Campus carry is now in full effect at Midwestern State.
Julie Gaynor, Director of MSU Marketing & Public Information, said changes will probably come as they continue to learn more, but they are confident in the way everything was put in place.
“We did appoint a task force,” Gaynor said. “They went through and made recommendations on what our policy should be.”
Lots of work went into molding policies for the new campus carry regulations. Students will be able to conceal carry on most of campus, but there are exclusionary areas, including counseling services, sporting events and locations where care is provided for minors.
Gaynor said everyone’s input was taken into consideration when deciding those locations.
“When we first started our task force, we asked for input from our campus community,” Gaynor said. “Students, faculty and staff were asked to fill out surveys. We took the results from that to form our recommendations.”
Gaynor wants people to know campus carry does not allow open carry on campus, you must have a license to carry a handgun and be at least 21-years-old. You can have a gun and live in a residence hall, but it will not be allowed on you at all times.
“If you live in the residence halls, you will be required, when it’s not on your body, to place your gun in a secure safe or storage,” Gaynor said.
Gaynor also said they will watch other campuses and learn from them. Overall, the university is trying to do what they feel is best for Midwestern State.
“We are going to do what is best for the university within the law,” Gaynor said.
Gaynor said she is not really sure how campus carry will play out, and it remains to be seen if it will be strongly felt on campus or turn into an afterthought. New students and new employees have also been informed about the changes. To take a closer look at all the policies and task forces, click here.
– Newschannel 6
