A University of Texas at San Antonio task force presented its recommendations this week on where concealed handguns can and cannot be carried on campus.
Starting next August, public universities in Texas will be required to allow concealed handgun license holders to bring their weapons on campus.
Walter Wilson, Ph.D. and an associate professor of political science at UTSA and a member of the Faculty Senate, says a very small percentage of the campus would be a gun-free zone.
“There will be a couple of buildings related to biosciences that will essentially be off limits,” he said. “But other than that the task force is proposing to all campus carry pretty much everywhere.”
UTSA’s Faculty Senate surveyed students in late November. The number of students who thought campus carry in the classroom would hinder their education outnumbered those who thought it would enhance it by a ratio of 12 to 1.”
Wilson said, “Although the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to urge that the policy exclude guns from classrooms, offices, and other formal teaching and research areas, and the fact that more than 60 percent of students we surveyed opposed carrying guns in any of those venues, the university appears ready to allow campus carry in those areas anyway.”
The task force’s recommendations will be made to university President Ricardo Romo. The UT System Board of Regents will have the final say.
