Smoking in dorm rooms might not be a housing option next year.
The Residence Halls Association, or RHA, passed a bill last week that recommended University Housing "eliminate all smoking options in the residence halls by fall 2007."
RHA officials conducted an online smoking survey last fall, and more than 1,000 students participated.
The majority said they would support a ban on smoking in the residence halls.
In 1994, the MSU Board of Trustees approved a smoking ban in university vehicles and in campus buildings, except residence halls.
RHA is proposing to make all residence hall rooms, hallways and lounges smoke-free. Before this could happen, university officials would need to take their own action.
Currently, some rooms, floors and wings are smoke-free in certain residence halls.
Criminal justice freshman Rick Goodlaski said he smokes in his room, and he puts a towel under his door and uses a fan to blow the smoke away.
"We usually don't smoke in the room, only when it's cold," he said. "We are allowed to smoke in our rooms as long as people aren't complaining about it."
RHA President Kevin Newman said the on-campus student government has heard complaints about smoking in the residence halls, so officials decided to conduct a survey.
"It is what the students want," Newman said. "The survey clearly shows students' opinion.
"Some smokers will want to move off campus, but the same amount will want to move on."
Newman said if University Housing were to only allow smoking in 10 or 20 percent of the residence halls, harder decisions would come up about where smoking would be permitted on campus.
No-preference freshman Andrew Mattson said he does not believe smoking should be banned in the residence halls.
"It should be the choice of the resident," Mattson said. "You're not hurting anyone else but yourself."
Jessica Roberts, a food industry management sophomore, said smoking in the residence halls is a safety concern.
"If people are responsible about it, they should be able to," Roberts said.
"Accidents happen, and if your room catches on fire, everyone else is screwed."
Electrical engineering freshman David Kozlowski said even though he supports the bill, it would create a hassle for those who do smoke.
Officials should create a rule that people should turn on a fan while smoking in their rooms, Kozlowski said.
"You can tell when people smoke — it stinks up the whole floor," Kozlowski said.
Brendon Mika, the Shaw Hall representative for RHA, said he helped create the bill in response to the smoking survey. MSU would be the last school in the Big Ten to ban smoking in its residence halls, he said.
Mika said RHA officials are giving the students what they want, more or less.
"Smokers' right to smoke infringes on nonsmokers' right to clean air," Mika said. "We have our voices out there. It is up to university officials to see what they are going to do."
