SGA considers smoking ban on HSC campus

Banning smoking from the West Virginia University's Health Sciences Campus was the hot topic at Wednesday's Student Government Association meeting.

Dave Harshbarger, wellness manager at the HSC, asked the governors to propose a resolution for the ban to be placed on the University's Board of Governor's agenda.

Once the HSC goes smoke-free, the rest of the campus will follow, according to Harshbarger.

"There is a precedent in having WVU Health Sciences step up and lead the rest of the University," he said. "There is a strong majority who don't smoke. Seventy-five percent of health problems are linked to chronic illnesses – obesity and tobacco."

WVU Hospitals are going smoke-free Nov. 19, coinciding with The Great American Smokeout, which begins Nov. 20. Harshbarger wants the HSC to go smoke-free with the hospitals.

Gov. Abby Sobonya asked if an acceptable place to smoke would be provided, like peer institutions' "smoking huts," and about the repercussions of smoking in a non-smoking area.

"It doesn't fit the mission of health care to say, ‘it's OK to kill yourself, just go do it there'," he said. "Your vehicle is not a targeted place of enforcement, but 10 employees going to one person's car could lead to employee termination."

For patients admitted to the hospital, a choice of going without cigarettes or accepting nicotine replacement therapy is an option, according to Harshbarger.

University President James P. Clements was successful in banning smoking from his former institution as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Towson University in Maryland, Harshbarger noted.

One student, speaking on behalf of students, said he did not smoke, but felt it was not right of the University to take away the right to smoke outdoors.

Gov. Nick Fortunato introduced himself as a smoker and agreed with the student, adding that a smoking ban would not be upheld.

"There are 20,000 some kids on campus. I don't see anyone following it," Fortunato said. "Telling people that they cannot smoke outdoors isn't going to work very well."

Gov. Scott Covitz asked the BOG to vote on behalf of the student population and not on behalf of those who don't smoke, though he added there is still a minority of smokers to consider.

SGA Vice President Whitney Rae Peters gave governors the option of writing a resolution to ban smoking on the HSC to be discussed at a future meeting.

Representatives from the U.S. Census Bureau also gave a speech on the importance of students filling out census forms.

"The census represents you to your federal governments," said Elizabeth Guthrie, Census Bureau representative. "For census data, one of the biggest challenges is, how to count college students."

Students who fill out the census would help Morgantown in receiving grant money that could benefit the University, according to Guthrie.

Censuses are confidential, Guthrie said, and are sealed for 72 years. Students should fill out the form for their current residence and not their parent's address.

Former SGA President Jason Parsons, who was in attendance, praised the BOG for their work.

"I've met with all of you, Molly Casto more than anybody – you all are doing a good job," he said. "I really salute (SGA President) Jason and Whitney and the BOG for putting students first."