Students, faculty and staff share concerns about campus carry policy at town hall meetings

President Staples and a Campus Carry Work Group held two town hall meetings, Feb. 11 and Feb. 17, to allow students, faculty and staff to voice their opinions and offer feedback for the newly drafted Campus Carry Draft Policy for UHCL.

The group drafted the policy in response to the Texas campus carry law that goes into effect Aug. 1, 2016.

“Our hope with the town hall meeting is to give everyone an opportunity to provide input about the policy,” President William Staples said. “As a student-centered, partnership-oriented and community-minded university, UHCL strives to listen to their constituents and act accordingly. We look forward to hearing from all about this important subject.”

On June 13, 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill No. 11, the “campus carry” law, which will permit concealed handgun license (CHL) holders to carry handguns on college campuses. Private universities have the choice to opt out, but public universities, such as UHCL, do not. They do, however, have some discretion to regulate areas on campus where carrying handguns will be prohibited.

In fall 2015, President Staples convened and chaired a Campus Carry Work Group to design a policy compliant with Senate Bill No. 11, while addressing the health, safety and welfare of the campus community. The committee is comprised of faculty, staff, students, administrators, and a representative from the UH System General Council’s office.

The work group was charged with the task of identifying areas on campus in which the possession of handguns would be prohibited, based on criteria for exclusion zones defined in the UHCL Campus Carry Draft Policy/ S.B. 11- Appendix 1.

The town hall meetings were set-up for participants to be able to “come-and-go” as their schedules allowed. President Staples moderated the meetings, which were also attended by the Campus Carry Work Group: Tiffany King, president of the Support Staff Association; Allen Hill, interim chief of university police; Nichole Eslinger, executive director of human resources; Robin Aleman, president of the Student Government Association; David Rachita, interim dean of students; Chris Ward, past president of the Faculty Senate; Eric Bentley, a representative of the UH System Office of General Counsel.

Audience members were invited to voice their opinions. Students, faculty and staff spoke about their concerns with the current policy draft and offered input about exclusion zones. Although speakers were vocal about their opinions, both pro and con, the most addressed concern was the areas on campus that should or should not be designated gun-free zones.

Associate Professor of History Daniel Haworth recommended faculty offices be one of the gun-free zones.

“It is a reality that faculty work with students one-on-one, and it is a reality that faculty handle student grievances, about grades in particular,” Haworth said. “I have also been in situations as a faculty member where I’ve had students with emotional distress in my office who have…grievances in class exacerbated by their circumstances outside of class.”

Associate Professor of Digital Media Studies and Communication Debra Clark spoke in favor of prohibiting guns in the classrooms, even though prohibiting a substantial number of classrooms would not be in compliance with S.B. 11.

“Two hours ago I had an incident in my classroom where a student came in and basically hijacked my class,” Clark said. “My students were freaking out and, had they had guns, I think maybe those who thought I didn’t know that the student was a problem might have taken action.”

Computer Science and Math double-major Thomas Garza found issues with potential gun-free zones such as classrooms.

“We should rely on our police officers to protect us, but I can’t rely on when a gentleman walks in a classroom with a gun, I can’t be consoled by the fact that in a minute and a half or in 45 seconds there will be a police officer there to protect me,” Garza said. “If I have a legal right to carry a gun, then it’s been given to me so that I can defend myself.”

Industrial Safety major Travis Johnson shared similar concerns.

“It is not the place of the school to dictate where we can have guns based on feelings,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that just because somebody might get upset in a classroom is justification to deny me my God given right protected from the state.”

Other concerns expressed included: the requirement of wearing retention holsters, what happens after a CHL holder discharges a gun and minors on campus.

“The Campus Carry Work Group is using the input provided at the town hall meetings and through email as we further develop the UHCL policy,” President Staples said.

President Staples and the Campus Carry Work Group anticipate that the UH System Board of Regents will consider the UHCL Campus Carry Policy at its May 2016 quarterly meeting.