The campus-wide smoking ban has been in effect for one semester, since Jan. 1, 2014. Signs have been posted around campus reminding students of the smoking ban and more work is underway to increase compliance.

Michele Guerra, director of the UI Wellness Center, said that she has seen progress since the ban went into effect. While there is not complete compliance, a decrease is noticeable. 

“Overall, we’re seeing a lot less smoking on campus,” she said. “Most people report that they either don’t see smoking on campus or they see very little. So I think overall, we’re where we expected and hoped to be at this point.” 

In February, the Wellness Center held its first round of training for student ambassadors. In an interview in February, Guerra mentioned that the students would learn about the details regarding the ban, including available resources and ways to enforce the policy in a diplomatic manner.

Sarah Sommer, smoke-free campus assistant, said the training went very well. The student ambassadors gave her positive feedback and felt prepared, she said.

“We had four ambassadors to start and added another a few weeks later,” she said. “The ambassadors all went out on a shift with me prior to being sent out in teams of two for their regular shifts.”

Guerra mentioned that they have also begun to train other groups on campus. These individuals are not considered student ambassadors, however they go through a similar training. The groups consist of campus facility members and managers that might be in situations involving students that are not compliant. Those who undergoing training learn factual knowledge and communication skills, she said.

In an interview in February, Guerra said the University was using experiences gathered from other universities that have implemented similar policies to guide them. 

“What we’re trying to do is change a culture — not just enforce a rule,” she said.

In January, Illinois student senators Rachel Heller, junior in LAS, and Kevin Seymour, graduate student, submitted a resolution to the student senate, which opposed any changes to the student code that would allow the University to reprimand students for smoking. 

“We would support the smoking ban, but we do not support reprimand for any student,” Heller said in a January interview. “I really don’t like it when I’m walking out of a dorm or walking out of a class, and I have to walk through a cloud of smoke, but I don’t think students should have a punishment of possible expulsion from the University for a fundamental right that they have.” 

Even though the smoke-free policy is not a punishable offense, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Renee Romano mentioned in a February interview that the student is still required to follow all student codes and policies. 

Guerra said that she, along with the campus implementation committee, have noticed that there are “isolated pockets of non-compliance” — the Undergraduate Library and residence halls — and they are trying to figure out how to address them.

She said the goal of the smoke-free campus policy enforcement is to increase compliance and they are not “infringing on their personal rights.”

Sommer said that her goal for the upcoming year is to increase volunteer involvement.

“It would be great if we could get a larger group of ambassadors involved, which would allow us to educate more people,” she said. “I also hope that more people on campus start to get involved in making our campus a healthier place and that more groups request the condensed training.”

A new wave of information going out to educate the incoming freshmen in the fall, Guerra said, and she is considering signs, sidewalk clings, bus advertisements and other methods of signage.

The campus implementation committee meets quarterly, and finished evaluations regarding the smoking ban. If changes need to be made, they will, Guerra said. 

There will be a second round of training coming for summer smoke-free student ambassadors and there will be another one in the beginning of the fall semester.

“We’d love to see as close to 100 percent compliance, and we know that it’s going to take some time,” Guerra said. “I think we just really need to make sure that we stay consistent and stay focused on paying attention to this for the next couple years until we get to that place where we’re fully compliant.”

Jessica can be reached at [email protected].