Campus Carry - Tre Simmons

Campus carry draws divisive responses from students and faculty alike

By Tre Simmons

Tjs110@txstate.edu

August 1st brought forth the implementation of campus carry at Texas State University, yet months onwards, the population of San Marcos is uncertain of the benefits said law brings.

Students and faculty at the university recognize both the pros and cons of campus carry, which lends to the different opinions expressed by students and faculty interviewed on the subject recently. Overall, however, many interviewees are more worried by the law than relieved at the potential safety campus carry is supposed to enact.

Texas State junior Mario Flores mentioned the high stress factor of college life adding to campus carry’s inability to provide true safety. “It’s good in theory, but not smart,” Flores said. “[The] fact of the matter is most people in college are under a lot more stress than the average person.”

Natalia Glenn. Photo and quote courtesy of Laura Valencia

Other students expressed their issues of the degree of training it requires to obtain and properly use a handgun. Senior Natalia Glenn said, “I think that having a gun on campus doesn’t exactly protect us. Are students who are carrying weapons properly trained?”

Graduate theatre student TJ Young agrees on the importance of effective training. “If you’re going to have a weapon on campus, this school needs to reinforce this additional training that might not be required to receive the concealed handgun.”

Faculty and students alike are also concerned about handguns disrupting the academic environment. Business major Mason Gann said, “it might distract [students] from the lessons in the classroom."

Mason Gann. Photo and quote courtesy of Dana Rosenquist

English senior lecturer Keri Fitzgerald agrees. “I’m really concerned about the potential it has to restrict academic freedom,” Fitzgerald said. “Academia is supposed to be a place of open-mindedness and I worry about the effect it could have on that.”

Because the law is currently in effect, communication studies major Kenneth Holmes recommends proper safety equipment to withhold handguns while on campus.

Keri Fitzgerald. Photo and quotes courtesy of Stacee Collins

“For the students who live on campus…having gun safes in the rooms, or requiring students to keep a gun safe and making sure things are where they need to be [could make students feel safe],” Holmes said. “There’s not really much else you can do.”

Senior Roy Smith recommends other methods of increasing the feeling of safety on campus. “Having an increased police presence on campus would be another alternative,” Smith said.

Fitzgerald looks forward to whether campus carry will remain implemented. “I don’t think it’s necessarily true that it couldn’t be challenged and overturned, so I’m keeping that hope alive in the idea that it could."

For more information on campus carry, visit www.txstate.edu/campuscarry.