Some teachers at NorthTec have been stuck in a stalemate with management for more than a year about the polytech's reluctance to go smokefree.
Nursing tutor Jenni Moore said the nursing school particularly had raised many concerns about the issue.
"This is a health issue for Northland. We shouldn't be encouraging and making it all nice and pretty for people to smoke," Ms Moore said.
Last week, NorthTec chief executive Paul Binney told the Northern Advocate he had some practical concerns about a total ban on smoking. The polytech planned to move the current smoking hut on the Whangarei campus from its location between the nursing school and cafeteria, to a less populated area, Mr Binney said.
The school will also stress to students that they need to stick to the designated smoking areas and keep them clean. If not, the right to smoke at NorthTec will be removed, he said.