Guns legal on campus
Guns are legal on campus. Any school policy against guns on campus, except in secure locations, are illegal.
College campuses across Utah have gun control policies, however, according to an article published Tuesday Jan. 15 in The Deseret News, they are illegal. “The law says specifically only the legislature can regulate how, when and where guns are carried.”
The Deseret News reported that the state legislature’s Administrative Rules Committee voted on Monday to “rescind internal policies banning guns from college campuses.” Administrators from Utah’s nine colleges and universities spoke out against this.
Members of the Utah State University community have spoke out as well.
Steve Mecham, chief of Utah State University Campus Police, said he didn’t know of any incidents involving guns on campus, and he didn’t think they belong in the dorms. The students, he said, had signed contracts against it.
Kevin Daly, a junior majoring in finance and economics, said, “I think that if you have a permit that you should be able to carry a gun. The state says you’re legal. A small vocal group shouldn’t impose on our rights as responsible citizens.”
Rachel Thayn, a junior majoring in music performance said, “It’s our right to carry guns.”
Thayn said she doesn’t like to walk home alone after dark, and her boyfriend doesn’t like her to do so either. She said a gun adds protection.
Brady Nyman, a sophomore majoring in Business Information Systems, said if you have a permit you should be able to carry it.
“It doesn’t bother me,” he said.
Not all people at USU feel the same though.
Steve Palmer, president of the Associated Students of USU said, “Guns don’t belong on campus.”
While he respects everyone’s constitutional rights, Palmer said a place of higher learning is not a place for guns.
Although there are arguments for both sides, guns don’t foster a positive learning experience.
Others agreed. Priti Tayi, a graduate student in BIS, said, “Guns [on campus] don’t make me feel comfortable. We hear news about people that go on killing sprees. It’s kind of scary.”
The issue, which walks the fine line of constitutional rights and government regulation has been constantly debated over the past 225 years.