Park University smokers who break the new smoking policy will have consequences to face.

On Aug 29, Director of Campus Safety Chris Loos issued an email to the Park community with updated information regarding the new smoking policy.

Loos delivered the verdict on what students and employees should expect if policy rules are broken.

“Campus Safety will enforce the designated smoking areas on campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Loos stated in the email. “Citations will be issued to individuals found using tobacco outside of designated areas, and a fine of $20 will be assessed per the incident.”

Loos stated that multiple violates and/or failure to pay will result in a conduct hearing for students and notification of supervisors, department heads or the respective area vice president for employees.

Park University officials set the rules and Campus Safety is strictly in charge of enforcing the rules.

Senior Dispatcher Thia Tomasich said she has “fielded” more complaints regarding students and employees not being able to smoke in the cars.

“(With) the amount of trash on the ground and the amount of people standing next to the buildings, the University had the ammunition it needed to go smoke free,” she said.

The new policy, which went into effect July 1, allows for use of tobacco on campus but is limited to the burgundy-colored bench areas. Anywhere else, including parking lots and sidewalks, is considered “smoke free”. This restriction includes the use of e-cigarettes as well as other tobacco products.

This action is part of a two-step approach to make Parkville Campus entirely smoke-free by July 1, 2015.

For full details on the Tobacco Use policy, including the locations of the burgundy benches, visit www.park.edu/terms-and-regulations/tobacco-use-policy.html.

The Stylus will be covering this story as updates are released. Continue to look for more information in the upcoming issues.