With the recent vote about smoking on campus showing that a majority of students wanted to ban all smoking on campus, SGA general counsel Derrick Kenner has been spearheading the effort to make the results into actual policy.

“The people have spoken, and that’s what they want,” said Kenner.

Kenner has been heading up the B-COUGH program on campus, an anti-tobacco initiative looking to exploit the passage of Senate Bill AB 795 that took effect this year that allows California campuses to enforce smoking policies by levying citations and fines.

Roughly speaking, the proposed policy will fine students who smoke on campus, and all fines collected will go to cessation, anti-smoking, and awareness programs.

“It’s going to take some time,” said Kenner, noting that before finally being submitted to the Board of Trustees, the actual policy still needs to make it through several committees on campus.

Minor wording changes might be requested during these meetings as issues arise.

Bakersfield College’s interim president Robert Jensen also wants a chance to review the policy before it goes to the Board of Trustees.

“I personally think it’s probably a good recommendation. It is important. Campus health is important,” he said.

That being said, a potential smoking ban hasn’t had high priority considering the other issues facing the school. “It’s not on my radar right now. I have bigger fish to fry,” he said.

“I am hoping that they’d be looking at things a little more eminent. Class sizes, student services, assessments,” he said, listing several more issues related to BC’s current budget situation.