By Beth Goodbaum
The University is in the process of banning smoking in all residential areas on campus. The policy, which would go into effect starting in fall 2006, would prohibit smoking in dorm rooms, recreational areas, lounge areas and within 20 feet of all residential buildings.
Representatives from the University Senate met earlier this week to discuss the plan, which would be instated only if approved later this spring by the majority of a faculty vote and ultimately President Stuart Rabinowitz.
Daniel Seabold, the speaker of the faculty of the senate, said the ban would not go into effect immediately due to the fact that many incoming students are already in the stage of filling out their housing applications for next fall. He seemed confident that the ban will pass.
Seabold emphasized that the quality of life for resident students who do not smoke is unpleasant and the policy would better ensure health and safety on campus.
“I don’t think that this would have been possible 20 years ago, but recently the public perception of smoking has shifted in a negative direction,” he said.
Smoking is currently permitted in dorms on selected floors as long as residents lock their doors and open windows when they are using cigarettes.
Stuart Bass, the chair of the Planning and Budget Committee on the University Senate, said the University has done extensive research on the possibility of the ban and a non-smoking policy may actually attract more non-smokers to seek housing on campus.
In recent months University officials have conducted focus groups with students in order to get a better idea of the quality of campus life. From these focus groups, the University determined that a ban on smoking would be best for students as well as the University.
“Smoking leads to significant institutional costs,” Bass said. He said smoking results in extra expenses for cleaning due to dirt from ashes left on furniture and upholsteries. The University also pays insurance costs in the event of a fire.
“Overall, the smoking ban would be better for everyone,” he said.
Not all students are satisfied with the thought of a ban.
“I pay for my room and if I want to smoke in it, I should be able to,” junior, Jane Melamud, public relations major, said. “Smoking is legal and they shouldn’t take away the rights of the students who smoke.”
Bass said the ban may leave some students feeling that their personal rights have been violated.
“When choosing to live in a dorm, one tends to lose a reasonable degree of privacy anyway,” he said.
Sean Burke, the assistant director of residential life, said cigarette smoke poses as a safety hazard and the ban would be a precaution to prevent fire in the dorms.
In 2000, a fire in a Seton Hall University dorm claimed the lives of three students and left 58 people injured.
According to a memo distributed last month by Craig Hauser, the director of residential life, “Smoking caused 33 fire alarms to be triggered in the Hofstra resident halls within a period of six months.”
Although there have been a higher number of fire alarms for many buildings in recent months, Nate Joslin, a resident director in Estabrook Hall said he has noticed most of these drills have been triggered by marijuana smoke, which is not tolerated by the University and is more likely to set off the detectors than cigarette smoke.
Bass said the ban would also be compliant with the New York State Clean Indoor Air Act, which went into effect 2003. Under this act, the University administration has the authority to prohibit smoking.

Students often go outside their dorms to smoke a cigarette. (Chronicle/Staff)