Jump to full article: Inside Higher Ed (blog), 2010-01-12
Author: Jack Stripling
Intro: Blame it on the rock stars.
A semester after instituting a campus-wide smoking ban, Boise State University is backtracking. Under an unpublicized exemption approved by officials last month, the university will allow smoking in designated areas at its Taco Bell Arena. It’s simply impractical to have to tell the likes of George Strait that he can’t have a cigar on stage, much less usher his roadies to the edges of campus for a smoke break, arena officials say.
“Certainly if we were to send security on stage to prevent an artist from smoking [we're not] going to be in business any longer,” said Ron Janeczko, associate director of the arena.
The smoking ban also wasn’t practical for audience members, Janeczko added. Since the arena doesn’t allow re-admittance, smokers couldn’t leave the venue for a cigarette and return later, he said.
In addition to the arena, Boise State will allow for designated smoking areas at its football stadium and the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts.
The added exemptions at Boise State highlight the difficulties colleges across the country have had maintaining all-out bans and ensuring absolute compliance. . . .
A wave of smoking bans took hold on college campuses last year, and now at least 381 institutions have all-out prohibitions or significant restrictions . . .
But colleges are wrestling with how to handle that small percentage of students, faculty and staff who may not abide by the policy.
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