Already a hot topic in other Minnesotan schools, the issue of tobacco use on campus is about to become more prevalent at Gustavus as a group of students tackle removing tobacco use entirely from campus.

Gustavus’ tobacco policy is eighteen years old which, according to Senior Nursing Majors Kenisha Jackson and Katelyn Saiko, is too old and is in need of an update. They’re starting a drive to move Gustavus to a tobacco-free campus.

This isn’t a new topic for Gustavus however. The tobacco policy is a Tier One topic on Commission Gustavus 150’s agenda, meaning it is something that would be addressed within the next couple years with or without the prompting of Jackson and Saiko. They’re encouraging the policy to be addressed sooner rather than later. As it stands now the policy allows for tobacco use on campus, but not inside buildings or within twenty-five feet of campus buildings.

A debate within the debate is whether or not the Student Senate will be involved with this decision. Technically Health Services doesn’t have to get approval from Student Senate and can make the decision completely on their own.  The question here is whether or not they should go through the students on the tobacco policy.

Two years ago, Erik Bryz-Gornia, a Junior Chemistry major and member of Student Senate, was part of a board that decided the future of the school’s marijuana policy, so he has experience working with altering policies and is comfortable with the channels and people he must go through.

He is the chair of the Housing and Health Committee on Student Senate.  He recognizes that more research needs to be done on part of both sides before a strong case can be presented for a new tobacco policy.

“Our plan is to research what other MIAC schools have,” Bryz-Gornia said, with the goal to see what works for other schools and what doesn’t and also to compare tobacco policies amongst all colleges. “Essentially,” Bryz-Gornia said, “it’s a battle between freedom to choose and having a healthier campus.”

“One of the things we need to think about is enforcement,” Bryz-Gornia continued. “Would it be a system like what is in place for alcohol, or something new that needs to be decided?”

Residential Life would need to be talked to about the new policy along with Campus Safety as they would be on the frontlines of the battle over the potential new policy.  Even having certain zones set aside for tobacco use is an idea that has been postulated.

Nothing has actually come of Jackson’s and Saiko’s efforts with the help of their Student Senate contact Bryz-Gornia yet, but that’s because the idea is still in its infancy.  With this in mind “[they] are planning to have an open forum where students can come and voice their opinions” along with “sending out a student survey in the future in order to get a better feel for student opinion on the subject,” Bryz-Gornia said.

How long this process will take is hard to say, but if students are interested in sharing their opinions or any information they may have, they can email housingcommittee@gac.edu.  A strong student involvement can only help this process and lead to a new, student approved policy being put into effect.

In the end this is a policy that needs the input of the entire Gustavus community.