Every so often, the scent of cigarette smoke permeates throughout Jordan Shuber's dorm room in Stevens Hall.

The odor drifts up to his third floor window from smokers in the entranceway directly beneath his window.

"Even if we have our window closed, we can still smell it if we are on our computers," Shuber (sophomore-political science) said.

But many residents like Shuber could eventually breathe easier because the Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) is in discussions to extend the current campus smoking policy -- which prohibits smoking in the nearby vicinity of all on-campus buildings -- to dorms.

"We've heard over time that students in residence halls have smoke coming into their rooms from people outside smoking," ARHS President Abbey Rhode said. "With the resident having no control over it, it's the biggest problem."

East Halls Residents Association (EHRA) President Jacob Dixon said several lengthy complaints have been filed by residents regarding the smoke near the residence buildings and entrances.

"A lot of our council members raised their eyebrows," Dixon said. "It's mainly a respect factor -- respect those that don't smoke."

Shuber said a policy should be implemented to protect residents because they are generally confined to their rooms while those outside have limitless areas in which to smoke.

"If you're studying, you don't want to be bothered," Shuber said. "But you pretty much get kicked out of your own room if you don't want to smell it."

Currently, Policy AD32 Smoking Policy and Guideline states that smoking is prohibited in any outside area near a facility that allows smoke to enter and affect the internal environment or the environment of those entering or exiting the facility.

The policy refers to university facilities and vehicles, but it specifically states that it does not apply to residential living spaces.

Dixon said ARHS is in a "research phase" and is unsure as to any possible regulations or enforcement plans for the projected policy.

He added that he expects a drafted policy to be voted upon by ARHS and Residence Life by late January. If Residence Life approves the draft, the new smoking rules would become policy.

The policy would cover all residence areas, including Eastview Terrace and Nittany Apartments, Rhode said.

Some students said they believe enforcement of the policy could possibly be difficult because of ill-defined regulations.

"I would question to myself where they would draw a line about where smoking and non-smoking would be allowed," said Park Sung Jun (freshman-business), who is a smoker. "It would not be clear."

Joung Kwang Min (freshman-premedicine) said the theoretical inconvenience brought by this policy would eventually diminish the number of cigarettes he smokes.

"I don't want to walk all the way down away from a dorm," Min said.

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said that although he is unsure as to why the existing protocol does not include residential buildings, he believes a supplementary policy should be added.

"It's a living building, and anything that causes an inconvenience to residents or workers needs to be addressed," he said.