By Graham C Wheat

Features Editor

The proposed smoking policy at Bakersfield College has taken yet another step on its journey to the Board of Trustees and becoming an enforceable policy campus wide.

The spearhead behind the policy, Student Government General Counsel Nick Acosta, said his meeting with Faculty and Department Chairs on March 22 went well, gaining approval from the committee.

Acosta was happy about the questions raised by the meeting.

“They did ask a lot of questions. Some of the questions they asked were ones that needed to be asked now as opposed to later,” said Acosta.

Acosta stated that the paramount questions were ones of the policy languages and the issue of funding for signs if the policy does indeed move forward.

“One of the biggest road blocks we are meeting is the funding for signs. With the state of BC, we [FCDC and SGA] are wondering where the money is going to come from, “ said Acosta.

He said that clever ways for that funding were arising such as overflow from Public Health agencies in Kern County that support the policy at BC.

He stated that he had been in contact with people who can help in that avenue.

Another issue that arose said Acosta was the specific language of the plan and whether to make a district-wide or campus-only policy.

He stated that a district lawyer would be looking at the policy.

Acosta said that he would like to make the Board of Trustees meeting this month, and has plans to compile and present some informal electronic polls to the trustees from committees such as Administrative Counsel, who have not yet had a meeting with the policy presented.

“The reason we want to try and get the polls, even informal, is so that we can have some information to take to the Board of Trustees,” said Acosta.