After more than a year of debate, the Wood Center will end cigarette and chewing tobacco sales June 30.

Currently, tobacco products comprise about 45 percent of Wood Center sales. The decision comes a year after Chancellor Steve Jones postponed a decision on whether to end tobacco sales after much student protest.

"Our job is to promote, as best we can, healthy lifestyles," said Tim Barnett, vice chancellor for student and enrollment affairs.

The controversy began in fall 2005 when Jones announced he was considering banning tobacco sales. He later told the Sun Star in January 2006 that he should have pulled cigarettes off the sales rack "quietly over the summer."

The choice to stop selling tobacco this summer, however, is due to the end of the fiscal year, not an attempt to take them away while no one is around to notice, said Barnett.

One reason that Jones put off his decision was that he had received resolutions from the Staff Council, the Faculty Senate, and ASUAF, all indicating that they did not want tobacco sales to be immediately banned.

In a fall 2005 Staff Council meeting, the chancellor asked for an informal vote on whether or not cigarettes should be sold in the Wood Center, which made about $14,000 profit in tobacco sales annually. According to meeting minutes, he determined that the vote was "nearly unanimous…that is unanimous," although the vote was not official.

The Faculty Senate resolved in December 2005 to let students decide what is or is not sold in the Wood Center. The Staff Council said sales should continue until 2009.

In December 2005, during ASUAF elections, a question was included on the ballot that asked, "Should the Wood Center continue to sell cigarettes?" Of the 243 students that voted, about 74 percent said yes.

Despite the student response, Barnett said the decision to end tobacco sale was made in order to promote healthy living on campus.

Jeri Maxwell, associate director of the Wood Center, said although the decision hasn't been given to her in writing, she's been informed, and is trying to pass on the information to students.

"One thing we don't want is for it to be a surprise," she said, which would cause her student employees to take the bulk of complaints.

While Maxwell said that she understands that smoking is dangerous, she seemed torn on whether stopping the sale of tobacco was going to fix any problems.

"I cannot say for sure that I have ever seen an anti-smoking campaign on this campus," said Maxwell, who has been at UAF since 1985. Her concern is that students will buy cartons of cigarettes on their own and sell them to others, and that they won't be checking ID.

Student employees at the Wood Center say that cigarettes are a big seller.

"That's probably our biggest money maker," said employee Kassi MacDonald.

Birdie Budnik, another front desk employee, said they sell, "in a shift, anywhere from 10-20 (packs)."

The Wood Center will also take a huge cut in income.

"It will definitely be in the thousands," Maxwell said.

She said that 40 percent is a "good estimate" of how much of their sales income is composed of cigarettes. That number increases to nearly 60 percent on weekends, she said. The money earned from sundry sales goes to pay for student wages, Wood Center programs such as the Student Activities Office and Leadership Program, and for items in the center such as furniture in the multi-level lounge.

The funds the Wood Center will lose would cover the wages for one student employee, Maxwell said, but she's looking into other options to raise money. The Wood Center is currently selling balloon bouquets as one of these measures, and the games area has been busier lately, she said. She is looking into video and DVD rentals.

Students have mixed feelings on the subject. John Scott Westbrook, a sophomore who just recently quit smoking, said that he doesn't think the Wood Center should stop selling cigarettes.

"It's the only place on campus you can buy them," he said. "It beats walking like 15 minutes."

Frank Gamboa, a sophomore who smokes, said the Wood Center should continue to sell tobacco because of the financial benefits.

"Financially, I believe that they shouldn't stop," he said. "Morally, maybe."

People buy cigarettes at the Wood Center for convenience, Gamboa said.

"I don't believe that the university is going to accomplish anything by stopping, other than losing money," he added.