Wednesday’s gun policy open forum yields student concern
Over 30 students attended the gun policy open forum last Wednesday, and attendees were quick to question the issues of how concealed carry was defined, how students should respond if they see a weapon and what to do if a gun is inadvertently exposed or brandished outside of concealment.
Kent Nelson and Matt Dorschel address the questions of the student body regarding the concealed carry bill on the University of Idaho campus. The open forum was hosted in the Vandal Ballroom Sept. 17.
The open forum was one of several Campus Safety Week events held last week aimed to promote violence prevention at the University of Idaho. ASUI sponsored and advertised the gun policy forum.
Executive Director of Public Safety and Security Matt Dorschel and Kent Nelson of the UI General Counsel hosted the forum at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, to answer student questions regarding the new campus concealed carry policy.
Earlier this year, Idaho passed a law permitting retired law officers and individuals who have obtained an Idaho enhanced concealed carry license to possess a concealed firearm on public college or university property, with some exceptions.
One exception includes prohibiting firearms in entertainment or sporting buildings with seating capacities of more than 1,000.
The new law, accompanied by an updated university policy, went into effect July 1.
“Basically, it means carrying a firearm in a manner or fashion so that the firearm isn’t discernable or observable by ordinary people during the ordinary course of their actions on campus,” Dorschel said at the public forum. “If you do observe a firearm, you should call 911, because license holders have a responsibility to keep their weapon concealed.”
The consequences of an authorized license holder exposing their firearm varies based on the situation, Nelson said, whether they accidentally flash their gun, brandish it or open fire on campus.
He said exposing a firearm on UI property would only be violating university policy, and would not be classified as a criminal offense.
“We really didn’t change how we interdict the sighting of a weapon from the previous policy, if there’s a weapon sighted, we contact law enforcement,” Nelson said.
Kent said UI would not maintain a list, or try and document which students, staff or faculty have concealed carry permits. He said law enforcement is the only party that has access to information that reveals permit holder status.
Dorschel said he had concerns about an increase in accidental or inadvertent firearm discharge and firearm theft, but did not foresee any compromise to campus safety.
“In the states that have similar laws, there hasn’t been an increase in gun violence,” Dorschel said.
In response to the new policy, Dorschel said he is currently trying to acquire funding to update the security camera network on campus. He also said the UI Public Safety and Security Office would be investing funds into training campus security officers, but the costs would be minimal.
Dorschel said students can check in and check out firearms at any time in the facilities storage building on campus, which is on the west end of campus off Perimeter Drive near the Facilities Services building. But, stored firearms cannot be loaded and the storage facility does not permit the storage of ammunition. The storage facility is operated by officers from the Moscow Police Department.
George Wood Jr. can be reached at [email protected]