The Student Government Association had an open forum about smoking last night. One person showed up.
The forum was part of SGA's "Recognize the Sign" week to educate students on the campus' smoking policy.
Chris Buck, an SGA senator who was in charge of this week's events, was disappointed.
"Honestly, with all the promotion we did this week, it's kind of shocking to me a little bit," he said. "You would think that with all the concerns we hear about the smoking policy, more people would be willing to come out and voice their opinion."
SGA spent the week at the Scramble Light handing out some 600 flyers. The flyers laid out the smoking policy and listed the approved smoking area.
There was an SGA member at each residence hall meeting this week and a mass e-mail was sent out.
"I'm a little shocked and a little disappointed with all the work we put in. But these things happen," Buck said. "We're still going to work as hard as we can tomorrow to educate them as much as possible."
SGA will be back at the Scramble Light today with flyers. Candy and free T-shirts also will be distributed.
Buck thinks he knows why no one showed up. He blames the bad weather in part, but mainly student apathy.
"Lots of people say they want a lot of things done and do complain, but it's all about initiative and actually getting out there," he said.
The one person who did show? Health science professor Jim McKenzie.
McKenzie had come to support the effort. He was on the committee that created the current smoking policy. He agreed with Buck that apathy was a reason no one came.
"It must not be as important as we think it is to some people," he said.
McKenzie feels that the smoking policy is the best of both worlds even if it isn't what he really wants.
"I think it's a good thing. It's a compromise," he said. "There's lots of people who would like to see it a smoke-free campus and I'm one of those people."
Had people showed up, they would have seen a presentation talking about the policy at Ball State University and of the policies of other universities in Indiana. That would have transitioned into an open discussion of concerns, complaints and questions.
"We're here to work for you. So this is an opportunity for them to really make us work some more," Buck said.
The senator's response to students who didn't come was "It's just a great opportunity for students to voice their opinion and to help make the difference that student government does make," Buck said. "This is your university."
SGA senator Samantha Lee agreed.
"They need to come to events like this and make their voice heard instead of just complaining about it," she said.
In Room 101 of Teachers College, 241 seats sat empty.
But SGA will try again next year.
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