Because of a reported increase in student demand for smoke-free residence, Ball State will prohibit smoking in all residence halls starting in 2002-2003.
According to Cathy Bickel, associate director of housing and residence life, fewer incoming freshmen are identifying themselves as smokers and more are demanding to be removed from second-hand smoke.
Bickel also said a series of student focus groups concluded that the majority of students living on-campus preferred smoke-free living environments.
She said the decision will improve fire safety and decrease the cost of maintenance to repair smoke-damaged rooms. Bickel said repairing cigarette burns in chairs, tables and mattresses and replacing furniture can be costly.
"Smoking has a lot of residual effects that many people take offense to, regardless of whether they smoke or not," Bickel said.
Banning smoking in residence halls has been a two-year process as the number of smoking halls has reduced each year.
Currently all halls are non-smoking except for the fourth and eighth floors of Mysch, Hurst, Knotts and Edwards and the seventh and eighth floors of Wilson and the first floor of Howick and Williams Halls.
Peter Fisher is a freshman resident of Hurst hall and a smoker. Fisher said he disagrees with the university's decision and believes the university should maintain a few smoking halls.
"As long as it's designated and people understand what they are getting into, then it's cool," he said.
Drew Simonovic moved to the fourth floor of Hurst this year after smoking was banned in Woody-Shales. The pack-a-day smoker, however, said he approves of the university's decision.
"It's probably nicer just for health reasons," Simonovic said as he smoked a cigarette. "I'd smoke a lot less if I had to go outside every time."
Other Mid-American Conference universities have already gone smoke free, including Purdue, Bickel said. Bickel said, however, this is not just an attempt to follow a nationwide trend.
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