The smoking ban poll that was conducted last year was finally released last week and had some interesting results.

Although students from Columbia College opposed the ban by a wide margin of 56% to 37%, students overall at the University supported the ban in reverse fashion with 38% opposing and 51% supporting. It sets up an interesting dilemma for CCSC, the student government organization of one the main undergraduate schools at Columbia. Last week at one of CCSC's weekly meetings, members conducted a straw-poll in which it seemed to narrow its choice to looking to ban smoking within 20 feet of doors at Columbia's campus.

However, this proposed response would be inconsistent with the role of a governing organization. CCSC would be hedging its own position-both wanting to satisfy the desires of its constituency and wanting to appease students of the University as a whole. CCSC, however, is not accountable to anyone besides students of Columbia College. Yet, it is willing to allow the campus-wide opinion- as opposed to the opinion of Columbia College- affect its choice about how it should move forward. If a clear majority of Columbia College opposes a ban, then why does CCSC even consider a half-measure ban on smoking?

Governing boards from other schools are responsible for representing their own constituencies and voicing their support for a ban, but CCSC has no such responsibility. A final decision concerning any ban will be made not based on the decision of CCSC alone but on the consensus of all schools and their students. However, CCSC has either arrogantly or ignorantly decided that its decision will have the only impact on final outcome.Therefore, by tilting itself toward a ban, the governing organization of Columbia College only surrenders political weight to those who look to ban smoking on campus.