Faculty Senate begins smoking debate

Efforts to make the University tobacco and smoke free or ban Astra smoking within 75 feet of buildings were debated Monday by the Faculty Senate. The two resolutions will be voted on at the May 4 meeting.

Michael Russo, LSU Libraries senator, presented the resolution to make the University tobacco and smoke free along with a petition signed by about 1,900 people. Russo said it was mostly students who signed the petition.

"As soon as those doors slide open, secondhand smoke goes rushing in," mass communication professor Judith Sylvester said about smoking by the Middleton Library entrance.

Sylvester said if the resolution passes, the University will be the 13th institution in Louisiana to begin working toward this goal.

Sylvester said she has been tracking smoking habits at the University for about 10 years and the real issue will be with staff members who smoke outside the building they work in every day.

Sylvester said she thinks Student Government should also address this issue.

The resolution to move smokers 75 feet away from buildings aims to move smoking receptacles away from buildings and make the University compliant with Louisiana smoking laws and the Clean Air Act.

In other business, Jim Purcell, the new commissioner of higher education, gave a speech about the higher education budget issues in Louisiana.

Purcell said issues like increasing the operational fee and raising the tuition cap from 12 to 15 hours must pass in the state Legislature.

"Without their passage, there will have to be additional cuts," Purcell said.

Purcell also said the University needs to "think" more like a private institution.

"Institutions that are reliant on self-generated funds have to think differently," Purcell said.

Purcell also spoke about the importance of the relationship between the community and the University.

Purcell said new literature states there is a relationship to universities and the work force and the states that will survive are those "who can show relevance to the workforce."

Purcell said he wants to "make sure faculty members have input in the big decisions being made."

The Faculty Senate passed a resolution dealing with universities in Louisiana spending taxpayer money to sustain athletic programs while faculty members and academic programs are being cut.

The resolution asks Louisiana representatives to make taxpayers aware of this issue.