 17, Vice President for Student Life Eddie Ade Knowles will be hosting the Student Life Performance Plan’s cross-cutting review with the Senate and other interested students in Mother’s. The time has not yet been set. According to Chesal, the event is of great importance to the Senate, so that it may use the information gained to help navigate successfully through the rest of the year.
The Senate meeting ended with most members attending the Student Campus Lightwalk held directly afterwards.
