Southwestern Colleges will soon be saying goodbye to an old flame. A smoking ban is coming.
Following the lead of other San Diego County community colleges, the SWC Governing Board approved a no smoking policy at its August meeting.
The new policy will limit smoking to a minimum of four designated areas outside of the perimeter road. The areas have not yet been designated, but the college safety committee is working on identifying them.
There will be at least one designated smoking area for each of the North, South, East and West parking lots. SWC Higher Education Centers will only be required to have one designated area for each of the sites.
Campus Police Chief and safety committee chair Brent Chartier helped draft the proposal.
"The new policy will move smoking away from campus," he said.
Chartier said he is working with John Wilson, director of business and operations, reviewing areas where smoking will be permitted. Accessibility for smokers is a consideration, Chartier said.
"No matter where you are, you should be able to get to the spots," he said.
Safety is a major consideration Chartier said, particularly traffic issues.
SWC got a failing grade from the Tobacco Free Communities Coalition in 2004. This prompted Health Services to commission a campus survey in 2006. Faculty and students favored limiting smoking on campus and supported the concept of new guidelines.
A tougher policy gained support this past summer and was approved by the board meeting as District Policy 3570. It replaced a temporary policy that put the college in compliance with Assembly Bill 846 that banned smoking in enclosed spaces and required smokers to be 20 feet away from buildings and entrances.
Campus Nurse Grace Cruz said awareness is the key to making the new policy work. Other campuses with no smoking policies, she said, used enforcement through socialization. Informational cards are one method she mentioned that was used by other schools. Students can hand these cards out to smokers letting them know about the new policy.
"Really we're just looking out for the whole health of the college campus and the community," said Cruz, "Like many health situations, if people aren't ready to make that change we can't force them to do that but we'll definitely support them."
Gustavo Zamarripa, 21, an art major, said he is a fan of the policy because it would be healthier for everyone.
"It's a really nice, green campus," said Zamarripa. "Not smoking would add to that."
Chartier said no one has been confrontational under the current policy and smokers are generally concerned about other people.
Once the areas are decided on it will be up to the administration on how to implement and promote the policy. The campus police will not enforce the new policy until it is sorted out, Chartier said.
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