Nearly two years since declaring itself smoke free, UW-Platteville struggles with enforcement.

Campus Public Information Officer Barb Daus sent out an all-campus e-mail Feb. 1 to remind the UW-P community about UW-P’s Clean Air and Smoking Policy. The policy, passed in August of 2008, declared the entire academic sector of campus a smoke free zone, but as Interim Chancellor Carol Sue Butts explains, most students are unaware that this policy even exists — there are not any signs on campus indicating that smoking is not allowed. However Butts said by the end of the semester decals will be posted on outside doors to buildings and on wayfaring signs stating that smoking is not allowed.

Daus said the only areas on campus where smoking is allowed is inside a vehicle that is within a parking lot, or in the designated area on campus.

“The outdoor designated smoking permitted area is accessible from the Velzy Commons in Ullsvik Hall and only during special non-university sponsored activities such as wedding receptions,” Daus said.

Beyond students and staff that are unaware of the policy, enforcement seems to be the biggest hurdle. Scott Marquardt, chief of campus police, said that according to state statutes the campus-wide smoking ban cannot be enforced by his office. Butts said because UW-P is a state agency, the smoking policy needs to pass through the state legislature before fines can be issued.

“I would like to be able to enforce the policy, but I do not have the statuary authority,” Marquardt said.

If a state-wide smoking ban passed in the Wisconsin legislature takes effect in July as planned, the policy’s enforcement problems will likely be a thing of the past.

“Since the campus is a state agency, a state-wide smoking ban would make the entire campus smoke free and citations could be issued,” Butts said.

Currently, the only circumstances that warrant a citation being issued is if a person is caught smoking inside a building or within 25 feet of a residence hall, Marquardt said. Citations cost $200.50, but are rarely issued.

“Just because a ticket cannot be written, does not mean the issue is not important,” Marquardt said. “The smoking ban is still campus policy and should be followed.”