Viking baseball coach records 500th win Page 12
Volume 88, Issue 12
March 26, 2015
Published Since 1927
On-campus smokers facing fines By Brandon Richardson Editor in Chief
A change in smoking policy enforcement will mean fines for smokers who light up outside designated smoking areas. Originally adopted by the college July 12, 1983 and last revised Jan. 18, 2011, the policy states, “It is the policy of the LBCC District to prohibit smoking in all areas including district-owned, rented or leased properties and vehicles, except in clearly marked designated smoking areas.” After the last revision, the Board of Trustees tasked the Associated Student Body to determine a plan of action to enforce a smoke-free campus according to district policy 7002 and recommend it to the Board for further deliberation. Alex Velasquez, 21, a psychology major and smoker, said Monday, March 23, “I can understand that it is disrespectful if someone is just chilling at school and studying or something and someone is smoking. Maybe just tell them to put it out or give them a warning. But to enforce it to pay money, I think that’s a little ridiculous.” The policy that is to be adhered to by students, employees, and all visitors has not been enforced and the ASB has yet to recommend a plan. However, the current ASB Cabinet is looking at two methods of enforcement.
The first option is to have Student Life enforce the policy. With this option, campus police would issue citations and deliver them to the Office of Student Life, who would then notify the offender of the fine amount. Student Life would track the number of citations a person receives and determine the dollar amount of each infraction. The offender might receive a warning for the first offense and fines would not exceed $100 for repeat offenders, according to the option plan. Money collected by Student Life “will be allocated to the cost for time and effort for the Office of Student Life, marketing of the tobacco-free policy and tobacco cessation treatment options through Student Health Services. ASB Cabinet could have input into the use of the remaining portion of the fines collected.” If not paid, Student Life would put a hold on students’ accounts, blocking them from registering for classes and requesting transcripts until paid in full. Option two would leave the process to Campus Police and would be treated like a parking violation. The citation would be sent to the city as a Municipal Code violation. The city would set the fine amount and no money would come back to the district. With this option, a student’s ability to register or request tran-
Brandon Richardson/Viking SMOKING SECTION: Students gather in the smoking area between the D and A buildings at the LAC Monday, March 23, unaware they could be facing fines for smoking outside the designated areas.
scripts would not be blocked, but, if not paid, the infraction could become a misdemeanor. During recent meetings, several members of the ASB Cabinet, including Student Trustee Gus Orozco, said option two would be the best course, due to the already demanding tasks Student Life oversees. LAC Club Senate President Benny Carrillo voiced his concern on the absence of any men-
tion of vaporizers. He said students smoke with their devices wherever they please, sometimes even inside the Fishbowl in the E Building. The Cabinet plans to add vaporizers to fall under policy 7002. To help decide which option to recommend, the Cabinet is conducting a sample survey of students to determine what they think would be the better option. The survey’s results are to be pre-
age group. Another survey, done by Ken Along with those factors, ad- C. Winters, Ph.D., and Randy vancing technology allows easy Stinchfield, Ph.D., licensed psyaccess to online gaming, similar chologists from the University to the video games played as ado- of Minnesota Medical School, lescents, and the ability to down- estimates 6 to 7 percent of young load hundreds of for-wager casi- adults now have a gambling adno applications right onto their diction. And the number is on smartphones. the rise, they said. Donovan Pierce, 20, a liberYoung adults are now the al arts major, said, group fre“It’s not like I’ve lost largest “When a friend of quenting casimine showed me the everything I owned.” nos, making up casino app on his 78 percent of the -Donovan Pierce phone, I downloadLiberal arts major people found ined one just like it and side the establisham on that thing all the time.” ments that have adapted to target Donovan admits to losing the large market. more than he has won, but does Until the mid-1990s, gamnot think he has an addiction. bling was considered socially ac“It’s not like I’ve lost everything I ceptable and little research had owned,” he said. been done on the more serious, CollegeGambling.com re- and rarely diagnosed mental disported that 75 percent of college order emerging, known as pathostudents gambled last year either logical gambling. legally or illegally. Unlike drug or alcohol ad-
dictions that are easier to detect physically, a gambling addiction is mostly invisible and often kept hidden for many years. By the time the addiction is exposed, it has become pathological and much more difficult to treat. According to childhoodtraumarecovery.com, not everyone who gambles habitually will progress to the point of mental disorder, but the financial, emotional and social devastation caused by letting the betting get out of hand are absolute consequences if help is not sought at the first signs of trouble. In all, one hundred LBCC students were asked if they have gambled at least one time in their lifetime. Of the students 89 said yes and 36 admitted to using Financial Aid to make the bet. If people are concerned about their gambling or someone else’s, they may call 1-800-Gambler.
sented at the Cabinet meeting at the PCC Friday, April 17 at 8 a.m. ASB secretary Samwell Favela said, “The survey we had from last year is so biased, we have to conduct a whole new one to ask unbiased questions to students on campus.” Students who want to participate in the survey may visit the Office of Student Life in E119 at the LAC or EE102 at the PCC or email studentlife@lbcc.edu.
Gambling addiction among college students rising Facts students should know before Problem Gambling Awareness month ends. By Kelly Mahaffey Staff Writer March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month and among the growing number of people suffering from the uncontrollable urge to wager are college students ages 18-24. According to UCLA’s gambling studies program, college students have a greater likelihood of having a pre-disposition to gambling due to several factors. College students have a higher percentage of increase in risk-taking behavior typical among young adults and the growing number of legalized gambling establishments nationwide now target the
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Signs and Symptoms of a Compulsive Gambler Gaining a thrill from taking big gambling risks. Preoccupation with gambling. Reliving past gambling experiences. Gambling as a way to escape problems or feelings of helplessness, guilt or depression. Taking time from work or family life to gamble. Concealing or lying about gambling. Feeling guilt or remorse after gambling. Borrowing money or stealing to gamble. Failed efforts to cut back on gambling. mayoclinic.org
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