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Surrounded by clouds of smoke, 15 disgruntled students discussed new tactics to keep designated smoking areas on this campus after they were stood up by the president Wednesday.
The students met to vent their frustration after a forum on designated smoking areas with Dr. Robert Zeigler, scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center, was canceled.
“I skipped class for this,” kinesiology freshman Renee Berrones said. About 40 students sat in the Fiesta Room waiting for Zeigler, but he never arrived.
Zeigler said Darryl Nettles, interim director of student life, canceled the forum.
“(Nettles) called a little before 1:30 p.m. to say it was canceled,” he said. “It was not my decision.”
Nettles said he canceled the forum because Phi Theta Kappa was conducting a “Come Blow Smoke” session on Wednesday.
Nettles said he wasn’t sure what the content of Phi Theta Kappa’s event was but that “there’s no sense in having two of them.”
Nettles said if he had noticed students waiting for the forum, he would have called Zeigler and facilitated it. Broadcasting freshman T.J. Cantwell said he had talked with Zeigler in mid-October to verify the forum was still scheduled for Wednesday.
Cantwell and liberal arts freshman Chris Schreiber worked six weeks to secure signatures on a petition representing about 627 people who want to prevent a ban on smoking on campus next fall.
The petition was given to Zeigler during a meeting Oct. 4, and a forum was set for Nov. 3 for further discussion.
When Zeigler failed to appear Wednesday, Cantwell called the president’s office and was informed the president was not going to attend.
The president showed up for the forum to ban smoking, Cantwell said, but when there is a forum to keep it, he doesn’t show.
“All I want to fight for is the designated smoking
areas,” Cantwell said. Zeigler said he would have attended if
he knew even 15 students were waiting. “I’ll be glad to
reschedule the forum,” he said.
Nursing sophomore Crystal Pherson said putting a ban on smoking is not going to stop people on this campus from smoking.
English sophomore Elaine Arispe said she did not agree with the department of public safety giving citations to smokers.
“Certainly, they have better things to do than find smokers — like catching a flasher,” she said.
Paralegal freshman Michael Thomas said students should not be fined.
“If they can’t enforce all the rules, why enforce this one?” he said.
“They charge us more for tuition and want to fine us; that’s not right,” Thomas said.
Cantwell said he still will push for a forum with Zeigler no matter what it takes and discussed the possibility of a smoking sit-in.
“If they don’t listen to us when we play by the rules, we’ll play outside the box,” he said.
Upcoming eventsProtest:
Students protest smoking restrictions from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday in the mall area of Loftin.
SAC Series:
Third of four smoking cessation classes at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Room 126 of Candler. Call 733-2761.
SAC Lecture:
“Smoking and Popular Culture” by Dr. Joy Gates Black at noon Wednesday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 733-2716.
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