Beginning in October, smokers at Fresno State must confine their habit to 18 designated open-air sites on campus as part of the university's new "smoke-free" policy.

University President John Welty said the new policy will contribute to "a healthy, comfortable and productive environment for students, faculty and staff."

California State University, Fresno, is one of the first campuses in the CSU system to declare itself smoke-free, said Jeannine Raymond, who served as chairwoman of the smoking policy committee that Welty appointed last year.

Fresno State made the change as a result of the CSU board of trustees' decision in September to impose additional smoking limits on the system's 23 campuses at university presidents' discretion. There was no contention over the issue at Fresno State, Raymond said, interim chief administrative officer and director of human resources. "The question was how to establish smoking areas a reasonable distance from buildings yet away from others," she said. "It was a bit challenging. We made sure in the fall to allow a lot of time for that kind of discussion."

The new policy includes an implementation timetable:

Advertising and posting designated smoking areas, April 1 to June 30.

Restricting smoking to the prescribed areas with reminders issued to violators, July 1 to Sept. 30.

Full enforcement, beginning Oct. 1.

The university also will "strongly discourage" the use of smokeless tobacco and will not allow its use in classrooms and other buildings. Raymond said the smoking policy seeks to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke without making life miserable for smokers.

Among the designated smoking areas are certain parking lots, some areas of athletics facilities and specific open areas, such as outside the Engineering East building "near fire hydrant."

"The success of this policy will depend on the thoughtfulness, consideration and cooperation of smokers and nonsmokers," Welty said.