Associated Students, Inc. President Artemio Pimentel spoke to the Faculty Senate Thursday in support of a resolution requesting stricter enforcement of smoking policies on the Sacramento State campus.

The resolution, which was passed by the ASI Board of Directors Sept. 26, states that many students on campus are uncomfortable around cigarette smoke, and asks administration to enforce regulations already in place regarding use of tobacco at the University. Faculty Senate will vote on the issue Nov. 8.

“We can see by where ashtrays are placed on campus that the policy is not being enforced,” Pimentel said. “Ashtrays are placed right next to the doors, instead of 15 feet away where they are supposed to be.”

Faculty Senate Chair Bob Buckley commented that the current University smoking policy is similar to California state smoking laws. In 1993, California State University Executive Order 599 prohibited smoking in all buildings and leased spaces throughout the system.

The resolution supported by ASI states that approximately 60 percent of respondents to a study done by the Sociology Department said they were concerned about walking through smoke on campus, and approximately one-fourth said they had an allergy or sensitivity to smoke. It goes on to recommend stricter enforcement of rules and asks the administration to consider the possibility of eventually eliminating smoking on campus.

“I think the resolution is pretty logical. We have presented facts that are concrete. This resolution basically asks the CSU system to research the effects of a possible smoke free campus, its impact on student life and how it would be effective,” said ASI Director of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Luke Wood, who co-authored the resolution with ASI Director of Arts and Letters J.J. Hurley. “We are requesting the campus to enforce the current policy.”

Other CSU campuses such as Long Beach and Chico have considered passing similar resolutions, Wood said.

Should Faculty Senate members approve the resolution, it would then be in the hands of Sac State President Donald Gerth, who may choose to hold off before making any decisions, Hurley said.

“If this passes with Faculty Senate, I don?t believe President Gerth will act on it immediately.” Hurley said.