A students’ petition for a smoking ban has been placed on a referendum during this week’s Student Senate election. Students will be able to vote on whether the smoking ban should become the new policy on campus.
Senior Bryon Pavelka led the student petition asking for a smoking ban on campus. For three weeks, Pavelka and others walked through the dormitories to gather signatures. Support for the cause was so strong, Pavelka said that within about an hour he had collected all the signatures needed.
Pavelka and the other petitioners needed 250 student signatures to be able to present the position to the Student Senate.
After the three weeks, the petitioners had gathered a total of 846 signatures.
“I think there’s a lot of good support for this,” Pavelka said.
Until a recent Student Senate vote, Winona State University had adopted a smoking policy that required smokers to stand 25 feet away from campus buildings while smoking. Student Senate’s recently adopted stance calls for designated smoking areas on campus.
By representing the opposite position of the Student Senate, the student petition was able to go directly to referendum for this week’s election.
Student Senator Rotney O’Shea is on the senate election committee that worked on the student smoking referendum options for this week.
“We need to make sure that no side has been left out,” O’Shea said.
In order for the smoking ban to be considered, there must be a 10 percent student body turnout at the polls during this week’s elections. If this 10 percent minimum is reached, the Senate will adopt the position favored by student vote.
Without this 10 percent of students, the original Student Senate recommendation for designated smoking areas will be adopted.
For Pavelka, the petition for a smoking ban was primarily meant to address student health concerns.
“Students shouldn’t be subjected to the dangers of second hand smoke,” he said. “There’s no level of safe smoke.”
Not all students believe the all campus smoking ban is appropriate. Student Senator Terri Burke believes the smoking ban is the wrong approach because it singles out students.
“I think it’s ludicrous,” Burke said. “I think it goes against everything we’ve worked for to build an inclusive environment on campus.”
The designated smoking areas would be a good compromise because non-smokers would know areas to avoid on campus; it would eliminate the ambiguity that may have occurred with the previous 25 foot smoking policy, Burke added.
The all-campus smoking ban will leave no room for compromise, Burke said.
“They’re seeing it as an all or nothing,” Burke said. “It’s not an all or nothing issue.”
Student Senate has not decided the designated smoking areas yet.
Pavelka is still skeptical as to whether the designated smoking areas could be enforced.
“Lines don’t stop smoke,” said Pavelka. “We have a beautiful campus why ruin it?”
The policy that is passed will become the official position of the Student Senate and then presented to Winona State President Judith Ramaley, who has the final say on the matter.

Contact Rachel at RDSmith5697@winona.edu