Dear West Virginia University Campus Community,
I wanted to share with you a letter I sent to members
of the West Virginia Senate earlier today regarding
the potential campus carry legislation being contemplated
by the West Virginia Legislature. This is an important
issue for our campus and we will continue to share
updates and information so I encourage you to monitor
email, UNews
, MOUNTAINEER E-News and upcoming editions of Under The Dome. If you wish to share your thoughts on the potential
legislation, call or email West Virginia State Senators
.
Dear Members of the West Virginia Senate,
There have been no less than four bills introduced
during this legislative session that would limit
the authority of our Board of Governors to regulate
the presence of firearms on our campuses. Providing
a safe learning environment for students is the
supreme responsibility of any university. For that
reason, West Virginia University opposes these
pieces of legislation, which in varying forms would
allow individuals licensed to carry concealed weapons
to carry them on college and university campuses.
We believe that deadly weapons have no place on
our campuses, except in the hands of law enforcement
personnel or others authorized by the University.
And we have always believed that local control
by our Board of Governors is the best basis for
decisions about security on our campuses around
the state.
Under the current system that bans weapons, our
well-trained law enforcement staff does an excellent
job keeping campuses safe for students, faculty,
staff, campus visitors and all those who attend
athletic events. Many law enforcement officers
believe “campus carry” policies endanger their
own lives and make it much more difficult for police
to protect the safety of all.
Young adults, who comprise most of our 30,000 students,
are still developing emotionally and often engage
in conduct that would be made significantly more
dangerous by concealed weapons. In this environment,
the right to carry concealed guns can increase
chances of homicide and suicide. Suicide is the
second leading cause of death for college age young
adults.
At a time when we are seeing more students facing
mental health challenges and needing additional
mental healthcare, now is not the time to insert
firearms into what are already trying situations
on campus.
A passionate interplay of ideas enlivens higher
education institutions. The presence of guns would
have a chilling effect in many situations, from
contentious classroom discussions to meetings with
faculty members about grades. According to research
published in the American Journal of Public Health,
“right to carry” laws have been associated with
higher rates of firearm workplace homicides.
I have heard firsthand that the presence of guns
on campus would discourage many talented students
and faculty members from joining our learning community
or have those who are here look elsewhere.
We also note that some of these pieces of legislation
do not protect our most sensitive areas, including
classrooms, patient care areas, large-capacity
arenas, areas with research involving chemicals,
and campus residence halls.
West Virginia University does currently permit
guns on campus in some situations, always with
awareness and oversight by the University Police
Department. For example, guns are essential to
certain academic programs, such as Forensic and
Investigative Science, and in athletic competition
by our Rifle Team. In unique circumstances, such
as a specific and immediate death threat against
an individual, the president and the University
Police Department can grant a waiver allowing someone
to carry a weapon.
Another authorized gun on campus is the traditional
musket that our Mountaineer mascot carries at University
events. The Mountaineer represents West Virginia’s
heritage, and our University takes pride in honoring
that heritage and the rights of everyone on campus.
Above all, as our state’s land-grant university,
we advance the right of all Mountaineers to learn,
teach, work and speak without fear in a safe, secure
environment.
We urge state lawmakers to reject these pieces
of legislation.
Sincerely,
E. Gordon Gee
President, West Virginia University