The Marquette University Student Government Academic Senate approved the tobacco-free campus policy, introduced in November of 2015, Monday night. It will go into effect Aug. 1, 2017.
The new policy makes the campus tobacco-free and will direct students toward sidewalks owned by the City of Milwaukee if they need to use tobacco.
In 2015, a recommendation on creating a tobacco-free campus inspired senators to reach out to their constituents through survey for their opinion on Marquette being tobacco-free.
“We are Jesuit and we are an urban campus and we took that into account,” said Legislative Vice President Ricky Krajewski, a senior in the College of Health Sciences. “We found something that was relatively feasible and similar to other urban campuses.”
Last Thursday the final version of the policy was brought in front of the Staff Senate and passed unanimously. The version was then brought to the Academic Senate and ended in the same fashion.
“This is a culture shift,” Krajewski said. “We understand that students that currently go to Marquette might not be as affected, but after a few years and tour guides promoting it, we think it will have a positive effect on campus.”
Meeting brings new appointment and focus on commuters
With elections approaching, executive board positions are also going through changes. The new senior communication vice president will be Ben Dombrowski, a junior in the College of Communication.
Dombrowski formally served as creative director for MUSG. He was approved unanimously by his fellow senators with glowing remarks.
”In all my time as a senator, I don’t think I’ve seen a more qualified candidate that MUSG has approved people for,” senior Senator J.R. O’Rourke, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “Ben has approached every task that I have seen him work on with enthusiasm and a good work ethic.”
Dombrowski said he hopes to bring a voice to MUSG that can better communicate with students on campus through social media and event promotion.
“There is a lot of things that MUSG does well that doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves,” Dombrowski said. “There are also a lot of ways MUSG can improve and I want to do whatever I can to make MUSG better for students.”
On top of improving communication with students, MUSG has been reaching out to commuter students through email to get students further involved with on-campus activities.
“Commuters are a very important part of this campus,” Krajewski said. “MUSG wants to make sure that they are not being overlooked in any capacity. They are just as important as any other student on campus.”
MUSG Senate Adviser Jen Reid, a graduate student in the College of Education, closed the meeting with her thoughts on the recent negativity displayed in senate meetings and her concerns with senators not treating each other with kindness.
“You have to be more generous with each other and focus on the work you are doing to benefit students,” Reid said. “Just think are you focusing on things that have to do with the student body or just MUSG?”
