The three-year smoke-free phase out is set to begin in the spring semester. 

During the Student Government Association meeting on Tuesday, President Jay Todd Richey said the phase out will begin in the spring semester with the placement of temporary designated smoking areas. Students, faculty and staff will be required to use these designated smoking areas. 

“There will be 12 temporary smoking shelters,” Richey said. “The ban is going to include tobacco and e-cigs [e-cigarettes].” 

After some debate, the Senate passed Resolution 4-15-F, Resolution to Co-Sponsor the Hispanic Heritage Festival and “I Am a Kentuckian,” with a 19-4 vote. 

During debate, Campus Improvements Committee Chair Zach Jones said he wasn’t completely comfortable with approving the resolution. 

Jones said he feels like SGA is being rushed to vote on co-sponsoring  the “I Am a Kentuckian” event on Oct. 27. 

“My biggest concern is the second event is Oct. 27,” Jones said. “We still have time to be thinking about that one.” 

He said possibly co-sponsoring an event discussing a controversial topic such as immigration could ruin SGA reputation and open doors for others to ask SGA for sponsorship.

“It’s one of the most controversial issues on a national scale,” Jones said. “If we agree to co-sponsor one thing that is a very hot and controversial issue then we can’t turn our head to opposition if someone else wants to put on an event.”

Because the resolution passed, SGA will now be listed as a co-sponsor for the Hispanic Heritage Festival. However, SGA will not fund the event. The Hispanic Heritage Festival is also sponsored by Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students (HOLAS). The festival will take place on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Centennial Mall. 

SGA will also be listed as a co-sponsor for the “I Am Kentuckian” event which will feature Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker and immigration rights advocate, according to the resolution. 

The event will be on Tuesday, Oct. 27 in Gary Ransdell Hall and will focus on issues related to the United States immigration system. 

The “Dub the Pub” competition is coming to an end on Friday, Richey said during his report. 

During his report, Jones said maps for bus routes should be placed more accessible around campus in order to minimize confusion among students.

There was also talk about the possibility of students taking undergraduate and graduate courses simultaneously. This could give students the ability to work towards a Master’s Degree while pursuing an undergraduate degree. The Graduate Council will discuss this issue on Dec. 12.