Plan for smoking huts at SCC withdrawn

A student-led $100,000 proposal to get smokers away from building entrances at Spokane Community College was withdrawn from Tuesday’s community college trustees meeting.

SCC student senator Andrew Gibbs announced the completed proposal at last month’s trustee meeting. The student government already approved the plan, which only needed an OK by the trustees to get started.

The proposal was pulled instead of going to a vote.

The proposal included creating four $20,000 smokers shelters, 34 stand-alone ashtrays and 40 signs telling people of a policy proposed by Gibbs that would prohibit smoking within 25 feet of buildings.

After Gibbs’ proposal was made public last month, students began voicing their concerns, SCC President Steve Hanson said. The issue will be revisited in the fall, he said.

“A lot of the concern was that it was a lot of money for the shelters,” said Tim McLean, SCC’s incoming student body president. McClean said he’d first work on establishing a campus smoking policy during the summer.