More than 6,600 Ball State University students voted on the campus-wide smoking ban referendum. That is about 2,500 more votes cast than for last year's Student Government Association elections.
Senators and about 30 students gathered in front of the Art and Journalism Building to hear the results of whether Ball State should become a smoke-free campus or continue its current policies on smoking.
SGA Vice President Jamie Manuel said he was happy that about one-third of the campus voted. He said he knew some people did not vote because they did not think there was an option that supported their needs, but there had to be an interest group backing the issue.
"I'm glad people care enough to vote and it was more than the elections," Manuel said.
SGA President Betsy Mills said she also was pleased with the turnout and it showed students were passionate about the issue. She said that even though the majority of students voted for a smoke-free campus, SGA would still represent the minority opinion and would take e-mails she has been getting to President Gora.
"We're absolutely supporting everyone," Mills said. "We gave it to the students, let them have their voice and that's what we'll be supporting."
Junior legal studies major David Voelker, who also was approved as a new SGA member at the meeting, said he is a smoker but he would prefer to have a smoke-free campus because it would make things cleaner. He said, however, there should be a compromise.
"In all fairness to those who smoke, they should designate areas [for people to smoke]," Voelker said.
Not all in attendance shared his opinion.
Alumnus Neil King, who graduated in 1993, said the vote was another example of oppression.
"[This is an example of] people who try to legislate choices that everyone should be free to make themselves," King said.
Alumni Carl Frost, who graduated in 2003, agreed with King.
"I'm disgusted," he said. "I'm not a smoker, but I feel it's ridiculous and it's not easy to enforce on campus. I believe in freedom, America and the Constitution."
Manuel said the decision will now go to President Gora and the Board of Trustees, which will take the vote into consideration. He said the administration will take the information as data of the students' view, but faculty consideration still has to be taken into account.
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