Although University of Idaho President Chuck Staben stated his intention last year to have a new tobacco policy implemented by August 2015, no policy has been enforced to date.
Instead Staben has called on ASUI President Max Cowan to lead selected members of the university in a tobacco implementation committee to develop a policy that fits UI”s needs.
Cowan is still gathering members from the university and the committee has yet to have a formal first meeting. Cowan said multiple people from the UI community have stepped up, but he expressed frustration that not a single member from Faculty Senate volunteered to be a part of the group.
“If Faculty Senate wants to pretend they play a part in university policy, they need to take a part in university policy,” Cowan said.
Cowan said it is Faculty Senate”s job to participate in issues like this, as it addresses an important subject for the university and is a chance for them to make a difference.
Meanwhile, members of the Idaho Tobacco Compromise (ITC), a group in opposition to a full tobacco ban, have met together to discuss their plans for the following year.
Graduate student and ITC member Joseph Cook said they were happy to find out a tobacco policy hadn”t been enforced over the summer.
“We felt awesome about how it was postponed a little bit longer than what we expected,” Cook said. “We got to take some credit for that.”
ITC intends to participate in the new tobacco committee, and plans to contact Cowan about the possibility of being involved, said Business Professor Steven Peterson.
Since Staben said the committee should represent a variety of opinions from both sides, members of ITC should play a part in the committee in some way, Peterson said
“My only concern is that (Cowan) hasn”t reached out to us yet,” Peterson said. “It seems like ASUI has shut us out more often than not.”
Regardless of what happens, the members of ITC said they don”t plan on sitting down quietly if a full tobacco ban is approved without listening to the opposition.
Cowan said he is willing to work with a multitude of different people and opinions. His main goal is to reach an agreement that is clear and understandable by the end of the semester, he said.
While Cowan realizes Staben approving and then enforcing the policy the committee decides on will likely take much longer, he said this issue has gone on too long.
“I don”t want to wait any longer,” Cowan said.
As the leader of the committee, Cowan said he has the obligation to set aside his personal opinion and listen to the arguments made by the people in the university community.
“Our job and my job is to ensure that every voice is heard,” Cowan said.
Erin Bamer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ErinBamer