To: AASCU State Relations Officers
From: Dan Hurley, Director of State Relations and Policy Analysis, AASCU
Tom Harnisch, Asst. Director of State Relations and Policy Analysis, AASCU
Subject: Resources to Counter Guns on Campus Legislation
As the 2013 state legislative sessions get underway, AASCU would like to
offer its assistance in helping your campus or higher education system
achieve its state policy goals. AASCU’s state relations unit offers
policy research, analysis and advocacy on an array of state higher
education issues.
The recently released AASCU brief entitled The Top 10 Higher Education State Policy Issues for 2013,
outlines several policy issues likely to witness legislative attention
in the months ahead. One of these topics (#8 on the list) involves state
lawmakers’ attempts to mandate that public colleges and universities
allow individuals with concealed weapons permits to carry guns on
campus. This may include, in some instances, campus buildings such as
classrooms and residence halls.
AASCU is strongly opposed to lawmakers’ attempts to liberalize campus
guns policy or to usurp institutional authority involving guns on
campus. Included in the association’s Public Policy Agenda is the following state policy statement:
Support existing state law and proposed legislation that 1) bans
concealed weapons from public college campuses or 2) provides for
institutional and system autonomy with regard to concealed weapons
policy. Discourage new legislation that would overturn or weaken
concealed weapons bans on campus.
AASCU has partnered with Andy Pelosi at The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus to support efforts to turn back campus concealed-carry legislation. Together, AASCU and 359 individual campuses have joined this campaign. Provided below is a list of resources that support the call to keep guns off campus.
AASCU staff are here to serve as a resource on a variety of state and
federal higher education policy issues. Please do not hesitate to call
on us if we can be of assistance.
Best wishes for a productive start as your legislative sessions get underway.
Protecting the Firearms Firewall on America’s College Campuses (Jan. 9, 2013). Commentary by Dan Hurley in the Huffington Post (View).
ACPA, ASCA, ACUHO-I, et.al (April 2011). Statement Against Concealed Weapon Carry on University Campuses (View PDF).
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Guns on Campus. (View website).
Harnisch, Thomas L. (November 2008). Concealed Weapons on Campus: In Pursuit of Individual Liberty and Collective Security. American Association of State Colleges and Universities. (View PDF).
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (August 2008). Position Statement: Concealed Carrying of Firearms. (View PDF)
National Conference of State Legislatures (August 2012). Guns on Campus: Overview. (View website).
Siebel, Brian J. (Spring 2008). The Case Against Guns on Campus. George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal. (View PDF)
Students for Gun-Free Schools. Why Our Campuses are Safer without Concealed Handguns. (View website).
Created by Claudia DiMercurio (dimercur@oakland.edu) on Monday, January 28, 2013 Modified by Claudia DiMercurio (dimercur@oakland.edu) on Monday, January 28, 2013 Article Start Date: Monday, January 28, 2013
