While some Boston University students are campaigning to relax certain housing restrictions, like the Guest Policy, one student is looking to add a rule to housing policies.
Mike Kaplan, a Graduate School for Arts and Sciences student and resident of Bay State Road, said he hopes to ban smoking in all of BU’s residences. Kaplan said his goal is to have smoking banned in all rooms and hallways, limiting it to designated smoking areas in the larger dorms.
“Most people [still] wouldn’t have to leave their building,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan said he has spoken with John T. Weldon, BU’s director of resident life, and plans to send him an official letter stating his intent. Kaplan also said he will approach the Bay State Residence Hall Association to gain support before going to other RHAs.
Kaplan listed several positives for a smoking ban in the residences, including health reasons.
“Number one, I’m highly opposed to smoking in general,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan said he does not wish to impose this view on others.
“The policy now is if your roommate doesn’t have a problem with it, and no one else is bothered, you can smoke in your room,” Kaplan said.
But Kaplan said he thought many students would not have the confidence to speak up.
“I feel like some people are going to be in situations they don’t like,” he said.
Marc Robillard, BU’s director of housing, said while students are required to list if they are a smoker on their housing form, he believed many students would not admit to the habit.
“About three percent report that they smoke,” Robillard said. “My sense is that the actual percentage is higher than that — a lot higher.”
Another argument from Kaplan is fire safety.
“Candles are completely outlawed [in dorms], and I can’t imagine why cigarettes are not deemed a specific fire hazard in themselves,” Kaplan said.
Weldon said it was not common for a cigarette or cigarette ash to start a fire, and said he remembered it happening about a decade ago in Rich Hall. There was damage to the dorm room, but no one was injured, according to Weldon.
“Fires that we’ve had have primarily been from cooking and candles,” Weldon said. “That’s why we’ve completely banned candles.”
Kaplan also pointed out that regular cigarettes could be used to mask the smell of marijuana smoke. If all smoking was prohibited in the rooms, Kaplan said, BU would be able to better prevent marijuana use in its dorms.
“If there was any kind of smoke coming from the room, they would immediately know it’s a violation,” Kaplan said.
Though Kaplan has not gotten “any official support yet,” he said he has not yet found anyone totally opposed to the policy.
“Of the people I’ve talked to, most are either supportive or non-committal,” Kaplan said. “I haven’t found anyone adamantly opposed.”
Jane Kim, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman and a smoker, said students and their roommates should be able to declare their room a smoking room if they feel the need.
“I think you should be able to [smoke] if you and your roommate decide,” Kim said. “It just takes away your choice; we’re old enough to make our own decisions.”
Philip Tatel, a College of Engineering freshman, called smoking “disgusting.”
“It comes out into the hall,” Tatel said. “It’s not one of those ‘freedom of choice’ things because it affects other people.”
Robillard said it was “a question of the rights of non-smokers.” There is no smoking allowed in the bathrooms or common areas of the dorms, and due to a Massachusetts ordinance, there is no smoking allowed in the dining halls.
Weldon said he wasn’t sure if the University would implement the policy, but he would keep an open mind.
“Certainly we’ll listen to what the student’s requesting and assess the current policy,” Weldon said.